Classical Artist · Illustrator · Fine Art
Charcoal portraits, acrylic paintings, published illustration work, and a growing series of scripture-rooted fine art — each piece made by hand, with intention.
Portrait Study in Charcoal
Selected Works
⚠ Mature Content
This charcoal study contains intimate imagery.
⚠ Mature Content
This charcoal study contains intimate imagery.
Published Work
Warm, character-driven illustration for children's books and editorial projects. Each project begins with understanding the emotional truth of the story — the way a child will feel holding the page — before a single line is drawn. Full interior spreads live in the Illustration gallery.
Currently available for illustration projects. If you're an author, publisher, or independent creator looking for a collaborator on a children's book, picture book, or editorial project — reach out via the contact form below.
A New Series
A new body of work rooted in Christian scripture, just getting underway — each painting a meditation on biblical passages, spending time with God's Word before touching the canvas and letting the imagery emerge from the meaning rather than illustrating it literally.
The First Paintings Are Underway
Hand & Verse is a brand-new series, and the studio time is just beginning. Follow along as the first pieces take shape — sketches, scripture studies, and finished paintings will post to the series as they're completed.
Follow the Series →
The Artist
Shannon Austin is a classically trained artist and illustrator working in charcoal, acrylic, oil, and digital media. Her work spans narrative illustration, fine art portraiture, and a growing body of scripture-based paintings — each discipline connected by a commitment to craft and to work that carries genuine feeling.
Illustration has been the foundation of Shannon's practice — bringing character and story to life with warmth and emotional honesty, whether for a published book or an editorial project. That same attention to character carries into her portrait work, where the face becomes a record of a life lived. Her Hand & Verse series is the most personal body of work she has made, each piece emerging from extended time spent with biblical passages and God's Word before a single line is drawn.
How I Work
Whether I'm working out a character for a story, studying a face in a portrait session, or sitting with a scripture passage, every piece begins with extended looking — resisting the urge to draw until I've actually seen.
Charcoal on paper for portraits and studies. Rough thumbnails for illustrations. Loose gesture work before any tight drawing — the mistakes in the sketch are where the life hides.
Acrylic in transparent layers for fine art. Digital tools for illustration work requiring color testing and iteration. Both respect the same principle: go from big shapes to small details, never the reverse.
A piece is done when it tells the truth — not when it's technically perfect. The last 10% is knowing when to put the brush down and trust what's already on the canvas.
Stay Connected
New paintings as they're completed, sketches and studies from works in progress, and the scripture meditations behind each piece.
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Get in Touch
Whether you're interested in commissioning a portrait, acquiring an original piece, collaborating on an illustration project, or simply want to ask a question — I'd love to hear from you.