The Artist’s Process: An Interview with ADG Collaborating Artist Kenneth Crane
"Kenneth Crane is a humble genius. His eye for color and composition rival the skill of the masters of the 20th Century. That’s because Kenneth sees the world as an artist and a photographer, paying attention to the way sunlight kisses rocks, trees, water, and wildlife. His mastery of the color palette, and his skill at drawing just enough detail to convey meaning, yet leaving out everything that is unnecessary—his subtlety, sensitivity, and sophistication—all come together in each of his wonderful creations, singing praise to the Almighty with every stroke."
Those are the words of Joel Anderson, Founder and Creative Director of Anderson Design Group. Indeed, Kenneth Crane is an exceptionally talented artist and a brilliant visual storyteller. By using a dry-brush digital sketching technique, Ken creates beautifully emotive illustrations in a loose, chalky, hand-rendered style. Joel discovered Ken’s artwork some years ago, and the two hiking and nature enthusiasts quickly became friends and collaborators. The result of the collaboration can be found in a dedicated national parks series featuring all 63 Parks. That collection also includes other travel-related images in Ken’s signature style. And the collaboration continues!
As a Colorado native, Ken’s excursions into the surrounding scenic parks continue to fuel his imagination for art and his love for the American landscape. Recently, we had the pleasure of sitting down with Ken. Ken has collaborated with Anderson Design Group since 2019, so an interview with the legend was long overdue. We asked Ken about his path to art, what inspires him, how he leverages creativity in a constantly changing world, and what advice he has for aspiring artists.
Ken’s Bio and Background
An up-and-coming designer and illustrator based in Colorado, Ken uses a bold, clean style to capture beauty and draw intrigue. With a background in impressionism and degrees in both Graphic Design and Illustration, his work is strongly influenced by minimalist shapes of light and color. Working with nationwide clients such as Compassion International and The Christian and Missionary Alliance, Ken’s work is widely circulated, earning awards and recognition.
A Chat with Ken
ADG: First, can you tell us a little about your background as an artist? What got you into art? What inspired you to be an artist? What drives you to make art?
Ken: I was encouraged a lot by my parents. I have loved art from a young age, and my parents and family have always supported me. I went to a small charter school where I had opportunities to learn and practice artistic expression, and I took art lessons outside of school, too. I was always quite motivated to make art. In college, I double-majored in graphic design and illustration. Graphic design is the day job. Illustration is the passion work.
ADG: How did you come to collaborate with ADG?
Ken: That’s a really funny story. I had a co-worker who was planning a baby shower and needed some help with the design for the shower. They wanted the baby shower to be national park-themed. I designed a Rocky Mountain National Park illustration for them.
I loved making it, so I just started making art of the parks. I posted my designs on Instagram, and I maybe did ten or so, but I had no plans to do all 63. However, the art was popular, and I knew Anderson Design Group were the pros at national park art, so I reached out to ADG to pitch a collaboration. Within an hour, Joel got back in touch with me! A lot of dominoes just lined up from there on out. ADG is the gold standard of what I was going for, national parks-wise, so you can imagine my excitement when Joel answered my query and wanted to collaborate!
ADG: Can you estimate how many national park illustrations you’ve created for ADG?
Ken: I’ve made about 90-100 designs, but it’s an ongoing process. Every time I finish one design, I find inspiration to create another one, and Joel helps guide the process as Creative Director. We’ll easily reach 100 designs by the end of the year!
ADG: What’s your favorite national park piece you’ve made for ADG?
Ken: The Everglades poster is my favorite. It captures the essence of the park and puts forth a powerful feeling about the park. I also think it’s just a great composition overall, as it checks so many boxes for what I’m looking for when I’m making art of national parks: composition, color, drama, mood, etc. It’s all there.
ADG: Who are some of your artistic influences?
Ken: Kai Carpenter inspired me regarding the national parks. A few professors in college also helped me figure out my style. N.C. Wyeth is another big one. Wyeth's artwork tells such a powerful story.
