By Isabel Barycki
From art shows to art commissions, Lydia Castillo shares how she makes a living with her art.
Lydia Castillo, ‘26 has been involved with the arts for eight years, but has had a job in the industry for only five years.
Photo Courtesy of Gigantea Staff
Castillo says the first art sale was when she was doing landscapes and Disney characters. “My mom helped me out to sell them and from there the interest grew,” she says.
Castillo has been able to make a living off of her art through commissions and art shows. Castillo says, “It’s no specific job I do commissions art shows, etc, but I do make a living out of it.”
When it comes to art commissions, she says, “I always start with a sketch then it makes its way to either painting or digital info line art.”
If she is constructing a physical piece, she says she always does either “watercolors or oil”.
Oftentimes, Castillo finds her inspiration for her art through video games, shows, manga, or music. “Most of my things are characters from content,” says Castillo.
Castillo says, “Other than job-wise, it’s really fun whenever you get the hang of it. [It] took me many sketchbooks to fill to get where I am today, and maybe hopefully this could turn into a full-time job for me like manga or something similar to that.”
To any beginner artist, she advises individuals to stay true to themselves:
“If you really want to get into it is to not look up a certain type of style and just copy it; I think it ruins the concept of being creative and making progress. Sure, use a reference or draw your interests, but don’t copy and trace or come up with something based on someone else’s work. Just be creative in your own way.”
Lydia Castillo, ’26
If anyone is looking to get into the art business, Castillo says, “And when getting into the business it’s simple, do things like participating in local events [and] then make your way into art shows and getting to know the system when others see your work they recognize it and invite you to other bigger things and so on.”
Isabel Barycki
Isabel Barycki,´26 is a second year journalism member. Inside room 207 you can find her writing for the Features section for the Redwood Gigantea.
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