Puzzle Artist Interview: Aimee Stewart

Artist Interview: Aimee Stewart

We had the pleasure of interviewing digital artist Aimee Stewart, whose vibrant and whimsical art is beloved by puzzlers around the world. Known for her imaginative scenes and collage-style compositions, Aimee's puzzles are published by brands like Buffalo Games, Ravensburger, and SunsOut. Want to see all Aimee Stewart puzzles?

JJ: When did your artwork first start being used for jigsaw puzzles? What was the first one?

AS: I think it was around 2009 or 2010 that my first puzzle was licensed.  If I remember correctly, it was through Buffalo Games, and it was called The Wish.  The scene was a beautiful redheaded maiden reclining by a magical pond, transfixed by what she sees within it.  It was such a thrill for me!  But I honestly had no idea it would lead to an actual career in making jigsaw puzzles.  I honestly thought it was a one-off!  But then my Alice in Wonderland piece called A Mad Tea Party got picked up as a puzzle, and to my surprise things started to snowball a little after that

JJ: You have been quite successful at selling images to the jigsaw puzzle market. Has that changed the way you create your art? Do you design images specifically in order to make a good puzzle? And if so, what are the elements you feel make a good puzzle design?

AS: It has changed things in a way, because in order to make a puzzle interesting and eye catching, I feel it must have captivating detail and plenty of color to keep things fun and challenging… and that was something I had to learn the balance of.  For my wall art, I want it more subdued, even if it is colorful.  I want the art to flow, and to have empty space to let the main subject be the focus.  I want it to have poetry in the composition, and to do that it usually cannot be jam packed with details.  For my puzzles, I had to learn how to fill all of that in and yet still have it pleasing to the eye!  Have it really tell a story that I myself found interesting.   So it has been fun experimenting with that, and finding different ways to make it work.  For my own taste, a good puzzle design tells a story, and includes lots of little details so that when you are searching for pieces you are pleasantly surprised when you see things popping up here and there on individual pieces.

Where do you work? What’s your workspace like?

I work from my home studio in Washington State. It's a cozy space full of books, art supplies, and music—plus my three dogs who keep me company. I usually have a cup of coffee in hand and music playing while I work. It's my happy place!

Below: Pictures of Aimee’s studio

JJ: You seem to have many projects in the works. What is your typical day like?

AS: You are right, I always have a giant list of ‘ongoing’ projects! My typical day starts early. I love waking up with the sun. Sunrises are one of my favorite things, ever! 7:00 a.m. is sleeping in for me. I love to wake up, have coffee, play with my dog, make breakfast, then jump into some artwork. From 8:30 until about 1:00 I find it easiest to get in the flow, find my focus, and really ride the wave of inspiration. I am almost always listening to music while I work on a new piece of art or when I am researching for upcoming pieces. After three or four hours though, I need a break, and tend to take off for a few hours during the afternoon to take a nap, roam thrift shops, enjoy some fresh air and basically give my eyes a rest from such concentrated work on the computer (since the majority of my artwork is digital). Then after I make dinner (I love to cook, too), I spend a lot of evenings working on my art some more. Since it is more like play than work to me, I love going back to it no matter what time of day or night it is. So if the inspiration strikes, I’m ready to get in there and savor it.

This is actually really fun now as this year my husband has been able to retire from his day job, and can now be here full time with me focusing on his photography and artwork, and helping me by taking on many of the tasks that pull me away from my own art. It’s been a huge dream of ours to be able to work together like this, and we are extremely excited that we were able to make that happen this year. So my ability to ‘stay in my bubble’ and keep my creative flow going has now expanded massively because of his presence.

JJ: The bio on your website says that you are self-taught. Can you tell us something about how that developed? How did you train yourself?

AS: I was one of those kids who was always sketching, doodling, and making art in whatever form I could. I excelled at anything artistic, and of course took traditional art classes in high school in the late 80’s. But once I found myself drawn to the possibilities of digital art in the early 2000’s, it became a really addicting challenge to figure it all out. Reading text books about digital art wasn’t nearly as fun as trial-and-error experimentation. I opened up the behemoth that is Photoshop, and knew absolutely nothing about it… but as I worked my regular jobs, coming home and seeing what new thing I could do with Photoshop became pure escapism for me. I would sit for hours trying to figure out how to make it do what I wanted. And what I wanted was to make digital art in such a way that people would forget they were looking at ‘digital art’. I wanted to learn how to make it so that the artwork would blend and flow, so that the way it was created was no longer the defining factor of the art, but that the art would simply speak for itself. It also helped that I could do all of this in the small space that a computer occupied! I didn’t need to have a giant studio with lots of supplies to keep replenishing. So over the course of about 5 years, I pretty much schooled myself on a daily basis for hours and hours out of the sheer love of what I was doing, until 2007 when I followed a whim and submitted artwork to Advanced Photoshop Magazine’s ‘submissions from readers’ section. Not only did they ask to publish my artwork, they asked me if I would write some Master Class tutorials for them. I wrote quite a few (quite to my astonishment and delight!), and in 2008 I was signed by my first agent. Did I learn how to utilize Photoshop in the most efficient way? I highly doubt it. My methods are pretty much specific to my own personality, and probably even take longer than some of the shortcuts that are out there. But it doesn’t matter to me. The end result makes me happy, and apparently it makes a lot of other folks happy too – so I think it all worked out pretty well!

