Today we’d like to introduce you to Noah Schoper.
Hi Noah, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’ve been an artist for as long as I can remember, and there’s never been any question for me what career path to pursue. I’ve specifically always been intrigued by comics and visual storytelling, and all throughout school I kept drawing and learning new mediums. I did a little bit of everything, from painting, to sculpting, to drawing, and I made money taking commissions and selling at local markets. After doing this for a few years, I decided I wanted to focus on one medium and become really good at it, rather than be decent at three. Drawing was always my first choice for creating, so I set aside painting and sculpting to focus on that. I’ve gotten back into experimenting with other mediums this year, but I don’t regret taking that time to hone in my illustration skills. Currently, I am attending Kennesaw State University majoring in Fine Art, with a concentration in Comics and Sequential Art. I plan to get a masters in Fine Art as well, so I can teach at the university level. I like to keep myself busy, so I also have a lot of side projects I’m working on outside of my studies. I’ve been working closely with local artist Innate on his new project, and both of his last two singles from the album feature my artwork on the cover. I also have a website where I sell merchandise with designs I’ve created, multiple of which are collaborations with Innate. I’m submitting some of my work to multiple galleries this year, and I’m also working on an anthology book project with other local illustrators.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have certainly been bumps along the way. About a year ago I got an offer for what I would consider a dream job. I can’t say what the project was due to it being contract work, but it was an incredible opportunity for me. I worked on it excitedly for about 6 months, only for the work to be rejected by the licensors after everything was finished. It felt pretty devastating at the time, but I realized that with the right mindset the rejection could push me to be a more motivated and skilled artist. I also had the opportunity to table at Dragon Con with an art collective I was a part of at the time. It ended up falling apart during our time there, with almost everything going wrong and it was a huge disappointment. Despite the problems, it was a great learning experience for future events, and there’s still plenty of moments from that weekend that I look back fondly at.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I specialize in digital and traditional illustration, but also practice sculpture, printmaking, and graphic design. One of the projects I’m most proud of is a life-sized bust I sculpted of a werewolf, over the course of a few weeks. I’m hoping to have it on display in some galleries this summer so people can see it in person. Another project I am very proud of is an upper arm half sleeve tattoo design I did for a client. It’s very surreal having my design permanently on someone’s arm, and I couldn’t be more happy with the final result. I think what sets me apart from others is my need to go all out on my work. I tend to get very lost in the process of creating, and add the most amount of detail possible in my work.
What makes you happy?
I’m always happy when spending time with friends and family. Aside from that, I’m happy when creating. Getting lost in my work is when I feel at peace, and to me there’s no feeling like spending hours creating something you are proud of from scratch. Reading comics is another thing that brings me joy, as they are what brought me to art as a child and continue to inspire me to this day.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nschoperart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nschoperart
