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Hey Crystal Smith Illustrates

@crystalsmithart.bsky.social

West coast illustrator & writerπŸ€–πŸ¦•πŸ›Ό Short, left-handed, adhd, lighthouse keeper’s daughter. Nature & neon Rep'd by @jemiscoe.bsky.social -Starling Literary & Media @starlingliterary.bsky.social PBs: MAYBE A WHALE | MOTHER ASPEN www.heycrystalsmith.com

5,952 Followers  |  4,985 Following  |  1,670 Posts  |  Joined: 09.08.2023
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Posts by Hey Crystal Smith Illustrates (@crystalsmithart.bsky.social)

Yes agreed. Your art style shouldn’t be the exact same ten years later. Art styles evolve-otherwise artists would get quite bored. So even if u find the perfect style, it’s not one-and-done.

09.03.2026 18:40 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Happy #caturday ! This stripey cat is hiding amid the caladiums.

#cat #illustration #kidlitart #kidlitart #artist #illustration

07.03.2026 22:38 β€” πŸ‘ 65    πŸ” 18    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Wow thanks so much! I'm so glad you like it and always am appreciative of the support πŸ’œ

06.03.2026 23:25 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

To clarify - they will be giving the money back, they just need until April (let's be honest, probably more like next November) to update their systems in order for it to work. Apparently it's not so easy to reverse the whole 'theft' thing.

06.03.2026 18:24 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Octopus in oranges and yellows. Long tentacles curling and reaching for you ....

Octopus in oranges and yellows. Long tentacles curling and reaching for you ....

The tentacles rising from the deep...

#octopus #tentacles #kidlitart #sciart #painting

06.03.2026 15:55 β€” πŸ‘ 46    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 2

can you hook up a keyboard/monitor to your computer so it's just basically a processing block?

06.03.2026 15:52 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks!! 😳πŸ₯°

05.03.2026 21:34 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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β˜€οΈ Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! I'm an illustrator addicted to nature & neon and wild stories.
I illustrate fic & non-fic picture books, board books, covers & more. Open for projects!

Rep'd by @jemiscoe.bsky.social
at Starling Literary + Media

πŸŽ‰www.heycrystalsmith.com

05.03.2026 19:00 β€” πŸ‘ 34    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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πŸ‹πŸ‹πŸ‹ Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! I'm an illustrator addicted to nature & neon and wild stories.
⭐️ I illustrate fic & non-fic picture books, board books, covers & more. Open for projects!

Rep'd by
@jemiscoe.bsky.social at @starlingliterary.bsky.social
πŸŽ‰www.heycrystalsmith.com

05.03.2026 15:14 β€” πŸ‘ 70    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

I 100% agree!! πŸ₯°

04.03.2026 04:18 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Actually it's super refreshing and upbeat to see someone working on such a great project even in the midst of all this. Supporting it could be very cathartic to a lot of people, especially artists.

03.03.2026 18:45 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
seals and jellyfish underwater with kayak above. Turquoise.

seals and jellyfish underwater with kayak above. Turquoise.

blue heron catching fish that are jumping in a heart shape. Pinks and yellows fading into blues.

blue heron catching fish that are jumping in a heart shape. Pinks and yellows fading into blues.

Buffalo in the middle of a field with two birds on it's back in love

Buffalo in the middle of a field with two birds on it's back in love

Walrus sitting on ice, in front of a big sun. Purples and pinks.

Walrus sitting on ice, in front of a big sun. Purples and pinks.

Today is #worldwildlifeday where we not only appreciate the incredible creatures around us, but also look at solutions to keeping them from disappearing.

#illustration #illustrator #kidlit #Kidlitart #sciart

03.03.2026 15:25 β€” πŸ‘ 40    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

Still has AI

27.02.2026 19:31 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Argh that sucks - it is so all over the place with contracts and payments. Do you also submit to magazines/blogs that pay?

24.02.2026 18:23 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

yes, writing a 'gratitude journal' is not the fix-all that the internet might tell you, lol. I'm in the same boat as you for royalties and advances - I enjoy doing kids books but have to separate it from actually making a living.

24.02.2026 16:22 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Just a leopard gecko being cute....πŸ₯°

#gecko #leopardgecko #cute #cutie

23.02.2026 16:57 β€” πŸ‘ 263    πŸ” 21    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0
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In solidarity with all my friends buried under mounds of snow today β„οΈβ˜ƒοΈβ„οΈβ˜ƒοΈβ„οΈβ˜ƒοΈβ„οΈβ˜ƒοΈ (and a bit jealous)

#snow #kidlitart #illustration #cankidlit

23.02.2026 16:44 β€” πŸ‘ 15    πŸ” 1    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

This is exactly like AI art -

Taking school just to get the credit, recognition, acolades.
AI making art for you just so you get the credit, recognition, acolades.

23.02.2026 16:37 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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That time I travelled across Canada in the winter and ended up unexpectedly at Niagara Fallsβ€”and it was FROZEN.

heyshotsnaps.tumblr.com/post/8091299...

#photo #photos #photography #Niagarafalls #canada #landscape #landscapephoto #landscapephotography #waterfall

21.02.2026 04:07 β€” πŸ‘ 22    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Good idea!!

21.02.2026 03:56 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

OMG yes. Just a disaster really. I can't even bother to send things over there anymore lol.

20.02.2026 20:00 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Thank you!!

20.02.2026 19:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I think we are used to giveaways on social media platforms just being a way to get people to follow and tag friends so that the metrics help someone's algorithm (ei. Instagram). I think a lot of the people on Bluesky are just not in it for that kind of thing anymore.

20.02.2026 17:33 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

It's true!! Pinky swear!! Just saw a whole bunch of people back on there and posting - oh how I miss it

19.02.2026 05:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Totally agree!! I have a hard time getting into discord. No solid threads.

18.02.2026 15:28 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yes - I'm wondering about putting together a hub for artists/creatives. Something where it was less risky, much easier to find people, and they could only pay for what they need.

17.02.2026 19:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Yup!! And does mother's day SO big

17.02.2026 19:01 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I've never seen Zohran and his mother together, but you somehow just KNOW he treats her like gold.

17.02.2026 16:38 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I've never seen Zohran and his mother together, but you somehow just KNOW he treats her like gold.

17.02.2026 16:35 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

YES! I feel like I used to look at websites way more...now social media seems to be the only thing consistent. It's hard to find decent sites of artists or interesting things.

17.02.2026 16:20 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0