5 Questions with Visual Artist, Kayla Munger

By Bridney C.

It is a pleasure to interview Kayla Munger for the Sweet Scoop.

Kayla Munger is a 23-year-old visual artist from Eastern Connecticut. She studied art and received her degree in Illustration from the Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts.

Coming from an artistic background, her grandmother painted a bit when she was younger and a great uncle who sculpted. Munger is currently working towards her goal of one day owning her business that would allow her to sell her art.

She also enjoys making creating pins, stickers, and designs for clothing and accessories. In this edition of Q&A, Munger explained why she loves making art, discussed her Melanie Martinez and Doja Cat portraits, and current projects she's working on.

Munger's digital illustration of pop singer, Melanie Martinez featuring her out from her music video "Detention."

Bridney C: How did you start making art? Why do you make art?

Kayla Munger: I’ve been making art for as long as I can remember. I found lots of inspiration from cartoons that were on TV. There were just a ton of cartoons that ran throughout the late 1990s and late 2000s. Maybe it’s because I’m an adult now, but I feel like there was just so much more back then there is today. I would make original comics and paper dolls from the shows that influenced me the most as a kid, and I would end up drawing my favorite characters. I wanted to make my own comics or cartoons as a kid.

BC: Is there an art element and medium you enjoy working with most? Why?

KM: I use a Surface Pro to make my art digitally. I bounce back between Photoshop and Autodesk SketchBook Pro. I find digital artwork is very accessible and easy to manipulate, much easier than something on a piece of paper or canvas, where you might not always be able to reverse your mark-making decisions. This is not to say that I don’t enjoy making work physically, as I do hope to revisit it someday. But for now, I enjoy making art digitally the most as it feels like I have endless possibilities with how and what I create on my tablet, with a lot less pressure of messing up.

Munger's colorful digital illustration of singer, Doja Cat.

BC: Can you talk about your Melanie Martinez and Doja Cat portraits? Are they your favorite musical artists?

KM: I would put them in my top favorite musical artists! These pieces are a part of a series I’ve been working on where I draw my favorite musical artists. I have no musical talent myself, but I find a lot of inspiration through certain aesthetics these artists bring to the table with their work. Doja Cat uses lots of bright colors and playful imagery in her music videos, while Melanie Martinez is a bit softer color pallet wise, but usually sneaking in darker undertones both in videos and in her lyrics. I find myself enjoying both aspects and looking to incorporate these elements into my work. I would say each piece took about 10-15 hours respectively. Drawn out between multiple days and weeks. Unfortunately, art-making is not my full-time job yet, so I have to work hard to find the time to do what I love.

BC: What is the best thing about being a visual artist?

KM: This question is surprisingly hard for me. I think there’s a lot of reasons, but I mostly enjoy the fact that I find beauty in a lot of stupid little things. Things that often get overlooked. And I hate how pretentious that sounds, yet also how hard it is to explain. I find that I’m flexible in what I make, and I love that I have that freedom. One moment I’m illustrating memes that I think are funny, and the next I’m doing something more serious. Though, if I’m honest, I find more enjoyment out of doing less meaningful pieces, pieces that easily make others smile or laugh because it’s comedic or weird. I love weird art myself. So getting to make my own is always a treat.

BC: What are you currently working on? Where might that art work be displayed? And if not, where can your "fans" view that art piece?

KM: I mostly live in my sketchbook at the moment. It’s a good way for me to get down ideas to come back to later. I’m looking to continue my series on different musical artists portraits, and I also have some more personal adaptations of cat memes I want to continue to make. But I also have some more original ideas up my sleeve for the future. Personal style as a whole has been something I’ve been working on for a while, and I don’t think it’s something I’ll ever stop working on. Not that that’s a bad thing. I’m currently only on Instagram! I may expand my horizons to twitter at some point, and I plan on opening an online store soon.

Stickers designed by Kayla Munger. She hopes to one day operate her own business that would allow her to sell her art.

Be sure to follow Kayla Munger for updates on her art. Visit her website, kalechipdip.com and follow her on Instagram @KaleChipDip.