I have had a very fair share of inspirations across my artistic journey. This not only includes visual works, but also written ones.
One visual artist that I look up to is the widely-revered AKIRA EGAWA (stylized in all caps), a Japanese illustrator known for her breathtaking Pokémon card designs. Her style is instantly noticeable thanks to her digital paintbrush strokes and red or magenta highlights. You can look at one work and go, “yep, that’s an EGAWA.” She manages to accomplish a level of digital detail that I simply do not see from anywhere or anyone else.
EGAWA has illustrated over 170 stunning artworks for the Pokémon Trading Card Game since 2019.
A writer that I look up to is a personal friend, actually. He has his own superhero story featuring an endless roster of OCs (Original Characters), and I have joked with him many times that it’s a miracle no publisher has reached out to him yet. His universe has been in the works for much longer than mine, and it shows. He is constantly improving each character design and story. Not one person feels one-dimensional or static unless that’s the point of the character. One thing he’s obsessed with is themes. He hardly adds anything without a good reason.