Cool Girls with Tag: illustrator

Rachel Ignotofsky

Name: Rachel Ignotofsky
Age: 30
Location: Los Angeles
Occupation: Author and Illustrator

Growing up, Rachel Ignotofsky enjoyed cartoons, comics, and TV shows about science, but she didn’t really enjoy reading. As she overcame her difficulty, she realized that illustrations and other visual aids really helped her to click with the subject material.

“When I was in elementary school I just turned every project into an art project. I built a ton of dioramas,” she remembers.

After graduating from Tyler School of Art’s graphic design program with honors, and working as an illustrator at Hallmark Greetings, she began her career translating her love of history and science into illustration.

“I wanted to create art about things I found interesting and found it really important to teach it to others. I began using my background in graphic design to create infographics and posters that teachers could use in their classrooms,” Rachel says. “I still use posters to test out ideas and figure out concepts before I begin writing a book.”

Today this New York Times-bestselling author has released a whole slew of wisdom-packed books that use infographics, gorgeous doodles, and eye-catching art that appeals to readers of all ages.

“Something magical happens when you take the time to make information look pretty. People stop because it looks cool and before you know it, they are tricked into learning. We need to encourage people to feel excited to learn about hard to talk about science topics like climate change, so we can begin to solve those problems,” Rachel continued.

Her series of books highlighting trailblazers in herstory includes Women in Science, Women in Art, and Women in Sports, all of which use her creative spark to draw attention to ladies who have done incredible things in a variety of fields, in spite of gender inequity. She also uses infographics to convey information that may seem overwhelming or inaccessible to certain people or students.

“I use my art to break down the fear of learning complicated subjects. Illustration is the most powerful tool when it comes to education,” she says.

Originally, Rachel began to notice that certain topics didn’t seem to have an adequate representation of prominent women. Her curiosity as to why led her to begin researching and discovering that, in fact, many women had done incredible things in all fields, including those of science, mathematics, and engineering–topics that a lot of people find burdensome to grasp.

“I write my books about topics that I think are important,” she explains. “Only by understanding how our world works (science), and why our world works the way it does (history), can people make informed decisions in my opinion. I also make my work with teachers in mind. I think about what can help them in their classrooms and I make my work as tools for teachers to use during lessons.”

When she’s not writing books, Rachel also speaks at a variety of venues, including museums, and even NASA. And when she goes out on a book tour, she’s able to see how her hours of night-owl productivity and research have paid off.

“The best part is hearing how the book is being used in lesson plans and in real life. Kids share their drawings with me also, which is always so awesome,” she adds.

Currently, Rachel is working on two new science books that are slated for release in 2021, while also touring to promote her latest book, The Wondrous Workings of Planet Earth.

And now, we’re welcoming Rachel and her art to our family of Artist Collaborations. We’ve recently launched four new styles that pay tribute to four amazing women that are highlighted in Rachel’s books. These socks feature Ada Lovelace, Elizabeth Blackwell, Rosalind Franklin, and Joan Procter.

“We need to make sure that everyone grows up knowing that they can be leaders in solving our worlds biggest problems. I hope my books about Women in Science, Sports, and Art help young girls discover new role models that inspire them to follow their passions!”

Some wise words from this graphic genius! For her art and her assistance in making various topics accessible, we think Rachel Ignotofsky is a very Cool Girl! And because we believe in Rachel’s mission so much, for every pair in her collection sold, a small donation will be made to Girls Who Code, a nonprofit that is on a mission to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like and does.

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Love the book? Get the matching socks! Women in Science socks are available now.

Camila Rosa

Name: Camila Rosa
Age: 30
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Occupation: Illustrator and Visual Artist

Artist Camila Rosa uses her talent to create visually stunning illustrations that are meant to inspire women and connect them across social boundaries. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bust, GQ, and on Spotify as well as in myriad other publications and advertisements. That’s not to say that this Brazilian born trailblazer has always had it all figured out.

“I went to industrial design school in my hometown, and after working for a big company designing trophies, I decided to quit and that changed my life,” Camila says. “I moved to Sao Paulo and started to work with graphic design and illustration, which was my distant dream back in 2012. It was very hard to move to a new city, a new job along with a lot of other changes at just 21 years old, but it was worth it after all.”

