Colouring

Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Súa Agapé: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Sua Agape Artwork 2
Súa Agapé is another fantastic instagram find for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, creating cosmic illustrations inspired by a love of cacti and imaginary worlds. Read on to find out more about this Guatemalan artist.

Sua-Agape-potrait
How did your parents inspire you as a child?
I remember when I was a child I always saw my dad drawing. He always had me next to him with his rapidographs, ink, pencils and rulers. I still own some of his art tools; it’s like a childhood memory for me. My mother is an Industrial Fashion Designer and also a Visual Art Teacher, so I grew up watching both of them doing a lot of designs, drawings and projects. They gave me their art supplies and tools to play with and I really enjoyed interacting with their everyday tools. I remember I used to paint all the walls of the house, creating sketches with different materials, because my parents invited me to create even as a small child.

Sua Agape Artwork 9
How does your country inspire your work?
Guatemala is a multicultural and multi-ethnic country with many languages and Mayan heritage, so you can take inspiration from every place; and I often get inspired by the colours and patterns of the traditional costumes of each ethnic group. It’s great to have a beautiful country with such amazing wildlife and fauna to explore on new adventures!

Sua Agape Artwork 6
Where did you study and how did you move into illustration more recently?
I studied Graphic Design at the University of San Carlos of Guatemala and Digital Creativity at Digital Invaders in Mexico. These careers complement my passion for illustration and they helped me to develop my skills as an illustrator. A few months ago I decided to start working on my own as a designer and freelance illustrator and it’s awesome. For now I’m working on some new projects to develop my illustrations for designs on textiles prints for shoes, t-shirts and bags. I really love working on interesting new projects or collaborations so feel free to contact me.

Sua Agape Artwork 8
How easy is it to get good work in Guatemala and how have you found work abroad?
Every year in Guatemala the number of designers in competition for work is increasing as in all growing cities. But if you’re a good designer or illustrator with a good portfolio then you’ll find work easily. I find work abroad through posting my artworks online and submissions, etc. Internet and social media facilitates the work life!

Sua Agape Artwork 5
Can you tell us more about your various exhibitions around the world?
Last year I had the opportunity to participate in the ‘Dibuja Guatemala’ project for the Guatemalan Cultural Center of Spain. All the artists worked on a traveling sketchbook, drawing and capturing the Guatemalan streetlife and the sketchbooks than travelled to Spain and were exhibited in a gallery. I also had the opportunity to participate in the Glug Birmingham & Inkygoodness Poster exhibition. They called for illustrators to participate on a poster design competition so I participated, and although my poster design didn’t win all the finalists ere featured in the event exhibition, so I was very excited and happy to have my poster in London! This year I’m participating in the Sketchbook Project, so one of my sketchbooks is traveling around the United States in a Mobile Library. I love this project because I can share with other people my inspiration at a specific time, stored in the sketchbook.

Sua Agape Artwork 7
When did you first become interested in the Cosmos?
If I were not an illustrator I would love to be an astronaut. But I much prefer to draw and be an illustrator. So I will be an astronaut in another life. In the meantime, I will draw the entire universe. :)

Sua Agape Artwork 1
Why is purple your favourite colour?
It’s been my favorite colour since I was a child. All my things were purple; it’s a colour that makes me feel at peace and in another world because it’s so magical and mysterious at the same time. I love to see how purple can mix with other colours.

Amelias-Magazine-by-Sua-Agape-web
What inspired your colouring book artwork?
The mystery of other worlds. I love imagining what might happen in another dimension, universe or time. What happens when you take part in your own dreams? I hope people who see these pages will feel like an astronaut traveling to another fantastic world. It’s an invitation to see and stay in my cosmic world.

Sua Agape Artwork 4
What kind of products and images do you like to embroider and screen print?
All kind of textile products like t-shirts, bags, patches, pillows, shoes and maybe some jewellery. But I still want to print on paper too. I’m really excited about working on my new project and learning a lot of textile printing techniques.

How are you building your own brand and what does it encompass?
Before anything else I will focus on design and illustration for textiles but I’ll always be working as an illustrator for different projects. More surprises are coming soon!

