Can you share about the piece and how you conceived of it?
I started working on The Gummy Inferno Of Leonard’s Innards perhaps a year and a half ago. Leonard was based on a character in a short story I wrote during the same year about a man who stumbled upon a weird gummy dimension. Upon his entrance to the new world, his body turned translucent and he was able to see his innards, which were now very much like those squishy edible bear-shaped treats. I wanted to illustrate the whole story, but couldn’t due to scheduling problems. Now we are left with a single illustration of Leonard to represent the story.
If you were to describe your work to someone who’s never seen it, what would you say?
Hello there, stranger. My name is Kristina. Most of my artwork contains my signature swirly doo-dad patterns. I love drawing with bright colors and some of my favorite subjects are women with animal ears, superheroes with fancy boots and gloves, and vampires. Now, would you like to have a seat? It makes me nervous when people stand around me.
What’s your creative process when producing a piece of art?
Lately I have been producing mostly vector art via photoshop. Preliminary sketches are done on loose leaf (usually while I’m drinking loose leaf) and then scanned (while I’m scanning for more food to eat). Final outlining and coloring are done digitally. It’s all very boring and systematic right now, but I’m planning on going back to traditional mediums once I’m moved in to my new studio.
Could you share an image of one of your latest sketches?
Here’s a preliminary sketch of a piece about the side effects of lying.
Would you share three unique things in your workspace that inspire you?
1. A set of buttons made by my favorite illustrator, Jillian Tamaki.
2. My very small, but humble collection of drawing supplies:
3. My hairy cohabitant:
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received in response to your work?
(sincerely) Your art is great – Dad
What’s the art scene like where you live?
Very sleepy, unfortunately.
What art is hanging on your walls at the moment?
I have a few Sumi Ink Club posters and a Kozyndan print currently hanging up. I also have my fake beard exhibition hanging. You should see em’. I’ve got all sorts!
What are you really into right now?
Vikings, Encyclopedia of Barbarian Europe, beards, reading about lordship and tradition, and soda bread!
What would be on your quintessential mixtape?
Castanets
If your art was music, what would it sound like?
A Farfisa and a banjo.
What do you have as your desktop wallpaper?
Cody Hudson’s Spacetime Special Edition wallpaper from Kitsune Noir.
What websites do you check out regularly?
Jillian Tamaki’s sketchblog,, drawn.ca, illustrationmundo.com, drawger.com, and many more!
What are your vices/guilty pleasures?
Fast food :P
What’s the first picture you can remember drawing as a child?
The earliest art-related memory I still have is the one of me drawing orange trees on the dining room walls. I, of course, got into trouble. I think that’s why my memory of that drawing is so vivid even after all these years. So, to answer your question, a crappy orange tree.
If you were a dinosaur, what kind would you be and why?
I would be a graceful Pterodactyl. I would install a covered wagon on my back and fly my friends around. But not for free, of course. Pterodactyl maintenance isn’t cheap, as everybody knows.
What was your last memorable dream?
The last one I can conjure involved me getting lost in a snowy Colorado-esque place with my friend Travis. We ended up making a straw hut and then burning it down to make smoke signals. I believe we fought with a few bears. I hate it when my cat wakes me up from these things.
If you had to change careers, what would be next?
A farmer or a fisherman, I would love to live on a farm again.
Are there any upcoming shows or projects you’d like to share?
I am currently working on finishing the first issue of my second comic: Miserable Comics – The Saddest Man In The World Is Not A Man, But A Clam. The progress is very slow right now because of my new schedule, but I work on it whenever I have the free time.
What’s your motto?
Take care of your art and your art will take care of you!
Best wishes,
Kristina Collantes
Kristina Collantes
