Hi! I’m Madeline Hale! I am an American author and illustrator based out of West Michigan. I have been interested in art since I was little, and I currently have over ten years of experience, with four years publishing experience.
I love art, gaming, coffee (too much, probably), and I really want to have like, six dogs someday.
FAQ
- What supplies do you use?
For traditional art, I use a Graphgear 1000 pencil, Muji ballpoints and Coptic markers. My favorite sketchbooks right now are Moleskine, but I usually like the cheap ones. All my digital art is done on an IPad Pro with Procreate.
- How did you develop your style?
Style is something I was really worried about when I was just starting out. I was obsessed with finding my style, but the honest truth of it is that my style changes all the time! It’s fluid, and will usually follow whatever it is I’m interested in at the time. It’s basically a conglomeration of tips and tricks you absorb while practicing, which is why it can be so unique.
- Did you go to school for art?
Nope! I took a few classes here and there (manga classes when I was first starting out, figure drawing classes, etc), but I am pretty much self-taught. There are definitely a lot of good things that come out of art school besides an education (community, connections, etc), but it was never really in the cards for me. I traveled a lot as a young-un and was homeschooled for most of my childhood – so I took the self-learning approach!
- Any tips for beginner artists?
Draw every day! You don’t even need to practice every day (though that can be very helpful). Just try to pick up a pencil for at least 15 minutes every day. Don’t focus on making things pretty so you can post them online – start by drawing for yourself without the pressure of the world seeing your progress. As you progress, keep drawing for yourself when you can. <3
- How do I start self-publishing?
Honestly, it sounds a lot more complicated and scary than it is. I publish my books through Amazon.com KDP, which is a print-on-demand company (meaning you pay nothing to have your books printed, they take the print cost out of your profit). There are a lot of online resources to help you through that process!