Find Súa Agapé and many other artists featured in my upcoming Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, funding on Kickstarter very soon!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday October 16th, 2015 8:47 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Dibuja Guatemala, ,Digital Invaders, ,Glug Birmingham, ,Guatemala, ,Guatemalan Cultural Center of Spain, ,inkygoodness, ,interview, ,Sketchbook Project, ,Sua Agape, ,University of San Carlos of Guatemala

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Suzanne Carpenter: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Suzanne Carpenter is a hugely busy illustrator and designer who I have admired on instagram for some time, so I am so glad she found time to submit work for my upcoming Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, creating a beautiful image inspired by her ongoing love of fish, and her daydreams of turning into a mermaid.

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
How did you first discover Amelia’s Magazine?
My daughter Holly first introduced me to Amelia’s Magazine when she was an art student and I’ve been a fan ever since. I’m married a to a designer and we’re more than a bit proud to have produced two new designers.Both based in London; Holly specialises in eyewear and Joe does a combination of graphic design and window vinyl. They roll their eyes if I say too much about them as they hate me being boastful. If only it was allowed I’d tell you that they’re both extremely beautiful and very, very talented. If you’re following me on instagram you’ll likely see news of them and their work cropping up from time to time. We often visit exhibitions together or share links to inspiration but they’re both a bit bemused by my enthusiasm for social media.

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
I believe you began your career as a graphic designer, how did you make the move into illustration?
I trained as a graphic designer but I always had a niggling need to make pictures. Not long after I graduated a friend and I jointly won a Welsh Arts Council competition to illustrate a poetry book and Staedtler employed me to travel around the country drawing with their new range of brush markers. From then on I had regular illustration work but being a butterfly brain I mixed it up with a dollop of teaching, a dabble of writing, a pinch of cushion plumping and staggering amount of staring out of the window.

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Why did you settle on the name Illustrator Eye for your brand?
@illustrator_eye seemed like a fitting tag – my life is like an intense game of I Spy – constantly attracted and distracted by patterns around me. My illustrator’s eye effects my every move, from making pictures, prints and patterns to rummaging around in charity shops.

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Why did you choose to draw fish for my colouring book?
I have a thing for fish. Not fin flapping, live, swishing fish but paper, wood and fabric fish. Fishes painted on dishes and things. Mid Century ceramic fish filled with abstract pattern provide oceans of decoration inspiration. Our lives, like the tides, are dependent on patterns and so I chose to impose my compulsion for pattern on flamboyant, fancy fish going with flow and teeny tiny fish that swim against the tide. Like us, all so different and yet the same.

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Who or what inspired the mermaid?
When I’ve sat too long, run too far or stayed up too late, I visualise myself as a mermaid being towed along through tropical water by beautiful fish. Amazing how it helps the tensions wash away. It’s one of my more relaxing daydreams!

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
You are ridiculously busy, how do you manage all your different projects and stay sane?
I’m not always this busy but the small amount of sanity I’ve retained can probably be put down to a good dose of pavement pounding. Running is a good antidote to work and keeps me from becoming a moody old witch (most of the time). I did Cardiff Half Marathon earlier this month and swore it would be my last but to be honest I’m already thinking about next years. Leaving the car behind and cycling around the city has it’s blissful moment too – weaving in and out of Cardiff’s parks watching the seasons change pumps a bit more oxygen into the brain!

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
What is your involvement with Stills?
Stills is a branding and design company set up by my husband Chris and a partner. I’m a director and over the years I’ve been involved in lots of different projects from illustrating to creative writing and social media support for some of our clients. It’s based in a lovely old coach house on the edge of Bute Park but we’ve also set up a small studio at home and next year will be spending much of our time focusing on our own patterned dreams. You’ll soon be able to find us at @patternistas

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
How did you get involved with Uncle Goose wooden blocks?
Once upon a time on Instagram I posted a paisley pattern that I’d designed. I literally jumped for joy when Pete Bultman at Uncle Goose got in touch to say he’d love to put it on his handmade wooden blocks! That one is still in the pipeline but in the meantime I worked with him on their Hindi language blocks and their Swahili block set which has just been launched. They do a great job of screen printing the designs and are a dream client!

