About Me
My name is Kaya Oldaker, an illustrator and animator from the UK. I am a creator of strange worlds and all of their weird inhabitants. I have become known for two things – my magical creatures and my strong lighting. I am inspired by the natural world and what it can teach us. I am also heavily into the “solarpunk” genre with my more recent work since I really like the idea of a zero carbon future where humans, technology and nature work in harmony.
Portfolio
A collection of work I have done both for private commissions and personal work. I have worked on a number of TTRPGs, including Arrhenius and Aeonos. Other clients include "Stimpunks" and "C.A.G.E.D. Nationwide.
Flowerpunk
Flowerpunk is the new umbrella name for the webcomic universe I am creating. Previously known as "The Increasingly Absurd Endeavours of Gretchen Goosander," Flowerpunk now no longer has a main character, instead it follows multiple characters across multiple stories. This story is a dark fantasy that takes place in a world very much like our own, only there are some intruding magical elements. Magic used to be much more abundant, but it is now starting to disappear as Capitalism lays waste to the world and has commodified what is left of the magic elements.The first story begins in the city of Wyrdon, where a supernatural plague known as "the rot" is slowly decaying everything it comes into contact with. It is up to a group of anarchists to try and help as many people as possible through acts of radical compassion before more citizens are turned into maggots. Along the way, our main characters, Ludwig and Kimi, come to realise that in order to save everyone, they must bring back the magic.All characters, creatures and concepts relating to the Flowerpunk IP are currently under a CC BY-NC licence, meaning that you are welcome to use anything associated with the Flowerpunk IP for noncommercial use so long as credit is given. Upon the death of the creator, the Flowerpunk IP will automatically enter the public domain for all use.The webcomic itself will not be hosted on this site. Please follow the links below for the webcomic itself:Webtoons - https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/flowerpunk/list?title_no=648020Tapas - https://tapas.io/series/FlowerpunkIf you wish to support this project in order for me to be able to create more creative commons work, please consider donating to my Ko-Fi - https://ko-fi.com/kayaskosmos
Digital Art
Character Designs
Creature Designs
Contact
The best way to contact me is via [email protected]
Please do not contact me via direct messages on my various social media sites as I do not read these.
Please note, I have a busy schedule and I therefore may not be able to respond to you immediately. I will try my best to answer your email within the space of a week. Please be aware that there are certain messages that I will not answer, such as advertisements of a product/service and requests for free art. Please also check the FAQ section as your question may have been answered there. Thank you.
Subscribe to my mailing list for updates!
Commissions
All commissions allow for 10 thumbnail sketches, 5 minor revisions during the sketching phase and a further 5 minor revisions for the final render. Further revisions after this will increase the price of the commission.
Simple Sketch - £10+
Flat Shaded Character (No BG) - £45+
Simple Shaded Character (Simple BG) - £80+
Digital Painted Bust (No BG) - £100+
Digital Painted Character (No BG) - £150+
Simple Shaded Drawing (With BG) - £200+
Full Digital Painting - £400+
My hiring Terms of Service.
These TOS apply to one-off commissions only. For long-term projects, a contract will need to be agreed upon between client and artist.
All articles of this Terms of Service are applicable unless specifically outlined within the final written agreement between Client and Artist.By contacting me for work you are hereby agreeing to the terms expressed above.All PayPal transactions are subject to the PayPal Privacy Policy.Updated 27.12.2024
1 - Client Requirements.
~ Read the Terms of Service in full.~ The client must be above the legal age (18+)~ The client is required to provide at least a brief description of the art piece they would like produced, plus any necessary reference material, deadlines, image size/format and the scope of the project. A quote on a price will be given by the artist once all necessary information is provided.~ All commission details must be discussed privately, not publicly on forums or social media. Email is preferable, however the artist may also discuss commissions via Bluesky, Facebook or Discord if it is more convenient for the client. Video/audio conversation via Discord, Skype or Zoom is also accepted, but the terms of discussion must be agreed upon in text format between both parties beforehand.~ The client must be respectful of the artist and the artist's time. The artist has a right to turn down clients who are rude, inappropriate, impatient or lacking in sufficient communication skills. Inappropriate behaviour may also result in a refund being issued if any payment has already been made.~ Excessively rude, abusive, problematic or uncooperative behaviour could result in the client being permanently blacklisted.~ The artist may take legal action against clients who engage in illegal behaviour.
~ When the commission is completed, the client can post only the watermarked/Glazed version online.~ Commissions are completed on a first-come, first-serve basis unless discussed otherwise. There will be additional costs if the client wishes to be moved ahead in the queue.
