This week, we welcome Justin Castaneda Heart to the CBFC Artist Spotlight!
Q. Where are you from?
A. South suburbs of Chicago
Q. How long you’ve been drawing?
A. Since I was little.
Q. What materials do you prefer to do your art with?
A. When I work traditionally, I use a variety of brush pens and markers. A pilot G2 0.38 is my preferred inking pen and I like using a Pentel pocket brush for thick and thin lines. When I work digitally I like using my Apple Pencil 2 w/ my iPad and the app, Procreate.
Q. Character you love to draw?
A. I love drawing my character, Thump, from my very first self-published children’s book, HEART.
Q. Character that you want to draw that you haven’t drawn yet?
A. In a professional sense, I would love to do something with Superman or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Q. What artist inspires you the most and why?
A. As a comic artist, I love the work of Sam Kieth and Skottie Young, they continue to elevate their art styles with how much they push shape. And as an overall artist, I love the work of Fran Meneses aka @frannerd on Instagram. I just love her openness and honesty when it comes to building a career as a professional artist. Her vlogs are like comfort food as she brings you along in her daily life in art.
Q. What was your first published work?
A. I’ve been making my own comics and children’s books for a little over ten years now. So my “When I Was Little” picture book series would be some of the earliest projects. If I exclude those, I’ve done some pin-ups for “The Li’L Depressed Boy” by Image Comics and for Printed in Blood’s The Thing Artbook.
Q. Which artist would you love to do a collaboration piece with?
A. Writing is an art. I love collaborating with writers. Some highlights for me are Victor Dandridge, where we created our all-ages indie hit Wonder Care presents: The Kinder Guardians and working with FRANCO on DC’s Deadman Tells The Spooky Tales. I would love to do art w/ Kevin Smith. He’s my favorite filmmaker.
Thank Justin Castaneda Heart for taking the time to answer a few of our questions! Be sure to give him follow!
Don’t forget to check back next week for our next Artist Spotlight! If you’re an artist and are looking to be featured on our page, please hit me up here. I’d love to hear from you.
-Chris
Deaf | Graphic & Web Designer | Comic Book Collector | West Chapter