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Can you tell us more about the Shed Project?
The Shed Project is the amazingly dedicated and beautifully bonkers mission of Lee John Phillips to draw every item in his late grandfather’s shed. He estimates it will take around 5 years of intensive work as he has to draw in excess of 100,000 items. His story has captured imaginations right across the world and his following is growing by the minute. We initially became friends through instagram when it became apparent that not only were we from the same Welsh Valley but we both had a thing for fish! I’m over the moon that he’s suggested that we collaborate on some images for prints. His tools and bolts and my plant patterns (or planterns as he’s named them). We’re going to do some vector and some line images and we may even put them on coffee pots.

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
I believe you are working on a big Christmas campaign for a shopping centre in the USA, what kind of work are you creating for them?
It’s all ginger bread, santa houses, snowflakes and sparkles in my world at the moment. I’m working on the Christmas campaign for The Grove and Americana at Brand in LA. The commission came from them seeing my work on Illustration Mundo. They were looking for a very graphic, patterned, vector style and so I happily my work fitted the bill. I’ve got a great long list of images to get done by the end of Oct so I think I’ll be hanging a few baubles from my ears and getting the Christmas albums out to keep me going.

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
What else are you working on at present?
I’ve just finished a mural in the garden of a local organic cafe – I’d love to do more of that. Through my agents Artist Partners I’ve recently illustrated the cover and sample pages for a book about the wildlife of the rainforest. I’ve just had news that it went down well at Frankfurt Book Fair and so fingers crossed that more of my days will be spent growing leaf patterns and putting legs on insects! Along with Chris I’m working on a series of videos for Interface (sustainability champions and the worlds largest manufacturer of contract carpet tiles) – they’ll be used to help train their sales team. I’ll be doing the scripting and storyboarding and Chris will be videoing my live drawing. I’ve done a couple of prints for the 5th anniversary exhibition of Sho, my favourite local gallery. I’m doing a few days as a visiting lecturer at Cardiff Metropolitan Uni this month – helping run a collage/layout project with a lovely group of 1st yr graphic students. I’m developing some ideas for a pattern book which I hope to present to publishers as soon as I can find some extra hours in the day to finish visualising them. I’ve taken part in ‘Out Fox’ a 3D paper project by Proyecto Ensamble who are based in Chile. They supply the fox head template and 13 illustrators from across the world have designed a pattern to feature on them. The set are just launching – see them on instagram @ensamble

Suzanne Carpenter Illustator Eye
Where can people find you online?
You can find me on instagram at @illustrator_eye, on twitter at @illustrator_eye, on etsy here, at Stills and at Artist Partners.

Find Suzanne Carpenter and many other talented artists in my upcoming Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, available soon on Kickstarter, the perfect alternative colouring book to gift this Christmas.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday October 21st, 2015 11:31 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,@illustrator_eye, ,@patternistas, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,americana, ,Artist Partners, ,Brand, ,Cardiff Half Marathon, ,Cardiff Metropolitan Uni, ,Colorado State University, ,Coloring, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,fish, ,Frankfurt Book Fair, ,I Spy, ,illustration, ,Illustration Mundo, ,Illustrator Eye, ,Interface, ,interview, ,Kickstarter, ,Lee John Phillips, ,Mermaid, ,Mid Century, ,Out Fox, ,Proyecto Ensamble, ,Shed Project, ,Sho, ,Staedtler, ,Stills, ,Suzanne Carpenter, ,The Grove, ,Uncle Goose, ,Welsh Arts Council

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Jenny Tang: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Jenny Tang The Jaguar
Jenny Tang contributes a vibrant image to Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, featuring loads of excitable dogs chasing some sausages, I love it! Jenny is a recent graduate of Bucks New Uni with a degree in Graphic Arts and would one day like to get into publishing and editorial.

Jenny Tang The Jaguar
Why did you decide to enter an image for the colouring book and what inspired your choice of subject matter?
Well, a while back I had seen the Kickstarter campaign for your 10th anniversary magazine, That Which We Do Not Understand. I was really intrigued by the brief and thought it was a great project (I’m also inexplicably drawn to anything printed with gold). Unfortunately I was a little late to it so I was unable to get involved, however since then I popped in now and again and was delighted to see another interesting open brief; I couldn’t resist! The rest as they say, is history.

