Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Bentley.
Hi Travis, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have been doing freelance graphic design for over ten years, working with small businesses all over the Midwest, creating branding packages, logos, and social media assets. Between my freelance projects, I began working more and more on my illustration skills. I have loved art and illustration since an early age, and around 2015, I started more dedicated, focused work on improving that skill set. I was then nudged by friends to explore going to conventions, and that has been so successful I have now attended over 20 shows of various sizes all over the Midwest, with a large portion being in Minnesota. While I improved my skills, I also took on freelance illustration contracts when I did graphic design and coloring on an indie comic trade paperback Champions by Brimstone Studios and mechanical designs for an upcoming Kickstarter comic project.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The hardest part I have found is the continual need to wear many hats as a freelancer. You are expected to be the creator, PR manager, client scout, social media team, and accountant while running your business. These, at times, can be challenging to balance when you want to be out creating the thing you are uniquely equipped to make. The perseverance of freelance is intense, but it is well worth the effort after you’ve honed your skills at home and networked your network in whatever industry you choose.
Thanks for sharing that. Please tell us more about your work.
In my illustration career, I have been known for creating mechanically intricate illustrations that showcase my love for detail and hard surface rendering. I also have a great fondness for watercolor and enjoy doing complete works with traditional mediums like brush pens; the tactile sense from working with real mediums is unmatched. One of my most proud accomplishments is a pair of massive 3′ by 8′ mural canvases that a local game store commissioned to depict significant battlefields and armies from the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, which has led to a great client relationship with multiple projects in the works.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Most people might only guess I am an avid tabletop role-player once they talk to me for more than five minutes. I have been playing TTRPGs since high school and have played in over 20 different systems of rules, ranging from Dungeons & Dragons to systems based on Warhammer 40,000 and Avatar the Last Airbender franchises.
Pricing:
- 6×8 commission artwork – Starting at $100
- 11×17 commission artwork – Starting at $300
Contact Info:
- Website: www.travisbentley.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/thetravisbentley
