Artist in Residence

Ideas Central The comic artist arranges his space like a stream of consciousness. Are you ready to dive in?

We explore Chris Visions’s eclectic studio. It’s a real-world stream of consciousness!

This is my creative space at home. Working outside the home is refreshing, but having a studio enables me to jump right into work, and cultivate a garden for my ideas. I keep some of my favourite books in the studio, along with art supplies, a flat file for paper and previous work, a project wall, and a digital work centre for scanning, editing and creating art further. I’ve just put together a standing desk area with a drafting table from the trashpile, a bucket of paint and a thrift store nightstand. It’s transforming into an area where I can do my livestreams again.

I have a Facebook/Twitch channel that I aired last year called VISIONS SEASON. It’s something I’m retooling and looking forward to starting again.

I painted this studio area and one wall in raven’s claw grey. This is a neutral colour that I can ground my palettes against and where my eyes can rest. My project wall is behind me, where I post pieces of paper I’m about to use, inspirational images, a large calender, and process and completed pieces. There’s a clear view behind my standing desk to visually keep me on track as I draw and paint.

To my right stands my banner that I take to comic conventions. It features Léon and Matilda from Luc Besson’s film The Professional. It’s a piece dear to me not just because of the subject matter, but more so it was a piece I did solely from desire, and I saw techniques come from myself that I wanted to pursue further.

I remember how I moved the brush, how the marks felt as I painted the hairs on Jean Reno’s chin, or how it felt when I decided to make Natalie Portman smaller in proportion – little things like that.

Also in the studio is my bookshelf, tea stand, and walls of other artists’s work who I revere. It’s good to have people to look up to. Chris is a Virginia-based illustrator working in comics. Keep track of his evolving art styles by visiting www.chrisvisions.com.

It was a piece I did solely from desire, and I saw techniques that I wanted to pursue further

I like to keep a photo of my mom in my art space, since my artist journey starts with her. She absolutely hates the photo, but I think she was stylin’. It also reminds me of all the dreams she had as a kid, and to hold on to my own. I’ve set up my...

I’m currently creating a character on my wall. In the centre is the calendar, because everyone has a due date. I place tokens that I feel represent the character, along with photos of myself when I was younger. Naturally, the character will have parts...

My artist tray contains my go-to items for pencilling and inking. It contains a range of pens, pencils, traditional brushes, brush pens, water and ink. Everything a growing artist needs. I like to keep all my spray cans and most of my supplies in order...