Nikkolas Smith earned a Master of Architecture degree from Hampton University. After working as a Walt Disney imagineer for 11 years, he is now making art fulltime.

He is the author/illustrator of the children’s picture books The Golden Girls of Rio (nominated for an NAACP Image Award) and My Hair Is Poofy And That’s Okay. The latest children’s book he has illustrated, World Cup Women, features the World Champion US Women’s National Soccer Team.

He also creates activist artwork and Hollywood movie posters (such as the acclaimed posters for Black Panther). In 2016 he was named a White House Innovators of Color fellow. As an artist of color, Nikkolas is committed to creating art that can spark important conversations in today’s world and inspire meaningful change. Many of his sketches are included in his latest book Sunday Sketch: The Art of Nikkolas, a collection of more than 100 sketches he has done in the last five years.

Nikkolas also speaks at conferences  and schools all over the country, leading workshops in digital painting and in character and movie poster design.

You can see more of his art on his website and Instagram feed.