Kaitlyn Agcaoili - Filipina Designer, Illustrator, and Artist
- litkidsmagazine
- 8 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Kaitlyn Agcaoili is a Filipina designer, illustrator, and artist based in Southern California. During the day, she designs marketing materials for new homes. By night, she paints the moments that shape her own sense of home. Using soft textures and vibrant colors, her art celebrates joy, connection, and community.
1. What do you like to do to inspire yourself when you have a block?
When feeling stuck, I try to step outside of my routine for a bit. I’ll spend a morning at a park or go to an art workshop. It could be simple, like scribbling on sticky notes versus a sketchbook, or turning left instead of right on a walk.
A fun exercise I had in school was to photograph anything that could represent the alphabet. With the right composition, a tree branch could look like the letter “V”, or a drawer handle at an angle could read as the letter “C”. It was refreshing to see the different ways my peers interpreted their surroundings. I think those shifts in our approach, no matter how small, can invite moments of inspiration. We just have to remember to show up!
2. What do you like to take pictures of the most?
My tortoiseshell cat, Toasty. She’s my greatest muse and takes up probably 80% of my camera roll. She has bright green eyes, a pink nose, and a black, orange, and brown coat that glows when she’s sunbathing!
3. What is something in your field that you don't yet know how to do, but you would like to learn?
So many things! My work is mainly digital, as I paint on a tablet and design on a computer. I would love to experiment more with traditional mediums like gouache paint or collage art, and learn how to craft them for picture books. I am also curious about typography on covers and admire how titles can flow seamlessly into the art.
4. What difficulties have you faced in your profession or leading up to it?
Prioritizing can be difficult. Creative professions often call for us to take on a variety of skills. Working as a designer, I get to learn about how our projects fit within marketing. There’s even more I want to discover as an artist—watercolors, murals, and so on. It’s exciting, but it’s also important to check in with yourself. I’m slowly coming to understand my capacity and priorities. Choosing to develop my own projects now doesn’t mean saying no to workshops or classes forever.
5. What part of your job do you have the most fun doing?
It feels incredibly fun getting into the flow of creating. This can be early in the process when sketching anything and everything. Or, seeing the drawing come to life when blocking in paint. With every sketch iteration, brush stroke, or design choice, I am that much closer to solving a puzzle and uncovering the result.
6. What are common traps for new artists?
As fun as it is to get in the flow, it is also important to take breaks! Early on, I would find myself honed in on painting all the little details of one section, like a building in the background. Hours later, I would get antsy and rush through the rest of the illustration, not giving the other sections the same level of effort. This led to a lot of pieces feeling off.
I encourage you to zoom out and jump around the project, whether it’s a single illustration or an entire picture book. Pause, stretch, and hydrate! By slowing down and taking a step back, you can revisit your art with fresh eyes.
7. What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve been given about art?
Throughout classes and critiques, the most helpful advice I received about creating art would boil down to design principles. Notice how each element feels in relation to one another.
Perhaps I’ll select blue paint for a shadow. Placing it on the canvas, it lands next to a light red. Suddenly, against the red, the blue boldly jumps out. Is this what the illustration is calling for—attention? No, it’s asking for a shadow. Maybe I can try a desaturated, muted blue instead.
So much of the process is asking how each element interacts with its neighbor, whether it’s color, proportion, or texture. One of my favorite teachers loved saying that drawing is just a series of corrections. It can be a conversation, too! I used to feel frustrated when my art wouldn’t look “right”, but by leaning into curiosity, I came to understand that this back-and-forth truly is a natural part of the craft. It’s fun and frustrating and satisfying to discover how all the pieces can come together!
8. What made you like painting/drawing?
Drawing felt really freeing as a kid. A blank page was an invitation to let my imagination run wild. While I struggled with writing, sketching allowed me to connect with my feelings. Eventually, painting became a way to engage with my favorite stories. Though sharing art can be nerve-wracking, that vulnerability can invite others to pursue their own creative endeavors as well. I am very lucky to have art in my life!
9. What inspired you to try children's literature?
Books were always a source of comfort growing up. Getting back into reading now, the authenticity present in children’s literature feels like home. I’d love to illustrate stories that offer that same comfort for kids as they step into the world!
Kaitlyn, thank you for talking about your creative process and sharing advice for our readers! Please follow Kaitlyn on social media! Don't forget to check out her beautiful portfolio below. Keep shining!
Portfolio: https://kaitlynagcaoili.com
