Amy Gardner
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amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Amy Gardner
@amygardnerartist.bsky.social
69 followers 150 following 140 posts
✍️ Illustrator and writer of comics and picture books
📚Creating stories of wonder that connect and inspire

Web: https://www.amygardner.com.au

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/amygardner.art
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amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Amy Gardner @amygardnerartist.bsky.social · Oct 15
Hi #portfolioday!

I’m Amy, I illustrate/ write comics and picture books for kids and adults in traditional media!

Originally from Australia, I am now making the magic happen here in southern Chile.

🎨 linktr.ee/amygardner.art
✉️ amygardner.artist@gmail.com


#comics #childrensbooks #illustration
A watercolour and coloured pencil illustration by artist Amy Gardner, depicting two women walking dogs outside if an empty cafe. The two dogs have stopped because they are about to play and the women are turning back surprised, the dog leads stopping them from walking forward. The women are looking at each other with slightly shocked expressions. This illustration is part one of two. A watercolour and coloured pencil illustration by artist Amy Gardner. The two women from the previous illustration are now sitting together at a table at the cafe, both drinking a hot beverage. In front of them, the two dogs which are now off the leads and are playing. On the left is the a British bulldog and on the right is the dachshund. This illustration is part two of two. A watercolour and ink comic page from the comic ‘The wizard and the girl’ by artist and writer Amy Gardner. Here we see a sequence of 7 panels where a little girl is secretly watching at an old white haired wizard using magic. She thinks he cannot see her but he spots her and then drives away in his horse drawn cart. A watercolour and ink comic page from the comic ‘The wizard and the girl’ by artist and writer Amy Gardner. Here we have the next page in the comic, where the girl is running along the road following the wizard in his cart. She follows him all the way home and then shows him that she can also do magic, by levitating a daisy chain she had made.
Reposted by Amy Gardner
whatevermaranda.com
Love this so much. 💜
Meme: a quirky hand-drawn cat beneath the script "AHEM - please don't give billionaires more of your money this holiday season - buy something cool and handmade from some fun weirdo instead & help them eat. Shop small, y'all." Image credit: "Small businesses need your support more than ever 💗 By Sugarhouse Ceramic Co."
November 15, 2025 at 4:17 AM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Some beach people sketching made at Totoralillo, Coquimbo on a recent adventure in the little north of Chile.

#sketchbook #drawnfromlife #lifedrawing #sketching
A photo of a notebook with two little figures drawn in ink pen. One is a boy playing in sand and another is a small child with long hair walking away from the artist. A small sketchbook with a series of figure drawings, one is of an older woman walking with arms clasped behind her back snd the other is a couple sitting in the sun on the beach chatting. Both are simple line drawings in black ink pen. A small notebook with sketches of people. This has a drawing of a boy digging in sand with little mounds of excavated sand next to him. The other is a woman standing and looking at her phone. Both are simple line drawings in black ink pen.
November 12, 2025 at 12:20 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
This morning’s plein air of a view from our cabaña in Panul, south of Coquimbo.

This artwork was finished in watercolour, gouache and prismacolor pencils in a moleskin sketchbook.

🌼 Have a swipe through to see the painting process 🌼

#pleinair #pleinairpainting #landscapepainting
Close up photo of the plein air painting now with finishing touches of coloured pencil. The plein air painting before the finishing touches are added. You can admire my brush stand and the mess of things I have in the table as I paint, including paint palettes and a dirty water jar. First part of the painting process with the sky, building and mid tones added to the artwork. On the table is my gouache paint palette, some dishes for mixing and my water container (an old mayonnaise jar, because I am fancy). A blank page ready for a new artwork, showing the overall view where I am painting on the patio of our cabaña.
November 5, 2025 at 7:14 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
October almost got away with me but your latest Monthly Letter from Amy is now waiting patiently to be read.


It’s a holiday edition, as I am currently visiting the little north of
Chile!

amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/on-vacatio...

#comics #illustration #visualstorytelling
A cartoon character of the artist wearing an oversized shirt that reads, “ I have so much to tell you and all I got is this lousy t-shirt”. A cropped version of the illustration from the first image, now overlayed with text reading “On vacation, plus updates on new work, comics and community. What’s been happening lately.” Below is the link to my Substack, https://amygardnerartist.substack.com/ A screenshot from my October Substack post where I introduce you to my latest illustrations, ‘Cute meet’ part 1 and 2. This image is an invitation to read the full comic on the artist’s Substack, Monthly Letters from Amy. The link is in the post.
October 29, 2025 at 10:39 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
I love this shot of my desk after I finished the final artworks from my two part story, Cute meet.

