fandom q+a Jenn Blake Q&A

[Simon 4,557]

 

Time for our last Q&A of Making Christmas Merrier!  Today we're chatting with none other than IDW artist, Jenn Blake!

 

Jenn Blake is a real life Rarity, having worked in the world of fashion design for more than a decade. Her first involvement in the world of Pony was when she was afforded the opportunity to work on sketch cards for IDW Limited’s release of the “Return of Queen Chrysalis” arc of the Friendship is Magic comic from IDW. Since then she’s done art for issue 16 of the My Little Pony: Friends Forever comic as well as variant cover artwork for issue 30 of the main series. Poniverse is extremely honored and excited to welcome Jenn Blake to MLP Forums today!

 

 

Jenn Blake’s Q&A today is part of Poniverse’s annual Making Christmas Merrier charity drive in support of the BC Children’s Hospital. Each year, Poniverse raises money to help make the holidays special for all the children of the BC Children’s Hospital. If you would like to read more about this worthwhile cause, please check it out here. Donations can be made directly to the BC Children’s Hospital in support of Making Christmas Merrier here, or via PayPal through MLP Forums here.

 

On top of spending part of today answering our questions here on MLP Forums, Jenn Blake has also generously donated some absolutely amazing signed prints all of which will be available for auction here: https://mlpforums.com/forum/212-traders-exchange-charity-auctions/All proceeds from these auctions go to benefit the BC Children's Hospital as part of Making Christmas Merrier. Shipping is free so be sure to wander on over to the Traders Exchange and find some prints you love!

 

Without further ado, today's Q&A is open, toss your questions for Jenn Blake below and don't forget to bid and donate in support of MCM!

 

---

 

How did you get involved in the My Little Pony IDW comics?

 

[Koukatsu 5,899]

Jenn, how do you feel about the majestic walrus'?

[SomeRetroGeek 110]

Hello Jenn! Hope you are having a lovely day, and here's my questions for you. 

Why did you choose a career in the fashion design industry?

Out of all the comics you have done artwork for, which are you most pleased with?

How did you go from the fashion industry to drawing artwork for the MLP comics?

[InfectedPone 1,550]

Welcome to the forums Jenn! My question is how long does it usually take to make one of those prints, like the ones we're currently auctioning?

[The Derpy Hooves 615]

hey jehn!

so... how is it like to be one of the best artist of this community?

also, what did "pushed" you to become an artist and expecially using mlp?

what were your expectations when you started all this?

Edited December 12, 2015 by The Derpy Hooves

[Batbrony 16,052]

Good evening, Ms. Blake, and thank you for kindly taking the time to conduct this Q&A with us (as well as generously donating all those lovely prints for our MCM charity drive)!  As a fellow DC fanatic (which should be apparent by the fact that I'm probably one of a handful of bronies crazy enough to consistently try crossing over Derpy with the Dark Knight, well, in my fanfiction at least  ), I've got a couple of superhero related questions for ya.

 

First, who is your favorite superhero?   

 

Second, and I know this answer could be different from the first considering artists sometimes have different tastes like that, who is your favorite superhero to draw?  :comeatus: 

[Pucksterv 4,508]

I feel really stupid to ask this question because it's such a cliche question.

Gonna ask it anyway

 

Do you have any tips for a beginning pony artist?

What inspired you to start drawing ponies?

 

I also saw your Derpy print in auction which also included a particular blue box,

So my last question is: Are you a fan of Doctor Who and if so who's your favorite doctor?

 

Thanks in advance for answering our questions and giving us your time doing so!

Edited December 12, 2015 by Pucksterv

[Eloquence 2,076]

Hello Jenn! So happy to have you here! Now for a question I've been wondering since that banner went up announcing your Q & A

 

What's the significance of your OC's cutie mark?

[JennBlake2814 110]

Hello Jenn! Hope you are having a lovely day, and here's my questions for you. 

Why did you choose a career in the fashion design industry?

Out of all the comics you have done artwork for, which are you most pleased with?

How did you go from the fashion industry to drawing artwork for the MLP comics?

