Artist Feature: PigeonPolly

I discovered PigeonPolly’s cheerful art via my favorite place on Reddit, r/ArtistTradingCards. I was immediately delighted with her playful illustrations (especially the pigeons!), and the beautiful watercolor textures she uses.

Welcome, Alina! Tell us a bit about the artist behind the art.

I’d say I’m a mix of curiosity and nostalgia. I like noticing small details — the things others might overlook — and turning them into stories or illustrations. My approach to life is similar to my creative process: I try to see beauty in everyday things, take my time, and find meaning in the little moments. I believe that even the smallest idea can grow into a whole world if you treat it with care. I also try to approach people with understanding. It’s important to me to learn something new every day and to keep seeking a deeper understanding of the world.

What inspired your moniker, “PigeonPolly”?

One day, I thought it would be fun to create a mascot, a character that looks like me, so I could share different situations through my illustrations.

I was watching the TV series Brooklyn-Nine-Nine at the time, and my husband noticed the funny name of the pigeon — a police officer named Polly from the show. That’s how Polly the pigeon came to be.

How long have you been creating?

I started drawing in 2019, at a time when I was looking for something that could help me feel grounded. I chose drawing, though I was sure it required a special talent and that I wouldn’t be able to learn. Then I picked Mark Kistler’s book called, “ You Can Draw in 30 Days.” I laughed at the title and accepted the challenge. Since then, I’ve been drawing constantly. I guess it’s the first time a slogan didn’t lie.

Jenivieve: OMG, you just unlocked a memory for me. I was super inspired by Mark Kistler’s “Drawing in 3-D” when I was in high school. We share a source of inspiration!

How long have you been creating ACEOs, specifically?

I started making them just about a year ago. I wanted to create something fun and smaller than a full painting. I’m also into postcrossing, and that’s how I discovered artist trading cards in the first place.

What supplies do you use to create your ATCs?

I create my cards using watercolor paper, waterproof ink, and watercolor paints. My favorite paper is Daler Rowney’s 200g Fine Grain Heavyweight, and my go-to watercolor set is Mijello Mission Gold. The ink I use is Calli. As for the pen, it’s a very old one, given to me by my class teacher when I was in fifth grade. Nothing fancy, but it still works perfectly.

I love that your main pen is one from someone who inspired you so many years ago. I still use a couple of pencils and pens like that, many of which belonged to my dear dad. It feels like I’m carrying forward a little piece of something that gave him delight, and now it gives me happiness, too. 😇

A little snapshot of PigeonPolly’s favorite watercolor tools.

What is it about ATCs that gives you that awesome jolt of dopamine?

I love that question; there’s rarely anyone I can tell this to who would really get it.

What gives me the biggest dopamine rush is the moment of inventing new cards and sketching them in pencil.

Once I had an anxious day, and I spent the whole evening just drawing new ideas. By the end of the night, I had over twenty. I also really enjoy creating the lore behind each card and wrapping it all together as a tiny world. I enjoy it so much in fact, that you can even check out the holiday calendar that exists in PigeonPolly’s world!

Is there anything you wish your audience better understood about your art?

The question I get most often is: “What do those numbers mean?”

My ACEOs can actually be used in a game, but that’s totally optional. They’re meant first and foremost as collectible art pieces and a way to support the artist. But if you enjoy calculations and a bit of complexity, then you’ll definitely have fun with them. At first everything might seem confusing — and you’re right, it is confusing. And honestly, that’s exactly what I love about it. Oh, and you can’t choose your card; they come to you randomly. There’s always a bit of surprise and magic in not knowing which one you’ll get.

Jenivieve: The game is such a fun twist on the ATC format. Do you have a guide to your game, that explains the rules?

Yes, I do! You can find it here: https://www.pigeonpolly.com/aceos/rules

Do you ever trade your ATCs?

At the moment I don’t trade my cards, though I’d really love to. It’s just that my current financial situation doesn’t make it easy. Have you seen international postage rates lately? They’re wild!

But honestly, I adore the idea of art trading: It feels like a mix between friendship, storytelling, and a tiny treasure hunt.

I hope I can join that side of the community someday.

What are you learning in life, currently?

Right now I’m working on a coloring book and I just published my first detective story on Amazon, so lately I’ve been learning how to navigate that whole platform. But in general, I’m always trying to learn something new and experiment with different techniques. Recently, I took a graphic design course on Coursera by CALARTS, and it turned out to be so much more than traditional design. It really helped me grow as an artist, and I’d love to take another course there soon.

What are some of your artistic influences and inspirations?

I can’t even list them all — in today’s world we consume so much visual information that a lot of it stays in our minds without us even realizing it. But here are the first names that come to mind:

• Felix Scheinberger, author and sketching artist: His work just blows my mind. I keep rereading his books, I think I’ve read them at least seven times.
• Mattias Adolfsson, illustrator: Absolutely brilliant at what he does.
• Becky Cao, sketchbook artist and YouTuber: She inspires me and gives me the courage to draw outside.
• Dimitris Pantazis, illustrator and character designer: Have you seen his characters? They’re just mind-blowing.
• UglyInk, comic book artist: If I were learning to draw now, I’d probably choose his style.

001 | Pigeon Polly Coffee Lover

Polly adores coffee. When there’s coffee around, her sleepiness level drops but, of course, anxiety goes up. Oops. Turns out Polly is lactose intolerant, but somehow she still drinks cappuccino. How could I not share the very first card I ever made?

As you’ve probably guessed, Polly the pigeon is a reflection of myself and the symbol of my brand as a whole.

T27 | One Chance Pizza

This card (shown while in progress, below) is a slice of pizza you can only eat once because it’s topped with fly agaric mushrooms. A bit eerie? Maybe. It was part of my Halloween 2025 collection.

T20 | Torchmallow

I really love how this one turned out. In the game, this hot, sticky marshmallow can glue two characters together, and then you can use it to your advantage or to disarm another player.

T-4 | Vegan Jelly

This wobbly masterpiece is the crown jewel of experimental vegan cuisine. It restores a whopping 10 HP, but only to those skilled enough to actually prepare it (Cooking Level 4 is required). Some say there’s a stapler inside, others think it’s just licorice. Either way, it jiggles with confidence and ✨probably✨ won’t kill you.

(Occupies 2 slots. Do not microwave.)

Yes, I’m a fan of The Office. You got me.

017 | Dr. Dripsson

I’m afraid of spiders but I really, really love coffee.

Overall, I could probably make peace with the existence of spiders if they were polite and made me coffee.

Dr. Dripsson is officially hired.

Thank you so much, PigeonPolly!

The playfulness baked into your art — from the style, to the subject, to the actual game and lore — is just so cute and delightful! I’m glad we got to chat. You are a cool, unique person putting joy into the world with your art, and I sincerely look forward to seeing what new cards you create next!

Follow PigeonPolly’s creativity:

Instagram • Ko-Fi • TikTok • PigeonPolly.com

And if you’d like to see more amazing ACEO and ATC artists like PigeonPolly, don’t forget to subscribe!

Originally published at https://jenivievedesign.substack.com.