You can see more of the final artworks and the process on my website here: www.amygardner.com.au/

#picturebooks #illustration #CreatedWithoutAI
Photo of my desk with the two finished artworks for my short sequential story, Cute meet. Around the artworks, the desk is covered in coloured pencils and above them is an iPad open on Pinterest with references for costumes.
October 28, 2025 at 2:20 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Panel linework for another page of my mini comic, “Listening”.

It’s set in the world of The wizard and the girl comic because I don’t want to stop drawing these characters and telling their stories.

#comics #comicartist
October 17, 2025 at 8:02 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Hi #portfolioday!

I’m Amy, I illustrate/ write comics and picture books for kids and adults in traditional media!

Originally from Australia, I am now making the magic happen here in southern Chile.

🎨 linktr.ee/amygardner.art
✉️ amygardner.artist@gmail.com


#comics #childrensbooks #illustration
A watercolour and coloured pencil illustration by artist Amy Gardner, depicting two women walking dogs outside if an empty cafe. The two dogs have stopped because they are about to play and the women are turning back surprised, the dog leads stopping them from walking forward. The women are looking at each other with slightly shocked expressions. This illustration is part one of two. A watercolour and coloured pencil illustration by artist Amy Gardner. The two women from the previous illustration are now sitting together at a table at the cafe, both drinking a hot beverage. In front of them, the two dogs which are now off the leads and are playing. On the left is the a British bulldog and on the right is the dachshund. This illustration is part two of two. A watercolour and ink comic page from the comic ‘The wizard and the girl’ by artist and writer Amy Gardner. Here we see a sequence of 7 panels where a little girl is secretly watching at an old white haired wizard using magic. She thinks he cannot see her but he spots her and then drives away in his horse drawn cart. A watercolour and ink comic page from the comic ‘The wizard and the girl’ by artist and writer Amy Gardner. Here we have the next page in the comic, where the girl is running along the road following the wizard in his cart. She follows him all the way home and then shows him that she can also do magic, by levitating a daisy chain she had made.
October 15, 2025 at 5:22 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
In my September Substack we are time travelling back to 90’s rural Australia.

What’s a young artist to do when art supplies are thin on the ground?

Find out on Substack: open.substack.com/pub/amygardn...


#comics #picturebooks #kidlit #creativepractice
The first comic panel starts with hand written text that reads, “I remember a time when I had no fear of the blank page. Unlike in my early 20s when I was all about that drama” Below this there is a cartoon character version of the artist standing dramatically with their hand on their forehead. A little arrow points at the character and the text reads, the drama. Next to the character is a simply drawing of a table and the character appears about to draw something. A little around points to a flat rectangle on the table and the text reads, the blank page. The second comic panel starts with hand written text that reads, “ As a small child, I had a longing for a simple blank piece of paper. We lived in a small rural township and we only had lined notepads and books, which were for my Dad’s plumbing business.” Below this, there are piles of paper drawn as scribbly lines with an around pointing to one saying, “endless lined paper”. In the middle of these is a little cartoon character of the artist as a Chile sitting cross legged and clutching a lined piece of paper until it crumples in their hand. An arrow points to them and reads, “The dramatic eye twitch of a frustrated young artist." The third comic panel starts with hand written text that reads, “I was at the peak of my realism obsession and all I wanted was blank paper to realise all of my lofty artistic ambitions.” Below this, we see the artist again drawn as a child, hand on a blank page and a thought bubble at her side that she is gazing at happily, imagining herself as a fancy artist, dressed all in black with a beret and a framed painting of a human eye that she is gesturing to with great pride. This image is an invitation to read the full comic on the artist’s Substack, Monthly Letters from Amy. The link is in the post.
September 25, 2025 at 6:55 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Listening [1 - part 1]

Some new short stories coming your way from the world and characters of “The wizard and the girl”.