JJ: What’s your process like for creating a puzzle image?

AS: Each puzzle starts with an idea or theme. Then I begin building the image in Photoshop, layering in elements, textures, and lighting. I spend a lot of time adjusting the balance and composition. I also think about how the image will work as a puzzle—what areas will be tricky, what parts will be satisfying to complete.

JJ: A lot of your design work is digital manipulation. Do you do any original drawing or painting also?

AS: I do!  I keep a sketch book going at all times, I really enjoy watercolor arts, and I actually love doing hands-on projects, even above and beyond painting.  I really have fun with found object art, needle-felting, abstract painting with alcohol inks, and on and on.  I have good friends who are talented artists in all different fields, and we get together and have ‘art fests’ of our own… long weekends we plan where we all gather together and just create whatever we can, using traditional methods.  It is necessary to give myself that break from looking at a computer screen, and keeps my imagination and approaches to my own artwork fresh and ever changing.

JJ: Do you put together puzzles yourself? If so, what kind do you like to do?

AS: There have always been puzzles in my house.  A longstanding winter tradition is to get out the old card table and have puzzles going all winter long.  My family is wonderfully silly and supportive, and they all enjoy putting together my puzzles and giving me lots of feedback like “Gee, Aimee – thanks for making this so hard!” haha!  So it’s been pretty much that for years now!  It makes me giggle, especially when they can’t find a piece and since I am so familiar with the artwork I can usually pick out the piece in a few seconds, and they’ve usually been stumped over it for an hour.   I have to say though, my favorite has been the beautiful wooden puzzles from Wentworth Puzzles and Stave Puzzles.  Putting together a gorgeously crafted wooden puzzle is pure delight, especially when they have special whimsical pieces cut specifically for the theme.

JJ:Do you have a favorite puzzle you’ve created?

AS: That's like asking me to choose a favorite child! But I will say that Bookshelf Heaven and Magical Library hold a special place in my heart. They were both a joy to create and really seem to resonate with fellow book lovers.

We’re so grateful to Aimee for sharing her time and creativity with us. You can shop her full puzzle collection here!

JJ: Most of your art has a fantasy element. Where did that interest come from? Why fantasy?

AS: One of the things that was repeated on my report cards in school was “She daydreams too much.”  And I don’t regret it one bit.  Daydreaming naturally led me to a love of fairytales, fantasy and science fiction books.  I grew up reading Beatrix Potter, Tolkien, Anne McCaffrey, Charles Dickens, and everything in between.  All those things make a person look at the natural world around them with a bit of a different eye.  Plus living in this lovely valley, it really is a magically beautiful place.  I found it easy to imagine seeing fantastical things wherever I roamed, and still do.  Now I can create the images that are in my daydreams… with some of them even coming directly out of actual dreams I have and write down.  A lot of my fantasy isn’t too far removed from reality.  I give it just a little twist, some little thing to pull it just a little deeper into wonderous territory.  I think since I live in the same place I was born and raised, I am never too far away from that childlike whismy.  Nor would I want to be!  Life is fantastical if you let it be, and my way of putting some of that back into the world is to share it through my artwork.

JJ: Nature and animals play a big part in your images as well. Do you take your inspiration from the real world, for example in the landscape where you live, or is it mostly from photographic sources?

AS: It is really a bit of both.  I am fortunate to live in an area where I can utilize a lot of the landscape, because it is so varied and easy for me to photograph.  But I find other places in the world absolutely enchanting, and as magical as anything in any fantasy book, and I have to rely on photographs for those places so far.   There are many, many places I hope to visit and photograph.  Photographing castles throughout England has been one of my favorite things I’ve ever done, and I’ve used quite a few of those photos as references.  I’ll be traveling to Spain in a few months too, and I am sure the Moorish architecture will make its way into my artwork!

As far as animals go, I wish I could encounter all the animals I put into my artwork!  I have a massive love for the animal kingdom, and go out of my way to be a guardian to animals and creatures no matter how small.  Two days ago, I picked an earthworm up that had made its way out onto the road in front of our house, and put it back into the garden.  My husband just chuckles, because he knows that’s just the way I am.   So for me, animals and nature in my artwork is just another facet of who I am in real life.  But I do have to rely on photographs from elsewhere for a lot of the animals I portray, especially exotic ones.  However, coyotes, deer, bears, cougars, squirrels, Elk, otters, hummingbirds… all those kinds of animals we have plenty of here in Washington State!

JJ: Who are your artistic influences? 

AS: This is almost impossible to list because there are so many!  But as far as naming a few contemporary influences, I absolutely love Nick Bantock, Michael Parkes, Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, Kinuko Craft, David Delamare and so many others.  As far as classical influences, I adore Mucha, Waterhouse, and Parrish!

