“Remember the earth whose skin you are: red earth, black earth, yellow earth, white earth brown earth, we are earth. Remember the plants, trees, animal life who all have their tribes, their families, their histories, too. Talk to them, listen to them. They are alive poems.” - Joy Harjo, Native American Poet Laureate

Getting in Earth Day art just under the wire! The five dancers represent the five main biomes of Earth: Tundra, Aquatic, Desert, Grassland, & Forest. My hope was to demonstrate the power and fragility of each environment as they balance precariously against each other—or perhaps *alongside* each other. Either way, we’re all part of the dance. 🌎❤️

Time-lapse video under the cut!

The villain line-up continues! Emer is such a badass with her ax, I’m in love with her. 💖

A Villain with an Axe to Wield

‘What are you hiding, my lady?’ Meet Emer. Wicked maid of a wicked mistress, she’s an expert in following evil orders, dressing ladies to kill, and making grimly sarcastic remarks (that last she does for free). She doesn’t know in the future of the book, she climbs the ranks and the… pile of bodies… to become the Iron Maid, a fantasy answer to Lizzie Borden. Lately her mistress acts very concerned whenever Emer goes near an axe. As if Emer didn’t have enough to deal with given her lady’s odd new behaviour and sudden but inevitable betrayal, the palace now recruits guards from the literal gutters? (Key, on hearing the first grimly sarcastic remark: Bestie. 🥰 Emer: … Co-worker.) Brought to vivid wonderful life by @vkelleyart who bravely endured my emails about axes… If this maid has your axe, there’s a preorder link to Ballast Books, one of the beautiful members of my indie preorder campaign which get evil goodies.

🪓😈💜

send this to the twelve nicest people you know or who seem to have a good heart and if you get five back you must be pretty awesome ❣️🥰

Awww, this is so sweet! Thanks so much! 💖

Hi! I came across your blog through the house in the cerulean sea. Your artwork gives me the same emotional hug the book does. Thank you for sharing your art with the world ❤️

Hello, and thank you so much! "Emotional hug" was exactly what I was going for with all my THITCS artwork. I'm so happy you've enjoyed it!

“Just because it’s not important doesn’t mean it’s not important to someone.” - Winter’s Orbit by @avoliot / Everina Maxwell

What a treat to have another excuse to draw Kiem and Jainan! This piece was commissioned by Sanctum Flames Candles for their upcoming Winter's Orbit scented candle, which I have been told smells DELICIOUS. This moment after the flybug crash was especially lovely to draw, as the scene grants Jainan a bit of insight into Kiem's generous spirit and makes Jainan fall that much more in love with him. * swoon *

I should have details soon on how to get your own limited edition candle and print! In the meantime, Happy Spring to all!

So honored to have worked with @sarahreesbrennan on character designs for the heroes and villains of LONG LIVE EVIL! This book will make you laugh, cry, question all your book crushes, and indulge your inner villain!

A Hero Revealed

‘I am the man who can bring an army to its knees.’ Meet the first of my hero line-up, Lord Marius Valerius, the Last Hope. Heir to a ducal line famous for their beauty, their skill in battle… and their ancestral curse. Many of Long Live Evil’s early readers tell me they’re invested in a romance involving this shining knight. All these readers wish the wicked and forbidden, as he’s taken vows. Thanks to the extreme talent and beauty of Venessa Vida Kelley @vkelleyart’s art, I present to you all an icily dignified scholar who would never break his vow not to wield arms and absolutely never draw his ancestral sword, no matter the chaos erupting at court. HE’S DOING FINE. He’s a hero.

if you’d like to meet this hero undergoing extreme tribulation at the hands of unruly villains and get extra heroic and villainous treats, you can preorder LONG LIVE EVIL…

“It’s the least ridiculous hat I’ve ever been given,” Henry tells him. “It doesn’t even come with a matching tailcoat.”

“Nah, but maybe we can get you some Wranglers,” Alex says.

