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Candice Broersma

@candice-mantis.bsky.social

Book cover artist and currently developing the Shrumans card game. https://www.candicebroersma.com

27 Followers  |  65 Following  |  48 Posts  |  Joined: 30.01.2025  |  1.766

Latest posts by candice-mantis.bsky.social on Bluesky

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Are you in town for the Iowa City book festival? Stop by the vendor hall for a sci fi/fantasy convention at the Masonic Lodge called ICON. Open to the public from 11am-5pm.

#iowacity #iowaconvention #iowacitybookfestival #icbookfestival #icon49.5 #icon50 #iowacityevents #iowacityart #fantasyart

11.10.2025 01:28 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Character illustration of fairy Queen Titania flying with a thistle sword, flowing gown, and long sleeves resembling insect wings.

Character illustration of fairy Queen Titania flying with a thistle sword, flowing gown, and long sleeves resembling insect wings.

Happy #kidlitart postcard day! I am a fantasy illustrator doing creative illustration in publishing, advertising, and gaming.

Stay weird and wonderful like a somewhat feline humanoid fairy queen with a thistle sword!

#illustration #fantasyart #kidlit #bookart #fairyart

www.candicebroersma.com

03.10.2025 00:55 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Such a great integration of pattern and realism. πŸ¦‰

28.09.2025 16:05 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Poster for a panel

NAVA
Creators in the Age of Al
Presented by NAVA
Tim Friedlander
JP Karliak
Cissy Jones
Phillip BouttΓ©
Karla Ortiz
Philip Bache
MODERATOR
Linsay Rousseau
Saturday Sept 27 11:00am - 11:50am PDT
Los Angeles Convention Center
Panel Room 404 AB

Poster for a panel NAVA Creators in the Age of Al Presented by NAVA Tim Friedlander JP Karliak Cissy Jones Phillip BouttΓ© Karla Ortiz Philip Bache MODERATOR Linsay Rousseau Saturday Sept 27 11:00am - 11:50am PDT Los Angeles Convention Center Panel Room 404 AB

Surprise #lacomicon I’m doing a panel in about 20 minutes!

It’s gonna be a fantastic group discussing GenAi and its impacts on creatives!

Come on by if you’re around! It’s gonna be a blast!

27.09.2025 17:41 β€” πŸ‘ 79    πŸ” 7    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

So much attitude! Also, I need try clip studio asap.

28.09.2025 15:58 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I love the layout!

28.09.2025 15:56 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Image of the outside of the masonic building in Iowa City with text above stating "October 10-1, Icon 49.5, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Half-Season Convention IOWA-ICON.COM"

Image of the outside of the masonic building in Iowa City with text above stating "October 10-1, Icon 49.5, Sci-Fi & Fantasy Half-Season Convention IOWA-ICON.COM"

My first tabling event for this fall! Come to a quaint sci-fi and fantasy con in Iowa City on October 10-11. Iowa City Book Festival is happening at the same time, so it's a 2-in-1 event weekend! Check out Iowa-icon.com for more information.

#iowa #conartist #iowacity #scifi #fantasy #fantasyart

28.09.2025 02:52 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Painting studies made with coffee featuring a demon-like sculpture, a pig head, and a lion.

Painting studies made with coffee featuring a demon-like sculpture, a pig head, and a lion.

Painting studies and illustrations made with coffee featuring a cat wearing a victorian collar, a Weiner dog holding a tulip, and a bird wing.

Painting studies and illustrations made with coffee featuring a cat wearing a victorian collar, a Weiner dog holding a tulip, and a bird wing.

Did you know that you can paint with coffee? It works similarly to watercolor, but is more permanent once it's dried. Mix up cheap instant coffee with a little hot water and you're good to go!

#coffeeart #illustration #coffeepainting #animalart

24.09.2025 18:05 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Digital illustration of a witch on the right with a big fancy hat and Edwardian dress drawing with a feather pen and holding a magic wand in the other hand. She is enchanting coins to float through the air into a small bag being held by a magpie that is perched on a succulent terrarium.

Digital illustration of a witch on the right with a big fancy hat and Edwardian dress drawing with a feather pen and holding a magic wand in the other hand. She is enchanting coins to float through the air into a small bag being held by a magpie that is perched on a succulent terrarium.

Here's a fancy witch for the fall season! I illustrated this for an article, trying out a simplified style (or, simple for me). Enjoy!

#witch #fallvibes #digitalart #illustration

22.09.2025 14:02 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I started at Iowa City's Natural History Museum with a mountain lion and a bushy-tailed mouse. I finished at home with a cat and mouse theme. It made me wonder if people can tell right away if a drawing is from life or from a photograph/2d image. Can you tell the difference?

