For those of you who are new to this blog, or are trying to figure out who I am and what I do: this post is for you.

HELLO. MY NAME IS JESS SMART SMILEY & I MAKE RAD PICTURES.

Drawing and writing have always been my biggest passions. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, and every single day of my life (as far as I can remember it), has been focused on making the work I want to put into the world. I love learning new techniques and processes and love being able to create stories and images that are positive and meaningful for others.

MY BOOKS

UPSIDE DOWN: A VAMPIRE TALE

Upside Down: A Vampire Tale is my very first all-ages graphic novel! It’s a fun book about a vampire named Harold who loves candy so much that his teeth rot and have to come out!

Upside Down is available in print and digital formats from book and comics stores everywhere, and online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

“Bizarre, fun, outlandish and very original. The book recalls Roald Dahl in its ambition and ability to speak to kids without being condescending.” – Rue Morge

“I really enjoyed Upside Down! It has a goofiness that reminds me of Joann Sfar, and the simplicity of its art is like a sophisticated version of Ed Emberley.” — Gene Luen Yang, author of American Born Chinese

“The perfect balance between silliness, simplicity, and strange.” — Ray Friesen, author of Pirate Penguin vs. Ninja Chicken

THE ADVENTURES OF WILLIAM WORM

“Join William and the rest of the worm family on an adventure you won’t forget! Dodge snapping crabs and hungry pecking crows, get carried away in the greatflood -and fall in love with William Worm!”

The Adventures of William Worm is a 32-page multilingual children’s comic book, written by Pat Alvarado and illustrated by Jess Smart Smiley (that’s me!). William is a hard-working worm that lives with his cousins and spends his time building and repairing tunnels. When William gets caught up in a series of dangerous disasters, he begins to question his life as a tunnel engineer. The Adventures of William Worm is fun for the whole family.

Get it from Piggy Press, Amazon, or Barnes and Noble!

RUMPUS ON THE RUN: A MONSTER LOOK-N-FIND BOOK

Rumpus on the Run: A Monster Look-n-Find Book is filled with spooky-fun and cutesy-quirky monsters in 10 full-color imaginative scenes. (You can think of the book as Where’s Waldo, but with family-friendly monsters.)

“The Rumpus is a funny, evil, green monster that has gotten loose and is going to cause lots of trouble if you don’t find him (along with other items) hidden in some pretty zany settings like the Monster Art Show and the Turtle Derby!

Mr. Smiley made the Rumpus a different color on each page, making it harder to find him. I thought the pictures and themes of the pages were fun. ” – This Kid Reviews Books

Get the book from me or from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or Mascot Books.

 

OTHER WORK

I recently completed two outdoor murals for Provo City along the Provo River Trail:

Taught a five-day workshop on writing and illustrating for comics and graphic novels:

Illustrated over 200 graphics for the new design app, Studio Design:

Drew some drawings:

Made a picture of Wolverine:

WHAT I’M UP TO NOW

I’m currently writing a words-only novel (historical fiction), working on some album artwork, a slew of portraits, and a children’s book. I’m also traveling and giving school, library, and bookstore presentations on writing and drawing. (Phew! I think I got it all in there.)

GET IN TOUCH

I love taking on commissions, so if you have an idea for a project, let’s make it together! Contact me at jess.smiley(at)gmail.com  My online portfolio can be viewed at jess-smiley.com