Featured Artist: Scarlett Veith
For most kids, watching cartoons is an escape from the lifetime of drudgery they foresee upon becoming a so-called ‘”grown-up”. For others, it’s bona fide, career-building research. Remember the kid who would rock out 200 push-ups and some serious kata during Teenage Mutant Turtles? Or the one who’d draw all her favourite characters in a dog-eared sketchbook, then colour them expertly, winning the favor of teachers and tough kids alike? Natalie Smith (RB’s beloved Scarlett Veith) was just such a child. Avidly watching the likes of Disney, the Simpsons and the animated Batman series, Smith learned more than just how to hogtie a villain. Now she produces designs in her own unique style, gaining the attention of Redbubble fans and the publishers of children’s books.
Until recently, Natalie worked almost solely in pencil and paper, but has since moved to a primarily digital style, with some fantastic results. Although digital work has the potential to be excessively clean or awkwardly-colored, Natalie has a wonderful eye in selecting a palette and includes some beautifully delicate effects, such as the fall of street lights filtered through a venetian blind, or subtly-blurred balls in motion.
Natalie Smith is based in Yorkshire, UK, is largely self-taught and recently illustrated a children’s book about a bulb of garlic who gets lost in a grocery store. So, kids, next time your Nan tells you to switch off the telly, politely let her know the artistic benefits of watching cartoons.
See Scarlett Veith’s full portfolio here.
