Ashe Samuels

Expertise

• Oil Painting
• Digital Painting
• Acrylic Painting Techniques
• Mixed Media
• Figure Drawing
• Book Illustration
• Character Design
• Creature Design

Introduction

Ashley (Ashe) Samuels is a commercial illustrator and designer with over a decade of experience. While she mostly focuses on digital illustration, she has an extensive history in traditional art such as oil, acrylic, watercolor, ink, sculpture, pencil, and mixed media.

Ashe’s work is atmospheric and evocative, frequently showcasing surreal or whimsical fantasy subjects with a painterly realism style. She often explores ambiguous, personal themes such as dreaming, identity, limbo, nostalgia, potential, isolation, and vulnerability.

Some of her biggest artistic inspirations are Studio Ghibli, JRPGs, and classical art movements (particularly romantic and rococo).

Experience

Ashe has illustrated several book covers for publishers such as Hydra House Books, Power & Magic Press, and Penguin Random House. Her portfolio includes acclaimed fantasy and sci-fi writers such as Cassandra Khaw, R.J. Theodore, and a slew of up-and-coming author compilations.

She’s been featured as the Artist Guest Of Honor at Arisia, the largest sci-fi and fantasy convention on the East Coast. Alongside published work and the occasional exhibition, she does independent commissions and works on personal projects.

Education

Her educational background is a hodgepodge of self-taught experimentation and learning from the best. She grew up in online art communities, mentored under university professors in high school, and took figure drawing courses in community college.

She’s currently heading back to school for her two-year degree in Business with plans to self-publish and crowdfund independent works.