Today we’d like to introduce you to Rashad Doucet.
Hi Rashad, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Honestly, it all began with my grandma handing me some paper and crayons to draw with to keep me quiet during church. As well as her telling me bedtime stories that were all about superheroes. It greatly inspired me and kept my imagination busy. As I got older, I just kept creating by writing stories and eventually drawing comics of them. Writing came first though which is something I still do. Back then I was afraid of creating full comics cause it felt so grand and overwhelming but writing didn’t pressure me as much.
Eventually, I graduated from the University of New Orleans with a degree in painting/graphic design and while I liked it, comics were my heart. So after Hurricane Katrina happened, I decided to fully dedicate myself to learning more about it and received a master’s degree from the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Sequential Art. While still traveling to conventions with close friends to get my career going.
Things started slowly with small jobs here and there but kept growing (and still is, thankfully lol) All leading to books like Alabaster Shadows, Nadia’s Jewelry Box, Jeremiah Justice and most recently Pax Samson. Along the way, I even got to work on franchises like Rick and Morty and Invader Zim.
Currently, I’m working on my next graphic novel Art Club from Hachette and lol listening to anime theme songs while doing so!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t been the worse but it’s had it rough bits. I think the hardest thing was demystifying what it means to be a successful artist. Artists tend to have a dream version of what work will be like, which is great, always dream! But sometimes that dream narrows your focus and can limit your potential. At one point, I was determined to only work for the top comic and/or animation companies. And just kept applying and sending off portfolios. Which isn’t a negative but I was passing by other opportunities from smaller companies or just companies I didn’t realize my art skills were good for because they weren’t as popular as the ones I grew up with.
Here’s the thing though, money is still green regardless lol. So when I opened my scope a bit more to include every art skill I have, as well as look beyond what I was familiar with, things started to improve greatly.
Also, I’m super blessed to have great friends and a supportive family to help along the way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a huge fan of superhero/anime/and dark dramas lol. You wouldn’t get that last part from looking at my work because it’s so cartoony and fun but giving characters serious life issues to overcome really inspires me. My goal is tell stories that on some level say you can rise above anything that’s slowing/weighing you down. You can achieve that goal, that thing that makes you happy, it may take a ton of work and shifting your perspective of how to get there but you can get there.
The comic I co-wrote with Jason Reeves, Pax Samson really exemplifies that message and all those influences from anime, comics, friends and family. It’s a modern fantasy superhero story about a kid whose family are all world-famous heroes and adventurers. From the 500 years old folklore-inspired and most popular superhero Grandma Samson to Pax’s cousin Pinnacle who’s a martial art champion/teen heartthrob. They all want him to use his psionic abilities to join them in saving the world, which he would love, but he’s not so good at using those powers. However, he is extremely good at cooking. So the story is about him deciding which to choose while going on adventures with his zany family. I’d tell you more but I don’t want to spoil lol. The comic is available literally anywhere books are sold so snatch it up and let me know what you think!
Ok so I’ll leave you with this, Grandma Samson is like a mix of Storm from the Xmen and All Might from My Hero Academia lol.
If you had to, what characteristic of yours would you give the most credit to?
Determination with an open mind to always learn and adapt to whatever life throws at me. And I’ll admit that determination can sometimes transform into stubbornness but that’s why I have to always remind myself to be open to change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artstation.com/rashaddoucet
- Instagram: instagram.com/rashad.doucet
