Bored Panda got in touch with Isa to explore her creative process and learn more about her. Isa's followers love the emotional connection her portraits create, especially when it comes to remembering pets who have passed away. We asked Isa to tell us how making these portraits has affected her personally. "I sometimes draw remembrance posts of animals that have passed. These are 'Instagram famous' pets that I have usually been following for a long time, and though I of course never met them in real life, seeing their pictures and following their stories for years does create an emotional bond. Hearing that they have passed away always hits me, and it's maybe a bit embarrassing but I often cry when hearing the news, and get teary eyes when I draw them. I like that I can draw them happy and pain-free even if they, in their last days, did not feel good," the artist shared.
"Hearing the sweet responses from their humans makes me very glad that I can help in any way. Sometimes people email me back, saying that they started sobbing when I sent them a drawing of their passed pet. I have lost pets too, and, though it will always stay painful, having artwork of them did help soften that pain a little bit."
"My favorite drawings that I made have been these remembrance posts, especially the ones where I can draw them saying goodbye to their families. For example, Eloise and Coco from @kittenxlady, mr. Mango Brown from @justmangobrown, Cole and Marm from @coleandmarmelade."
As we delve into the world of Isa's captivating pet portraits, we can't help but wonder about the moments that make her artistic journey truly special.The artist revealed that she used to illustrate animals in shelters, aiming to boost their chances of adoption. Her attention was drawn to a dog named Benji (@savebenji) when someone contacted her. Benji had been abandoned at the shelter, and unfortunately, his original family never returned to claim him."He was very scared and did not trust people, which made him basically unadoptable. He would have to be put down. The people at the shelter tried to get him to a sanctuary, but that was expensive. When I drew a portrait of him and shared his story (and also donated a bit of money), they actually reached their donation goal within a few days. He is now happy at Kenos Animal Sanctuary. I know I don't have the biggest impact but knowing that my art, and of course my lovely followers, helped even one animal get a better life makes me very happy."
As we explore the artistic world of Isa, it's clear that a deep appreciation for the classic Disney style influences her work. We were curious to know more about the specific artists or Disney movies that hold a special place in Isa's heart. "My favorite movie of all time is The Lion King (1994), ever since I was a kid. I have watched that movie so many times that I can draw certain scenes from memory. Basically, any 2D animated movie about animals was watched by me on repeat; Lady and the Tramp, Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron, All Dogs Go to Heaven, The Aristocats, you name it. An artist who inspires me greatly is the amazing Aaron Blaise, an animator who worked on The Lion King (he was the lead animator of Nala) and many other classic Disney movies. I found out that he follows my account! I will forever be starstruck by that, haha. I still can't really believe it."
As someone who left a formal illustration and animation program to pursue pet portrait work, we asked Isa what advice she would give to people considering a similar shift in their creative career paths. "In all honesty, as an 'art school dropout,' I don't know if it's the path everyone should take. I think I was incredibly lucky to find a very specific niche that I enjoy doing, am good at, and that some people really like. If you are thinking about pursuing your creative career, absolutely go for it! But my tip would be to carefully dip your toes in it first, I guess. I have been drawing these pet portraits for over a decade (that's crazy to think about!), but only made it my full-time job about 5 years ago after spending a few months testing if this was something I could see myself doing day in and day out, and checking if the interest was actually there. And there was! I am glad that I checked before going all-in."
