Name, Age, and State: Laura Hollingsworth, 20, VA

Job-title: Illustrator and Student

Web/blog site URL: http://lostie815.deviantart.com/  http://www.thesilvereye.com/

Give us your job description in 25 words or less. I am a student studying fine arts, a webcomic writer/artist and a freelance illustrator. Occasionally I’m hired for other art-related projects.

Describe a typical workday. I wake up, take the ferry to class, take the ferry back, go on a walk, and then draw for the remainder of the day (normally while listening to an audiobook or sermons).

What led you to realize that you wanted to do this type of work? Webcomics are the best way for me to tell my stories. I love how they combine storytelling with visual art. In many ways, my skill and success in art today is because I started drawing my webcomic three years ago.

Did you have any heroes or mentors in your industry that you admired? Lora Innes and Doug TenNapel are wonderful examples of fantastic writers and artists.

What type of education or training was required to land your job? I’m self-taught for the most part. The bulk of my skill has been gained through my own experience, though I have taken some art classes. My clients are exposed to my art online and through networking, and feel my work would be a good fit for their projects. Then I am hired!

What do you love most about your job? I love receiving feedback, even if it’s not always the easiest to hear. But I feel most rewarded when I know the experience is growing me as an artist.

What one part of your job do you wish you could hire someone else to do? Management. I’m definitely not a business person.

What advice would you give to teenagers wanting to get into your field of work? Keep drawing and writing every day. Ask for your friends, family or classmates for critiques and feedback (and listen to what they tell you). Open yourself to criticism and you’ll grow. Work on your art consistently, and you’ll be surprised how much you improve.

How does your job allow you to use your God-given gifts? I believe God gifts people with creativity. One of the best parts of my job is that every day, in every project, I’m using my gift to make something beautiful.

Do you have any hobbies or off-hours pursuits that teenagers would find of interest? Hiking and photography.