"I’ve Found My Dragon”

“I’ve Found My Dragon” is a 36 page field-guide that contains the illustrated concept work for eight different fantasy creatures, and a series of letters I wrote to my younger self. Together, they reflect on my artistic journey thus far in my life.

At the start of Thesis year I knew I needed to dig deep into my inspirations to identify the “spark” that drives me. I sat at my computer as my mind swam through countless works and pieces of literature that I have clung to over the years. Why do I love drawing? In the midst of the overwhelming content, I found that I was trying to answer that question within the context of only the last four years. However, I have been drawing my entire life. I have wanted to be an artist for as long as I can remember. Then finally, it clicked. My love for art has steadily evolved from a child’s passion to a learned trade. During my four years of college I have been doing exactly what I pictured myself doing when I was a small child. But what inspired that child originally?

I can trace back my creativity to an enchantment with the fantasy genre and with character design. My story with art is so intrinsically tied to this original passion that helps me create my most authentic work. Thus, the whole idea behind my thesis was to create a gift to myself, both the current me and my past. The book I created for my thesis completes the goal of gift-giving to myself by being a nostalgic showcase of my story, while demonstrating my acquired illustration skills during my journey with PNCA in order to amplify my portfolio’s potential after graduation.