I thought about what current colouring books offered and most were of intricate patterns or detailed flora, which were good and all but not really my cup of tea. I love engaging people with characters or stories, so I wanted to create something that a person could use a starting point for their own narrative whilst they were colouring. What are each of the dog’s names? What are their personalities? Who is the pack leader? Will they ever outrun that butcher? I love the playful nature of dogs, which is an aspect I hope to convey in the image as well as encourage readers to be more like them!

Jenny tang dog spread
How did you set about creating your picture?
I always start with thumbnails to explore what ideas might work, one of the first ideas for the brief was lots of cats following a crazy cat lady. When I eventually settled on an idea I sketch it all out and use a light box to line everything. I find that doing line work on another sheet makes clearing up a lot easier as you don’t have to worry about getting rid of the pencil marks. I then scan it in and colour using Photoshop.

Jenny Tang The Interview
Why did you decide to combine studies in illustration and graphic arts and what is your favourite part in the process of creation?
Interesting question, I guess being able to know different skills outside of illustration can only ever be a good thing in my eyes. I originally wanted to be a ‘pure’ graphic designer but my heart never left illustration. I was lucky in that my university course openly encouraged exploring different disciplines and had many students with different ambitions, we had graphic designers, children’s book illustrators; even people that wanted to start their own clothing brand. In terms of graphic design, I loved doing layout, editorial and publishing; learning design for me was pushing what I could do with my illustrations and vice versa. Why just do an illustration when you can create and design your own illustrated publication? The skills were also pretty handy when I had to design my business cards and CV…

My favourite part of the process is sketching, you don’t have to worry much about ‘failing’, it’s the bit where if it ends of looking a bit rubbish you can just hide it away and everyone else is none the wiser. Colouring is starting to become a favourite too, it never used to be; I hated it but after practising and a lot of cajoling from my tutor I’ve gotten better at it and it’s quite satisfying seeing an image come to life.

Jenny Tang Interchange Cover
Can you tell us more about the inspiration behind your Interchange comic strip?
Sure, I was in a long-distance relationship for around 2 years with a charming man from Leeds. I was down South and since neither of us had a car the train was next best option. We saw each other on average 3 days per month, usually the weekend just before or after payday! Subsequently, I had a stack of train tickets which catalogued each time we saw each other and the other places we went to. (One of my favourite tickets is my 1st January ticket to London; we celebrated New Year’s Eve on a Thames boat cruise.) I’m a sucker for soppy stories and have always wanted to create a comic, so armed with a mapped out timeline and plenty of soppy fodder I set about creating Interchange. For those that may be wondering, we’re still happily together and he’s recently moved down!

jenny Tang Garden of Eden an Experimental Illustration
Why do you love rabbits so much?
Since my sister is allergic to cat and dog fur my parents compromised and got us rabbits instead. I’ve always had at least one throughout my childhood, with imaginative names like Blackie, Smudge and Patch. I loved them all to bits and to this day rabbits still incite such a strong dose of cute aggression not many animals can match. I think they’re under appreciated creatures when compared to cats and dogs, but I love the shapes they make and some of the mannerisms they have. For example when a rabbit expresses pure joy they run and jump erratically about, flicking their bodies; rabbit enthusiasts call them ‘binkies’ and it’s so unrestrained that they often land/crash into walls and furniture.

Jenny Tang Fluorescent Animal Posters
Where do you look for inspiration when you are most in need?
Strange as it may seem, most of the time it’s from reading newspaper articles or watching a documentary. Usually they involve something controversial but not always. The subject matter is always thought-provoking though and gets my mind thinking about the wider world and how I could portray it in a illustration. For example my jaguar illustration was inspired by a National Geographic article called ‘Path of the Jaguar‘ and a more recent documentary I was inspired by was about whether video games really do make people violent. If I get stuck on something more technical like perspectives or backgrounds I look to graphic novels. They are really good for top notch illustration, and they always have interesting compositions and layouts.

