Keys and Strokes is a creative works studio featuring the collaborative and individual talents of two artists – Aithan and Ian – who came together to form the studio out of their shared passion for creating art in its many forms.

Some of the studio’s projects include illustrated novel collaborations (The Boy Who Loved a Dragon is the most current collaborative project in the works – stay tuned!); creative written works (short fiction, novel-length), traditional lineart illustrations, and graphic and for-web design from Aithan; and traditional and digital illustrations, 2D animated works, and small hand-built clay works from Ian.

Ian is an animator and visual storyteller who can’t stop drawing. In one image or several frames, his passion is bringing life to characters and lifting them off the page. When he isn’t animating the antics of toothy critters or designing dragons, he is trying to collect every odd creature he can find. Follow Ian’s creative process on his personal portfolio website and blog HERE.

His go-to tools are paper, pencil, and a Wacom tablet, and his pencil mileage is measured per quart of coffee.

Web monkey, writer, traditional pencil-and-paper illustrator, and graphic designer, Aithan is a jack-of-many-trades whose primary passion is composing creative works where art tells stories and stories illustrate art. Follow Aithan’s creative process on his personal portfolio website and blog HERE.

His go-to tools are Notepad, Microsoft Word, Macromedia Fireworks, paper and pencil, and the occasional Photoshop. Good music, good food, fresh-brewed coffee and/or tea, and Fuzzy’s company don’t hurt the creative process, either.