#michelle fus

[art]

Creator Spotlight: @tinypaint

My name is Michelle Fus. I’m a Jewish, non-binary artist. I graduated from the School of Visual Arts for Computer Art and Animation in 2011. I’ve interned at Pixar and worked for a few years at Dreamworks Animation. Over the past ten years, I’ve self-published two books and have run three successful Kickstarters. I now work with Skybound (The Walking Dead, Invincible) in developing my webcomic, Ava’s Demon, as a physical book series for stores. I like hiking, cultivating plants, caring for my cats, and hanging out with my beautiful husband. You can read my webcomic at avasdemon.com.

Check out our interview with Michelle below!

How did you get your start in art, and more specifically, with Ava's Demon?

I’ve always been into art since I was very young. I started to gravitate towards it in first grade, where we were required to keep a daily journal. I found myself drawing in it more than actually keeping entries. From there, I got more and more interested in honing my skills as an artist. I started making my own comics for fun. I signed up for classes outside of school and put together a portfolio for the School of Visual Arts, where I majored in Computer Art and Animation. After getting my first job in the field, I realized that it wasn’t what I wanted to do with my life. After working my day job, I would come home and work towards building a career in comics for myself by creating and uploading my webcomic, Ava’s Demon.

What is one habit you find yourself doing a lot as an artist?

Looking things up to learn more before I make art or write. For instance, how many livable planets are in a Galaxy? What does a black hole actually look like, and can it give off light? How long would it actually take to travel through space if you had the fastest ship possible? I look up all of these things and then ignore most of them for the sake of writing a fun story and making fun art.

From idea to final piece, how long does it take for you to create something?

It depends on the feeling I want to convey. Sometimes I’ll work for a whole week on a drawing and then delete it because I just don’t feel good about it. Other times I’ll make something in a day that I absolutely love from beginning to end. Some drawings I never delete nor finish, and instead, the files just kind of sit in a folder. The time it takes varies a lot.

Over the years as an artist, what were your biggest inspirations behind your creativity?

I really love good stories. So movies and books with captivating stories usually motivate and inspire me; stories that stay with you permanently, with twists and turns that you can’t stop thinking about. I also love finding characters whose struggles I can deeply relate to. I try to hold onto those feelings and emulate them through my art.

What is the hardest part of your process?

Actually finishing a drawing. The anxiety of it piles on me sometimes. I’ll work for a while on a drawing and constantly ask myself, “Is this drawing really finished? What terrible things about it am I not seeing?”. My desire to avoid making something terrible can sometimes put me in a mental prison where I keep chipping away at a drawing until I no longer know what I am looking at.

What is one interaction you had from a fan of yours that has stuck with you over the years?

In general, I like letting young artists in middle school, and high school know that I wasn’t very good at art at their age (I really wasn’t, I didn’t have the same resources they have now, and I didn’t have any perspective on what it takes to have a career in art, it’s a different world). Kids have come to me at conventions with their work for critique and advice, and I have to tell them that they’re already miles ahead of what I could make at their age. I have to tell them that it’s okay if they can’t make what all the professionals make online, to know that they have SO much time ahead of them to work at what they love. If you love making art, do it often, study art throughout history, and over time you’ll be able to create everything your heart desires.

What is something other people find hard to draw that you find enjoyable?

I have no idea. Sometimes it feels like drawing anything is suffering, even if you like what you’re making.

Who on Tumblr inspires you and why?

@loish has been consistently inspiring me since my days in high school. Every new painting has so much grace and power and is so excellent to look at. Her skill in shape and form seems limitless, and I hope to someday achieve even a small fraction of her understanding of art. Seeing her new work on my timeline also makes my dopamine spike, so I’m always looking forward to updates from her.

Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing, Michelle! Be sure to check out their Tumblr blog over at @tinypaint and follow their webcomic, Ava’s Demon, over at avasdemon.com.

[letsgetsinfulbaby]

Credit: Artist is Michelle Fus creator of Ava’s Demon found Here "Stream doodles! feel free to redraw them or color them, thank you again everyone for such a successful campaign!! I can't wait to send you all your stuff!! (11/18/22) Tumblr / Twitter / Patreon / Instagram

[avasedits]

Hello everybody! My name is Lucas AKA chronicle hearts​! I’ll be making Ava’s Demon edits and other things here!