Jenny Tang Interchange Artwork
Jenny Tang Interchange Artwork 2
Can you describe the space where you work, what would we find there?
At the moment I’m a bit of an nomad illustrator, I don’t have a permanent studio yet and have to find some pretty, er, interesting places to work at. I’ve drawn on the bus, in bed, on an ironing board, a glass chopping board from that time I tried to make a makeshift light box (it didn’t work out) and occasionally a table when I sneak into the university studio despite graduating. There’s this awkward transitioning period after you graduate for illustrators; do you get a full-time job to be financially secure or do you just go for it and jump straight into freelance? Of course, unless you’re very lucky to already have clients under your belt before you leave university you have that catch 22 of a full-time job with more money but less time to draw or starting freelance with more time but less/no money. There’s this pressure from friends, family and yourself to get your career kick started and I must admit when I see fellow graduates seemingly move straight into the professional sphere I sweat about what I’m not doing. I guess that I’m still trying to figure things out in that department.

However, I am saving up for a studio space and already have optimistic dream of what will go in it. I would love to have a Risograph printer and a bunch of nice looking furniture (probably from Ikea) that will house my growing collection of graphic novels. You’ll probably also find lots of paper and work in progresses dotted around the place, a worn out drawing tablet, a dying succulent and a giant inflatable T-Rex.

Jenny Tang Spot the Difference Dinosaurs
Jenny tang Spot the Difference Dinosaurs 2
What kind of art do you hope to be making in the future?
At the moment I know I’ve still got a lot to learn and still have an open mind as what to do. However, eventually I would love to become a freelance illustrator or something that would combine both design and illustration together; like children’s publication or editorial. As long as I’m able to draw and design, I’ll know I’ll be a happy person.

Jenny Tang 100 Likes Promo Illustration
Jenny Tang is one of the contibutors to Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, available really really soon on Kickstarter.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday October 22nd, 2015 8:14 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Bucks New Uni, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,illustration, ,interview, ,Jenny Tang, ,Kickstarter, ,Path of the Jaguar, ,Risograph, ,That Which We Do Not Understand

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Johan Lindström: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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DudeLove_Lila
Swedish illustrator Johan Lindström is a multi-talented father of three who trained in animation but also draws, knits and sews. For Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion he was inspired by varied modes of transport to create a fantastical road full of people from all walks of life.

Johan Lindström
Johan Lindström
I believe you only came to illustration relatively recently – why only now and what were you doing beforehand?
I´ve always done creative things like drawing, painting, knitting and sewing, and when I was little I wanted to be a fine artist. But during art school I discovered computer graphics and wanted to learn more so I went to a 3D graphics program at the university and fell in love with animation. After graduation I worked as a character animator in the games industry for several years and when I one day found myself without a job I decided to start freelancing as an animator. Being a freelancer made my creativity explode and I started to draw and paint again for the first time in years and I realised that what I had really wanted when I was little wasn’t to be a fine artist but an illustrator!

Johan Lindström
Tourists_JohanLindström
How do you juggle your commitments to your family with being an illustrator?
I have always considered it a great advantage for me to have children in my life. I became a dad in my early twenties and that influenced me to become more structured than I was before and definitely more focused on what ever I take on. One of my biggest inspirations are my children, they remind me of what´s important in life and I try to spend as much time as I can with them and since I’m freelancing I now got the freedom to do that.

Malesport_JohanLindström
Man_JohanLindström
Who taught you to knit and is this a common thing in Sweden? what kind of things do you make?
Haha, no I don’t think it´s that common in Sweden to knit, not for guys at least. My mom taught me when I was in my teens, I just thought it was cool to be able to design my own winter clothes. Since it´s cold and snowy for six months a year here in the north, warm hats, gloves, and scarves are kind of a big deal.

Johan Lindström
What is it about the handmade touch and happy accidents that you think make a good outcome?
When I was younger I could spend hours and days on remaking my drawings and paintings, I was never satisfied with the result. It was a big turning point to realize that (for me) it´s the imperfection that tells the story and makes art interesting. I try to keep my work as handmade as possible, I love the happy accidents and wonky feeling of a not-so-perfect drawing. So I usually draw and paint everything by hand and scan it and then put it together digitally.