By then she’d been involved with Coletivo CHÁ, an artists collective she joined one month after two of her friends founded it. 

“We started with the desire to publicize our ideas, and we chose to put it on the streets. Being part of a group of five women supporting each other was the best way to believe in ourselves and in our work. I decided to be an Illustrator because of the collective,” Camila confesses. 

Between her professional endeavors as a freelancer and her desire to inspire other women, Camila has found herself on the forefront of a socially conscious design revolution. From feminist calendars to Pride Month illustrations for Refinery29 to provocative works such as her “No Human Is Illegal”, Camila’s work goes beyond the simplistic eye candy of commercial art. But, believe it or not, abundant sparks of artistic ingenuity don’t come naturally. 

“I always have a hard time trying to be creative,” Camila says. “I think we have to exercise our minds every day, and for me, it’s never an easy job. I believe that creativity is not about what you are, it’s about what you experience. It’s a moment.”

And these days, most of her workday consists of the solitary practice of being a freelance artist toiling at home. 

“Being a full-time freelance illustrator, it’s a big challenge because you have to do all the work, including the business part, planning my schedule, chatting with clients, and everything else. I’m a one-woman studio and sometimes it’s not easy to do all the work,” she says.

When she’s not illustrating, Camila is going to punk and hardcore shows, traveling, visiting museums and exhibitions, and hanging out with her pals. 

Other than gleaning inspiration from everyday experiences, Camila hopes to strike the balance between commercial success and creative expression by honing her artistic skills beyond design. That said, she recognizes the importance of keeping her illustrations out there as a professional, beyond the fact that it is her career. 

“I believe it’s important to keep doing commercial work just so I can still show my work to the world,” she says.

With her art speaking volumes, is there any message to young girls out there that Camila would like to add?

“Believe in yourself and never give up. It’s important we understand that we can do stuff, and to do that, we need to educate ourselves!”

Bold words from a brilliant artist! For her electrifying and thought-provoking artistic works, and for her perseverance when it comes to female unity, we think Camila Rosa is a very Cool Girl!

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See more of Camila’s work on her website camilarosa.net. Like her on Facebook or follow on Instagram.

We made a $200 donation to The Maria Da Penha Institute to help support women against violence and abuse. We encourage you to make a donation too! The Institute is in Brazil so you may need to use a translator and a currency converter to donate. 

Camila Rosa

Name: Camila Rosa
Age: 30
Hometown: Sao Paulo, Brazil
Occupation: Illustrator and Visual Artist

Artist Camila Rosa uses her talent to create visually stunning illustrations that are meant to inspire women and connect them across social boundaries. Her work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bust, GQ, and on Spotify as well as in myriad other publications and advertisements. That’s not to say that this Brazilian born trailblazer has always had it all figured out.

“I went to industrial design school in my hometown, and after working for a big company designing trophies, I decided to quit and that changed my life,” Camila says. “I moved to Sao Paulo and started to work with graphic design and illustration, which was my distant dream back in 2012. It was very hard to move to a new city, a new job along with a lot of other changes at just 21 years old, but it was worth it after all.”

By then she’d been involved with Coletivo CHÁ, an artists collective she joined one month after two of her friends founded it. 

“We started with the desire to publicize our ideas, and we chose to put it on the streets. Being part of a group of five women supporting each other was the best way to believe in ourselves and in our work. I decided to be an Illustrator because of the collective,” Camila confesses. 

Between her professional endeavors as a freelancer and her desire to inspire other women, Camila has found herself on the forefront of a socially conscious design revolution. From feminist calendars to Pride Month illustrations for Refinery29 to provocative works such as her “No Human Is Illegal”, Camila’s work goes beyond the simplistic eye candy of commercial art. But, believe it or not, abundant sparks of artistic ingenuity don’t come naturally. 

“I always have a hard time trying to be creative,” Camila says. “I think we have to exercise our minds every day, and for me, it’s never an easy job. I believe that creativity is not about what you are, it’s about what you experience. It’s a moment.”

