Artist of the Month - @redhalftone

What happens when creative burnout meets unshakable passion? You get Red Halftone — the alter ego of an artist who turned frustration into fuel and built an entire visual universe from it.

Born in 2015 out of a need for creative freedom, Red Halftone’s work blends pop art, propaganda, tattoo culture, and street art into bold, message-driven illustrations that hit you right between the eyes. From stickers and merch to murals and tarot decks, every piece is rooted in expression and connection — made to make you feel something.

We caught up with Red Halftone to talk about the slow burn of artistic growth, the magic of seeing digital work come to life through print, and how stickers became a signature part of her creative journey. Spoiler: she’s got some extraterrestrial inspiration and a holographic tarot deck in the works.

StickerApp: Hi Lisa, congrats on being the StickerApp Artist of the Month for November! Please: Tell us about you, who is Red Halftone!

Lisa: Thank you! Red Halftone is my alter ego, born out of creative burnout. In 2015, I was feeling a huge lack of fulfillment from the projects I was working on. In my free time, outside of client work, I began drawing for myself as a form of self-expression. I also wanted to make physical pieces like merch because there’s something special about seeing your work come to life off the screen. Stickers were one of the first things I made. My biggest dream is to make art that resonates with people.

StickerApp: Awesome! When and how did your creative journey begin?

Lisa: My creative journey began as a kid, drawing for fun. I would draw my favorite characters and spend all day on a piece. Luckily, my parents and peers noticed my keenness to draw and always encouraged me. In those early days, drawing was always a form of self-expression or something just for fun. I later went on to art school, where I studied graphic design and learned more about the art of communication and concept.

StickerApp: Was there a pivotal moment in your career that changed everything?

Lisa: So far, no. My life as an artist so far hasn’t been film material. There hasn’t been a defining moment where something has happened that changed my course significantly. My career so far has been a series of small steps with turns that are sometimes great choices and other times have me lost in the woods, walking in circles until I find the path again.

StickerApp: That's amazing! What drives you as an artist, and what are your biggest inspirations?

Lisa: I get a lot of satisfaction out of the process of making things. I think that’s why I’m still doing it. For me, there is a lot of catharsis in getting a thought or idea out of my head and into a visual or physical form. It allows me to let go of it, but also leaves me with a representation of the thought, unlike a fleeting memory. I’m inspired by what happens in my lifetime, whether it’s personal or worldly events. Some high, some low, some light-hearted, some heavy. We can’t always control what happens, but we can control how we react, and my art is my reaction.

StickerApp: How would you define your style, and what are your favorite techniques?

Lisa: Pop Art Propaganda! My favorite technique is rooted in how all of my work, digital or physical, begins — vector drawing with the pen tool. I create bold illustrations anchored by typographic messages. With a background in graphic design, I’ve always been drawn to the enduring impact of image and headline, a format that grabs attention and speaks directly. My work draws inspiration from the strategy and dissemination of propaganda, the tools of graphic design, and the aesthetics of tattoo culture, pop art, and street art.

StickerApp: Cool! Please tell us about the design of your November Thank You card: What was your inspiration?

Lisa: I tend to draw at night, and over the summer, I rewatched all of the seasons of The X-Files, so I had little green men on the brain. Generally speaking, I’m a fan of the dark, spooky, and strange things. I hadn’t used the Pixie Dust sticker material at StickerApp in a while, but it always reminds me of space, so UFOs and aliens felt right!

StickerApp: We've been lucky enough to have you as a sticker bestie for a while now. You've tried most of our materials and products: Which project has been the most rewarding and stimulating?

Lisa: The feeling is mutual! The candle label package design project we recently did was a favorite of mine. I loved it because it was a different use case for stickers, at least for me. We were able to turn something typically flat into a dimensional product that felt special. Using stickers in unconventional or unexpected ways is something I plan to continue exploring.

StickerApp: Wow, love that! What are your goals for the future?

Lisa: A near-future goal I have is to finish the Tarot card deck I’m designing (I’m about halfway finished!). I’ve been very into making physical pieces and products that people can interact with. I could definitely envision some of these card designs looking really magical as a holographic sticker, *wink-wink!

StickerApp: Noted! Any exciting, upcoming project, trade show, or happening in the future?

Lisa: Yes! I have a mural in Brooklyn planned for next spring, which I'm very much looking forward to. I’ll also continue to share art from my Tarot card deck as it develops, so stay tuned for that!

Thank you so much for chatting with us, Lisa! To keep up with @redhalftone, head over to her Instagram: @redhalftone.