To answer that 1st question, Fashion was always one of the things i had the most passion for growing up, i was obsessed with clothes and shoes at a very young age and when i realized i could actually draw stuff i remember always drawing characters like bugs or wonder woman or whatever i was into at the time but always designing different outfits then what you would be use to seeing. The fact that i could create something unique that was all from my head was a really cool idea and so while comics was a dream i thought specially as a teen and the ways the comics industry was at the time that i probally would make it in fashion over comics

 

As far as everythin ive done comics wise it isnt the largest resume, so far just ff #16 and the variant cover for issue #30 but i would have to say that my variant has to be my favorite thing because it combined my two loves ponies and superheroes .

 

lastly, i pretty much just got to a point creatively in fashion where i felt i had done what i could at the time i didnt feel any really fresh ideas and had thought im getting older and i have always always wanted to see if i could even draw one professional comic, it has been a long 10 yr journey to get to that point though

 

Jenn, how do you feel about the majestic walrus'?

im partial to the narwhal lol

[Jeric 46,850]

First of all, thank you for agreeing to this Q&A and for your donations of the signed prints for our charity auction. Also, you have exquisite taste in best pony ... have to give you points for that.

 

What is you favorite comic series or character that most of us may not know about?

[Photon Jet 5,491]

Hello Jenn. I'd like to ask you this simple question.

 

When did you start drawing comics?

[Koukatsu 5,899]

Also, thank you for joining us today. xD
I've been excited for this since I heard it was coming! c:

Is it weird when people fangirl at you? :v

Is it something you ever get used to? :v

[Castle Bleck 19,333]

I struggle with OCD, perfectionism, procrastination, etc. whenever attempting to draw, having to get every line just right and being unable to just move on.

 

As a professional artist, do you have any words of advice that can potentially help me get out of this funk?

[HoneyThunder 39]

So happy to have you here Jenn! Hope you are doing well!

 

I have 2 questions!  

 

Do you have a favorite character from MLP FiM that you like to work on. 

 

Andddd.... Which pony from FiM are you most like personality wise? 

[SFyr 1,982]

Hello Jenn Blake! Welcome to our little online pony family, haha.  Also, I want to say thanks for putting up your awesome prints for the charity event. I think it'll raise quite a bit, and I think it was an awesome gesture for an artist to make.

 

 

Anyways, I have a question or two to add to the pile!

What are your tools of the trade, and what is favorite medium to work with?  :grin2:

[Sapphire Lightning 784]

Hello! Welcome to our little corner of the universe.

 

Q's:

 

What was the spark (that early memory/event) that made you express yourself through artistic means?

 

How did your art affect your early life? Did it model your life, or did you model your life off of it?

 

Pinkie Pie or (just for random measure) Ortho (from heman, I think he is called Ortho, but that may be the people who kill bugs...)....

[JennBlake2814 110]

Welcome to the forums Jenn! My question is how long does it usually take to make one of those prints, like the ones we're currently auctioning?

It really depends on what the subject of the print is going to be, something like Derpy from ruff sketch to finished piece maybe 2hrs, where as something like the "villains" cant take 4 to 6 due to how many characters and then just the sketching to make the right composition of the piece

 

hey jehn!

so... how is it like to be one of the best artist of this community?

also, what did "pushed" you to become an artist and expecially using mlp?

what were your expectations when you started all this?

Well thank you for saying im one of the "best" there r alot of amazingly talented people professional and in the fandom that do some great art so i dunno if im one of the best but thank you.

 

Being an artist was just always who i was ive been drawing since i came out of the womb...granted the doctors were a tad perplexed where i got the sketchpad from.. ponies just kind of happened i had been trying to do the typical superhero thing in comics, batman, superman what have you but at the time i was just not strong enough with those character to really make it, mlp when i discovered and it and started drawing it i realized i had a pretty good handle on the characters so when IDW announced the book i saw it as my last chance to pursue comics..to be honest had idw limited never come to me i probally would have just returned full time to fashion.

 

I never had any expectations really, i just wanted to draw comics to fulfill a dream i had. I just love to draw and create what i hope will be fun exciting things that may make 1 person happy in the end that to me is the goal that i can even make 1 person smile cause of what i draw.

 

Good evening, Ms. Blake, and thank you for kindly taking the time to conduct this Q&A with us (as well as generously donating all those lovely prints for our MCM charity drive)!  As a fellow DC fanatic (which should be apparent by the fact that I'm probably one of a handful of bronies crazy enough to consistently try crossing over Derpy with the Dark Knight, well, in my fanfiction at least  ), I've got a couple of superhero related questions for ya.

