Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany Washington.
Hi Brittany, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Art has always been a part of my life in some form or fashion. My journey toward starting an art business grew out of a desire to expand my creative skills beyond my professional work. I’m a senior graphic designer and have worked in the industry for over 15 years. In 2022, I decided to take an online drawing course, partly because it was a skill I had always wanted to improve, and partly because I hoped to find a way to incorporate it into what I was already doing.
As I continued to grow and get better, the art began to take on a life of its own. It became something separate from my design work, and I’m grateful for that. It turned into a creative outlet and opened up an entirely new path for me. That path led to the creation of my business, Sketch and Shade Collection, where I focus on commissioned graphite and charcoal portrait and figure drawings, as well as digital art.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road hasn’t been smooth, but honestly, I’ve welcomed the bumps along the way. When I took my first drawing course in March 2022, my best sketch at the time was, funnily enough, a stick figure. The struggles were necessary. They made me better and gave me the courage to keep going and keep trying.
When it comes to perfecting a craft like portrait drawing in different mediums, there are so many fundamentals you have to grasp, and all of it takes time. Patience was key throughout my journey, which, coincidentally, isn’t my strongest trait. But from those early lessons to starting a business just a few years later, patience has turned out to be one of the best things I’ve gained along the way.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
specialize in graphite and charcoal portrait and figure drawings, as well as digital art.
What I’m most proud of is my continued growth as an artist, and the confidence I’ve gained in my skills over the years. Sharing my artwork was something I never thought I’d have the courage to do. But as I evolved and began to believe in myself, I found the confidence to share my work and eventually turn it into a business.
What sets me apart is my willingness to take action and try things without too much hesitation. I’ve always lived with the mindset that we only get one life, so if I want to do something—start something, explore something new—I don’t sit in doubt for long. I just go for it. That spirit of curiosity and courage is what has shaped so much of what I’ve created and accomplished.
We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
If, when it’s all said and done, you can look back and feel like you accomplished exactly what you set out to do, and it leaves you with a sense of happiness, joy, and satisfaction, then I would call that success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sketchandshade.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/britt.washington/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@sketchshadecollection?_t=ZT-8xVoBMKkJ4Z&_r=1
