Today we’d like to introduce you to Xavier Thomas.
Hi Xavier, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Art has always been my lifeline. I’ve always been a creative kid, but animated tv shows and anime really pushed me into the art world at a very young age. It was an outlet for me, since I grew up very awkward and anxious. It became an obsession for me. I always wanted to get better, to find new ways to do something, to learn a new skill. Once I was in 7th grade, I started my first art Instagram account and slowly gained a (small) following. I started taking commissions, and I think that’s when I realized this could be something I did for the rest of my life. I couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else, so I worked hard to improve as much as I could before graduating high school. I had my whole life planned out, in the hopes of me “making it” in the industry. Here I am two years into my college life, and I’m still on that path now. Albeit, a slightly different path than 13 year old me set out originally, but I am very happy with where I am today, and I am just as hungry for that success as I was back then.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There were a lot of bumps and bruises along the way. My obsessiveness with my art as a child was not healthy. I was very passionate but also incredibly critical. Nothing I did was good enough for myself since I needed to be even better. I would full up a whole sketchbook in a month, draw everyday after class, stay up late coming up with new characters, but they were never enough to me. I ended up burning myself out completely by my junior year of high school. I lost a lot of my passion for drawing, and ended up pivoting to musical theatre for a little bit. It was honestly a very sad time in my life, cause I felt like I was failing 13 year old me. Eventually, after my long needed break, I gained my passion back in my senior year, right in time for our senior exhibition. I found joy in creating again, and I’ve been trying to be kinder to myself since. I of course am a still very critical person, but I’d like to think I’m giving myself more grace to just be human.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in character design, portrait art, and visual development! If you ask my online audience what I’m most known for, it’s likely my portrait work. I love super vibrant colors, funky textures, and blending realistic coloring with stylized shape language. I got well known on Twitter for celebrity portraits or random studies off of Pinterest, but recently I’ve found more fulfillment in doing visdev work and character design. I’m most proud of my recent character work. I feel like I’m really growing into my own visual style, and I can see my skills sharpening everyday. I’m really excited to see what my art will look like in a few years.
I think what sets me apart from others is my coloring style and shape language. I’m very loose and expressive when I color, and I think that’s what makes my work feel so alive. There is so much spontaneity and passion put into my drawings, so I want it to seem like you can feel all that love radiating off of them.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory would have to be playing in the pool with my brother, helping him learn how to swim, while my cousins were cannonballing in the background. My little brother is disabled so having those milestone moments with him was really special to me, and I look back on all of our family pool parties fondly.
Pricing:
- Portrait Commissions: $150
- Half Body Commissions: $200
- Full Body Commissions: $300
- Sketch/non painted Comms: $50-100
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bthoma28e7f9.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xavierillustrates/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/xavier-thomas-464228317/
- Twitter: https://x.com/XavierILL