Astronauts_JohanLindström
I discovered your work on instagram and invited you to take part in this open brief, what is your favourite thing about using instagram?
I guess it´s for the same reason that I love illustration and animation – using images to tell stories. Instagram is a great place to meet new people around the world that share the same passions in life and it has become my number one source of daily inspiration.

FourBirds_JohanLindström
What kind of animated videos do you make?
I mainly do motion design and explainer videos for companies and advertising agencies. A long term goal is to start doing more personal work within animation too, and further integrating my illustration style in my animations.

Johan Lindström
Who do you design patterns for?
I hope to design patterns for companies to be used for fabrics and home decor in the future, but at the moment you can find my patterns at Spoonflower and Society6.

Men_JohanLindström
You have said that you like to explore the roles of gender in your illustrations, why is this important to you and how do you set about doing this in your personal work?
We live in a society that still wrestles with inequality, which is quite apparent in visual language where men and women are often portrayed differently. I try to break these stereotyped patterns in my illustrations to challenge the norm of genders. As a man it also feels relevant to challenge the idea of masculinity that I think can be harmful to both society and people in many ways, but also (the lack of) fatherhood in art is something that interests me a lot.

Emotions_JohanLindström
Why have you decided to portray men as reptiles and lizards in your series about the way men deal with their feelings?
Well I wanted to do illustrations about the absurd notion that men can’t express their feelings by nature or that we don’t have the same need for them as women do. I thought portraying us as lizard men with our lizard brains made the absurdity even more obvious.

DoubleSpread_JohanLindström
Who is featured in your artwork for my colouring book and where did you find your source material?
I love drawing real life people doing real life stuff and I think it´s funny how different ways people choose to get from one place to another, so I did an illustration where different people uses different ways of transport. My references and inspirations are a mishmash of my own photos, library book and the good old internet.

Mopeds_JohanLindström
Enjoy Johan Lindström‘s work and that of so many other talented artists in my upcoming colouring book Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, available soon from Kickstarter!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Friday October 2nd, 2015 8:49 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Fatherhood, ,Gender, ,illustrator, ,instagram, ,Johan Lindström, ,Kickstarter, ,Parenting, ,pattern, ,Society6, ,Spoonflower, ,surface design, ,Swedish

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Josh Patterson: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Josh_Patterson
Birmingham City University graduate Josh Patterson creates intense fantastical images in a distinctive colour palette that immediately caught my eye at New Designers this year. His artwork for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion was inspired by the super pretty Wilderness Festival, but will surely appeal to festival lovers anywhere. I am also super pleased to announce that Josh is creating the cover for my book… and it’s already looking absolutely fabulous.

Josh_Patterson
You’ve already done exceptionally well for a graduate, how did Birmingham City Uni set you up for your career?
BCU was a great place for me to go to. The course and facilities on campus were top notch; although, I almost wish I had made more use of them during my time there. As I’m sure with most creative courses, the tutors really push you to extend the boundaries of your creative thinking. But what I found really useful about BCU was their focus on preparing us for what the industry would be like. With talks from the AOI, agents and top illustrators, I think the majority of my year left with the necessary knowledge to do well in this competitive industry.

Josh_Patterson
What awards have you won?
I won two awards at the Lara Vis Com Awards ceremony this year. The first was called, ‘The Illustration Award’ and was sponsored by the AOI. I believe this was to go to the most promising new illustrator, so that was very encouraging! The prize for this was a 3-month internship with the AOI. But I’ll talk more about that a bit later. The second award was the ‘Illustration Using Print Award’ – which was sponsored by Nobrow. The prize for this one was a portfolio review with Sam Arthur, the Managing Director and Founder of Nobrow. This was a great opportunity to get some professional advise on my work, and being a huge fan of Nobrow myself, it was great to simply have a one on one chat with him.

Josh_Patterson
How have you found commissions for work to date?
The majority of my commissions at the moment have been from people/companies contacting me via email. Most of them having stumbled across my website or seen my stuff advertised on various social media sites. I’ve actually just been approached by an architectural company in Guatemala, Mexico – about potentially doing some illustrations for an up and coming project they’re working on. I guess that goes to show the power of the Internet and social media in today’s society! However, I do still send out samples to magazines and newspapers – that’s how I got the Computer Arts job.