2 - Rights.
~ All rights and ownership of the artwork remain with the artist unless agreed otherwise. Rights, licences and ownership can be purchased at additional cost.~ The commissioned artwork is for personal use only.~ The client cannot alter, modify, distribute or use it for commercial purposes unless they have purchased a licence. This includes but is not limited to: selling the artwork in any way shape or form, using the artwork as a business logo, using the artwork to promote a business/book/website etc.~ The standard limited licence includes the use of the artwork on social media for avatars or banners, for use in YouTube videos (as long as full credit is given) or to use for any personal reasons such as laptop wallpapers or posters.~ Minor changes such as cropping or adding text are allowed.~ Do not edit out the watermark.~ The Artist retains the right to alter, modify and post the illustration on social media, Patreon, to sell it in their shops, create merchandise, etc. unless agreed otherwise. The artist also retains the right to post work-in-progress images of the commission.~ Use of commissioned artwork for NFTs or for AI image generation is completely prohibited.
3 - Payment and Prices.
~ Payment via Paypal only.~ 50/50 (Half now, half on completion) payment can be arranged.~ When the deal is agreed, the artist will send the invoice to the client’s Paypal email address.~ The client must pay the agreed upon amount within 24 hours.~ The artist will not start working on the commission until payment is received.~ All PayPal transactions are subject to the PayPal Privacy Policy.~ The artist is happy to accept tips through payment.~ Displayed prices are subject to change depending on how long a commission takes to complete.~ Additional costs will be added if a specific or tight deadline is given.~ The client must not send a payment and ask for a commission if nothing has been agreed between upon between artist and client.
4 - Refund.
~ The client can claim back a 90% refund if the commission has been discussed, but not commenced.~ The client can claim back a 50% refund after the first finished sketch is completed if they do not like how the image is proceeding and do not want to see the project through to the end.~ The client cannot claim back a refund once the image is 75% completed or any time after.
5 - Technical Information and Drawing.
~ Payment covers the costs of a maximum of 4 thumbnail sketches, a maximum of 3 minor revisions to the finalised sketch and a maximum of 2 minor revisions to the finished piece for all basic tier commissions.~ Payment covers the costs of a maximum of 10 thumbnail sketches, a maximum of 5 minor revisions to the finalised sketch and a maximum of 5 minor revisions to the finished piece for all premium tier commissions.~ The client will be required to make additional payments for any and all extra revisions.~ The client will receive two digital images of the finished painting. One high resolution, and one lower resolution version for posting online. The lower resolution image is protected with Glaze.~ The artist’s default canvas is A3 with 300dpi~ The artist will not draw material that is illegal or hateful/discriminatory.~ The artist will not draw pornography or fetish art. Suggestive material or romantic interactions between all types of sexuality and gender are acceptable provided it is not (18+) material.~ The artist will not draw copyrighted material unless the copyright holder has given explicit permission to do so. The artist will also not draw stolen characters or material.~ The artist is willing to draw gore, violence or politically charged material (such as material for animal welfare and human rights) as long as the artist agrees with the nature of the image.~ The artist will not accept any client work associated with NFTs or AI image generation.~ The artist retains all rights to turn down a commission for any reason.~ Issues for the artist - such as family matters, disability and illness - will always take precedence over a commission. If a commission is going to be delayed for any reason, the client will be informed firstly and the artist may cover a small reduction in price.~ The artist’s working hours are from 9am to 8pm Mondays to Fridays. The artist will not communicate or work during weekends, holidays or any time before and after 9am-8pm. If the client desires work to be completed within these times, overtime charges will be added.
6 - Retention of Images and Files.
~ The artist stores all finished work on an external hard drive. This isn’t a guarantee that the work can be recovered if the client loses the image.
7 - Prints.
~ The artist currently does not own a suitable printer for prints. The client is therefore responsible for all printing. The client is sent a full-resolution version of the image in order to produce the print. This will change in the future.
8 - Final Notice.
All articles of this Terms of Service are applicable unless specifically outlined within the final written agreement between Client and Artist.
By contacting the artist for work the client is hereby confirming that they have read and understand and agree to the terms expressed above.
Contact the artist at [email protected] if you have any questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you currently available for commissions or freelance work?