 

First, who is your favorite superhero?   

 

Second, and I know this answer could be different from the first considering artists sometimes have different tastes like that, who is your favorite superhero to draw?  :comeatus: 

Im super happy to be doing this Q&A thanks for putting up with me this evening.

 

favorite superhero always and forever Hal Jordan Green Lantern of sector 2814

 

that is actually a different answer if i had my say and could draw any superhero it would have to be Wonder Woman that really is cause i enjoy and am far more confident with the female form then drawing the men still #lesbianproblems lol

 

I feel really stupid to ask this question because it's such a cliche question.

Gonna ask it anyway

 

Do you have any tips for a beginning pony artist?

 

and also, what inspired you to start drawing ponies?

 

I also saw your Derpy print in auction which also included a particular blue box,

So my last question is: Are you a fan of Doctor Who and if so who's your favorite doctor?

 

Thank you for answering our questions btw. Really appreciate it!

happy to answer ur questions.

 

i guess the best thing i can say is be patient with yourself as ur starting to draw the characters it can be easy to look at artist that are more expeirences and get frustrated but don't give up, dont be afraid to look at references from the show just dont outright steal but look at it as a style guide to help you as you learn the way they move and walk and what not, and make sure to be yourself and put your own stamp on the characters whereas its nice to be show accurate at times you dont want to be a slave to that and not have your own voice as it were to the artwork you create.

 

I stumbled onto ponies, i wasnt made aware of it till it was in its 2nd season and initially i did not care for the show but i was use to what i grew up with which was gen 1, but when  went back and rewatched it and saw rarity i was hooked and just started to doodle them one day out of curiousity and it led me to trying with IDW after they announced the title

 

 

Big fan of Dr Who, my doctor will always be the 10th David Tennant

 

Hello Jenn! So happy to have you here! Now for a question I've been wondering since that banner went up announcing your Q & A

 

What's the significance of your OC's cutie mark?

 

Sappho's cutie mark is a modified take on the lesbian symbol, as someone who is openly and very proud to be and out lesbian woman, i gave sappho that cutie mark not so much as to say her talent is lesbianism though i guess that could be a talent rawr lol but more as a way to show young lgbt to not be afraid to be who they are and be proud. so the symbol being sapphos mark is just about being proud and strong in who you are no matter what really

[CheeryFox 23,821]

Can you sing euphonically (can you sing/do you sing)? 

[Floofie 799]

Hello there, Jenn! Thanks for taking the time to have this Q&A with us. Here are my questions:

• What's your favorite food?
• Do you have any tips for an aspiring artist?
• Do you like Disney and/or Pixar movies?

Edited December 12, 2015 by RedFireDrgn

[FlitterFlutter 1,583]

Hello, i would first like to thank you for doing this!

I have two questions.

First who is best pony?

Second what are some of your favorite non superhero comics. (if you read any)

[Measure Theory 44]

Jenn, as a professional artist and fashion designer, you must've had a few run-ins with projects you didn't want to work on. In those cases, how do you deal with the urge to procrastinate? I've been having recent troubles with this, especially in the light of a recent assigned independent research project for my U.S. History class. I've found it hard to focus on the project, and I've developed a habit of doing other things when I should be doing my work. Any tips?

 

Another question for you; How do you pick your color palletes? Do you wing it and pick whatever feels right? Or do you have some rules that you follow when choosing your colors?

 

Thank you! Happy holidays!

Edited December 12, 2015 by KasaiDragoness

[Batbrony 16,052]

favorite superhero always and forever Hal Jordan Green Lantern of sector 2814

 

that is actually a different answer if i had my say and could draw any superhero it would have to be Wonder Woman that really is cause i enjoy and am far more confident with the female form then drawing the men still #lesbianproblems lol

 

Very cool, very cool indeed.  I do hope Hal shows up in the current DCCU at some point, heck, I'd be happy if they went with Hal and John Stewart considering I love both those GLs.

 

Let's see... when did you start following superheroes?  Me, I was B:TAS kid myself, in fact, sadly never read much in the way of comic books (though I know far more about them than one might think, though I have to credit a lot of that to watching Linkara and AT4W).

