Photograph of illustrator, Sarah Doan, standing in front of art supply store smiling

HOWDY
My name Sarah, I am a Vietnamese-American author, illustrator. My art is inspired by awkward encounters, childhood memories, food, and the celebration of cultures. I love creating art that makes you smile and have a bit of heart to them. Community, identity, and cultural heritage are important themes in my art.In my free time, I love to read sci-fi books, play guitar, and competitive boardgames. I live in Austin, Texas with my partner who inspires many of the smiley faces in my work. (⑅˘͈ ᵕ ˘͈ )


CONTACT
Represented by James McGowan at
BookEnds Literary Agency

Photograph of illustrator, Sarah Doan, standing in front of art supply store smiling

✉️ [email protected]


BOOKS
2024 Nari's New Friend
2024 Thinking Outside the Coop, book design
2023 Gracie Goes Golfing


AWARDS
2024 SCBWI Texas Portfolio Honorable Mention
2024 SCBWI Texas Carmen Oliver On-the-Verge
2023 SCBWI Austin Creators of Diverse Worlds
2023 SCBWI Austin Emerging Voice Illustrator Mentorship


EXHIBITS
2025 Upcoming exhibit, Bouldin Creek Cafe, Austin, TX
2024 Kintsugi, Studio Kura, Itoshima, Japan
2024 Storytelling, BookPeople, Austin, TX
2024 Have You Eaten Yet?, Twin Oaks Library, Austin, TX


RESOURCES
Procreate tips I put together
Publishing 101 BookEnds Literary podcast
SCBWI Children's book org


SHOP MY ART
Art Prints and stickers
Low Gravity Prints Climbing merch
Wholesale on FAIRE

Photograph of illustrator, Sarah Doan, standing in front of art supply store smiling

I recorded a practice video ↑


YOUTUBEHow to Draw a Cartoon Face by Genevieve's Design Studio
Follow along tutorial, great tips + techniquesProcreate Beginner's Series by Procreate
Beginner guide playlistFormat files for Print for Children's Books by Genevieve's Design Studio
All in ProcreateProcreate 20 Top Tips
Tip: "Pressure Curve" which reduces the amount of pen pressure you need to applyProcreate for Kids by Lisa Bardot
For someone completely new to digital art

FAQHow do you setup your file for picture books?
300 DPI. Generic CMYK
This video is helpful for figuring out margins & bleeds (skip to 13:48 for calculations)Where can I download FREE brushes & paper textures?
Gumroad - select "Drawing & Painting" > popular tags select "procreate brushes" > "Maximum price" enter 0.
OR use search bar + filter "Maximum price" of 0
ProcreateFolio - Use search bar (e.g. "Free ink brush" or "Free watercolor paper texture")I have a shaky hand. Can I still use Procreate?
Yes! Motion Filtering (designed for hand tremors & accessibility) to stabilize brush strokes
Here how you can set it upWhat template do you use for your storyboard?
I made a template here
Using Procreate I drew a rectangle and duplicated until I had enough pages.


DOMESITKACreating Characters for Children's Stories with Procreate by Jimena S. Sarquiz
Solid foundation for Procreate, picture book illustrations, and storytelling.Online Portfolio for Children's Book Illustrator by Marissa Valdez
Last part of the course is in Procreate. She breaks things down and explains it in a simple way!

MISC
Color Palette CinemaSwatches of all default brushes from ProcreateRealistic digital watercolor brushesHow to Import brushesSave One PDF file from Procreate



CONTACT
Reach out if you have any questions
[email protected]

Photograph of illustrator, Sarah Doan, standing in front of art supply store smiling

ART CLASSES
Hi! My name is Sarah and I teach art in Austin. I'm a children's book illustrator and love helping others express their individual creativity. Follow me on Instagram for updates @lilacdoodzUPCOMING CLASSES
Sat, May 10, 2025 | 1-3pm
Exploring Culture Through Food:
Art Workshop for AANHPI Heritage Month
Create a cute food illustration of a dish you ate growing up. Explore identity, culture, and connection through this free community event. Register on Eventbrite


BOOKINGS / CONTACT
Questions or suggestions? I'd be happy to hear from you! [email protected]


PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS
Procreate Demystified

MORE WORKSHOPS (dates TBD)✨ DnD Character Creation Introduce kids to Dungeons and Dragons by having them illustrate character along with their character stats.✨ Cute Clay Snacks For adults and kids. Make adorable magnets with polymer clay inspired by your favorite childhood snacks.✨ Cottage Core Hair Clip Charm Making That was a mouthful. For adults and teens. Handmade hair clip charms inspired by nature.✨ Felt Sew Critters For adults. Make little forest fauna using felt. Finish them off with a bit of filling.✨ Felt Sew Cat For adults and teens. Sew an adorable cat with a carrying pouch using felt!✨ Felt Sew Fantasy Bookmarks For Adults and teens. Turn fantasy characters into a string felt bookmark.

✨ Negative Watercolor Painting For adults. Paint starting in the front and working your way back using layering techniques and negative space.✨ Farmers Market Tote Bag Painting For addults. Paint totes inspired by produce, flowers, and more.✨ Pressed Flower Lanterns For adults. Decorate tea light candle holders using real flowers.✨ Shower Steamers For adults and teens. Make a variety of essential oil infused shower steamers.✨ Checkered Beaded Hair Clips For adults and teens. Customize clips with a small beaded design.✨ Clay Trinket Trays For adults and teens. Make trays to hold jewelry, keys, or anything small.✨ Polymer Clay Fruit Magnets For adults. Mold clay into fruit shapes with faces for fun fridge magnets.