Get to know Brooke VanDevelder
Unveil the Creative World of Brooke: Illustrator, Designer & Retoucher
What’s your name and current title?
Brooke VanDevelder: Graphic Designer and High-End Retoucher
*Amber here; I like to call Brooke Our Secret Weapon… she’s our Senior Designer/Illustrator and a Jack-of-all-trades.
How would you describe yourself?
I’m an adaptable and artistic spirit, always hunting for thefollowingt side adventure to complete. In my free time, I love to illustrate, travel, and harass my cat while binging on anything from the horror genre. My love language is sarcasm.
Describe your job in 100 words or less.
My job involves visual problem-solving through various skill sets, including high-end retouching, photoshopping, composite and collage, illustration, graphic design, GIF creation, and video editing.
What’s your favorite part of working remotely?
The eternal battle of keeping my cat, Claude, off my keyboard. Moreover, I have the flexibility to create a work schedule that aligns with my most productive times so I can produce my best and most efficient work.
What does your ideal workday look like?
I do a quick workout and meditation before sitting down, which energizes and grounds me. Then, I tackle the hardest task first, like illustration or strategy, and end the day with basic retouching or video editing, which requires less intense focus.
What work do you enjoy doing the most?
As a Creative, my restless brain appreciates all facets of my job equally. As much as I love the thrill of illustrating from nothing, we all need a visual break to get fresh eyes on our creations. Some days, when I’m stuck on a creative project, it’s refreshing to switch gears on straightforward retouching, color correcting, or video editing.
What occupations besides art have you held?
Retouching and photographing products for food service and crafting e-commerce companies. I also have some fun side jobs, including pole dance instructing, at-home caregiving, and retail work.
What drives your art-making?
I am determined to keep improving, and I am inspired by other illustrators, designers, and creatives. I love expressing an idea or part of myself without using words.
Which tools are essential to your work as an artist?
Photoshop is my ride-or-die tool, but Adobe Illustrator, Indesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro, Procreate, and Canva are also amazing tools.
My iPad Pro is a phenomenal travel companion when I’m not at my desk using my Wacom Intuos tablet and tablet monitor. But sometimes, you can’t beat the tried-and-true pen and paper. Shout out to Micron and Bienfang’s Bristol paper for fueling my love of art-making during Inktober.
What form of art best represents you?
It depends on my mood or what stage of my artmaking journey I am in. Currently, it’s excessive layers of linework and color gradients made in Photoshop, which you can check out at www.vandevelder.com. However, my first love was oil painting, followed by pen-and-ink drawings.
Another note from Amber here: “I hired Brooke to make an amazing illustration for my life partner and it’s the most stunning piece in my extensive art collection. If you love intricate ink art, I highly recommend you hire her to make a custom piece for you!”
What is your favorite piece of art?
When looking at the final result of all my work, it’s nearly impossible to pick. They all show their own learning curves to me, but the one I had the most fun creating was an illustration for the Washington Post, a film critic’s review of various films, with the criterion that the characters are traveling in constant, restless motion.
My work has a lot of energy and movement through inline work, so the art director’s choice of me for this project was perfect. It was an invitation to lean into and push my strengths further. It was featured in their top illustrations of 2021.
Other Artist Favorites:
I’m obsessed with Victo Ngai’s breathtakingly intricate work. It’s fantastic how she effortlessly balances so many components and colors into one composition.
Edward Kinsella’s striking combination of flat, inferred surfaces with highly rendered people has inspired me. And its settling mood speaks to my dark heart.
Rich Kelly’s signature askew-style characters are visually delicious. It’s eye candy, and when he adds warped perspective backgrounds and intricate hand lettering, it chefs kiss. This man can draw.
Cite an instance from your own life that served as inspiration.
Overseas travel is and has been an inspiration for a long time. My love of drawing portraits and unique real-life characters was fueled by my exposure to parts of the world that vastly differ from mine.
I remember spending full days at a time just wandering around Bangkok or Paris, snapping reference photos of people and combining them with the equally fascinating architectural aspects of their cities.
What particular event in your life has been fundamental in shaping you?
There’s no one major event but a culmination of many that share the same common denominator: fear. Knowing that when I sign up for something, I will terrify myself, but in the end, I will become stronger than before. Most recently, I competed in a pole competition, with sheer terror driving me to practice harder and more efficiently than I ever had before. Winning 1st place was proof to myself that not only could I do something scary but also become a major contender against other phenomenal athletes.
I traveled to Europe by myself for the first time, stumbled through awkward French conversations, or got lost in Thailand, but I realized that’s part of the journey to artmaking. You must be okay with getting lost in creating because it’s messy, but you eventually find your way with determination and experimentation.
Which of your earliest memories is the fondest?
Being an only child, I spent a lot of time by myself, which could become isolating and lonely, but other days were truly magical. I remember spending most of my time experimenting with any creative outlet I could get my hands on: writing, drawing, and music, without any outcome in mind, just raw creativity.
What song motivates you?
It’s not the original answer, but Queen never fails to put me in a good mood, specifically ‘Under Pressure.’
What’s something interesting that our customers might not know about you?
I’m a professional tap dancer with Rocky Mountain Rhythm!
What hobbies do you enjoy in your free time?
I love to make things with my hands, but my patience with non-digital mediums runs out quickly, so I tend to experiment with many crafts but not master any of them.
Name a favorite thing in your home and explain why.
I commissioned Brooke for John to create a beautiful custom piece of art. Its black line work depicts the characters from the movie Royal Tenenbaums, and it’s stunning. Even the guy I hired to frame it was awe-struck and insisted I use the most protective materials for the frame.
Without what could you not function?
Coffee! I love coffee and would drink it throughout the day if my body wouldn’t go into hyperdrive.
What is your favorite or most motivational location in Denver?
Stanley Marketplace is one of my favorite places, not only because of its history but also because of all the local events that happen there. Plus, when I’m overwhelmed by people, there’s a great walking trail right outside of it.
Which advice did you receive that you felt was the best?
I read this somewhere and saved it since I am the worst at keeping to a schedule. “Love yourself enough to set boundaries. Your time and energy are precious. You get to choose how you use it. You teach people how to treat you by deciding what you will and won’t accept.” ― Anna Taylor.
How Do You Get Inspired?
Reading is a great way to get inspired. I alternate between different genres depending on my mood. I love horror, mystery and anything fantastical. Though I also love to read books on business and the creative process to continue educating myself in my field. I am currently obsessed with queer fantasy, such as The Green Creek series by T.J. Klune. What is better than gay werewolves?!
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