 

Also, I normally wouldn't ask a guest this, but you seem to really enjoy crossing over ponies with superheroes, so you'll get this: What do you think of the Derpy/Batman crossover (just, the concept in general  )?

[JennBlake2814 110]

First of all, thank you for agreeing to this Q&A and for your donations of the signed prints for our charity auction. Also, you have exquisite taste in best pony ... have to give you points for that.

 

What is you favorite comic series or character that most of us may not know about?

Rarity is easily best pony!!!!

 

and thank you for having me and it was the least i could do to help such a great cause.

 

Green Lantern hands down best comic book character as far as comic series there are some pretty out there titles by the writer Grant Morrison that are pretty trippy but i highly recommend such as his title The Invisibles, his run on Doom Patrol is another crazy weird take on some old dc characters, if you like just strange ideas that can really make u go what in the world??? Morrison is the guy to read.

 

Hello Jenn. I'd like to ask you this simple question.

 

When did you start drawing comics?

professionally ive only been doing this less then a year now, but i have been coming up with comic characters since i can remember i still have my own superhero universe i created in high school that i have yet to really do anything with..maybe someday

 

Also, thank you for joining us today. xD

I've been excited for this since I heard it was coming! c:

 

Is it weird when people fangirl at you? :v

Is it something you ever get used to? :v

It is something i'm still not use to cause i dont really get it i guess i dont see myself as anyone to fan over so when someone gets super excited im at a con i really just hold back tears of joy that i could reach someone like that or i question there mental stability cause yeah i'm an odd lil black duck lol

 

I struggle with OCD, perfectionism, procrastination, etc. whenever attempting to draw, having to get every line just right and being unable to just move on.

 

As a professional artist, do you have any words of advice that can potentially help me get out of this funk?

I honestly can be the same way when i'm working on something, it can be a huge issue so i totally understand it, best thing i do usually is let the flaw go, it makes the art more real and shows a hand was part of that piece, flaws can be just as beautiful as perfection if that makes sense so try to remember that its something even i struggle with. even today while i was working on some pages of a new book i cant yet announce

 

So happy to have you here Jenn! Hope you are doing well!

 

I have 2 questions!

 

Do you have a favorite character from MLP FiM that you like to work on. 

 

Andddd.... Which pony from FiM are you most like personality wise? 

Rarity hands down i could draw forever and never get bored the few times i got to draw her in Friends Forever #16 were my favorite panels and as personality im a tad too much like Rarity unless uve seen me have 5 energy drinks in an hour then its pretty much a pinkie pie party and i will break the 4th wall.

 

Hello Jenn Blake! Welcome to our little online pony family, haha.  Also, I want to say thanks for putting up your awesome prints for the charity event. I think it'll raise quite a bit, and I think it was an awesome gesture for an artist to make.

 

 

Anyways, I have a question or two to add to the pile!

What are your tools of the trade, and what is favorite medium to work with?  :grin2:

Happy to always donate my art to great causes that i hope can help some people in need.

 

I am a purely traditional artist still mainly cause i can't comprehend digital to save my life. i prefer as far as my artboards which is what we draw comics on strathmore bristol art boards which actually have Katie Cook (mane writer of the fim title.ehh ehh see what id id there) artwork on the front. my other tools is i use a non-photo blue pencils to ruff out panels and the characters, from there i tight pencil over the blue lines with a regular 6h lead pencil, then i ink with the pigma micron pens of various thickness depending on what kind of lines i'm trying to create. i also love to use a white jelly roll pen to create all the highlights in hair/manes or the eye shines in a characters eye.

 

Hello! Welcome to our little corner of the universe.

 

Q's:

 

What was the spark (that early memory/event) that made you express yourself through artistic means?

 

How did your art affect your early life? Did it model your life, or did you model your life off of it?

 

Pinkie Pie or (just for random measure) Ortho (from heman, I think he is called Ortho, but that may be the people who kill bugs...)....

Pinkie Pie beats Orko anytime cause Pinkie Pie is cuter.

 

i come from an artistic family, my father was an architect and my mother has done interior design, so art was just always part of my life, i think looney tunes and fashion were two of the early catalyst for me wanting to draw more then anything.

