Meet the Artist ~ Skig
What is your name (and usernames)? Real name Jamie, screen name skig.
Where are you from? Southwestern Pennsylvania.
Age? 27.
How long have you been in the art industry? Musical art… I’ve been singing since I started babbling (according to my mom) and started playing the clarinet in 1995. Painting and gluing things on ponies since 2007.
What got you started? With ponies, I admired the gorgeous work of the other artists at the time and thought it’d be fun to try it myself.
What types of customs/art/crafts do you do? I do a lot of bright, colorful, fun designs. I’m not very good at creep and gore.
What sort of mediums do you use? Ponies! Paint, hair. Occasionally ribbons, beads, rhinestones, Sculpey, fabric.
Are there any products you just can’t live without? My airbrush, rehair tool, and red sable brushes.
What is your most favorite piece of work you have made? It’s a tie between these two.
What is your least favorite piece of work you have made? I don’t really like to say since all of my ponies have been made for someone else. I don’t want that person to feel like I didn’t try as hard on his/her custom as I did on my others. But there have been a couple that I’ve struggled to get right.
What is the worst injury you’ve had from working on your art? I stabbed myself in the finger/hand (where the two meet) with my tool and thought I got a piece of the needle stuck in there.
What is the funniest mistake you’ve made while working on your art? I’m pretty boring in that regard. I guess the funniest thing that’s happened to me is that my cat stole the head to a bait and I had to start over. We didn’t find the head until we were moving out of that house.
Who/What inspires you? Everything – fabric, patterns, shapes, the world, favorite movies/characters.
What projects are you currently working on? My Monster High Swap and Winter Holiday swap customs. Other than that, I have about 12 WIPs lined up on my table, but they’re all secrets.
Do you have any odd habits while working on customs/art/crafts? I don’t really know that. Maybe to an outsider watching me, something might be odd, but it’s routine for me.
What types of art do you enjoy? Music, classic paintings, “sidewalk” chalk art, food art (Cake Boss and Ace of Cakes – AMAZING), photography.
Do you take commissions? Yes, but I’m currently closed.
Where can people see your work and contact you? http://www.facebook.com/skigsmlpcustoms https://sites.google.com/site/skigjmr85/home
Do you have any favorite tips or tricks? I always seal between a full-body repaint and eye/symbol paint so that if I screw up, it’s easily washed away without totally stripping the bait.
I had my husband hang a bulletin board above my work table so that my inspiration pics and custom concepts are easily accessible while I work. If I see something inspiring, I buy it (if I can use it) or take a picture so I don’t forget. There are so many ideas in my head at times that they’d get lost otherwise.
What advice do you have for someone just starting to get into customizing/art? Don’t ever feel inferior when looking at others’ work, and try not to compare your work to others’. We all start somewhere, whether one of us has many years of artistic endeavors under her belt or has just picked up a paintbrush for the first time. Keep trying, and your work will improve. And don’t be afraid to ask questions or seek advice on the boards. There’s always someone willing to offer pointers or a different outlook on your situation.