ADG: How would you describe your creative process? How do you go from an idea to a finished piece of art?
Ken: Everyone in college tells you there's a certain process to making art, and that's fine, but I've sort of found that artists arrive at their own process as a result of simply making art. For example, I make art differently from how it was taught to me in school. I do visual research online or through my photography.
For example, I took the above photo at Joshua Tree National Park.
A lot of my work is about percolating and mulching on a design idea. I won’t start a project until I have a good idea of what I want. I work on it once I have that idea.
I did a few different sketches (above) to explore some possible compositions inspired by the photo.
I do an initial sketch, then I draw over the top of my initial sketch to get the art. Like Michelangelo, you have ONE piece of marble, and then you go at it until you get it the way you want. The trick is first to cultivate the mindset of what I want in my head and THEN start making the art.
Then I did a rough test illustration (above).
Then I did the final illustration (above).
After Joel approved the final artwork (above), I added the type and logos so ADG could add this poster to their collection of national park poster art and prints.
It helps to physically see the places where I’m creating art, as that helps me craft what I want before I start creating.
ADG: What advice do you have for aspiring artists?
Ken: The biggest help (and push) to me as an artist is always finding an idea I'm passionate about, passionate enough to commit myself to it. That always helps me identify my style, and it helps hone my skills. Plus, repetition and deadlines are key for artists. It also helps to create parameters around the creativity. Work on honing the style and skill. For example, the parks are diverse but unified in the shared elements they all display (wild nature spaces). That helps me experiment. It helps to find big projects with similarities, one composition to the next, and it keeps you accountable for learning and repeating the process. Having to provide new art and get the art out there forces out your bad ideas and draws in your good ideas. These concepts may sound simple, but they’ve really helped me a lot over the years.
ADG: Those are some great ideas. Any big projects in the works? Any final words?
Ken: Currently I'm on a quest to visit all of the 63 American National Parks! It's been quite the journey thus far, and I've become so inspired with loads of new design and illustration ideas. Also, I'm eternally humbled for the opportunity to work with ADG. It's been the high point of my career thus far.
Kenneth Crane is usually the one behind the camera when exploring the national parks, but we got a glimpse of Kenneth enjoying the view in a 360° panorama of Isle Royale National Park from the top of the Ojibwe Fire Tower, one of the highest points on the island. See below!
ADG: Thanks so much for the insight and background, Ken! We deeply appreciate working with you! One final question, where can folks find you and follow your work?
Ken: My portfolio website is a great place to start, but I'm also pretty active on Instagram, which is where you can see my newest illustrations and a running timeline of my national park art.
A Big Project in the Works!
Before we finished our interview with Ken, he said, "We're actually working on a pretty exciting book project right now, and we'll have more details coming soon!" The project Ken was referring to is a visually stunning, collaborative work of all of Ken's illustrations of the national parks, plus literally hundreds of spot illustrations and on-location photos, accompanied by helpful and inspiring text about the national parks.
This project has been in the works for 16 months and has involved countless hours of research, photography, illustration, writing, and collaboration between Ken, creative director/designer Joel Anderson, and staff writer Ren Brabenec.
We can only provide a sneak peak right now, but the book will be a new 192-page illustrated coffee table book called Wilderness & Wonder—An Artist's Guide To The National Parks.
That project will be finished, produced, and made available for sale to the public in the fall of 2024 (just in time for the holidays!), so be sure to sign up on our email list for updates! (Just hit the sign up button at the bottom of any website page).
In Closing
The future is bright for Kenneth Crane and Anderson Design Group. It’s national park art today with over 90 original illustrations and counting, but who knows what the next project may bring tomorrow? As with so many things artistic, the sky's the limit.
We’ll just have to see where the ever-winding paths of art and ideas take Ken, Joel, and the ADG team.
Stay tuned.
-Ren Brabenec
Anderson Design Group Staff Writer
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