And these days, most of her workday consists of the solitary practice of being a freelance artist toiling at home. 

“Being a full-time freelance illustrator, it’s a big challenge because you have to do all the work, including the business part, planning my schedule, chatting with clients, and everything else. I’m a one-woman studio and sometimes it’s not easy to do all the work,” she says.

When she’s not illustrating, Camila is going to punk and hardcore shows, traveling, visiting museums and exhibitions, and hanging out with her pals. 

Other than gleaning inspiration from everyday experiences, Camila hopes to strike the balance between commercial success and creative expression by honing her artistic skills beyond design. That said, she recognizes the importance of keeping her illustrations out there as a professional, beyond the fact that it is her career. 

“I believe it’s important to keep doing commercial work just so I can still show my work to the world,” she says.

With her art speaking volumes, is there any message to young girls out there that Camila would like to add?

“Believe in yourself and never give up. It’s important we understand that we can do stuff, and to do that, we need to educate ourselves!”

Bold words from a brilliant artist! For her electrifying and thought-provoking artistic works, and for her perseverance when it comes to female unity, we think Camila Rosa is a very Cool Girl!

—

See more of Camila’s work on her website camilarosa.net. Like her on Facebook or follow on Instagram.

Julz Nally

Sock It to Me Cool Girl Julz Nally.
Photo by Kim Nguyen

Name: Julz Nally
Age: 41
Location: Portland. Oregon
Occupation: Illustrator

At eleven years old, Julz Nally’s parents saw the way that their daughter had fallen in love with art and they enrolled her in watercolor lessons. It was that support and encouragement for creating that has led this Portland based illustrator to create Hummingbird Art Camp.

Sock It to Me Cool Girl Julz Nally Hummingbird Art Camp artwork.The idea for the camp came to her in the middle of working on an illustration project.

“I have over 20 years experience connecting with and teaching kids through art,” she explains, “So when the idea hit me that I could create my own art camp for girls, I ran with it immediately. I couldn’t think of a more joyful way to spend the summer than sharing my love for artful play and watching kids create in our own backyard.”

Julz decided to name the camp for the hummingbirds that visit her gardens and front porch throughout the year, as well as for the reminder that they provide to live a joyous, fulfilled, curious life. Providing a creative outlet for young girls during their downtime allows Julz to give back and foster a whole new generation of artists.

Her day to day life is also filled with artistry and inspiration; Julz is a self-employed illustrator after honing her wares out of college as a graphic designer, advertising art director, and apparel graphic designer.

Sock It to Me Cool Girl Julz Nally art for Hummingbird camp and graphics for clients side by side.

“I’ve been my own boss for the past 11 years now, starting with my a line of graphic jewelry that I used to create and sell as Handmade Julz, to now illustrating and designing for clients,” she says.

The collaborative process of working with clients allows Julz to create a final product while still allowing the clientele to have the freedom to dictate their vision and direct the project. Her solo work, however, is a very different animal.

Sock It to Me Cool Girl Julz Nally personal art: colored spoons with positive messaging.“The personal work that I create comes from my soul. Sometimes I make art inspired by what I’m eating which might become a pattern or something thought that comes to mind. When I’m just making art, it’s for me, and I will sometimes sell the original or a print if others are interested. I tend to ‘make art’ all day, in all aspects of life because that is the way my mind works. The world is full of magic and inspiration, it just takes slowing down to listen and take a closer look. Always keep a sketchbook and pencil nearby,” she advises.

That’s not to say that she lives her life cloistered away in her studio.

“I find that I’m happiest when I balance my week with time out of the house socializing, so I work that into my schedule in small ways. Currently, my typical day consists of figuring out our daily camp activities for Hummingbird Art Camp & designing and painting a piano for Piano. Push. Play. for summer 2018,” she says. (Piano. Push. Play. is a group that rescues pianos and puts them in several locations around Portland for the public to play and enjoy.)

In the future, Julz hopes to continue illustrating, both for clients as well as book publishers.

“I hope to collaborate with a friend on our own book one day filled with ideas for getting creative with nature and connecting with all of that magic within,” she says.

