Interview with Lucy Peterson from The Pixie’s Paintbrush

This year, I’m hoping to interview several different experts in the book world (authors, publishers, cover designers, character artists, etc.). I decided to start by interviewing Lucy Peterson, the owner of The Pixie’s Paintbrush, since she recently started her business!

My interview with Lucy

Hi, Lucy! Can you introduce yourself for everyone? 

Hey! Thanks for having me! 

I’m a prairie girl from the Great Plains, and the artist behind The Pixie’s Paintbrush. I’ve always loved to draw and show the magic and beauty of fantasy, and as I am also an author, creating things comes naturally to me. 

What inspired you to start The Pixie’s Paintbrush? 

I have always loved drawing, and as I got better, I loved creating character art for friends. There’s something so cool about being able to help bring other people’s creations to life for them. Eventually it just became a waiting game for when I felt confident enough with my art to take on commissions, and when I could properly start and run a business. 

Does the name of your business have a special meaning?

Nope, I just picked it because I love Neverland. XD

How did you get started doing character art and other types of design?

If you go pull out my oldest stories, there are pictures on every page. XD I’ve always loved drawing my characters. 

I started doing digital character art and other designs almost two years ago.

What is your absolute favorite piece of artwork you’ve made? What made it special? Is it the same as your best piece of artwork?

Oof. *goes to scan my portfolio* 

I’m going to have to say my drawing of Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano. I love Star Wars so much, and they are two of my favorite characters…and yeah. It was so fun to draw, and I’m super happy with how it turned out. 

I also really love my black-and-white drawings of my characters from When the Stars Shine Again*. They’re some of the most realistic drawings I have ever done, so they can probably rank as some of my best pieces…

*Courtney here, When the Stars Shine Again is one of the books Lucy’s written!

What is the biggest thing you’ve learned from your experience making artwork for authors and stories you’ve read?

Really… learning how to work with and honor the creations of the authors and stories. Authors love their characters, and I want to match and honor that love and excitement with good artwork.

What is the hardest thing about creating art based on the stories you’ve loved?

Getting the art to look like the stories I’ve loved. XD I’m super picky, and so it can take a long time to finish a piece of art.

In addition to being an artist, you’re also an author. How has becoming an author affected your artwork you create for other authors?

It has really grown my understanding of characters. I know the nuances, so—especially in a drawing with more than one character—I know how to convey that in a much more realistic way than two characters simply standing together. XD 

It also has extremely grown my skills in costume design. When you write tons of characters in different outfits everyday, you can’t help but try and get more and more extravagant… 

So if I need an artist, what does the process look like?

First off, check out my site! Scan my portfolio and commission details to see if I am a good fit for you and you agree with my terms. 

If you’re looking for character art or book swag, the next step is to pick what type of commission you want, and fill out the form.

If you’re looking for a bigger project like cover design or illustrations (which I do offer, they are just a case-by-case basis so you won’t see prices listed on my site), the next step is to fill out my contact form on the site and let me know what you are looking for.

Is there any reason you wouldn’t be willing to create artwork for an author?

Yes. I am a Christain, so I have standards about what I am going to draw. Like my site says, I will not create any art that does not glorify God, is inappropriate, or contains excessive gore or romance. (Just a couple together is fine.)

What is your pricing like?

I provide affordable pricing for quality artwork. Prices are case-by-case with cover art and illustrations, and other commissions can range from $50 to $140. 

If you would like to have access to exclusive discounts, and gain a coupon for 10% off your first commission, join my email list! 

pricing details

What does your schedule look like? Are you available to make artwork for an author?

My schedule is currently completely open for the listed commissions on my site—character art, swag, and the like—and I am also open to provide cover art.

I currently am not accepting any commissions to provide illustrations, as my schedule only allows for me to accept one illustration commission at a time, and I just accepted one.

Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about this with me! Good luck with everything!!!!!!

Thank you so much for interviewing me! This was so fun!

Information about LucyThe Pixie’s Paintbrush siteLucy’s BlogWhen The Stars Shine Again by Lucy PetersonA Noble Warrior by Lucy Peterson

This post contains affiliate links. If you use one of my links, I will receive a percentage of the sale, at no extra cost to you! Essentially, you can buy a book, and support my blog at the same time!!!

Are you a book expert?

If you are an author or own a business that provides a service for people in the book world and would like to be interviewed, please reach out to me via my contact form!

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