Today we’d like to introduce you to Han (Eraysable) Jasper.
Hi Han (Eraysable), so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I have been drawing since I was old enough to hold a crayon, but I’ve been sharing my work since 2009. I branded myself “Eraysable” in 2012 and have been making art under that name ever since.
I was first encouraged to sell my work in high school by my art instructor. I made primarily custom painted accessories, hand drawn bookmarks, and original acrylic paintings. I moved into digital art in undergraduate school, drawn to the clean look and affordability of the medium. I was able to practice every day without spending physical resources, and my skills expanded greatly.
When I finished my second degree in 2018 and became a nurse, I had additional free time to practice and produce pieces that I was really passionate about. I began attending local pop culture conventions, leaning into my own interests in fandom spaces. Between 2018 and 2023, I was determined to try everything once, exploring different mediums, hobbies, and vehicles for sharing my art with others.
Today, I continue to attend conventions and expand my audience. I focus on making art that I love so I can share it with others that might love it, too.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have been extremely fortunate in my experience practicing as an artist. I’ve been encouraged to do art by virtually everyone in my life.
However, I have significant medical needs. I need what most would call a “grown up job” to get reasonably priced health insurance and thrive enough to make my art in the first place. I acknowledge the grim reality that I am neither talented nor revolutionary enough to make a good living with art. Still, I think this is sometimes a good thing for me. Art never has to be what pays my bills, so my relationship with it is never at risk of becoming stale and need-based. I’d never go so far as to say that art should only be a hobby, though. The world desperately needs art. Always. So, artists should be paid good wages for this critical work.
I struggle with wanting endless time to realize my ideas when there is only so much time available for me to use. My mental health also complicates my relationship with art. Old pieces irritate me, as I am hyper-aware of how much I’ve improved since I made them. I’d never let someone else speak poorly of their own older work, but I have a hard time applying that support to myself. I also feel pressure to create pieces that are that top of my skill level. No one is creating that pressure other than me, though.
It feels a bit silly to complain about not having enough time to make art, but it also reaffirms in my mind that my need to create art is right up there with eating and sleeping, for me. I get desperate to sit and create, and when I lose that time and space, I get sick, angry, and weird. Art is my stabilizer.
I also feel somewhat restricted in my creativity by my professional life and real world social conventions. Sometimes I avoid creating or sharing art I feel will be too controversial. I love controversial topics, but part of my joy comes from sharing my work. I want to share things people will adore, and so, I shy away from topics I might otherwise consider exploring.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
At present, I practice almost exclusively as a digital artist. I create both original and fandom-related pieces, and only dip into fandom spaces I love or find visually interesting. I like to convey emotions and tell stories with my art, but I’m just as likely to paint something because I like the way it looks. I love to learn what fandom spaces are passionate about so I can join them in their excitement and create new art inspired by characters and concepts. I print my art on physical paper and products with the help of third party producers. Aside from digital art, I am always on the hunt for mural painting opportunities.
I hesitate to pick a specialty since I enjoy doing all sorts of things. If I had to pick one, though, I would say that I specialize in creating art for tarot decks. I love deciding which characters and designs should go with the card archetypes. I also enjoy the process of making the card look beautiful and the characters look like they embody the card meanings.
I also love making goofy, heartfelt stickers with my art. A sticker is such an easy way for someone to own and display art. It embodies what I love about the process so well.
I’m most proud of being accessible. Since I have a day job, I don’t need profit from my art to live. Thus, I limit my prices. I focus on covering materials and keeping the process self-sustaining. Most of the time, I get excited about what I’m going to make and lose money, anyway. I want people from all walks of life to feel capable of purchasing my art without totally devaluing my own skill and passion.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
In art, success is all about loving what you do and continuing to do it. Every artist deserves to get paid a great wage for their work, but the absence of financial success doesn’t mean success isn’t there. It’s subjective. For me, success is having plenty of hours to make art. If I get that, all is well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://eraysable.carrd.co
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/eraysable
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@eraysable
