Goldenavatar: hey hey
SW: yo man
GA: Well, let's get started, would you mind introducing yourself?
SW: Introduction? Fancy. Currently SW, freelancer and illustration major
GA: freelancer & illustration major attending what school?
SW: School of Visual art
GA: how long have you been pursuing illustration and freelancing as one?
SW: Illustration became my focus 3-4 years ago, I've been freelancing for about the same. I also have been teaching art for 2 years
GA: have you produced anything that others might recognize?
SW: Otakon merchandise, otazine, featured fairly regularly in "new youth connections" and "represent"
GA: 3 to 4 years sounds like a pretty short period of time in illustration, did you do any drawing before that?
SW: Been drawing since I was old enough to hold a crayon, but I went to an art centric junior high school, then on to a specialized art high school as a visual art major. Plus 2 years of college so that's around 10 years of art classes.
GA: So, what types of subject matter do you find yourself focusing on in your work so far?
SW: I've done around 40 illustrations on "teen life" based on articles. But on a personal level I tend to lean toward fantasy and the super natural
GA: you're an illustrator, some illustrators tend to have some project that's near and dear to their heart, are you such an illustrator?
SW: So far my illustrations have been less personal, but I do enjoy the work I do for my articles since its all real people expressing themselves and telling there stories. But my comic work is where my real passion lies.
GA: and what comic works have you done so far?
SW: professionally I have one ongoing in "Otazine", but in my spare time I have two online comics and a 3rd in production.
GA: I know about "Wander," but what are the other 2 and the one in production?
SW inku: the 2nd is "Hyp.H.EN" which serves as a collection of all my short comics.
SW: the 3rd is going to be like "Wander" in the sense its going to be an ongoing fantasy story line with a set cast of characters
GA: before I go on, can you give a short description of "Wander," for the folks who may not be familiar with your work
SW: The short description is its a modern set story of 3 people who are goverment issued ghost hunters.
GA: any similarities to Robert Zemekis's ghost busting characters?
SW: Aside from the basic premise of ghost busting, I don't really think so. My story lacks science and has more of an eastern spiritual concentration.
GA: and how long have you been doing Wander, and other comics?
SW: ergh, Wander is my pet project and has been worked on for a good 4 years now, comics in general I've been doing for 6 years. Although that's not to say I started off doing good comics, but they were "attempts" at sequential story telling.
GA: And you self-publish these comics?
SW: Wander was my first self-publishing if you consiter the internet as such. But I have posted and retired at least 4 other comics between then.
GA: do you have anything you'd like to say to fans of "Wander" who might read this?
SW: frankly I'm constantly amazed by the warm feedback I get from it, they don't allow my update flakiness to stop them from reading regularly. As well to presumably continued to enjoy it even though "wander" suffers through all of my "experimenting" and my love of character interaction, heavy dialogue and never-ending story arcs.
GA: This is typical in your comics?
SW: Some of it yes, Wander takes the brunt of most of it as its been my longest effort. It has served to help me refine my style of storytelling to a point were I can better and more efficiently work out my script.
GA: are there any directions you plan to take your work in that you haven't done as of yet?
SW: It still feels as I've still got a ways to go, I want to be able to do better action scenes and write deeper stories. Maybe do a mystery comic or something about normal people.
GA: any of that planned with your secret project?
GA: or upcoming comic?
SW: Some of it, its still a ways off from normality but its a step closer.
GA: and the non comic artwork you do, is there any general preferences in theme or subject matter you have with that?
SW: I like drawing pretty things, lace and curvy organic lines. I also like dark inky and spontaneous.
GA: in your career what's been the most effective way you've found to help yourself develop as an illustrator?
SW: get over things, no matter how many times you redraw the same arm or let yourself get bogged down by something being "off" being able to step back and move on is the best medicine I've found. Just pick up the next project and keep going or you'll never get anything done.
GA: well, before we wrap this up, though you're still developing your skills, and career, any words of wisdom you'd like to bestow upon anyone who might read this?
SW: You cant improve if you don't draw, picking up a pencil and sketching for a few hours in a class wont help you. The more you work and experiment the faster you'll grow. And when in doubt step back observe and think about what isn't working.
GA: well said, and I think that's a wrap, what did you think of the very first ecau spotlight?
SW: its kind of weird having your brain picked, but it was pretty well planned out question wise.
GA: =-O planned out..? uh... yea, it all went according to plan...
GA: anything you think we should've gone over?
SW: I suppose there are always medium details or inspirations and such but to much of that is kinda pompous and dry sounding
GA: Well, with that said I want to thank you for being so cooperative with this interview. I'll make sure to not edit it when I get around to posting this over the weekend
SW: not there is anything revolutionary to censor XD
GA: yea, cursing is overdone
GA: And again, thanks for your cooperation with this, and if you want, feel free to note my account on DeviantArt with 3 peices of work you think gives a nice sample of your work that you wouldn't mind being used to accompany the interview posting
SW: ah sure I'll see what I can dig up
GA: anyway, I'm gone, cya
SW: later man
GA: And if you readers would like to see more of Stephanie Wilsons' work, by all means feel free to follow the above text link in the description to her DeviantART gallery.  Again, thank you Stephanie for your time, and best of luck on whatever the future holds for you.