Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Hindman.
Hi Megan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I was lucky enough to find a love for art very early in life, and I was encouraged to pursue it by my family and art instructors. I nearly studied Biology in college rather than art, which is a secondary passion of mine. However, art eventually won over my heart, and I have been striving to develop my skills since then! I graduated from the University of Iowa with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2016. Eventually, I moved to Salt Lake City with my boyfriend so he could get his master’s degree in game design.
I had yet to determine precisely what I wanted to do with my art as a career. I initially thought of going into concept art for animation or games, but there weren’t any programs at my college for that kind of work. I attempted to fit into the Fine Arts department as it was the closest to my goals, but I often needed to be more open with professors who valued realism over everything. It took me a while to get my spark back after college, and I merely drove for fun while working full-time, joyful-dimensionally sold art at small markets in Iowa City, which resonated with so many people who stopped by. It made me realize something in my work resonated with other people, and it encouraged me to get back into creating.
When I moved to Salt Lake City, I finally got the motivation to apply to and sell at the Craft Lake City DIY Festival in 2019. It was such a positive experience that I got the confidence to apply to the Salt Lake Comic Con. My first year was in 2021, and it was such an incredible experience. I started to apply to more and more shows, and now, in 2024, I have flown to so many conventions across the U.S. I have lost count! I get online sales through an Etsy shop, and now my own Shopify and I look forward to seeing where else this path takes me!
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
In my final year of college, we were encouraged to work on personal projects. However, my professors needed help understanding digital art and how it was made. None of my digital work was accepted as art (except for when I turned them into screen prints, for some reason). It took me a long time to get over that feeling and return to the art I wanted to make. My experience with my professors lowered my confidence, but sharing my art with others helped me escape self-doubt. I was (and continue to be) so floored when people get excited about something I created, and that connection I feel with others brought back my confidence as an artist.
Most artists are their worst critics; I couldn’t name a single creative friend of mine who doesn’t have some degree of imposter syndrome. While I am so honored to be showing my art at incredible venues, it’s hard not to compare myself to the other talented artists in the same room. I hold onto something I read in the book “Steal Like an Artist,” where he says, “You’re the most talented person in the room; find a different room.” I focus on what I like about the art I see and how to apply that inspiration to my work. Seeing other artists’ displays, products, prints, and art styles in one place is an incredible learning tool!
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
While I also enjoy watercolor, ink, markers, and pencils, I predominantly make my art on my iPad with Procreate’s digital drawing program. I had always been interested in digital art and started carefully using the pen tool in Microsoft Paint in 5th grade (2005). I taught myself Photoshop in middle school and used a Wacom tablet to draw throughout college. My desire to create took off when I got my iPad and could work anywhere!
My art is greatly influenced by my favorite artist, Alphonse Mucha. I love the narratives he includes, the foliage and flowers, and the intriguing characters he creates. I aspire to bring a narrative or a story to my artwork, exciting color palettes, textures, and the human element. The quick and jarring rise of AI-generated images and “art” has made me value the mistakes that make art human. I love drawing plants, armor, animals, and bones while also loving to draw my favorite characters from a movie or show. The highest compliment I can get at a convention is often, “I love how you draw this character!” I strive to bring my element to fan circles and expand how people view something like Star Trek or Adventure Time.
I create a lot of prints and sticker sheets for conventions, many of which are inspired by pop culture, cartoons, anime, or other genres that connect with the audience at comic or anime cons. I like to create sticker sheets that I would like to find while perusing Artist Alley, and it’s so rewarding when like-minded people get excited to find them at my booth. I have made many friends while traveling with my art, as the people who like it end up being the kind of people I would like to surround myself with.
We love surprises, fun facts, and unexpected stories. Can you share something that might surprise us?
People are often surprised when I tell them I’m an introvert since meeting people and connecting with others is something I enjoy! But as much fun as I have meeting others and talking, I need as much time (if not more) to relax at home and keep to myself to recharge.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://meganhindmanart.wordpress.com/
- Instagram: @tabbyaddams
- Twitter: @tabbyaddams
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Tabbyaddams
