So gather your crayons, fire up your tablet, and start creating. The world is ready for your vision of Riley Reid—and your next piece could be your best one yet.
Jamie R. Stone, a T-shirt artist operating under the handle Punksthetic Art, puts it simply: “It’s OK to be inspired by your favourite movies and borrow certain elements to create your own visual style. But start with the basics of making art first.” This advice rings especially true for crayon fanart, where the simplicity of the medium demands strong foundational skills in proportion, shading, and composition.
Fans voting on these pieces aren't looking for photorealism. They are looking for vibes . And crayons deliver the warm, kindergarten-core nostalgia that digital brushes simply cannot replicate. riley reid crayon fanart better
It encourages community participation, where the focus is on the fun of creation rather than the pressure of perfection. Conclusion: "Better" as a Subjective Metric
Software like Procreate, ArtRage, Adobe Photoshop, and Clip Studio Paint all offer brushes that simulate crayon textures. ArtRage, in particular, is known for its realistic traditional-media emulation and can be used across various drawing applications. Many tutorials are also available for Procreate, walking you through “how to draw a portrait in Procreate from scratch” using textured brushes. So gather your crayons, fire up your tablet,
“You could start from simple approaches, like use gradients and shades to mimic surrounding environments. Floor level is darker, mid is lighter and sky is even more light.”
: To avoid the "scribbled" look of the original, stroke your crayons in one uniform direction to create a smoother texture. Layering and Blending Stone, a T-shirt artist operating under the handle
Consider the difference:
Whether you view it as a genuine piece of folk art or just another weird corner of the web, there is no denying that for a certain segment of the internet, the crayon version is—and always will be—.
Create a quick pre-sketch to explore composition, lighting, and color choices. As one professional artist explains: “I always find it easier to create an illustration if I have a general reference that I can use as a guide. This is why I enjoy creating a quick thumbnail sketch, with which I can explore the composition, colours and lighting of a piece.”
Beyond the screen, Reid has built a robust social media following where fans engage with her personality. This parasocial connection transforms her from a two-dimensional subject into someone viewers feel they “know,” making fanart a way for admirers to express their appreciation for her public persona and aesthetic. For artists, this means creating crayon fanart isn’t merely technical reproduction—it’s an act of fandom, a personal homage, and a form of visual interpretation.