I am usually available for work unless I state otherwise. It is best to either check my social media accounts or to keep an eye out for an email from me if you are subscribed to my mailing list to view my availability.Feel free to sent me a message either by email at [email protected] if you are unsure.Please be aware that I may not be able to get back to you immediately due to my schedule. Please also check my prices and terms and conditions to make sure I am the right artist for you.
What are your prices and terms and conditions?
I have placed a link to prices, terms and conditions at the top of this page. Click on it to view them. Please do not ask me for free work or art trades as I need to prioritise my job.
Where did you learn your skills? Please could you teach me/critique my work?
I have taken multiple routes in getting to where I am today. I took two art GSCEs (Art Graphics and Fine Art), two art A-levels, (Art Graphics and Fine Art), a Foundation Diploma in Art and Design, a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Animation and a Master's level Degree in Creative Technology. In the meantime, I have also picked up my skills from a variety of different online artists and courses, including "Istebrak", "Schoolism", "The Society of Visual Storytelling", "Volen CK - Pursuing Mastery", "Marco Bucci", "Proko", "The Structure of Man" and "Adam Duff LUCIDPIXUL"Sadly, I cannot do one-on-one tutoring, nor do I plan to make tutorials. Part of this is down to the fact that there are already so many art teaching resources out there. I also do not do critiques of other people's work. I may be an artist, but unfortunately I lack the communication skills to be a teacher of art.
Please could you review my art/portfolio?
I'm afraid that I do not have the expertise to review entire portfolios or to critique the work of others. Again, I can only point to other people who are better at critique than I am.
Would you like to collaborate on a project?
I am happy to collaborate on a project as long as there is the promise of paid work. "Exposure" and "Royalties" do not count as viable methods of payment, nor do NFTs. There are no exceptions to this. Even if you are a large company or a charity, I cannot except unpaid work of any kind. I will also not work with MCNs or Networks.
Can I use your work for noncommercial purposes?
Yes, but with major exceptions.1. You may use my work for personal study, including referencing lighting, poses etc. for the sake of learning. Please be aware that my work does have mistakes and you will pick up my mistakes if you study my work.2. All of my commissions are not available for noncommercial use outside of study. These do not belong to me so you are not allowed to use these.3. All personal work - especially that within the "Flowerpunk" universe - falls under a CC BY-NC licence. To break that down a bit - "This license allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format for noncommercial purposes only, and only so long as attribution is given to the creator. Credit must be given to the creator. Only noncommercial uses of the work are permitted." You may therefore take any characters or creature designs from this IP and create derivatives of any kind so long as they are noncommercial and for noncommercial use. All designs relating to the Flowerpunk IP and other personal work will immediately transfer to the public domain upon my death and will be free for all use.4. All works created for use in activism (including Love the Dogs) fall under the same licence with the exception of charity/activism groups who may wish to use the work for fundraising. In which place, please contact me immediately so we may discuss the details of this.Under no circumstances may my work be used to train AI datasets, nor is anyone allowed to mimic my work using AI. I do not consent to my work being used for any AI training and all of my work is Glazed.
Can I use your work for commercial purposes?
Under no circumstances are you permitted to use any commissioned work of mine for commercial use.If you intend to use my personal/activism work for commercial purposes, you must contact me first so that we can discuss a licence. Under no circumstances are you permitted to use my work commercially without my explicit consent.
What programs/equipment do you use?
~ Adobe Photoshop (For Digital Paintings).~ Quicktime (For Screen Recording).~ Da Vinci Resolve (For video editing and animation compilations).~ ToonBoom Harmony (For Animating).~ Zbrush (For 3D modelling).~ Apple Macbook.~ Wacom Cintiq 13HD.~ Blue Yeti microphone (For voice recording).
Where can I buy prints of your work?
My prints are currently unavailable as I need to re-stock my Redbubble.
Do you sell NFTs? Would you like to collaborate on NFTs?
No. Absolutely not.I have no intention of ever minting my work as an NFT, nor will I collaborate with someone who would like to mint my NFTs.Please contact me immediately if you see my work being minted because it is not me doing it.
Why don't you like NFTs or AI?
NFTs are a pyramid scheme that does nothing to meaningfully help the art community, they are most effective for money laundering if anything. A good number of my friends have had their art stolen and minted on Opensea and it is devastating to see. NFTs have a hefty environmental cost, plus they use up scarce resources needed to create video game consoles and computer hardware.They create false scarcity for something that can be infinitely replicated - that being a digital image.AI is an extremely insidious tool that steals the work of artists in order to train their datasets. Again, myself and many other artists have had our work scraped. AI, like NFTs, is extremely damaging to the environment. AI is currently being used as a cheap way to push artists out of work so that people with too much money can make just that little bit more.Contrary to what people say, AI is ableist. Disabled artists already have a hard enough time getting work as it is and our voices are often drowned out. AI does not give disabled people a voice, it instead uses us as a convenient tool to justify itself while further harming us.