#procreate #digitalart

20.09.2025 18:30 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I find many of my clients really do want to support human artists, but just don't know it. The same big tech fueling the gen ai craze makes "google" searches on the subject biased in support of gen ai. They are also good at burying the issues with it. Educating clients goes a long way!

18.09.2025 20:18 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Alice from the book Alice in wonderland splashing in the pool of tears with the Red Queen looming in the background flanked by the painted rose trees and toadstools. The smoking caterpillar is sitting atop a toadstool to the bottom left of the Red Queen. Also trapped in the pool of tears are two crabs, a mouse, and a dapper dodo bird.

Alice from the book Alice in wonderland splashing in the pool of tears with the Red Queen looming in the background flanked by the painted rose trees and toadstools. The smoking caterpillar is sitting atop a toadstool to the bottom left of the Red Queen. Also trapped in the pool of tears are two crabs, a mouse, and a dapper dodo bird.

A 3D model composite of Alice from the book Alice in wonderland in a splashing pose with the Red Queen looming in the background flanked by rose tree. In front of Alice are two crabs, a mouse, and a dodo bird with a bowler hat.

A 3D model composite of Alice from the book Alice in wonderland in a splashing pose with the Red Queen looming in the background flanked by rose tree. In front of Alice are two crabs, a mouse, and a dodo bird with a bowler hat.

Close-up of digital painting of a smoking anthropomorphic caterpillar made to look like a flapper from the roaring twenties sitting on a group of toadstools.

Close-up of digital painting of a smoking anthropomorphic caterpillar made to look like a flapper from the roaring twenties sitting on a group of toadstools.

Close-up of a digital painting of Alice from Alice in Wonderland with pink bob cut hair who is splashing in the pool of tears.

Close-up of a digital painting of Alice from Alice in Wonderland with pink bob cut hair who is splashing in the pool of tears.

I use 3D models to help with lighting the scene and some of the tricky aspects of perspective. Here is a look at some of my 3D reference so you can get a sense for my process! Also, I NEED you to see my flapper-inspired caterpillar.

#digitalart #illustration #fantasyart #bookcover

14.09.2025 14:57 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Digital artwork of a blue elven youth with silver hair and a robe sitting in a meditation kneeled posture and being circled by two small unicorn-like deer. There is moonlight lighting the scene in a forest thick with vines and an ancient stone head in the background. Lotus flowers surround the elf and are falling from above.

Digital artwork of a blue elven youth with silver hair and a robe sitting in a meditation kneeled posture and being circled by two small unicorn-like deer. There is moonlight lighting the scene in a forest thick with vines and an ancient stone head in the background. Lotus flowers surround the elf and are falling from above.

This is an oldie, but goodie! I did this digital painting as part of a reimagined "virtues series" and was fortunate enough to receive an award in the Infected by Art annual. I love reinventing classic mythological creatures like unicorns and dragons!

#digitalart #fantasyart #characterart #unicorns

13.09.2025 18:30 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Iowa City has an amazing Natural History Museum that is free of admission and I don't go enough! Here are some crazy animal sketches I made in #Procreate. @pentacrest.museums

#sketchbook #procreate #timelapse #sketch #digitalart

11.09.2025 02:04 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I enjoy using Procreate the most for sketching this was my first try at drawing in Procreate. Somehow the execution is better than my more recent projects in Procreate which is confuzzling. Or maybe I just really like gargoyles!

#sketch #procreate #drawingstudy #gargoyles #gargoyleart

07.09.2025 14:57 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Greyscale artwork of two young sisters in overalls holding hands at a low angle while looking up to see giant airships bursting through the clouds.

Greyscale artwork of two young sisters in overalls holding hands at a low angle while looking up to see giant airships bursting through the clouds.

This is an interior illustration I made for "The Duchess and the Journey Under the Eternal Clouds" by Jeremiah Brennan. Airships for everyone!

#bookart #bookillustration #middlegrade #steampunk #digitalart #kidslit

06.09.2025 18:30 β€” πŸ‘ 4    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Book cover concept art of a young girl with a staff facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her hand that forms a window to another scene of a cloud inside. She has a dragon behind her and is flanked by a bear and a deer. There are otters and a woodchuck in front of her waist.

Book cover concept art of a young girl with a staff facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her hand that forms a window to another scene of a cloud inside. She has a dragon behind her and is flanked by a bear and a deer. There are otters and a woodchuck in front of her waist.

Book cover concept art of a young girl facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her hand. beside her is a cloaked figure and a whimsical boy holding a staff. There is a shining dome that takes up the background with the silhouette of a coachman driving several bears pulling a small carriage on top.

Book cover concept art of a young girl facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her hand. beside her is a cloaked figure and a whimsical boy holding a staff. There is a shining dome that takes up the background with the silhouette of a coachman driving several bears pulling a small carriage on top.

