Conversations with Brian Walline

Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Walline. 

Hi Brian, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I have always loved to draw, and I have always loved the state of Michigan. Eventually, those two passions were going to cross paths. 

I went to school for graphic design and illustration (The University of Michigan School of Art & Design, class of 2004), and that’s where I really came to recognize and enjoy what many folks call the “WPA Style” of illustration that was popularized in part by the famous National Parks posters of the 30s and 40s. The first work I finished in that sort of style was commissioned by a friend for their wedding in Ann Arbor. That was in 2010, and I’ve been making them ever since. 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When I first started, I barely knew how to make the art, let alone how to sell it. That was fine for when it was more of a side gig, and I would only sell prints through online fulfillment services – the sorts of sites that do everything for you, including process the payment, print, package, and ship (which is great, but doesn’t leave much for the artists in terms of earnings). 

But when I first tried to sell to stores, I was beyond clueless. It wasn’t that hard to make a sale, but then I was like, oh, hey, I need to know how to set wholesale prices. I need attractive packaging to protect the work in a retail environment. I need to understand “overhead” and a rudimentary supply chain. It took a lot of research. Mistakes were made. 

For the most part, the greatest struggle has always been that I have tried to do this all by myself. It’s a lot of hats to wear, and it certainly helps to be a hyper-organized person, which I am not. I’m so grateful that my wife (who has her own full-time job) has begun helping me keep track of things with the wholesale side of the business. That’s the weirdest thing about all of this – most artists don’t set out to be “small business owners,” but you have to do it if you want to make a living with art. 

Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a commercial artist and graphic designer, and I’ve worked on everything from craft beer packaging to book covers, but the bulk of my work focuses on my own brand, “The Mighty Mitten,” for which I create and sell “vintage style” travel posters of my home state of Michigan, specifically in the style popularized by the old national park’s posters. 

I have tremendous affection for Michigan and our many iconic destinations and natural gifts, and I relish the opportunity to lift up even some of our smallest villages or out-of-the-way curiosities and lend them the grandeur of a national park. 

This may be a little “in the weeds,” but there are several ways to create this kind of art, and some are harder (and, dare I say better) than others. This is evident when I talk to someone who assumes that I just edit a photo in Photoshop or apply some filter or something. These folks are often surprised to learn that nearly every tiny detail on the piece is actually hand-drawn. It takes a lot of care, a lot of attention to detail, and a lot of patience. I think that level of artist’s touch, as well as a strong sense of color, are what set my work apart from a lot of others, and I deeply enjoy and appreciate it when fans of my work can pick mine out from a crowd and will come back to me multiple times for pieces to lovingly display in their home. It really is an honor. 

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was always a shy kid in a school and always doodled during class. Usually, I would draw dinosaurs and animals, and out of school, I could often be found hunting for snakes and frogs with my friends in the neighborhood park. My family and friends all claimed I’d work for Disney someday, but I wanted to grow up to be a paleontologist or a biologist. Then I discovered music, and so the next career interest would be designing album art for CDs, which is funny because, in many ways, CDs were about to become more extinct than dinosaurs. 

Pricing:

• 11×14″ Prints, $34.99
• 18×24″ prints, $54.99

Contact Info:

• Website: themightymitten.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themightymitten/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themightymitten