Meet Susana Lopez: Designer/Illustrator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Susana Lopez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Susana, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
I think that knowing whether or not to keep going is something that everyone struggles with at one point or another, whether it be something career wise or something in one’s own personal life. As simple as it may sound, I tend to listen to my gut feeling and then go from there. Currently, I’m a designer and like many other fields, the arts is a difficult one to be in, let alone be “successful” in (I’ll put parentheses because everyone’s definition of success is different). I think that I knew not to give up because despite every failure/rejection, my mentality stayed positive and hopeful. “Maybe next time. Maybe the next one.” Personally, I think it’s time to give up when you lose interest in the thing you’re trying to achieve, different from giving up on something because it’s hard. Maybe “give up” isn’t the right wording. I think “shifting” or “pivoting” would be better because even if you stop pursuing something, chances are that you’ve shifted your sights on to something that will give you the determination to keep going.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My art consists of a little bit of everything. Even though I’ve been doing art for a while, my art style changes as I grow as an artist. Currently, my art consists of a lot of studies and cute illustrations with a few comics thrown in from time to time. Even though my art is continuously growing, I’m excited to finally realize what it is I’m trying to translate with my images and share it with the world. The process of getting to where I am today wasn’t easy, but things never really are easy are they? There was a time where I wanted to give up on art all together, but even when I finally made that decision, I went right back to drawing the next day without really thinking about it. I’ve learned to be kinder to myself, and that being competitive is okay, so long as the competition is with yourself and your own growth. I also learned that I work better when I have a plan, and even if that plan doesn’t go exactly right, I’m still a lot closer to my goal than I was when I started (anyone else like crossing things off of their to-do lists?)

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Let’s say that it wasn’t the time of covid and everything was open and we could roam around risk free. I’d take my friends to The Americana to catch up and drink coffee while we sketched. But if we were feeling a little adventurous, I’d definitely have to take them out to Sunken City out in Palos Verdes. A cool mix of graphite art and a cliff walk by the beach makes for a great time in the area. As for food, I’d have to take them to one of my favorite sushi spots, OHO Sushi. Their sunset roll is amazing and their menu is a full on comic! I have loved going there for years now. Want a little latin mix to sushi? Then off to El Sushi Loco it is. A great twist of traditional sushi and latin flavors where I take most of my friends to at least once.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could not be where I am today with out the support of my family and closest friends. My family has always been there to celebrate me during my high moments and lift me back up on my low moments. Thanks to the love they have always shown love for my craft, I’ve been able to keep pushing towards my goals. My friends are a huge source of laughs and positive energy (so much so that we have a group chat called U R LOVED). I also have a past boss turned mentor and friend who’s taught me so many life and business lessons. Thanks to them, I’ve been able to continuously grow. Art books have also always been a great motivator for me. Taking the time to look at each image and try to figure out the art’s style and techniques are always a great puzzle to figure out.

Website: https://www.susanalopezart.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susillystyles

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susana-lopez-830647123/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/susilly_styles?lang=en

Image Credits
Susana Lopez