What media/people inspire your work?
A lot has influenced my work over the years. I do not hide my influences because all art is derivative, after all. We create through absorbing as much of the outside world as we can.Anyway, here is a quick breakdown of a few of my influences and inspirations:People:Kev Crossley. David Bunting. Salvador Dali. Kagaya. Max Magnus Norman. Therese Larsson. Aaron Blaise. Marco Bucci. Wayne Barlowe. Chris Riddell. RJ Palmer. Brian Froud.Films and TV.Studio Ghibli films (most notably Princess Mononoke). The films of Satoshi Kon. The films of Ralph Bakshi. Ben 10. Watership Down. Barefoot Gen. Mary and Max. Scavengers Reign. The Dark Crystal.Games.Shadow of the Colossus. Okami. Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee. Spyro. Inside. Machinarium. Rayman (1,3 and Legends). God of War series. Little Nightmares. Ori and the Blind Forest. Resident Evil 4.Comics.V for Vendetta. Covenant (webcomic). Melvina's therapy (webcomic).
How did you find your style?
That's a bit of a tricky question to answer. The lazy answer is the same as every other artist, I explored a lot of different artists over the years and took inspiration. I also took inspiration from the world around me.The thing is that I have quite a versatile style that changes from project to project.My cute creature drawings are bold with strong shadows and caricatured proportions since they are intended for children.Last Chance has no colour besides red and uses dogs and humans with very realistic proportions. This is to hammer home the bleak and severe tone of the film.Flowerpunk uses a lot of organic shape language in its machinery to express how the world is merely a pale imitation of nature. There is a lot of geometry such as spirals (since spirals show up a lot in nature, such as in whirlpools and galaxies), and Celtic knots (to express the concept of "infinity"). It uses bright colour to express the queerness and strangeness of the world with harsh shadows to express its darkness. There are cute creatures juxtaposed with horrific ones. "Duality" and "contradiction" are major themes in the story and the style reflects that.Young artists often see style as a way to "brand" yourself and will therefore often chase a style. But style is not a brand, it its a tool to enhance your work like any other tool.
What has been the most difficult part of being an artist?
Being disabled and having to navigate a world not built with disabled people in mind.Constantly coming up against systemic barriers and having completely unreasonable expectations put on me as a disabled individual has led to repeated episodes of burnout and fatigue. I could go on for a very long time about this, but about 90% of my issues relating to art are down to a socio-economic system that does little to properly support artists or disabled individuals and is actively making our lives worse with each passing day.This is why - once again - I propose it is time to move to a socio-economic system that places human need (including our creative needs) over profit and GDP.
How do you manage art block and burnout?
For me, art block has never really been much of an issue. If anything, I generally tend to have too many ideas and I become paralysed trying to think of a way to get all of my ideas down at once.Burnout, on the other hand, is something I deal with very regularly. There are only two things that work in this case, proper rest and self care (which I realise can be very difficult in our hectic world) and re-invigorating my inspiration. Proper rest means completely coming away from social media, ensuring that I have a regular sleep schedule and also practising mindfulness exercises. Mindfulness doesn't necessarily mean meditation, (which I can't do), but working hard to avoid negative thought patterns, as well as taking time to myself to properly process emotions. I don't hide my emotions by trying to put on a happy face, but I also don't wallow in negative emotions because I know anxiety and depression are liars. Learning how your brain works and taking notice of your thought patterns is essential to understanding how to properly look after yourself.I have also realised that a lot of social media sites are designed to keep your attention with constant rage-bait, which is why I primarily use Bluesky. Thanks to its incredible moderation tools, my feed is generally very positive and up-lifting. Doom-scrolling will zap your motivation like nothing else.Reinvigorating inspiration usually involves trying to find new media or try something new, even if I am bad at it. I quite often go down various media rabbit holes to try and find stuff that is interesting, new and weird. Getting out of a rut means finding the right circuit-breaker, and this advice also works for art block in other artists I've seen.Your mentality towards art is also a big part of this. If you become paralysed with fear of "not being good enough", that can kill your creativity. I do not tie my self worth in with my art or judge myself too much. I have learnt that sometimes, drawing badly can be fun and I sometimes even do "bad" drawings on purpose.