“Some chaps, perhaps.”

“I just told you not to talk dirty to me.”

- RED WHITE & ROYAL BLUE [Collector’s Edition] by Casey McQuiston

This piece was commissioned by the generous and wonderful Jonathan L who won my contribution for the Latinx Kidlit Festival auction: a free commission of two characters! I was so happy to have an excuse to revisit Alex and Henry last month, and share the final image in time for ACD’s birthday!

This picture has some additional goodies for fans of the books—and movies. With Jonathan’s help, I’ve planted TWELVE Easter eggs in this picture; see if you can find them all!

Happy Birthday, ACD (and a happy belated birthday to HFMW)! 🎉🎂🤠

PS: This picture is protected by Nightshade, which accounts for some articulation in the close-up. Steal it for AI at your peril. 😇

Ahh, @jazzerdoc you are a gem! Thank you!!

Hi! forever ago, I downloaded WTTHTM. It was the fic that got me through quarantine as a high school sophomore. I'm now a college sophomore (hmm. gross. The passage of time.) I go back and read it every now and then, because, even though Simon and Baz are in my past, they influence everything I do. I'm in college for dramatic writing, and all the stories I write are some variation of fics I wrote in quarantine, but adapted to be their own independent story, like what you did with WTTHTM.

I woke up this morning with a pressing need to read it again (absolutely no clue why, just one of those random things, I guess) and I just felt like I had to reach out and thank you, because your work helped get me here. So,, thank you for writing and drawing, and I can't wait to read the published version when it hits shelves

Gosh, it's wild--and humbling--to read an ask like this on the eve of submitting my 2nd editorial pass of WTTHTM to its publishers. 😭Thank you so much for sharing this with me, and apart from my glee at connecting with someone who loved the story when it was a fic, I'm just so happy to hear it's encouraging you to pursue your original work! Fanfic deserves more props as an art form; not only does it give us space to develop our skills and collaborate with other writers, but it's also the ideal proving ground for exploring voice and producing the stories we really want to read.

It was during rewriting WTTHTM that I realized how little of the story's heart and soul had anything to do with Simon and Baz. The scaffolding was my own struggle for agency, identity, and freedom, and writing in the context of fanfic gave me permission to be vulnerable within the [relative] safety of fandom. It ultimately gave me the confidence I needed to do what I've always dreamed: write and sell an illustrated adult work of fiction.

I genuinely hope that this next chapter of your writing path delivers similar awakenings about your ability to create from the heart and share it with the world. Whenever your original work hits shelves--and I absolutely believe it will--I hope you'll come back here and tell me all about it. Thank you again for reaching out with such a lovely ask! 💖

Hi! forever ago, I downloaded WTTHTM. It was the fic that got me through quarantine as a high school sophomore. I'm now a college sophomore (hmm. gross. The passage of time.) I go back and read it every now and then, because, even though Simon and Baz are in my past, they influence everything I do. I'm in college for dramatic writing, and all the stories I write are some variation of fics I wrote in quarantine, but adapted to be their own independent story, like what you did with WTTHTM.

I woke up this morning with a pressing need to read it again (absolutely no clue why, just one of those random things, I guess) and I just felt like I had to reach out and thank you, because your work helped get me here. So,, thank you for writing and drawing, and I can't wait to read the published version when it hits shelves

Gosh, it's wild--and humbling--to read an ask like this on the eve of submitting my 2nd editorial pass of WTTHTM to its publishers. 😭Thank you so much for sharing this with me, and apart from my glee at connecting with someone who loved the story when it was a fic, I'm just so happy to hear it's encouraging you to pursue your original work! Fanfic deserves more props as an art form; not only does it give us space to develop our skills and collaborate with other writers, but it's also the ideal proving ground for exploring voice and producing the stories we really want to read.