Sock It to Me Cool Girl Julz Nally and daughter Juniper
Photo by Jena Coray

Even more exciting, next year Julz and her family will be going to New Zealand for a family art residency. Her eight-year-old daughter, Juniper, will co-teach a few workshops with her mother while the family is there. “It’s an amazing thing to dream up an idea and work towards that goal, believing that anything is possible,” Julz says.

And what aspirational words does Julz have for other fledgling artists and whimsical girls?

“You are unique and beautiful. Your differences are what make you so special. Keep dreaming big because if you believe that you can, anything is possible. Love yourself and who you are becoming.”

For her loving and lovely vision of the world and the art to be made within it, we think that Julz Nally is a very Cool Girl!

A $200 donation was made to Children’s Healing Art Project (CHAP) on behalf of Julz. You can donate here.

Lucy Knisley

Lucy1Name: Lucy Knisley
Age: 31
Location: Chicago, IL
Occupation: Graphic novel artist and author

Author and artist Lucy Knisley has been at the drawing board since she was a kid. She began publishing comics in her college newspaper at the age of nineteen, and published her first graphic novel with Simon & Schuster at twenty-one years old! Employing a literary agent, and asking for advice from fellow comic artists more seasoned on the business end, she was able to navigate the publishing world with aplomb, putting out several books and contributing to many publications and anthologies. This past year she put out another work, called Something New, and her most recent edition…a baby! (Lucy and her husband John Hortsman welcomed their son to the world in June.)

“Everything in life is an opportunity to experience something new and to write about it and make artwork, so I’m hoping this one doesn’t totally wipe me out with exhaustion!” Lucy said, prior to the baby’s delivery. One thing is certain, motherhood is something – like travel, food, and marriage – that Lucy will lend her ink, wit, and wisdom to on the page and the web.

Lucy2At an early age, Lucy channeled the inspiration she gleaned from reading comic books into making her own, scribbling out her own fan comics related to the Archie series, and using her craft to interpret her experiences as she grew up.

After her education she continued to create, and this multi-talented lady didn’t decide to go the tres chic “starving artist” route of suffering for her craft. Lucy chose to structure her art as though it were a conventional job, and by creating a routine she was able to cultivate professional clout.

“I think the insecurity and doubt everyone faces early on in a profession is tough to overcome,” she explains. “In the arts, it’s impossible to feel confident about the future when you’re at the beginning, and it took me years of working and developing my practice to gain the confidence to feel secure in what I do. It’s helped considerably to make myself keep to a regular office schedule, and to treat drawing and writing as a career, rather than a passion. It’s important to me that I feel respect for my own work, and important for others to understand that it’s a respectable job,” Lucy explains.

RelishLucy’s work is reflective and autobiographical—be it about growing up with a chef mom in Relish, jet-setting around the world in An Age of License, family and a cruise vacation in Displacement, or the mayhem that becomes marriage in Something New, she uses her own experiences and perspective to weave touching, universal works of comic art.

When she’s asked to reflect on the part of the process that is the most dear to her, Lucy is able to come up with a decisive answer.

“The inking stage of a comic. That’s when the possibility of a blank page, ready to be filled by the developed idea, is particularly exciting, and I can watch the comic take shape,” she says.

Lucy3

As for advice for young people who are trying their hands at making art, she has some simple, common-sense gems to bestow.

“Just work at it until it gets a little bit easier. And hydrate! And remember to take breaks and eat and pay attention to your body’s needs, like getting outdoors or moving or sleeping. You’ll not benefit from neglecting your body – it’s the basic tool that you need to do your job!”

Moreover, she believes that asking your peers for guidance and support is what is really key to the process.

“Other girls and women in cool professions are the best and greatest resource you can possibly imagine. Hold up your fellow lady, and your fellow lady will hold you up! My editor, agent, and most successful colleagues are all women I love and believe in, and I’m always meeting more incredible women and girls who blow me away with their talent and generosity,” Lucy beams. “It can be a tough and unfair world sometimes, but knowing you’ve got an arsenal of great ladies at your back can make all the difference in dealing with the nonsense.”

Lucy Knisley is one creative Cool Girl! Congratulations, Lucy and John, on the birth of your son!