Featured Illustrator

Matt Dorrien blends traditional and digital techniques to brings stories to life with rich textures, dynamic compositions, and a deep sense of emotion. (And he's a talented musician too!) We're delighted to share his work with you!

How did you get started in illustration? And what is your background?

(cont.) In my teens my parents pushed me to attend art classes at a small illustration school in Los Angeles, and soon after that I was hired as a caricature artist at Six Flags Magic Mtn. I had the gift and creative eye for it, but regretfully showed little motivation in pursuing it any further, and even pivoted from illustration all together. At the time, I was more interested in songwriting and playing in bands. I ultimately attended college on a music scholarship, dropped out and bounced around the country for awhile, joining numerous tours, and finally ending up in Portland, OR where I signed to a burgeoning record label, releasing several albums. All the while, I often would come back to illustration, occasionally illustrating pictures or designing home made greeting cards that I would send to friends and family.

When the Covid Pandemic hit, it all but severed my already tenuous relationship with the music industry, however there were some positive outcomes. Early on in 2020 I started posting illustrations on my Instagram account, and ended up befriending a wonderful illustrator, Joe Sutphin, whom I followed and have been a fan of for a while. He generously critiqued my drawings, and encouraged me to pursue illustration again. I think having a child, who is now two and a half, has also influenced my decision to illustrate again, as I would love to write and illustrate books that inspire him just as I was inspired when I was little. Needless to say, I am back where I started, this time with more focus and determination than I had in my youth.

What have you learned along the way? What tips can you share?

I’m still at the beginning of my career in children’s book illustration, but I have had the opportunity to work on a couple unpublished author’s books, and numerous commissions. What I have learned thus far is that it’s very beneficial to learn how to use digital illustration apps, like Procreate, as well as professional photo editing software, mainly Photoshop. Without these programs it’s very difficult to work in a swift and efficient way. Procreate especially has become an invaluable resource for me. I realize that it can’t do everything that Photoshop can in terms of editing, but it is so much more intuitive, from an artist's perspective, and you can work between both programs seamlessly. 

Another important lesson I've learned is that it’s imperative that one work towards finding an agent and/or publisher. Working in the amateur realm without representation is not only often less lucrative, but also difficult when it comes to navigating contracts, edits, and creative license. 

What is your preferred medium and method of working?

I’ve always enjoyed working with mixed media. I usually work with some combination of pencil, pen and ink, pastel and watercolor, and now I’ve included digital brushes in my arsenal. I really enjoy doing an illustration in pencil and ink, and then scanning that into photoshop. After I clean up that drawing, I send it over to Procreate where I finish painting it digitally. 

What would be your dream project?

I am currently looking for representation, and would love to illustrate any children’s book that aligns with my artistic aesthetic. It would be amazing to get to work on a winter or holiday themed children’s book that takes place in the countryside with both human children and animal protagonists, as stereotypical as that sounds. 

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