Create with Pride: 15 Joyous Projects by the Domestika Community

To mark another inspiring Pride Month, we’ve collected together stunning artworks by the Domestika community across painting, photography, and more

Art is a powerful tool for communicating important topics in a visual, emotive way, but it’s also an avenue for pure self-expression and freedom. That’s probably why every year we see so much amazing work emerge for Pride Month, as artists explore gender and sexual liberation through photography, video, painting, illustration, and more.

As we approach the end of June, we’re excited to share this inspiring list of fifteen artworks created recently by our wonderful community of Domestika students and teachers, both for Pride month itself and to generally celebrate LGBTQ+ communities. Get ready for out-and-proud joy, quiet moments of love, and every color of the rainbow…

1. “Guise” Drag Photography by David Ayllon (@davidayllon)

David Ayllon’s work has been featured on the cover of Communication Arts, as well as within Huffington Post, OUT Magazine, and Playboy Magazine. He's also worked with huge names in the drag community such as Bob the Drag Queen, Trixie Mattel, and Sasha Velour, and teaches a portrait photography course at Domestika.

This project, titled “Guise”, was originally a photography exhibition in 2018 in New York, but the photo of Bob the Drag Queen shown below has reappeared in 2022 as a T-shirt design for Target’s Pride clothing collection. Sharing the news on Instagram, David shared that this was a “full circle moment” from his early career to now.

2. Watercolor Painting by Arthur Broad (@arthurmbroad)

Arthur Broad is a visual artist who teaches watercolor portrait-painting here at Domestika. His work juxtaposes the ideas of beauty and devastation. He has participated in over twenty gallery showings, including the Grand Rapids Art Prize, and has curated several exhibitions in locations throughout the USA.

He shared this watercolor piece on his Instagram, explaining it was inspired by a recent new acquaintance who had worked hard over many years to embrace himself and “call himself a queen”.

3. "Pure Pride" by Nicole Newman Carrillo (@nicole_newman_carrillo)

Domestika student Nicole produced this embroidery hoop design combined with watercolor, showing solidarity and love through interweaving hands.

4. "Artistic Self Portrait Photography: Pride Month" by Lucas Waidelich (@lucaswaidelich)

Student Lucas Waidelich submitted this amazing course project for Cristina Otero’s course, Artistic Self-Portrait Photography. He shares his entire process in detail, from initial sketch to final photo.

5. "Create Your World": Commission for DeviantArt by Jonas Jödicke (@jojoesart)

This commissioned illustration for Pride Month is by Jonas Jödicke a.k.a. jojoesart, a digital fantasy artist from Germany. He has worked with clients such as Adobe and Walmart, and has built an impressive social media following around his art.

6. "Pride" by Caio Yo (@caioyo)

Caio Yo is a Brazilian illustrator and comic artist who has illustrated textbooks, children's books, and advertising pieces, all characterized by influences rooted in manga, printmaking, and classical illustration. Caio teaches the course Illustration with Markers.

This illustration project combines markers and digital painting techniques.

7. Illustration by Sara Tomate (@saratomate)

Sara Sarmiento, better known as Sara Tomate, began illustrating full-time after working for several years in advertising agencies. She has worked for clients like Penguin Random House, The New York Times, and El Colombiano newspaper, and teaches vector pattern illustration at Domestika.

She shared this super-cute illustration on Instagram last year, but we couldn’t resist sharing it for its psychedelic use of flowers and rainbows.

8. Artwork by Daniel Torrent (@danielitorrent)

Dani Torrent, who teaches expressive illustration at Domestika, works in the field of children’s and young adult literature as an artist and writer.

He shared this simple, tender moment of a couple sleeping next to each other on Instagram. With bold, bright colors blended through the skin tones, the work has a punchy and vibrant feeling even though the moment appears quiet.

9. "Juno Birch for Gay Times" by Eivind Hansen (@eivindhansen)

Inspired by the beauty of the Northern Lights, Norwegian photographer Eivind Hansen uses unconventional lighting techniques to create striking photography, with clients like Adobe Photoshop and the United Nations. He also teaches lighting for studio photography at Domestika.

Eivind shared this photoshoot of English drag queen Juno Birch for Gay Times magazine in the Domestika community, demonstrating his fun use of color and props.

10. Illustration by craftyfarmgirl (@craftyfarmgirl)

After taking a Domestika course on hand-drawn typographic portraits by teacher Sarah King, this student created a typographic artwork that expresses issues she cares about, with a focus on Pride.

11. Magazine cover by Catalina Vásquez (@kathiuska)

Illustrator and animator Catalina Vásquez (better known as Kathiuska) has collaborated with clients such as Snapchat, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, and Amnesty International. She also teaches frame-by-frame animation at Domestika.

On her Instagram she shared this colorful image with the following caption: “Very excited about this cover illustration I did for the 32nd edition of @internazionalekids magazine, honoring love and diversity”.

12. "Pride!" by Bett Norris (@bettnorris)

Bett Noris is a freelance illustrator and teaches illustration with Procreate at Domestika, with a client list including Airbnb, Waitrose, Avon, and more.

Bett shared this illustration in the Domestika community, explaining, “I made this piece to celebrate LGBTQIA pride month 2022—the inspiration was the different people I've seen in Queer spaces and at the pride festival in my hometown of Bristol.”

13. Pride Mural by Barantza (@arantzazuiturbe)

A Domestika student shared this mural created for their client, Ayuntamiento de Urnieta, where colorful triangles sprawl over a set of steps, bringing vibrance to a neighborhood.

14. Illustration by Dogs Don't Byte (@dogsdontbyte)

Inspired by the skills they learned in a kawaii illustration course by Ilaria Ranauro, this student shared their adorable digital illustration of a dog with the iconic rainbow flag.

15. "Have a nice Pride!" by Gianluca Manna (@nerobear1)

Finally, this cheery illustration was shared by a student for Pride day in Rome, with the uplifting message: “So be proud, be funny, be outrageous, be loud and have fun!”

Get inspired by more queer art with these resources

1. Discover these ten LGBTQ+ artists to follow on Instagram in 2022.

2. Last year we asked the Domestika community to illustrate their Pride icons: here are the results!

3. Learn the origins of different LGBTQ+ symbols in this explainer.