#comics #thewizardandthegirl
A comic panel, watercolour illustration depicting a grassy field and distant trees with a blue sky overhead. By artist, illustrator and writer Amy Gardner. A comic panel, watercolour illustration depicting someone holding their arms up to feel the wind while laying the long grass. By artist, illustrator and writer Amy Gardner. A comic panel, watercolour illustration depicting a view of vibrant green trees being blown in the wind. By artist, illustrator and writer Amy Gardner. A comic panel, watercolour illustration depicting a fairy being blown out of the trees because of a strong wind. By artist, illustrator and writer Amy Gardner.
September 5, 2025 at 4:38 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Does anyone else have someone in their life that always wants to steal the first bite of your food?

In our house, it’s me.

This is my sequential illustration for the theme “Nice to meet you” which I created a recent Picture Hooks prompt.

#kidlit #picturebooks #childrensbooks #CreatedWithoutAI
A view of the artists desk with two finished illustrations placed in sequence of a big red bear trying to eat their sandwich and a little blue perched on their shoulder, looking them in the eyes expectantly. There are coloured pencils on the desk, both in a roll case and loose on the desk. Above the finished illustrations are pieces of paper with coloured blogs of watercolour and coloured pencil linework, showing where the artists experimented with colour and line making before starting the illustrations. The first finished sequential illustration which shows a bear painted on red with blue coloured pencil lines about to eat a nice big sandwich. On their right arm, a blue bird is perched, exchanging eye contact with the bear, clearly asking for a taste of the sandwich. The second finished sequential illustration. Now the red bear is sitting down, legs in front of them and leaning backwards. A big paw is on their belly and they are relaxed. They are holding out their right hand in which they hold the sandwich. The bird is sitting on top of the sandwich, with big puffy cheeks and a smile as it eats some of the sandwich. They are looking each other in the eyes and smiling. A view of the desk, bow with the second illustration, currently unfinished, in the front. There is a paint brush to the right of the paper and the artist is clearly in the process of painting before starting the coloured pencil linework.
August 27, 2025 at 2:49 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
A quick finish for one of the spot illustrations that didn’t make it into the first edition of my comic, The wizard and the girl.

Not sure about this angle for process videos. What do you think?

#comics #kidlit #childrensbooks #watercolourillustration #dippen #watercolourcomic #CreatedWithoutAI
August 26, 2025 at 2:22 AM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
I’m going to invent some sort of fantastical teleporting, which takes you to worlds that live in exclusively other creative folk’s minds, exclusively to go for a holiday in @secondlina.com’s comic worlds.

Yes please, thank you VERY much.
secondlina.com secondlina // Lord of Crows @secondlina.com · Aug 25
Business Bird [4] - part 1/2
Panel 1 of a 7 panel Crow Time update featuring Business Bird, a crow wearing a yellow leaf tie that operates a rock selling business. In this panel, a werewolf character is weaving a basket for the crow. The caption reads "a friend of a friend weaved my basket". Panel 2 of a 7 panel Crow Time update featuring Business Bird, a crow wearing a yellow leaf tie that operates a rock selling business. In this panel, the crow is surrounded by smooth stones and chatting frogs. The caption reads "a council of froggy experts helped me fish out river stones". Panel 3 of a 7 panel Crow Time update featuring Business Bird, a crow wearing a yellow leaf tie that operates a rock selling business. In this panel, we see a close up of the crow walking down a yellow stone road. The caption reads "The road I sell my wares by was built by unknown travelers". Panel 4 of a 7 panel Crow Time update featuring Business Bird, a crow wearing a yellow leaf tie that operates a rock selling business. In this panel, a skeleton shopkeeper is opening his stall whole talking to the crow sitting nearby next to his rocks and basket. The caption reads "The other shopkeepers nearby share tips and tricks with me".
August 26, 2025 at 12:31 AM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
I can never not laugh at this little comic I made for my newsletter back in February.

The way I drew my partner in the second panel still tickles me.

#comics
amygardnerartist.bsky.social Amy Gardner @amygardnerartist.bsky.social · Feb 20
Things you should know before moving to another country 🌎
August 23, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Reposted by Amy Gardner
brycenote.bsky.social
Some Jeffrey Catherine Jones book covers
(from back when paperbacks looked nice)
August 21, 2025 at 3:03 AM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Take a little peak at what’s happening in my August Substack.


This month, I’m diving into what happened when burn out and grief hit all at once.

Read the full post here: amygardnerartist.substack.com/p/when-the-b...