JJ: Your puzzles are with various brands like Ravensburger, Schmidt, and Sunsout. Do you have any personal contact with them or is this done through an art licensing agency? 

AS: I am so fortunate to have an awesome agency, MGL Licensing, that I enjoy a really close relationship with.  Adam Meiklejohn and Raul Turpin are my representatives, and while all of my communication goes through them, companies like Ravensburger, Buffalo, Ceaco and many more have sent me messages through them.  I love knowing when companies are pleased with things I’ve worked on for them, and in turn I always make sure to let them know how much I appreciate their support for what I do!  They also help with suggestions on pieces that I may be creating specifically with them in mind, which is fun.  I enjoy collaborating!  I hope to meet folks more puzzle industry folks as I travel and attend some of the bigger international licensing shows in the future.  I had the supreme fun of flying to London and meeting with Adam and Raul from MGL recently, and am planning to do so again very soon.  As someone who had never imagined it being possible to have a career in any kind of artistic field, I can honestly say it was really something out of a wonderful dream to be met with such open arms and warm enthusiasm for my visions and creations!

Above: “Vintage Love Letters” by Aimee Stewart, published by Schmidt, 1000 pieces

JJ: Walk us through the process of an image like “Heroes and Heroines” from conception to completion.

AS: For this piece there were days  of research, picking out the best couples for the image, selecting resources, and then assembling them in a rough draft so that I could discuss it with Adam and Raul and get their thoughts on the trajectory of the image, since it was actually made with a certain company in mind.  After that?  Days and days of working with the image in Photoshop, painting, detailing, switching elements that didn’t work, adding new things in…experimenting with colors, lighting, and so on.  At that point, I lose myself in the artwork, and tend to pull very long hours and even forget to eat sometimes.  I get a little obsessed.  That is when my husband is such a huge help, as he takes care of all the things that escape my notice when I’m in ‘the zone’.  I come out of my studio bleary eyed and oh so tired, but satisfied when I feel that moment of completion.  I never really know when it will happen, it just occurs, and I know that the piece is finished.  Of course, that doesn’t mean there won’t be some final requests and revisions… but overall, that is when the bulk of the artwork is finished.  The shelf pieces are the most time consuming pieces I create, and from the very start of the idea to the final work being sent off for production can be weeks if not months in the making.

Above: “Heroes and Heroines” by Aimee Stewart, published by Ravensburger, 1000 pieces

JJ: You have a number of series or themes, like the “shelf” puzzles, the close-up collages like “Pastry Chef”, and the upcoming city-themed designs. How do you come up with the idea for a series?

AS: Mainly I just brainstorm on what I would have the most fun creating, because I think that shows in the end product.  If I had fun creating it, you’ll have fun putting it together!  I’ll get out my trusty little notebook where I keep all my ideas and sketches, and if I hit upon a fun thing like the close up collages… I just start listing all the really intriguing things I could do with that idea, and the series just come to life out of that.  I have a list of dozens upon dozens of ideas for those kinds of images alone!  Then some of those ideas might spark something else, like the city-themed designs.  MGL also comes to me with ideas, and when things spark we run wild with it!  It really is amazing what can be accomplished when a team like we have is all on the same page!

Above: Detail from “Pastry Party” by Aimee Stewart, published by Master Pieces, 1000 pieces

JJ: Besides your puzzles, is there another area of your art that you’re passionate about that we might not have seen? 

AS: I think people who have only seen my super detailed, vividly colored puzzle art might be surprised to see my more contemporary, abstract styles of artwork.  I really enjoy playing with texture and color within elegant composition.  It is a wonderfully meditative style of artwork, and after long hours spent creating a puzzle image with a playful riot of details it is nice to just relax and let the design flow freely.  Also, I have a huge passion for writing and illustrating children’s stories!  I have one complete book – and another already in the works.  It’s just a matter of finding the right home for them!

Here is a link to my book trailer, for The Kingdom of Trill:

JJ: Is there an area of interest you hope to create images of in the future? (Ex. Christmas, gardens, cats, etc) 

AS: I wish I could pinpoint just one!  I have so many things in my notebook that jump all over the map. I think that has been one of my biggest assets is my ability to create all kinds of themes and subjects. It keeps things interesting, always changing. I really never get bored that way! I’ll always love my fantasy subjects, but keep an eye out for some unexpected nostalgia pieces too!

JJ: What’s next for you, Aimee?

AS: A lot more daydreaming and art!  I have my books I’m working on, loads more puzzles and wall art that I have in store, and I’m also working on a full length fantasy movie with one of my dear friends at Warner Brothers, creating green screen backdrops!  I really haven’t hit my stride yet.  There’s so much more to come, and I feel I’ve only scratched the surface of what I’ve learned, and what I want to create.  And now with my husband as my creative partner as well (he has also signed with MGL!), we hope to bring a whole new spectrum of creativity and artistry to the world around us.

LINKS FOR AIMEE STEWART

See all Aimee Stewart puzzles at Puzzle Warehouse here.

Jigsaw Junkies’ Aimee Stewart puzzle reviews

Aimee Stewart’s website