I created this illustration for a job application for the Emily the Strange company.
I didn’t get the job, oh well. I started with a photo of myself, painstakingly tracing the lines and contours of the image, simplifying and stylizing where desired (e.g. the eyelashes). I added the type later but I think it works fine either with or without.
Emily the Strange sells comics, artwork, clothing and a Young Adult novel series based on the theme of a young girl (13) with four black cats: Mystery, Miles, NeeChee, and Sabbath. There’s also a robust fan base and wiki. From the site:
Emily continues to be a voice for individualism and self-awareness, and her appeal is especially strong among alternative-minded young women and girls who identify with her signature singularity.