Hello and welcome back to Fall Semester 2025! I am so excited to finally be back on campus, getting my hands messy again and catching up with my classmates! I am super excited to share with you my first ever Student Spotlight!
Scrolling through my Instagram feed, this student’s stunning works caught my eye early this summer. With so many creative works, I knew right away that I would have to highlight him on the blog! I love his art, and I know you will too! So without further ado: the man, the myth, the legend…
Ryan Miller
Major: Illustration
Minor(s): N/A
Year: 2028
Clubs: N/A
I am majoring in art because…
For as long as I could remember I have loved art. When I was a kid I would be drawing constantly. When I’m doing anything art related I feel like I’m doing what I should be doing. It’s easily my favorite thing to do. I also really love learning and there is so much to learn when it comes to art.
The kinds of things that inspire me are…
Comic book artists like Dan Mora, Bilquis Evely, Marco Checchetto inspire me a lot. My favorite things to draw are comic characters so I look at comic art for inspiration most of the time. I also love seeing what other students make!
My favorite art class so far was…
2D Design. I definitely learned a lot in that class. My biggest take away from that class was to just try and experiment more with my art. I also really liked Art History. I had very basic knowledge of older art so I appreciated getting to learn more about that.
When I am not in class…
I’m usually drawing or watching a movie/show. I’m currently watching all of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. I also just got a dog recently so he’s been keeping me busy! I also have two cats as well. I also like collecting figures, statues, etc.
The coolest thing I have done at Marywood so far was…
This interview honestly! I’ve never really got the opportunity to do something like this so I’m excited.
When I graduate…
I would love to work on a comic or be a concept artist of some kind. I love making character designs and coming up with new ideas for pre-existing worlds. But honestly, I’m happy doing anything art related.
I would recommend the Art program at Marywood because…
It has been genuinely very helpful for refining my skills and learning new ones. All the professors have been incredibly helpful and supportive. Overall it’s been very welcoming.
What excites me most about Art is…
Art is something that I think you could just keep getting better at. The idea that you could just keep improving and evolving as an artist is one of my favorite things about art.
The skills, themes, and techniques I am working on in my art are…
Currently I am trying to get better at anatomy, faces, poses, just a lot of the basic stuff. I also started doing digital art a few months ago, so there has definitely been a learning curve with that. Before I was strictly just traditional, so the jump from traditional to digital was a bit jarring at first.
Since I started creating, my art has evolved and changed by…
I think I’ve started getting out of my comfort zone with the things I make. Before I would almost exclusively do pre-existing characters but going to school definitely helped with that. I’m also trying to be even more open to change and trying new things.
The way I define art is…
I think I would define art by saying it’s one of the greatest forms of expression. I think every artist puts a little bit of themselves into their work no matter how little or small.
Isn’t Ryan’s art just spectacular?! I sure think so! I am simply amazed by all the detail that goes into his pieces. The skillful texture in his brushstrokes adds so much character and visual interest to his illustrations! I am also a huge fan of the way he handles color and composition. Each of his works have very compelling, dynamic structures that feel just as dramatic as the characters he draws. The colors really add to the mood of his artworks, especially in his Batman illustrations. I mean, just look at that orange glow that silhouettes Batman! So theatrical! So well-composed! So heroic! To top it off, the anatomy and posing in his figures are extraordinary.
I, for one, cannot wait to see what Ryan does next! If you are just as excited as me, you should totally check out his art account on Instagram!
Mill