Pensurfing

Caitlin Rogers Freelance illustrator. Never stop imagining! www.pensurfing.com

[pensurfing]

🪐✨30✨🪐

Saturn's Return

[pensurfing]

Stripping My Socials Bare (Except Here)

I think we all know why I mention it... But in case you aren't up to speed:

Many social media platforms are changing their terms and conditions. Stating so long as your account is open and active on their platforms, they can use your words, your likeness, and also photos (artwork) to train their robot models. I could sit here and mention how it infringes on artists, photographers, videographers, and other creatives rights and copyright. I could sit here and educate you on the environmental impacts it has on our planet and how this (along with... ya know.. the wars...) speeds up global warming. 

But actions speak louder than words. 

So my artwork is no longer on Twitter (X). And I will continue to take down my artwork on my social media pages (Meta specifically). This is a huge burn and setback for me, because I mainly get my clients and impulse commissions off of Twitter (my second largest platform) and Instagram (my largest platform and by far my most interactive.)

But for those who are becoming more active in finding your favorite creatives online... thank you. Always. And thank you for respecting our decisions to navigate online a wee bit differently than others. Who knows, maybe you'll see me on TikTok finally (art page wise) or I'll dust off my Tumblr again (more than likely). 

Thank you for the journey, for the fun, for the loud support, and for also staying. I will be there, just not in the ways we are used to. I'm deleting all the tweets with illustrations and such to avoid my art style being used to train their models as much as possible.

I have a Blue Sky (guess I'll log in more often now huh?) and I also have a Cava (same comment here too). Until I feel comfortable with "Nightshade" and "Glazing" I'm just going to limit where and how my art gets shown. For now though, we are sticking with light Instagram and Tumblr.

Until another day you xoxo

Note: I'm using this link to post on my other platforms as my little "we are closed sign message."

[pensurfing]

guess who remembered their lil passworddddddd UWU

Making social media behavior changes, so if you enjoyed the silence here... well.... reconsider. (Also making a text post for people on the other socials to link themselves to and read. So... )

[pensurfing]

I know in theory, I am catching up from 2021 artwork and then posting 2022 artwork. But it would feel very silly of me to post this like... next year knowing my birthday was in November 💀

Anyway

👑 28 👑

[pensurfing]

Not sorry for those who saw the bursts of posts I just unleashed. I will return another day to do more LOL.

I (apparently) not only have a year's worth of illustrations to share, but also work I did for a company that I kind of forgot to share online. :)

[pensurfing]

I think it is also important to show process!

This is probably my favorite illu with DotDash; and one that was an easy self insert for easy reasons. I gave two examples that to me best showed this heavy of a topic. The bottom right showing what it feels like when all you are trying to do is grow, but external forces continue to cut and take away your process. And the other just being the overwhelming feeling of the never ending storm.

The editor I worked with a lot made a great call on picking the "never ending storm at sea". I even left a nice easter egg; text HOME to 741741. (The Crisis Text Line) (At the time, a resource for what this category could fit.)

Doing this brief made me realize that I need to sometime in the future do more metal health illustrations, blogs, articles, whichever! If it meant that I could do more cool illustrations like these. It was therapeutic for me to do. And I cannot wait for more assignments like this one.

[pensurfing]

I'm sure in the future I will be able to make more illustrations with topics that are important to many (and myself). But I'm forever grateful that VeryWell trusted me with these topics. I aimed to give unapologetic diversity and inviting illustrations while I was there.

:)

[pensurfing]

This is batch one for VeryWell!

This was a neat brand; I did MANY illustrations for this brand. From mental health artwork to family planning. I have got to say, this brand made me more interested in drawing mental health illustrations for editorial and also for print / magazine.

What also was a cool thing about this site is not only did I have to work with the normal editors, but also doctors in their field for some illus. Because they were very keen on making sure the information and illustration accurately went with the topic at hand and introduced "understandability" to me.

Legibility and readability are important in design. But it's something about the final "understandability" in this demand "easily & quickly consumable" world that truly helps with drawing the reader in and letting them know what they are getting into before they dive into articles. :)

[pensurfing]

This was another brand I got to work for, The Spruce. I didn't get to make many illustrations with them. But they were a neat brand with loads of DIY fixes and great tips for pre-planners. (I like to re-plan anything LOL.)

These two hands down were not only my favorite illustrations I made for The Spruce, but arguably the best illustrations I made while with this company xD

[pensurfing]

The Final Treehugger batch!

I'm going to talk about more brands I worked with during my really long and accidental Tumblr break :)

[pensurfing]

Again talking about the Brand Treehugger!

The coolest brand with the coolest briefs and projects. They and another brand I worked for are the reason I miss editorial work and want to get back into it.

I would work for science and mental health blogs for SURE! I need to figure out how to find freelance work for that again. Because it's such a joy!

[pensurfing]

For quite some time, I worked with this brand Treehugger! They had ah-mazing briefs; helpful and great editors; and just all around good vibes. I have so many pieces from my Dot Dash days I would like to start resharing soon.

As I am doing better with keeping up my socials and blogs. Here were some pieces that I know are'n't quite on my portfolio, but boy did I enjoy these!

[pensurfing]

🧍🏽

Well, it has certainly been some time. Let me get reacquainted and update the blog with art I know I know I have been making lol.

You have my apologies xoxo

[pensurfing]

#artvsartist2021

Yeah, I was in my theatrics this year...

[pensurfing]

So this is 27 :)

[pensurfing]

Can you tell I'm trying to compensate like a Disney Child Actor and maturing myself and my illus for my audience so recruiters can also look at my things and go "ah yes this one here can draw mature themes" ?

Look at me disrespectfully

[pensurfing]

Trying not to post too much work stuff on the blog, but here are some sketches I did for work! First sketch was what went to final, but wanted to make sure that the blog has art too :)