Bored Panda reached out to Alessia again to learn more about her creative process and herself. We were curious to know how she came up with the idea to create pet portraits in Disney style. The artist shared that it all started when she and her sister adopted Sherlock, their dog. "I never had drawn pets before, as I mainly focused on people and fantasy characters. I gave it a shot, I tried to draw him in Disney style since it looked 'simple' for a beginner, and I shared the result on Reddit. People loved it and they immediately asked me if I could draw their pets too (paid, of course). That’s how everything started."

According to Alessia, like in every drawing that’s based on something or someone existing in real life, the most challenging part is to get their likeness right. "Some pets are more difficult than others, but after discussing the initial sketch with my customers, we always get together to the final result and they’re always happy with it. Another challenge is about the backgrounds, but after years of practice, I can say I’m pretty satisfied with how they turn out!"

The artist shared that she enjoys seeing the reaction of her customers when they get their drawing, "especially when the pet I’ve drawn has passed away. I’m glad I can bring these people joy and tears (positively, I mean). It’s a sort of responsibility, you know? And it’s always an honor for me to get these opportunities. There’s a lot of love, passion, and commitment behind every single drawing I work on."

The artist revealed that some months ago, she started a project on her very own! "It’s a coloring book for children featuring some pets I’ve drawn for my clients. It’s available on Amazon worldwide, and half of the income will be donated to pet shelters in need all over the world. I’m already planning to release a second volume with more pets before the end of the year." You can find the coloring book here.

Unfortunately, Alessia Ciullo, like many artists, has observed a decline in orders and commissions as AI-generated artworks gain popularity. While artificial intelligence can produce impressive images, it fails in capturing the depth of emotion, personal connection, and artistic interpretation that only human artists can convey. According to Ciullo, AI can never take the place of a real artist. "You’ll never get the same results, care, and love that a real person can give you. So please, support the small business!"