#comics #creativecareer #burnout
A digital illustration of the illustrator's character self drawn as Wile E. Coyote running off a cliff, with a massive anvil poised to fall on top of them. An image containing only text that reads, "When the bottom falls out: What I did when burn out and grief hit all at once. How facing loss of a loved one and the passing of time reaquainted me with the essential purpose of resilience, patience and perspective in my creative process and career. amygardnerartist.substack.com" An image with a mix of illustrated elements and words. The text reads "Read more on my Substack. Link in my post." There is an illustration of a little character sitting amongst scattered scrunched up paper, next to a squiggly arrow that points to the Substack newsletter title, "Monthly Letters from Amy". Under this there is a subtitle that reads, "Monthly (news)letters from an Australian artist and illustrator, navigating the realities of moving to Latin America and growing her creative career."
August 18, 2025 at 4:12 PM
Reposted by Amy Gardner
alixeharrow.bsky.social
just saw someone sincerely arguing that they need AI bc they don't have "natural" artistic talent and idk how to make you understand that nobody comes by this shit naturally. it's just...work. it's being bad at it for a really, really, really long time. it's intention, pursued over time! wtf!!!
August 17, 2025 at 1:57 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
My comic ‘The wizard and the girl’ was made entirely by hand in traditional media using acrylic ink and watercolours.

Here is the hand painted wrap around cover I made during an art residency in Chiloé, where I also made the first hand bound print edition.

#comics #kidlit #CreatedWithoutAI
A photo of a finished hand made comic titled ‘The wizard and the girl’ by author and illustrator Amy Gardner. The comic is resting on top of the hand painted ink and watercolour illustration of the wrap around cover, which features the protagonist, a young girl with dark hair standing next to an old wizard which while hair and beard on a cloudy day, with blue sky showing through. Around these are the art materials the comic was made with, a set of watercolours and paint brushes, plus a black ink bottle and dip pen.
August 17, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Reposted by Amy Gardner
jasondashbailey.com
AI is for writers who don’t like to write but want to have written, and readers who don’t like to read but want to have read.

Into the sea with the whole miserable joyless fucking lot of them.
sketchesbyboze.bsky.social Boze the Library Owl @sketchesbyboze.bsky.social · Aug 16
People are reading AI-generated synopses of books and then claiming they read 100 books in a week. This is how the abolition of books began in Fahrenheit 451: classics were condensed into five-minute summaries for those too busy to do the reading. Later came the burnings.
August 16, 2025 at 9:45 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Testing out some costume colours with watercolour and prismacolor premiers.

#characterdesign #comics #kidlit #originalcharacter
Hand painted colour studies for the first two sections of an original character turn around.
August 10, 2025 at 12:49 AM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Character turn arounds….. but do it entirely freehand in traditional media

#characterdesign #comics #kidlit #originalcharacter
Hand drawn sketch of the first two parts of a character turn around.
August 9, 2025 at 11:36 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Right, I'm off to go try this! Ta-ta

#comics
kelseybuzzell.bsky.social Kelsey Buzzell @kelseybuzzell.bsky.social · Aug 1
Been studying graphic novel page and frame progressions by copying the variations down for some books I own. I love how different they have been so far, yet they all get us to understand a story. #graphicnovel #illustrator
August 7, 2025 at 9:42 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Joining the chorus this #kidlitpostcard day!

I'm Amy Gardner, an Australian illustrator and writer of comics and picture books living in Chile.

Currently seeking representation.

Portfolio: www.amygardner.com.au

#kidlit #comics #graphicnovelart #childrensbooks #picturebooks
Illustration of a young child with dark hair crouching beside a bird on a boulder. The bird and the child are whistling together. The text in the top right of the image reads, "Amy Gardner. Illustrator & writer. www.amygardner.com.au. amygardner.artist@gmail.com"
August 7, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Amy Gardner
visceralhit.bsky.social
Look you just have to make the cool weird shit that excites you. You must. In this world besieged by bland, scrubbed boring, computer slop, you must. Make the thing you’re embarrassed to make, the thing that feels “too much” because otherwise we get drowned in a sea of cowardly work made by a button
August 6, 2025 at 3:39 PM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Finished my #picturehooks entry in time for the competition deadline tomorrow. These are submitted now and I can relax !

#kidlit #picturebooks #childrensbooks
August 6, 2025 at 12:20 AM
amygardnerartist.bsky.social
Cooking up some cute new pages

#kidlit #childrenbooks #picturebooks
August 5, 2025 at 1:35 AM