Paleoart and Pastries: The Dessert Dino Illustrations | Vena Carr
Like many children, I was fascinated with prehistoric life…
Jurassic Park was my favourite movie, I enjoyed collecting dinosaur toys, and I had to read and see every dinosaur book and documentary that I could get my little hands on. I’m 27 now, and nothing has really changed...
Near where I grew up in Noonan NB, there was a small hill of shale rock that we dubbed, “Dino Hill.” It was very common to find fossils there. We never found any dinosaur bones, unfortunately, but we did find lots of small trace fossils. I would venture out there on my bicycle and spend entire afternoons on my own, peeling apart smaller rocks and smashing larger ones, all in pursuit of prehistoric treasures. In my teen years, I moved on to purchasing and collecting fossils found by professionals in order to obtain extra special specimens I knew I couldn’t find at my own dig site.
In addition to my love for prehistoric life, the Dessert Dino series is also inspired by my love of pretty desserts, and the style of my work overall is influenced by my favourite cartoons, such as Steven Universe and Adventure Time. My artwork is adorable by design, and I put a lot of effort into getting the shapes, details, and poses just the way I imagine them.
My creative process starts by cracking open an encyclopedia on prehistoric life (or checking out my folder of saved paleoart and dessert reference images). I look at both the names and the physical traits of various dinosaurs to see how they can be turned into delightful dessert hybrids. My first Dessert Dino, Stegoberry Shortcake, was born because I thought that the back plates of a stegosaurus were shaped similarly to strawberry slices. Next came Tricerapops, who is a purple triceratops with an upside-down popsicle head, with the popsicle sticks being the horns.
During the brainstorming stage, I grab my sketchbook and favourite pencils, make a nest of blankets and pillows on the couch and put on one of my favourite cartoons or animated movies. I do lots of rough sketches and take lots of notes. I want to capture every idea I have at the moment so that I don’t forget anything. I don’t use all of my ideas right away, so it helps to have them down on paper to reference them later.
Once I have a concept that I’m happy with, I move to the computer to do a more refined sketch. Working digitally this way gives me the freedom to work in layers so I can try out many ideas at once. I also make a rough colour concept over my sketch so that I have a solid plan moving forward. Next, I will print my colourless sketch, transfer it to cold press paper using my light pad, and bring it to life with watercolour, gouache, and coloured pencils.
“Some people let go of the things they enjoy when they grow older, but I think they risk losing their inner child and their imagination when they let this happen.”
My artwork is an outlet for me to be creative, to experiment, and to simply have fun. I make the kind of artwork that I am personally drawn to and want to see in the world, and by allowing myself to enjoy the things I liked as a kid, I have personal creative freedom. I might be growing older, but I’m not growing up. Sure, I have responsibilities like any other adult, but I’m not going to stop watching cartoons and drawing dinosaurs anytime soon. Some people let go of the things they enjoy when they grow older, but I think they risk losing their inner child and their imagination when they let this happen. There is no one more creative and imaginative than a child, so, I encourage you to get in touch with your inner child and make some art.
Since their first appearance in 2019, I have designed over 20 different Dessert Dino species. They’ve been getting a lot of love both locally and online, and I love making them, so there will definitely be more to come! You can find Dessert Dino art prints and stickers on my online shop, www.venacarrillustration.etsy.com, and you can see the latest Dessert Dino updates on my Facebook page (Vena Carr Illustration) and Instagram feed (@venacarrillustration).
Vena Carr is a mixed media illustrator based in Fredericton, NB. She is a Graphic Design graduate of the New Brunswick College of Craft and Design and now owns and operates her own business, Vena Carr Illustration, selling printed reproductions of her work and offering custom artwork to her clients. When she’s not focusing on her creative practice, Vena enjoys thrifting, playing video games, and exploring new places.
Facebook: Vena Carr Illustration
Instagram: @venacarrillustration
Shop: www.venacarrillustration.etsy.com
(Kaleigh Betty Photography)
A Love Letter to Creativity
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