Shellshock: Chapter 1
Written by Lisa Mitrokhin
colors by Katherine Dattilo
Artist, Illustrator & Florist
Katherine Dattilo
Drawing and painting have been part of my life since childhood. These days that means fantastic realism, portraits, ocean creatures, and anything that lets me get lost in watercolor or a good digital brush.
My own coloring book
Bloomin, Volume One: Oceans
Every page began as one of my hand-drawn originals: grinning manatees, a whole reef of coral, sea turtles, jellyfish, and more, each rendered into detailed line art ready for color. Bloomin is an advanced coloring book, drawn for colorists who enjoy intricate work and a quiet evening with good pencils. If you pick up one piece of mine, let it be this one.
Floral design
Floristry
Floristry holds a special place in my working life, and professional floral work remains some of the work I've loved most. There's something about standing at the counter with a customer, hearing what the day calls for, and putting together the right arrangement face to face that studio work alone never quite offers.
Now that we're getting settled into our new city, my hope is to return to floral work here. The craft puts both my hands and my eye for color to use in the same afternoon, and nothing would please me more than bringing a smile to the faces of my new neighbors in Lansing, Michigan, one arrangement at a time.
About me
My preferred tools are mechanical drafting pencils, ink, watercolor, and oil pencils, and I absolutely adore digital painting. Along the way my work has grown to include comic book coloring, cover illustration, freelance illustration and graphic design, and a science-fantasy book series created with my husband. Learning new things and pushing past my comfort zone is a constant, happy quest.
The Nemia Rising series is a collaboration with my husband, Joseph Dattilo: worldbuilding and the visual side of a story about two dragons and a past that doesn't stay buried. Read about it at nemiarising.com, or see all of Joseph's books at josephdattilo.com/books.
We're in the middle of settling into a new city, and my hope is to be more active here once we're settled in. Thank you for your patience in the meantime.
What I work in
- Watercolor
- Ink
- Drafting pencil
- Oil pencil
- Digital painting
- Comic coloring
- Portraiture
- Fantastic realism
Comic work
Comics are some of my favorite collaborative work. For Lisa Mitrokhin's graphic novel series, Shellshock, my role was colorist across both chapters, and they remain two of the pieces I'm proudest of.
Shellshock: Chapter 2
Written by Lisa Mitrokhin
colors by Katherine Dattilo
More coming soon
More is on the way as we get settled in: a proper gallery of my work, my resume and CV, photos from past floral work, and a few favorite fine art and illustration pieces. Check back soon.
- Gallery
- Resume / CV
- Floral work photos
- Favorite fine art & illustrations
My art practice
Art commissions
Alongside everything else, a small number of art commissions are always welcome: portraits (people and pets), logos and identity work, illustrations, emote sets and streamer branding, and book or album covers. It's a side practice, not a studio, and only what time allows.
- Portraits
- Logo & identity
- Illustration
- Emote sets
- Stream overlays
- Book & album covers
If you have an idea, I'd love to hear about it. The contact section below explains how to reach us.
Commissions, licensing & business
My husband, Joseph Dattilo, handles licensing and business inquiries (commissions, wholesale, all of it) so I can keep my focus on the art. Reach out to him and he will take good care of you.