"Cheerful" and "unique" are just two of the many descriptive words given to me in the number of interview suggestions I received for this deviant. There is so much more this artist has to offer with her beautiful line work, gorgeous traditional and digital colors and her ability to breathe a winning personality into every piece. The Comics and Cartoons gallery is proud to present Tessa Stone, also known as *vert-is-ninja!



Hi there, Tessa! Please introduce yourself for us.

I’m Tessa Stone, 19 years old and I love telling stories and introducing people to the characters that have made their way into my head. I love black comedy, and anything that doesn’t take itself seriously, and I try to reflect that in all of my stories. As Maiyazaki once said, "To make your audience cry with you is easy, to have them laugh with you is twice as hard."

When did you become aware of your interest in art and what were your first experiences with it?

Umm, wow. For that one? Jeez. I was always interested in comics and cartoons. My very first comic book was in the first grade. It was all the Sonic the Hedgehog comics I read. Spaz and Harvey were my heroes. It was a full blown comic book, too – 24 pages and all. Naturally, it was terrible. But I always thought if I kept drawing I’d be good at it one day. I’m still hopin’.

My absolute favorite thing about your work is that every figure, every piece has a personality all its own. Be it fanart, original art or a simple doodle; each character or object or panel stands up against the next. What are your inspirations? And favorite artists?

My inspirations come from all sorts of places really. My biggest one is music. My art reflects whatever song/group I happen to be listening to, and because of that I like to keep my music diverse. As for favorite artists, I really admire Mike Mignola, Oda, and Tennaple. They’re pretty non-ordinary, and work with solid lines, shapes and have amazing inking abilities. It’s excellent.

I’m having a hard time not fangirling my way through this interview. Another thing I’m particularly fond of is your gallery has a nice variety of traditional and digital pieces. But what your preferred medium?

Pencil and printer paper. I’m cheap in my materials, and always find I ruin my nice ones faster than I’d like, so I keep to the stuff I can replace easily. On the computer though, Illustrator is an easy win.

Where did you study?

I studied at the Art Institute of Dallas for two years before I left. I was a Graphic Design major instead of an animator, and I don’t regret that major choice. Comics and cartoons have more graphic design to them than one would initially think.

What have you done with your artwork, as far as work experience goes?

I currently work at a small game company located in Dallas called Barking Lizards Technologies. When I started there a year and a half ago, we were making cell phone games like Oblivion : Elder Scrolls, and now, we have moved our way up to making fairly popular titles for the GBA and DS. Bratz GBA is #2 on the CNN most wanted Christmas toy list, and I had my grimy hands all over that thing! Marvel Ultimate Alliance comes out the 18th, I believe too. It may not be my favorite titles (can’t say I’m huge on Bratz), but experience is experience, and in all actuality, it’s a lot of fun.

As for what I do, I’m a bit of a jack of all trades. I do conceptual work, 2D sprite animations, and webcoder. I don’t actually have an official name, but one day maybe. Good to know everything, I guess.

Do you have any tips for those interested in seeking a career in comics and/or cartoons?

Haha, not a lot. I haven’t made it there yet, either. All I can say is do what you like best, and push hard. Having someone miraculously find you and think you’re a protege is pretty unlikely, so send your stuff out. A lot of 'no' is better than not even sending out your stuff in the first place. Also, feel confident in your work. They can smell confidence a mile away.

What is your ultimate goal as an artist?

To never be satisfied. Weird, huh? I fear if I am ever wholly satisfied with my work, I’ll stop improving and that’d be a shame. I’d also like to have a really huge impact on the public with my stories and characters. My desire to share stories and the crazy people in my head is what started the whole 'wanting to draw' mess in the first place.

What are your proudest moments concerning your art?

Working on comics that people really enjoyed online. I still have people asking me about Kill the City and Nova Next Exit, and I’ve sadly been unable to provide more, but I hope that’s going to change. The fact that people really enjoyed it so much really touched me. Made it worth everything. I met the nicest of people this way.
^{Gallery Director Note: Make sure you guys stop by Tessa’s gallery and read the submitted pages of the great Kill the City comic! While you’re at it, don’t miss out on the rest of her gallery!}

Outside the world of art, is there anything you'd like to achieve but haven’t had the chance to yet?

Traveling around the world, definitely. I adore other cultures and I’d love to see it all firsthand. There was always a bit of an anglophile in me from day one, and I’ve only been to England once for a couple of days. When I get the chance, going around the world is high on my to-do list.

How did you find dA and what made you finally decide to join it?

A friend of mine was on it, and I was thrilled with the idea of insta-feedback. After thinking it over and building the confidence to throw myself to the dogs, I finally did it.

You’re an older deviant, it’s certainly nice to see you’ve stuck around this long! How has your experience been so far?

Really good, actually. I have no personal complaints. Nearly everybody has been more than excellent to me, and it’s only a shame that I have a hard time updating my page as often as I’d like. It’s a community I wish I had more time to attend and be a part of.

What kind of artwork do you enjoy looking at here?

I enjoy looking at art that has really solid styles, of whatever type. I do love simplicity though, and when I see it done well, I just love it. I wish I could draw as well as these (and so many more) people. It’d really make my day.

Tessa’s deviant Picks:


Do you offer commissions or any other services?

Yes! I just opened myself to commissions – the information is all here : [link]

Tessa, you’re an absolute doll. Thank you for yappin’ with me! In closing, do you have any words of wisdom for our readers?

If you’re personality is reflected in the art that you do, you’re doing the right thing, in my humble opinion.

_{-----
Interview brought to you by your friendly neighborhood ^y2jenn. Thanks again, Tessa!}

Past Interviews:
TraditionalDanimatio, Themrock, Spaghetti016, tskyle