illustration portfolio
2020-24
TheBrassGlass | J.A. Meyers
Fantasy storyteller in digital paintings and lineart drawings. More than 12 years’ experience in publishing, over 5 years serving as an award-winning editorial cartoonist for The Day newspaper in New London, CT. Very fast learner eager to accept and employ feedback, also open to experimentation to find just the right effect.
Bachelor of Arts, SUNY Potsdam (2007)
Software: Procreate, GIMP, Inkscape,
InDesign, Canva.
email: thebrassglass@gmail.com
website: https://thebrassglass.com
Magda
Procreate, 2024
Promotional illustration for “Lennamore: A Soul for a Crown,”
a fantasy novel by C.M. O’Slatara,
based on a scene in the novel
Below, concept art for the piece.
email: thebrassglass@gmail.com
The Spellbook
Procreate, 2023
Dark storytelling using environment and props. The process started with gathering reference images for the space and visual inspiration, then creating a list of objects that might be found in such a scene. Next, I produced several thumbnail sketches of ideas before mixing and matching elements that would appear in this final image.
email: thebrassglass@gmail.com
Baby Cyclops
Procreate, 2023
This started with a prompt from my art mentor, Sean Bianchi, to draw a cute nonhuman character. This piece was used to practice building up setting and using details for storytelling. I used a stock image of a craggy Greek coast as a subtle photobash in the distant background to add depth.
email: thebrassglass@gmail.com
Unicorn Hunt
Procreate, 2024
Her brothers didn't tell her why they brought her to the wood that day. They left her at the treeline, where wildflowers grew aplenty; she sang to herself as she picked a bouquet for her mother. At once, the light breeze that tugged at her skirts and braids fell still. She heard a pawing and a grunt behind her. Turning, she caught sight of the most beautiful and yet most terrifying creature she'd ever beheld...
Inspired by medieval lore and the style of Disney’s “Tangled.”
email: thebrassglass@gmail.com
The Dead Bird
Procreate, 2020
An older sister is entrusted with far more responsibility than her young years should have to bear. As she prematurely comes of age, she also has to contend with the understanding that her father might not come back from war. This anxiety and grief are manifested in small things that would never have bothered her before, such as finding a dead dove on her way to market one morning.
The Old World setting is as much a character as any of the people we meet. It is defined by uneven planes of unplanned growth and the shift of earth, wood and plaster over centuries, just as life itself takes unexpected dips and strains.
email: thebrassglass@gmail.com
Tears of the Princess
Procreate, 2023
My homage to J.C. Leyendecker and the Nintendo video game Legend of Zelda:
Breath of the Wild.
The tall pilgrim’s hat and moon in Leyendecker’s "Giving Thanks," November 1910 cover art for The Woman's Magazine of St. Louis (below), immediately made me think of Link’s ancient armor helmet and the blood moon that plays such a huge role in the game.
email: thebrassglass@gmail.com
My process: Nightlight Duet
Procreate, 2023-24
- Full illustrations begin with a list of ideas, followed by collecting photo references
and building a mood board.
- Next, I create a set of thumbnails to explore concepts, poses and compositions.
- If I am designing characters from scratch, this stage also will include outfit sketches.
- Next, the client and I decide on which sketch to further develop into a final sketch.
- Client then reviews the final sketch to determine if changes are needed.
- Once the final sketch and any revisions are approved, it’s on to coloring or painting.
- I usually send two to three updates on the progress of the piece for client feedback.
- Client receives a preview of the finished piece with watermark for last revisions.
- Once final piece is approved, client receives high-resolution file with no watermark.
Contact for a free consultation and quotes for your project: thebrassglass@gmail.com
