Let’s Start Turning Ideas Into Art!
For all inquiries (excluding Poland), please contact my amazing agent, AJ,
– she’s the best at getting things done!
aj@astound.us
You can also use the “Enquiring to purchase/commission” link at the bottom of my portfolio page here.
For Poland-based clients, feel free to reach out to me directly:
agnieszkawajdaillustrations@gmail.com
PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT - THE CAVE AWE
Techniques used Digital
Date 2025
Agent / Agency Alice Jin Zhang | Astound.us
Illustrator Agnieszka Wajda
This past year, I embarked on an exciting portfolio development journey with my agent, AJ. It was a transformative experience that pushed my creative boundaries and refined my skills. The goal was to create a piece that blends classic storytelling with my love for all things Halloween. What started as a playful sketch evolved into a polished, publisher-ready illustration, and the entire journey is captured in the slides below!
It all began in October – my favorite month, naturally- with a sketch of a boy and his dog exploring a spooky cave. My initial vision was whimsical and stylized: big-eyed bats, a grinning pup, and sharp geometric shadows. I was proud of it. My Agent AJ? Not so much.
Her feedback was blunt but necessary: “Publishers aren’t looking for cartoonish. They want awe, depth, and storytelling. Refine the boy – make him feel the wonder of nature.”  But she was right. My stylized approach, while fun, wasn’t aligning with the high-end publishing market she was pushing me toward.
So, I went back to the drawing board.
I’d made some progress. The boy was smaller, the cave loomed larger, and the dog now cowered instead of wagging his tail. But I was still holding onto stylization, she said. “Loosen up. Let it feel organic, not geometric.”
AJ pushed me to soften everything – more layers, more depth, more realism. I widened the shot even further, making the boy just 30% of the frame. The cave became the star, and the dog’s skepticism  added emotional tension. I zoomed out and reworked the layers to create a sense of depth and scale.
The bats? They got a full redesign. Gone were the cartoonish, big-eyed creatures, AJ wanted realistic, anatomically accurate bats, and honestly? They looked way better!
The piece was almost there, but AJ pushed me to refine the details. She also reminded me to keep the boy’s expression subtle and awe-filled, not overly dramatic.
The final version was a far cry from my original sketch. The boy and his dog were tiny figures against the cave’s vastness, the bats were natural and haunting​​​​​​​.
 
 
 
This piece wasn’t just about Halloween or showcasing my skills -it was a reminder of how much I can learn when I stay open to feedback and trust the process. It’s not always easy to let go of what feels familiar, but every step of this journey taught me something new.
Looking back, I’m grateful for AJ’s guidance and the chance to push my work in directions I wouldn’t have explored on my own. It’s all about growing!
And I couldn’t help but finish my cartoonish first version as well! Because why not? After all, creativity has no limits!