Today we’d like to introduce you to Scott Colson.
Scott, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Porygun started as a somewhat therapeutic creative project. I felt in a rut creatively – I felt like I was only drawing to please other people and not myself. I wanted to draw because I needed something to help me unwind from working 40 hours a week working in Marketing for Cal State San Marcos (where I also went to school for art), being a husband, and a father to two daughters. I was approaching my late 20’s and still felt like I hadn’t done anything I was proud of. I had been in a handful of art galleries around San Diego, but it all felt meaningless. Originally I had begun creating illustrations based on hip-hop lyrics I liked. I had a decent amount of following on Instagram but I felt like I was in competition with a lot of artists. It was pointless because I wanted to create art that people wanted to see.
So, I deleted the account. I remember not doing any art for a while after my daughter was born because I was completely exhausted. When she was a few months old, I remember seeing this illustration I did when I was about eight years old of Pokemon. Just seeing that and remember the creativity that Pokemon brought out me sparked something inside of me. I wanted to go back to my roots and draw for other people and myself. It was then when I became a Pokemon fan artist. I started my Porygun Instagram very slowly, drawing a few Pokemon I liked in my signature style – line-less art with super grainy shadows and highlights. The response I received was immediately positive. I began receiving requests from my followers to draw their Pokemon. This was the first time in my life that people actually wanted to see my art. It was incredible.
Eventually, I expanded to drawing other nerdy things – Mario, Animals Crossing, Legend of Zelda, etc. After a couple of months of drawing, I began to get requests for me to sell prints of my work. And frankly, it was pretty great because I have made no money on my art. Which is fine, but it is pretty cool for people to spend their hard-earned money on something you created. It’s not my motivation to draw, but it sure helps. I began selling prints on Etsy. I didn’t sell a ton, but I sold a few and that was good enough for me. My wife then suggested to me to start selling stickers of my artwork because the sticker industry is booming right now. It took me months and months to perfect the stickers that I sell now. I failed a ton, but I am glad I did because it pushed me to create a really great product that people seem to really love. When we first started out, I would print out my designs on sticker paper and my wife would cut them out. They were definitely rough, but people still seemed to like it.
Business was booming for our mom + pop business. But, eventually it got so underwhelming I had to replace my wife with a machine. Sounds harsh, but it was the only way to get orders out due to her busy schedule. My process now is to print designs on vinyl paper, layer them with a weather-resistant adhesive, and cut them using my electronic cutting machine. I get hundreds of orders a month and my workflow seems to really work. After a long day of work, I come home and get to work on my stickers. I go to the post office almost daily to send orders out. I have expanded to sell stickers, prints, pokemon cards, pokemon commissions, coasters, and keychains. I owe all of my success to my family, especially my kids. They have brought out the inner kid in me and helped me rediscover something that makes me truly happy. And of course, my followers on Instagram (all 3,500 of them!) for supporting me and pushing me to get better each day. That’s my story and it is ever-evolving 🙂
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My journey has not been smooth because I have had trouble discovering what I really enjoy doing, until now. In high school, I was very interested in photography. When I went to college at Palomar College, I was a photography major and learned so much about it. But I truly never saw myself doing it because I was so shy. Towards the end of my college career at Palomar, I began to be more interested in drawing. I taught myself how to use Photoshop and Illustrator in my own free time. I challenged myself to draw something digitally every day and that is what made the difference in my career and in my own art. I then transferred to Cal State San Marcos, where I received my BA in Arts & Technology. It certainly has not been a smooth road because I found myself wanting to learn everything. But it was all worth it in the end.
Please tell us about Porygun.
Porygun specializes in video game stickers, prints, coasters, commissions, cards, and more. My biggest sellers (by far) are my vinyl stickers. They are made with 100% vinyl paper, layered with a laminating adhesive and cut to perfection. But that is only part of it. I am probably most known for delivering high-quality products, great customer service, and a wide variety of different products. I also draw, almost daily, different Pokemon. I am known for using line-less shapes with super grainy shadows and highlights. What I am most proud of is that I create art that people actually like! May not seem like much, but it really makes a difference as an artist. It motivates you. My company’s name is based on my favorite Pokemon – Porygon. All I did was change the o to a u. It gives me some sort of special identity.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success, in my view, has little do with profit. I have made over $10k selling my art, but I don’t care much about that. That’s what my career is for. Porygun is not my career, it is my creative outlet. So I measure success differently. You can’t put a number on it. It’s just a feeling that you’re doing something good for yourself and your fans. When I draw someone’s favorite Pokemon, it really does feel like I am making someone’s day. If I make at least one person smile from my art, that’s all I need to keep going.
Pricing:
- Stickers – $2.75 – $3.00
- Cards – $6.99 – $8.99
- Commissions – $10 – $80
- Coasters – $2.00
- Keychains – $4
Contact Info:
- Website: www.porygunart.com
- Email: porygunart@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/porygun/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/porygun/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Porygunart
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/Porygun
Image Credit:
Grant Hartman
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