 

Art gave me a voice more then anything and at times let me be more myself then i would maybe show to the world, i was one of those "popular" girls growing up and sometimes my geeky love of superheroes or transformers was something i would hide so i could keep that ridiculous facade of being popular is important up, but alone with my art i could draw whatever i wanted and loved and in a way could be really who i am, something that thankfully i realized after high school that its better and more fun to just be u then try to be the idea others want you to be

[Megas 27,571]

Hey Jenn! I've always loved your artwork, so I was wondering if you're working on any comics at the moment?

[JennBlake2814 110]

Can you sing euphonically (can you sing/do you sing)? 

I cant sing at all but i can lip sync really well lol

 

 

Hello there, Jenn! Thanks for taking the time to have this Q&A with us. Here are my questions:

• What's your favorite food?
• Do you have any tips for an aspiring artist?
• Do you like Disney and/or Pixar movies?

 

Food: SAMMICHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

tips best thing i can always say is be patient no one is great over nite and it is easy to get discouraged when your not getting to see on paper what is in your head, also don't give up if you have a dream im proof if you work hard and strive you can make it

I actually can not stand disney or pixar as they are today i prefer old school disney when it was all traditionally done. also i have a rivarly with mickey mouse since the age of 5 and i will have my day of reckoning with him oh yes i will bumm bummm bummmmmmmm

 

Hello, i would first like to thank you for doing this!

I have two questions.

First who is best pony?

Second what are some of your favorite non superhero comics. (if you read any)

for me best pony is easily Rarity cause we share alot of things in common...cept a tail yeah i dont have a tail........

i love idw's locke and key as far as non superhero titles that is a phenomenal title and i say everyone should read it

 

Jenn, as a professional artist and fashion designer, you must've had a few run-ins with projects you didn't want to work on. In those cases, how do you deal with the urge to procrastinate? I've been having recent troubles with this, especially in the light of a recent assigned independent research project for my U.S. History class. I've found it hard to focus on the project, and I've developed a habit of doing other things when I should be doing my work. Any tips?

 

Another question for you; How do you pick your color palletes? Do you wing it and pick whatever feels right? Or do you have some rules that you follow when choosing your colors?

I have run into that problem alot more then i like to admit specially if a project is more marvel comics related but i do my best to just focus as much as i can on what it is and realize end of the day it is my job and i have to do it more then anything else, though at times that can affect the work, you can actually see when i draw twilight sparkle she is not drawn as well as the others cause she is not my favorite pony so that can come thru when your not doing something you 100% are behind.

 

for the mane 6 for the most part ive got those colors down for what i like to use for them that i think is close, otherwise i do tend to wing it (yes such a pro lol) partly cause i do have a touch of color blindness with some colors so i always just hope for the best thankfully we at idw have Heather Breckel to make us all look good.

 

Very cool, very cool indeed.  I do hope Hal shows up in the current DCCU at some point, heck, I'd be happy if they went with Hal and John Stewart considering I love both those GLs.

 

Let's see... when did you start following superheroes?  Me, I was B:TAS kid myself, in fact, sadly never read much in the way of comic books (though I know far more about them than one might think, though I have to credit a lot of that to watching Linkara and AT4W).

 

Also, I normally wouldn't ask a guest this, but you seem to really enjoy crossing over ponies with superheroes, so you'll get this: What do you think of the Derpy/Batman crossover (just, the concept in general  )?

I've been following superheroes since before i could read, my dad has collected comics since the golden age for you youngings thats the 1930s to roughly 1950s. he read everything to me as bedtme stories so they have been part of who i am since i can remember.

 

I love the idea of derpy as batmare it cracks me up sorta why i draw pinkie as supermare the idea of characters that are clumsy or insane as characters that are very stoic serious and sane is to me entertaining.

Hey Jenn! I've always loved your artwork, so I was wondering if you're working on any comics at the moment?

Thank you i really appreciate that,

i am working on a couple things currently but i can't yet announce those, the publishers will do that when it is ready to be put in previews or however that higher up stuff works i just draw whats they tell me and try not to miss deadlines lol

i am very excited for the projects though 1 is not mlp related which is fun to stretch the creative muscles on something new and outside what i normally do, the other is something mlp related and is i hope adorable i know i loved sketching it all out.