Gina Draws

Sketches and paintings from a L.A.-based character designer and illustrator. This tumblr is new, I post more regularly on Instagram!

[ginadraws]

A caricature of another artist (done at @thedrawingclub_la) from a while ago that I never got around to posting. I’m indulging a Hirschfeld obsession right now... Lovely lovely lines 😍 #cartoon #caricature #sketch #hirschfeld #inspired #linework #procreate #digitalart #artistsofinstagram #practicemakesprogress

[ginadraws]

My #2017bestnine! I love that in the middle of it all are Pinga and her dad Qarsoq hugging- that was a meaningful drawing for me and it’s great that you all responded to it too. Thank you all for following along- I’m gearing up for new projects in 2018 and couldn’t be more excited! Officially taking the rest of the year off of social media ✌️ . . . #characterdesign #conceptart #cartoon #caricature #artistsofinstagram #bestnine

[ginadraws]

The 2017 Sous family Christmas card! Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas 🎄 . . . #christmas #tauntaun #starwars #hoth #christmascat #princessleia #lightsaber #cartoon #caricature #christmascard #thesoushoose

[ginadraws]

Final Pinga post! I’m a weirdo, I actually really enjoy doing character turnarounds. . The Pinga story has been a super fun portfolio exercise, I learned a lot - but I’m also excited to move on to some new projects! 🧐 . #arctic #inuit #eskimo #kalaallitnunaat #greenland #portfolio #characterdesign #conceptart #turnaround #animation #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

Pinga lighting the kudlik... I’ve left sunny ☀️ Los Angeles to visit family back east... thinking how nice it would be to carry my own personal fire around with me! ❄️⛄️❄️ . . . #arctic #greenland #inuit #eskimo #kalaallitnunaat #kudlik #winter #conceptart #sketch #procreate #artistsofinstagram #animation #characterdesign

[ginadraws]

Qarsoq expression sheet! I really love doing #expressions. . . . #inuit #eskimo #greenland #kalallitnunaat #conceptart #characterdesign #animation #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

One more of (little) Pinga and her farther, Qarsoq. . . . #fatheranddaughter #inuit #eskimo #kalaallitnunaat #arctic #greenland #conceptart #animation #characterdesign #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

Little Pinga meets little Qimmiq 👧🏻💕🐶 . . . #kalaallitnunaat #inuit #eskimo #greenland #husky #huskypuppy #greenlanddog #arctic #puppiesofinstagram #sketch #conceptart #characterdesign #animation #digitalart #instaart #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

Some concept sketches for Qimmiq, Pinga’s loyal husky! #kalaallitnunaat #inuit #eskimo #greenland #husky #greenland #sketch #conceptart #characterdesign #practicemakesprogress #instaart #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

More exploratory #sketches for my character Pinga. Side note about cultural sensitivity: the character/story that I based this work around is of the Inuit culture (Greenland specifically), whereas I️ am about as white as they make ‘em. My experience of the world is that of a white person and all of the privilege and woeful ignorance that comes with that, and I️ would never deign to say that I️ know or understand the Inuit experience. However, the world has plenty of art and stories centered around white people, and I wanted to make something outside of that spectrum. When I️ made the art for this portfolio, I️ did a lot of research that went beyond Google and Wikipedia, including watching several documentaries and reading an actual book (they still exist!), although I’ll be the first to point out that of course artistic liberties have been taken. Ultimately I️ approached this story and character from a basic human point of view- as I️ did my research, I️ felt oddly sure of the notion that Inuit girls living hundreds of years ago and half a world away from me must also have loved their families, worried about war, had a favorite dog, favorite food, favorite season. There are countless differences making up the kaleidoscope of the human experience, and for the better part of this terribly divisive year, those differences were all I️ could focus on. Making the art for this story helped me remember my belief that, at our core, we are all the same. #sketch #characterdesign #conceptart #animation #inuit #kalaallitnunaat #greenland #husky #instaart #instagood #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

Striding into the weekend like... 💁 #pingaofthekalaallit #inuit #huntress #greenland #winter #conceptart #characterdesign #digitalart #procreate #instaart #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

Not doing too much Inktober at the moment- been busy portfolio prepping for #CTNx2017! Hairstyle options and expressions for my character Pinga. Drawn in #procreate! #characterdesign #conceptart #animation #cptpoolnecklace #kalaallit #inuit #practicemakesprogress #progressnotperfection

[ginadraws]

L.A. is a city of colorful characters... sometimes quite literally. . . . #procreate #sketch #pastel #characterdesign #peopleoflosangeles #noho #watermelon #mintgreen #icecream #greenhair #digitalart #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

Practice makes progress. . . . #sketch #roughsketch #ballpointpen #determination #practicemakesprogress #practicepracticepractice #characterdesign #firstbiteproof #artistsofinstagram #huntress #archery #inuit #conceptart #visualdevelopment #visdev

[ginadraws]

Yayyyy, it's Saturdayyyy! Gon' go dig up some bugs n' stuff . . . #naturechild #thegreatoutdoors #backintheday #characterdesign #illustration #90skid #adventureisoutthere #cartoon #animation #procreate #ipadpro #digitalart #artistsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

My Friend the Whale . . . I've been so amazed to see all the incredible #MerMay entries!! It's been a little hectic around here and I haven't had the time or #inspiration for a single #mermaid illo... until yesterday when this image popped into my head. It was one of those magical occurrences where I knew as soon as I thought of it that I could do it and it would look good, and then this just flowed out. (Why can't they all be like that?!) I finished this image at 11:45pm last night so TECHNICALLY I participated in #MerMay2017 ;) #cartoon #illustration #conceptart #characterdesign #drawing #underthesea #whale #humpbackwhale #redhead #storytelling #ocean #ipadpro #procreate #digitalart #picame #digitalillustration #instaart #artistsofinstagram #illustratorsofinstagram

[ginadraws]

Lil' #procreate Finn #sketch from over the weekend. #finnstagram #finnsous #catsofinstagram #digitalart #digitalpainting #comic #cartoon #caricature #artistsofinstagram