Book cover concept art of a young girl facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her pocket and holding a wood staff. At her feet are a bear, deer, otters, a woodchuck, quail chicks, and flowing grass. There is a swirling cloud behind her forming the face of a wolf looming over a distant city.

Book cover concept art of a young girl facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her pocket and holding a wood staff. At her feet are a bear, deer, otters, a woodchuck, quail chicks, and flowing grass. There is a swirling cloud behind her forming the face of a wolf looming over a distant city.

Book cover of a young girl facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her pocket and holding a wood staff. At her feet are a bear, deer, otters, a woodchuck, quail chicks, flowing grass, and wildflowers. There is a swirling cloud behind her forming the face of a wolf looming over a distant city.

Book cover of a young girl facing the viewer with a shining string swirling in her pocket and holding a wood staff. At her feet are a bear, deer, otters, a woodchuck, quail chicks, flowing grass, and wildflowers. There is a swirling cloud behind her forming the face of a wolf looming over a distant city.

Congrats to Thomas L. Martin's novel release today, "A Silver Cord". Here are the concept sketches! I worked with more stylization both at the beginning and final execution. I am learning the "if it ain't broke don't fix it" approach to maintain the energy in the sketches.

#bookcoverart #kidslit

03.09.2025 00:44 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Part 1 of the mushrooms I found this summer and my desire to poke all of them.

#forage #mushrooms

31.08.2025 19:23 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Our Kickstarter launches in two daysβ€”don't get left behind! www.kickstarter.com/projects/dia...

26.08.2025 19:37 β€” πŸ‘ 6    πŸ” 3    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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I'm getting these Shrumans finished! Corals are done and I am getting through boletes. Here is a cute coral fungi!

 Follow me on my journey to make my Shrumans card game a reality. πŸ„

Image credits:
Β© Alan Rockefeller

#mushroom #cardgame #shrumans #mushroomart #mushroomforage

25.08.2025 02:33 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
Profile view of a glowing ghost woman in front of a crescent moon with the silhouette's of floating seagulls in the background. Below her are windswept trees overlooking an ocean horizon.

Profile view of a glowing ghost woman in front of a crescent moon with the silhouette's of floating seagulls in the background. Below her are windswept trees overlooking an ocean horizon.

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Here is a book cover I designed for Joyce Sherry. She trusted my departure of style from my typical portfolio and the result is an exciting new technique for my artistry arsenal. Congrats on a Booklife Editor's Pick!

#bookcoverart #bookartist #bookillustrator #fantasyart #bookdesign

12.08.2025 00:57 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Happy #kidlitartpostcard day! This illustration is for "A Silver Chord" by Thomas L. Martin that is part of an epic wraparound cover illustration. The novel comes out in September.

Middle grade fantasy is my jam!

#illustration #fantasyart #bookart #bookillustrator #bookcoverartist

08.08.2025 01:25 β€” πŸ‘ 33    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I seemed to have dropped my jaw somewhere. ;)

08.08.2025 01:24 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

What a legend πŸ™‡β€β™€οΈ

09.07.2025 18:02 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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Happy Portfolio Day!

I am a fantasy illustrator for #bookcovers, #characterart, and #gameart. Open to projects needing a quirky assortment of characters and creatures. I create lush, artful environments from scratch.

Contact: candicebroersma.com

#portfolioday #fantasyart #illustration #animalart

09.07.2025 17:59 β€” πŸ‘ 14    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

The value control to keep things in shadow from loosing dimension is peak πŸ”₯

30.06.2025 20:53 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

I am so flattered! πŸ₯°

30.06.2025 20:51 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
Blog β€” Candice Broersma A look beyond the final product to the initial stages of my artistic process.

That would actually be candicebroersma.com/news to be correct.

29.06.2025 19:15 β€” πŸ‘ 0    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0
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My style of post is wait for a month and then toss in everything! You can see my sketch dump at candicebroersma.com/blog. I also have photos from my Istanbul trip. πŸˆβ€β¬› It has cats, so you’re welcome in advance.

#sketchbook #drawingstudy #watercolor #ballpointpen #drawing #urbansketch #travelsketch

29.06.2025 19:06 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 1
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Scoop: Blackburn to offer amendment to strip AI pause from budget bill Sen. Marsha Blackburn will offer an amendment to strip the AI pause in the reconciliation bill.

Call your senators asap. (You can do so via 5calls.org ) and ask them to support Senator Blackburn’s AI amendment!

We only need 4 GOP senators and all Dems senators to stop this abomination (amongst many other abominations within that terrible bill)!

Let’s go get em!

29.06.2025 06:21 β€” πŸ‘ 1052    πŸ” 748    πŸ’¬ 5    πŸ“Œ 5

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