Amanda Ward

I am a student in Sheridan's BAA Illustration Program (4th and final year).

Though I am currently working on many independent projects (including 2 graphic novels) I enjoy working with clients on a wide variety of projects. I enjoy challenges, such as helping others solve visual problems.

My hobbies include toy,clothing and jewelry design. Ocassionally, I produce the music and voicecast for my short animations. I enjoy playing the piano/keyboard and singing as well.

As an artist, I have always felt excited, and challenged by the opportunity to create believable characters. The greatest strength of my portfolio is, and always has been character design. I believe that the most important ingredient in creating effective characters is spontaneity. In order to capture emotion and life, the drawing instruments must move freely, and spontaneously. I am fast and fearless with traditional media, and I do not given any thought to making mistakes. Happy accidents must be encouraged.

I thought I’d found my medium of choice when I began creating, crisp, precise illustrations with pen and ink. However, I have discovered that it is coupled by an opposite, but equally important strength: the ability to capture gesture.

My method is simple: Keep the pencil going. Some of my best, most lively characters are born on the page as a few rapid lines. Usually within the first ten seconds of creating a gesture, I automatically know whom I’m dealing with. As a result, my ability to create gesture allows me to quickly plan my sketches, while a steady hand for inking can lend to crisp, clean results. The two mediums have become interchangeable for both rough and final work, with stunning results.

I have often been told that the sense of heightened emotion and expression my characters possess is palpable. There is humor in my work, to be sure, but there is also serious, sensitive subject matter. I am not afraid to tackle either, and am always ready for a new challenge. I am also a writer, which means I usually create the stories for my graphic novels. I am educated in both English and French, and have a strong grasp of both languages. I enjoy treating my narratives as another form of art, and often put just as much work into their development as I put into the visual artwork.

As a broad minded individual, I offer a wide variety of characters to my clients. There are degrees of realism within my portfolio, yet it remains cohesive. I have identified numerous categories of characters I am able to create, however, new categories are always emerging. I have specifically developed a comprehensive portfolio to address my clients’ needs and to nourish my creative process, but all of the characters can still be recognized as ‘family.’ In other words, the strong character style shows through.

I believe that illustrators need to be flexible and patient to function in the industry. I do not expect anyone to be interested in what I do until I can present something that aligns with their needs and interests. As an illustrator, it is also my job to show an interest in the needs of others so that I can create work that captures their experiences effectively. I attempt to align my work with universal human values and emotions by going right to the source, and interviewing individuals whose experiences align with the type of character I am trying to develop. My work can be unabashedly sensitive, and extremely intense, dealing in subject matter that is often difficult to address. I am able to approach uncomfortable subjects with appropriate levels of humor and a mature outlook.

Only weeks away from finishing my fourth year of Sheridan’s BAA Illustration program, I will soon graduate and earn my degree. I look forward to my career as an interpreter of the human condition with great excitement and enthusiasm.

Coming very soon to my site will be a new section of original plush toys I have designed and created (all hand made).