Ryan Nelsen is an illustrator whose vibrant, mixed-media creations bring a playful, whimsical energy to life. His journey with art began with a Magna Doodle and a three-year-old’s drawing of Thomas the Tank Engine. Today, Ryan combines traditional and digital techniques to create textured, imaginative pieces, starting many of his works with freeform scribbles, paper cuts, and layered collages.
His work has received accolades from the Society of Illustrators, 3×3 Magazine, The HUG, and Communication Arts. A member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, Ryan aims to inspire audiences to reconnect with their inner child.
Ryan is currently a Visual Designer at Scholastic in New York City and is represented by the Bright Agency for his writing and illustration of picture books. He holds a BFA in Illustration from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY.
When not drawing, Ryan enjoys tennis, playing the drums, and rooting for the Yankees.
