Student Spotlight - Joy Johnson DRC'23
Digital art, in its ability to be shared and sold quickly and widely, presents the future generation of artists with a unique platform to create. Joy Johnson DRC’23, a visual arts major and honors college student, is successfully paving her way through the online art community.
“I’ve gone through a lot of phases with my artistic interests, but I’m really into digital art and comics,” said Johnson. “I especially like art pertaining to music, so I draw a lot of band art online. I’ve found it to be a really cool way to connect with people over a shared passion.”
Johnson is the co-creator of a music-oriented fantasy graphic novel series. The project started when Johnson posted an original drawing of the comic book cover on Instagram, and followers encouraged her to develop the idea into a full-fledged graphic novel series. While the series is based in fan art, a form of online art in which artists draw inspiration from characters in pop culture, Johnson and her co-creator write original storylines to guide their images. For Johnson, art that is so intricately linked with storytelling is a passion that requires her to be highly attuned to her own imagination.
“I enjoy anything with narrative,” said Johnson. “I’ve found that whatever I can see clearly in my head I can usually produce as a drawing, so I typically spend a lot of time visualizing what I want to make before I start it. When I’m writing my narrative-based art, I usually mull over the story for a few hours, or even days, before I draw it out. Our comic is based in the supernatural, so there are a lot of mythical creatures involved. It’s really fun to draw and write!”
While the series has engaged Johnson on an artistic level, it has also contributed to her development of practical business skills. Each issue of the comic is available both in digital and print form, and Johnson must manage requests, make orders, and package and ship issues and merchandise.
The series has brought Johnson creative success, but her primary goal remains building the online community that has flourished as a result.
“I want to use art to tell stories that will mean a lot to people and that they can use to connect with others,” said Johnson. “I’ve found, both from my own experiences and from those of people I’ve interacted with, that finding content you’re really passionate about—a comic, band, book, show, or character—can not only bring a lot of happiness to your life but also help you form connections across the world.”
Outside of the graphic novel, Johnson draws inspiration from her own life. She frequently draws around medical themes, as an expression of her own journey with a chronic illness. As a result, Johnson understands the deep purpose that art plays in self-expression and healing.
“I’ve witnessed a lot of people turning to art as a way to temporarily escape or find the strength to deal with whatever they may be going through,” she said. “I hope that someday my art can provide people with that kind of relief and motivation.”
As a student dually enrolled in Douglass and the Honors College, Johnson is a part of the Douglass Honors College Community. Through the community, she has found a home on campus.
“Douglass has surrounded me with a really great group of people,” Johnson said. “I feel that the Douglass community within the Honors College is incredibly welcoming, and full of such fun, intelligent, and kind individuals!”
For the moment, Johnson is content with self-publishing as it allows her and her co-creator to maintain total control over all aspects of their work. As she continues her education at Douglass, she draws strength from the positivity she has found in the community of the online art world.
“I think the most fulfilling part for me is seeing fans so excited about the comic! We have a lot of people telling us that they can’t wait for their issues to arrive and that they loved reading it,” said Johnson. “The response has been so positive, and it feels really good to put out something that people genuinely enjoy.”
