Q & A with Artist Katrina Constantine
Puns and pugs. Penguins and protracturtles. Welcome to the world of Kicking Cones, created by the witty Katrina Constantine. I recently chatted with the Orlando-based artist about her work, her heroes, and our hometown’s art scene. Check it!
-MARIA DELIS
“My hope is to clutter the Internet with so many pictures of penguins and monkeys, that there is no room left for the disheartening stuff. I know, it’s not an easy job coloring animals, but someone had to do it.” - K.C.
So, why penguins?
I appreciate the simplicity of penguins. They’re amusing and loveable creatures. The added bonus is that they look gender neutral, so when I draw them, everyone can relate.
When did you discover your passion for art?
As soon as I could hold a pencil. When I was in third grade, I started my own art company. That is, I drew a million pictures of monkeys that looked like …well, like a third grader drew them. I made a total of $1.65 selling prints around the neighborhood. I was so proud. People only bought my stuff because they felt bad for me. Thank goodness because it falsely inflated my confidence at the time, which pushed me to draw so much more.
What are your sources of inspiration?
The first artist I ever came across that made me go “I WANT TO DO THAT!” was Sam Brown from Exploding Dog. I love his minimalistic style and how perfectly he mixes humor with depth. My heroes are Tina Fey, Bill Watterson (Calvin and Hobbes), Shel Silverstein, and Dr. Seuss. Lately, my good friend, Frogman (Internet comedian), has been my very own Jiminy Cricket.
Could you briefly describe your working process?
About 90% of my drawings start from Post-it® notes. I always jot down ideas even if they annoyingly come to me in the middle of the night. I normally make a real-life sketch first and then scan it to Photoshop. Then I render it digitally with my Wacom Pen Tablet. When it’s almost done, I make my friend Ruperto tear it apart. It always helps to get a professional, outside perspective when you stare at something for too long. After that, I change it like twenty times, finish coloring it in, and with a bit of luck, a coherent illustration comes to life!
What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received about your work?
I like when people tell me that I’ve inspired them to pursue their own passions. It fills my void to see people get excited and come alive about what they love. It’s so easy nowadays to settle and give up. I know I’ve wanted to a million times, but I’m lucky enough to be surrounded by people who motivate me (and sass the crap out of me) to keep going, and now I hope to do the same.
How would you define the art scene in Orlando?
It’s not the worst, but it definitely has a lot of room for improvement. I have a feeling that there will be a surge in the art scene in the next few years. If not, I will personally make that change by yelling really loudly that we need a better art scene.
What do you love about Orlando?
Orlando hosts some pretty cool conventions like MegaCon. We also have unlimited Butterbeer thanks to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. And the squirrels here are so crazy.
