John Sneed @Johnsneedart

Vitalism and art, a way of life
Portfolio of Illustration

↓ Scroll to discover my work ↓

About Me

Joaquin Arriola (handle @Johnsneedart) is an illustrator with over three years of focused practice in observational and anatomical drawing. He works primarily in grayscale, translating complex forms into clear, expressive studies for editorial, portrait, and commission-based projects.

3+ Years of practice
80+ Commissions
60+ Returning clients

Joaquin combines traditional pen-and-ink techniques with careful value studies to create work that is both precise and emotionally resonant. He approaches each commission with a collaborative mindset, offering clear timelines, progress sketches, and responsive revisions to ensure the final piece meets editorial or client needs.

My Work

I specialize in several areas of illustration:

Editorial

Illustrations for magazines, books and digital publications that capture the essence of each story.

Branding

Unique visual identities that help brands connect emotionally with their audience.

Digital

Concept art and character design for games, animation and interactive media.

Pen-and-ink reclining figure study with ink wash showing tonal values and loose gestural lines.
Reclining Figure — Ink & Wash Study
Grayscale anatomical torso drawing highlighting muscle structure and value shifts.
Torso Anatomy — Grayscale Study
Quick seated figure gesture sketch with economical lines showing posture and movement.
Seated Gesture — Line Exploration
Pen-and-ink head study focusing on facial planes, expression and gradual tonal modeling.
Head & Expression — Value Study
Detailed grayscale drawing of hands showing structure, foreshortening and shadow shapes.
Hands — Structure and Shadow
High-contrast ink study demonstrating light and shadow to articulate three-dimensional form.
Light on Form — Contrast Study
Collection of small thumbnail sketches showing figure composition and negative-space exploration.
Figure Composition — Thumbnail Studies
Assorted quick sketches and studies combining gesture, proportion tests and ink experiments.
Quick Studies Compilation

Each project is an opportunity to explore new techniques and visual styles.

My Creative Process

This is how I turn ideas into illustrations:

1. Research & Concept

I gather references, create moodboards and define the visual direction for the project.

2. Sketching & Exploration

I produce quick gesture sketches and thumbnails followed by a refined sketch for client review.

3. Refinement & Delivery

I finalize ink and grayscale rendering, digitize at production resolution, apply revisions and deliver web/print-ready files.

Tools & Techniques

I combine digital and traditional tools to create my work:

🎨 Digital

• Procreate
• Adobe Photoshop
• Clip Studio Paint
• Affinity Photo

✏️ Traditional

• Pen & ink (dip pens, technical pens)
• Graphite and charcoal
• Ink wash and grayscale wash
• Mixed-media on paper

💡 Specialties

• Anatomical drawing
• Gestural studies
• Portraiture
• Editorial illustration

Let's Work Together

Have a project in mind? Contact me on tiktok @johnsneedart Twiter/X @johnsneedfeed or email johnsneedbiz@gmail.com — I respond to commission, editorial and collaboration inquiries within 48 hours

Contact Me
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