I used to have a blog with the same name a few years ago where I did the same thing, I deleted it so I could focus on my own artwork.

Now that I’ve worked on my own art, I’ve decided to start this blog again! Requests for edits will be always open! (Unless stated otherwise!)

You guys may recognise some of my old edits (Before I went by chronicle hearts I went by MofuWaffle): 

[clowncarr]

experimenting more w/ my rendering, this time featuring the never seen before spirit/alien/demon haunting jasper, evobessis ethylan!! very sweet and kind looking, almost seraphim-esque (which is fitting bc he was a minister when he was alive)

his skin is also really fun to do, trying to blend orange and blue without it being rlly muddy inducing, but i still think jasp’s is a little more fun just bc the color is more subtle on hers. his hair and wings are like my fav though even though im still just trying to figure it out more… yay rainbows

[graphicpolicy]

Get a new look at Ava's Demon Book Two: Aftermath out May 2024

Get a new look at Ava's Demon Book Two: Aftermath out May 2024 #comics #comicbooks #graphicnovel

[fishaid]

Tylo 🐍🐍🐍

[lakecountylibrary]

Read like a librarian! Here's Kate's current TBR:

Mao (volume 12) written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi

Star Knights written and illustrated by Kay Davault

The Skull written and illustrated by Jon Klassen

The Dog Knight written by Jeremy Whitley illustrated by Bre Indigo

Dear Rosie written and illustrated by Meghan Boehman and Rachael Briner

Girl Juice written and illustrated by Benji Nate

Out There written and illustrated by Seaerra Miller

Monstrous: A Transracial Adoption Story written and illustrated by Sarah Myer

Squire & Knight written and illustrated by Scott Chantler

Unaccompanied: Stories of Brave Teenagers Seeking Asylum written and illustrated by Tracy White

Suee and the Strange White Light written by Ginger Ly and illustrated by Molly Park

The Sea in You written and illustrated by Jessi Sheron

Garvey's Choice written by Nikki Grimes illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

Ava's Demon: Book One: Reborn written and illustrated by Michelle Fus

Cosmoknights: Book Two written and illustrated by Hannah Templer

Bear written by Ben Queen illustrated by Joe Todd-Stanton

See more of Kate's recs

[pixie-mask]

I haven't been checking in on Ava's Demon cause I was sick of not seeing an update, but I checked today cause I'm looking in on my small number of webcomics I read and it updated!

I don't know when but I'm happy to see an update.

I wasn't expecting that message and I hope Michelle continues to heal from this revelation

[archnemy]

Finally got Ava's Demon,the covers are so beautiful and the ends are gold. It reminds of this old fairytale book i had when I was a kid.I already finished both books lol. It was so good. I love the prints so much, I don't have much wall space anymore but I want to squeeze them in.

[infairvorona]

5pm

[smashpages]

Out this week: Ava’s Demon (Image, $17.99):

The popular multimedia webcomic by Michelle Fus comes to Image Comics, featuring a teenage girl who has to deal with the demon that haunts her, a trip into space and the perils of high school. 

See what else is arriving in comic shops this week.

[avasdemonedits]

Found this on Ebay!

[letsgetsinfulbaby]

COMIC UPDATE FROM TWITCH 5/10/22

If you all find anymore please add to this.

Michelle regrets choosing Lacivi for Maggie’s last name - 18:45

They also regret Odin’s name

They also wish they could switch Raven and Crows names

Michelle will be making more merch for the next book - 1:17:40

[caravan-mad]

What do you guys think has a higher chance of finishing first

Ava’s Demon

Or Yandere Simulator

Please place your bets

[clowncarr]

i love using jasper to experiment with new painting/coloring styles bc her skin is so interesting with it’s marbling 😌😌

[graphicpolicy]

Make another pact! Ava's Demon returns in May 2024 with Aftermath

Make another pact! Ava's Demon returns in May 2024 with Aftermath #comics #comicbooks #graphicnovel

Skybound Comet has announced the upcoming retail release of Ava’s Demon Book Two: Aftermath, the next chapter of the groundbreaking YA webcomic over ten years in the making by acclaimed author Michelle Fus. The original graphic novel will now be available for the first time in the book market in May 2024.  The second volume of the series is titled Aftermath as it picks up directly following the…