It was during rewriting WTTHTM that I realized how little of the story's heart and soul had anything to do with Simon and Baz. The scaffolding was my own struggle for agency, identity, and freedom, and writing in the context of fanfic gave me permission to be vulnerable within the [relative] safety of fandom. It ultimately gave me the confidence I needed to do what I've always dreamed: write and sell an illustrated adult work of fiction.

I genuinely hope that this next chapter of your writing path delivers similar awakenings about your ability to create from the heart and share it with the world. Whenever your original work hits shelves--and I absolutely believe it will--I hope you'll come back here and tell me all about it. Thank you again for reaching out with such a lovely ask! 💖

Forgive me if you've answered this question a million times and I've just missed it...But did you change your AO3 name?

I'm having trouble finding your profile

Hello! I did change it a couple of years ago—you should be able to find me as VKelleyArt on AO3, albeit much of the content under that name has been deleted or orphaned with the exception of one or two works. If there’s something specific you’re looking for, let me know!

I have been seeing your artwork on multiple different platforms for literal actual years now and I just want you to know that you make some of the most ethereal creations and are a huge inspiration. I feel like I can’t put into words how much I love and appreciate your artwork.

Let me begin by saying, I’m sorry it took me so long to reply! January got me a nasty bout of Covid, and it’s been taking me a while to catch up. With that said, I wanted to thank you so much for this genuinely lovely message. I’m touched and simply thrilled to know you’ve appreciated my work over the years, and I only hope you continue to enjoy the things I create. 🥹

All the best to you, friend! Thank you again for making my day! 🙏🏼❤️🌸

Thank you so much to everyone who has expressed their enthusiasm for this book in their shares and comments. 🥹 My heart is fit to burst with gratitude!!

Deal Announcement: WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON (Erewhon, Spring 2025)

If you've been with me on Tumblr for a while, then you may already be familiar with this title and been waiting for this particular update, and all I can say is thank you endlessly for patiently sticking it out with me! I am so incredibly pleased to announce that WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON has been acquired by Diana Pho at Erewhon Books/Kensington Publishing as an illustrated adult historical fantasy!

Tor.com has published a blush-inducing article which features some insights from me about what inspired the story, reactions from Hugo Award-winning editor Diana Pho on what drew her to the book, a downright tear-jerking endorsement from the incomparable TJ Klune, and my original concept art of Benny & Río. I hope you'll take a moment to read it at the link below!

This project is the culmination of a lifelong dream to write and illustrate my own books, and there are no words to convey the depth of my gratitude to Diana for the gift of seeing it be delivered as an illustrated adult work. Infinite thanks must also go to my unstoppable agent Saritza Hernandez, my phenomenal critique partners Anna Racine and Mark Duplane, and the many experts who generously and enthusiastically donated their time and resources in the middle of lockdown to help me bring 1911 Brooklyn, NY to life, including:

Virginia Sanchez-Korrol –– Professor Emeritus of Puerto Rican & Latino Studies, CUNY Brooklyn College

David Sharp -- President, The Waterfront Museum

Jamie Salen, David Favaloro, & Lana Rubin –– Marketing Director, Director of Curatorial Affairs, & Collections Manager (respectively), The Tenement Museum

Adam Realman -- Artistic Director, The Coney Island Circus Sideshow

More details about WTTHTM's release will be forthcoming, but in the meantime, thank you all again for believing in this story and supporting it when it was just a humble MerMay fic. I can't wait until you meet Benny and his beloved Río in print in 2025!

Deal Announcement: WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON (Erewhon, Spring 2025)

If you've been with me on Tumblr for a while, then you may already be familiar with this title and been waiting for this particular update, and all I can say is thank you endlessly for patiently sticking it out with me! I am so incredibly pleased to announce that WHEN THE TIDES HELD THE MOON has been acquired by Diana Pho at Erewhon Books/Kensington Publishing as an illustrated adult historical fantasy!

Tor.com has published a blush-inducing article which features some insights from me about what inspired the story, reactions from Hugo Award-winning editor Diana Pho on what drew her to the book, a downright tear-jerking endorsement from the incomparable TJ Klune, and my original concept art of Benny & Río. I hope you'll take a moment to read it at the link below!

