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As these things often go, our cover artists tip us off to other talent. Such is the case this month, as February cover artist Corey Wimmer advised that Isthmus art director Tommy Washbush check out the work of Belle Wahl.
Belle is a 2023 graduate of the graphic design program at Madison College. She now works two part-time jobs while freelancing occasional projects.
We had been kicking around the idea of a pet-focused cover, thinking about dog parks and cat cafes and places like Madison’s Boneyard, a combination beer garden and dog park. The theme interested Belle. “Ideas immediately started flying through my head,” she told Tommy.
Belle says she loves drawings that tell a story and express emotion; her final drawing for the August cover celebrates that special community created when dogs and their people congregate.
“Belle clearly loves animals, and has a bright, energetic, anime-influenced style that lends itself well to a theme like this,” says Tommy.
Belle Wahl
Belle Wahl's cover illustration roughs.
The evolution of Belle Wahl's dog park cover illustration.
She used an old-fashioned sketchbook to jot down her initial ideas before using the computer program Procreate to create her final design. “Using a sketchbook first helps remind me it’s just a blueprint of the idea and it doesn’t have to look perfect,” she says.
See more of Belle’s work at bellewahldesigns.com and on Instagram @nib_scribs.
