AJ Justalero
Illustration
Artist statement
Through character design, story narrative works, and visual development, I create a variety of creatures, characters, and environments in order to characterize my own anxieties and fears. My vision is to have typically horrifying things be something less scary, tangible, and something that can be confronted without fear.
I am fascinated by psychology and the human psyche and bring concepts from these areas into a visual and literal sense within my creative development. I am also inspired by my Filipino culture, and often bring concepts of mythology through my designs. I hope that through my body of work, people can not only find representation but that they learn to make peace with any monsters in their minds.
AJ Justalero
Prophecy, 16" x 9", Photoshop, 2023
Brenda's Dog Days, 12"x12", Photoshop, 2022
Chase!, 15"x8", Photoshop, 2022
The Ferryman, 16"x9", Photoshop, 2022
Penny's Greenhouse, 16"x9", Photoshop, 2023
Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief, 11"x8.5, Adobe Illustrator, 2022
Capture On: The Movie, 18"x24", ZBrush, Substance 3D Painter, Substance 3D Stager, 2023
Roommates, 16"x9", Photoshop, Procreate, 2022
Smile, 16"x9", Procreate, 2022
The Mausoleum, 16"x9", Photoshop, 2023
MNSTR KNGHT Cover, 8.5"x11", Procreate, Photoshop, 2022
Welcome to Eastside Cover, 9"x11", Procreate, Photoshop, 2023
ARTIST BIO
AJ JUSTALERO is a 22 year old visual development illustrator residing in Las Vegas, Nevada. Graduating Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and minor in Psychology the spring of 2023, she creates narrative illustrations and character designs based on fantastical and modern concepts.
From when she could hold a pencil, she knew that art was her passion and dreamed for her work to translate to the big screen (or flatscreens). Her work focuses on creating the overall look and design of the environment, characters, and props for TV/Film animation and video game development. She also is a freelance comic writer and artist, translating her life, internal turmoils, and imagination into stories ranging from short slap comics to long winded chapters.