This project is the culmination of a lifelong dream to write and illustrate my own books, and there are no words to convey the depth of my gratitude to Diana for the gift of seeing it be delivered as an illustrated adult work. Infinite thanks must also go to my unstoppable agent Saritza Hernandez, my phenomenal critique partners Anna Racine and Mark Duplane, and the many experts who generously and enthusiastically donated their time and resources in the middle of lockdown to help me bring 1911 Brooklyn, NY to life, including:

Virginia Sanchez-Korrol –– Professor Emeritus of Puerto Rican & Latino Studies, CUNY Brooklyn College

David Sharp -- President, The Waterfront Museum

Jamie Salen, David Favaloro, & Lana Rubin –– Marketing Director, Director of Curatorial Affairs, & Collections Manager (respectively), The Tenement Museum

Adam Realman -- Artistic Director, The Coney Island Circus Sideshow

More details about WTTHTM's release will be forthcoming, but in the meantime, thank you all again for believing in this story and supporting it when it was just a humble MerMay fic. I can't wait until you meet Benny and his beloved Río in print in 2025!

Hello Vanessa! I just liked to ask, how much do you ask when your client asked for a licensed work?

Hello, and thanks for reaching out! This is a tricky question, since rates can shift depending on things like the client’s budget, the complexity of the work, the usage of the work, and whether or not they are requesting a full transfer of rights. For instance, if they are asking for a complete transfer of rights for usage in perpetuity, that will wind up being a much more expensive commission than if I’m being asked to draw a promotional piece that will be used for only 6 months and allows me to retain copyright of the image, and the difference between the two examples is usually thousands of dollars.

Since becoming agented, I’ve relied on my agent to sort out those nuts and bolts, but the best advice I can give someone who is freelancing is to get a copy of The Graphic Artist Guild’s Handbook for Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. (You can also get this book for free when you join the Graphic Artist’s Guild.) The handbook is updated every couple of years or so with industry standard price ranges depending on the project type, distribution, rights transferred, etc. which you can use to inform your estimates. It also contains sample contracts that you can modify for your projects!

This book has been a lifesaver for me and really helped me learn how to resist lowballing my artwork, which can be tempting when you really need the work. Staying within the common price ranges actually helps all creatives by upholding a standard that allows all of us to thrive in our creative professions, rather than just survive (or worse, starve).

Anyway, I wish I could be more specific, but hopefully this information helps you. If you need further guidance, feel free to send me a DM and I’ll do what I can!

Haha! Can you imagine how I felt when they told me what they had in mind? Their marching orders were in somewhat broken English but articulated a sort of split screen—the State Room on the front and the Red Room on the back. Thinking they wanted something totally different than anything I’d done as fan art I had sent them this sketch:

But then the French publishers came back and said, “No, no, not a new Red Room scene. The one you already drew, but… bigger.” And I was like, “Oui, mon capitán.” 😂

(Shortly thereafter I found out they also wanted to license a handful of my former fan art for the endpapers. Gobsmacked doesn’t quite cover how profoundly shocked I was. Lol)

Don't think I'm ever gonna get over how funny and bizarre it felt to stumble upon the French version of RWRB with @vkelleyart 's illustrations as covers in a local store and to just grab it, turn it around and see the Scene as the back cover...

Hey, I've seen a lot of ur art on pinterest and Google when I search up some of my favorite books and can I just say, I love your art style and you're really talented, ur art made me imagine some of my favorite charecters as they are. Yeah so, have a wonderful day!

Hi! Thank you so much for this lovely message about my artwork! I'm thrilled you've enjoyed my past works and style, and a lovely day to you, too! 🥹

I’m so happy you like it. 🥹 Thank you!

hey so I started with the movie and now I'm here and I just need y'all to know my shock when I didn't know how it would look under the slip cover or inside I just -

Amazing art by: @vkelleyart