Josh_Patterson
What inspires your style and colour palette?
Anything and everything really… I try to document the inspirational things I see, whether it’s a quick sketch or taking a photo. Usually the latter if I’m on the move! For example, I was on the train the other day and noticed the colours in the pattern on the floor so I whipped my phone out and started snapping away. I did get a few strange looks mind you… I try to keep up to date with what is current in the industry and see how I can interpret certain aesthetics or concepts in my own way. I’ve always enjoyed drawing people with small heads and elongated figures as I find this almost adds personality to the characters in my drawings yet, allows me to maintain a strange sense of anonymity throughout an illustration.

Josh_Patterson
How do you create your artworks?
I’ll sketch the roughs and scan them into Adobe Illustrator. Once the vector drawing is built up on a grayscale I’ll start to think about a colour scheme for the illustration. I like working in grayscale initially as this allows me to establish the correct tone and shading in an image. It also makes it easier when working with gradients too. After all this I superimpose the textures into the final coloured illustration.

Josh_Patterson
What kind of atmosphere best suits you when working?
At the moment I work in my studio from home. I’m pretty content working by myself as it allows me to get my head down without there being too many distractions. However, I think I’ll be looking to rent a studio space soon, preferably one that is shared with other creatives as I appreciate getting other peoples inputs on my works in progress. I really enjoy freelancing as I can work to my own schedule, which is a real privilege of the job. I also love the fact I get to listen to music all day, as this is another thing I’m immensely passionate about. But, it is probably one of my biggest distractions when trying to work. I find myself forever trawling through the deepest reaches of Spotify discovering new music and making new playlists.

Josh_Patterson
How did you come up with the idea for your colouring book illustration?
My submission was inspired by a recent trip to Wilderness Festival. I was so captivated by the atmosphere there that I was looking for any excuse to illustrate it, so this brief was perfect! I’ve made the illustrations slightly personal by highlighting particular events that my friends and I got up to while we were there… So there may be a few private jokes in there! In an attempt to capture a sense of the chaotic nightlife I’ve experimented with a slightly more vibrant colour palette to what I usually use. I’ve juxtaposed this chaos with the tranquil scenes of boats in the (hot-tub surrounded) lake and people doing yoga: in order to represent a genuine feel for the festival.

Josh_Patterson
What have you been doing at the AOI?
For the past three months as well as working on freelance projects, I’ve also been interning with the AOI and assisting the awards manager in curating the World Illustration Awards exhibition. This has been an amazing and invaluable experience for me – especially at this stage in my career. I’ve met some awesome people, made some great connections and learnt a lot about the industry during this time. They’ve helped me out massively when it comes to accepting commissions and pricing my work as well. I would highly recommend to any illustrator (new or experienced) to consider becoming a member as it will only make you more knowledgeable of the industry, thus making you much more professional as a creative.

Josh_Patterson
I hear you have a few other projects on the go, can you tell us more about them?
I’ve just finished a project for a company called RM2, who specialize in employee share schemes for private companies. They’re in the process of writing a book about their industry and asked me to illustrate the front cover – which unfortunately I can’t share with you as the book hasn’t been published yet! I also produced a series of 4 illustrations to accompany certain headings on their website. I pretty much had free reign when it came to thinking up the concepts behind this project. However, I was restricted with the colour scheme, as they wanted it to more or less match the colours of their logo. I sometimes enjoy working with colour restrictions as it encourages me to focus on other elements of an illustration and I’ll often produce an outcome with a much more interesting composition or perspective.

I’ve also just closed on a deal with a company called Bramwell Brown to produce a series of three different clock designs for them. I’m very excited to get started on this project, as I’ve not done any illustration to this kind of format before. The clocks are really cool as well; they have illustrations that rotate inside them, with a section that shows certain parts of the image relative to what the weather is like that day. They have various other themed ones as well but are interested in me creating a London styled one. And have, again, given me free reign on the concepts for the other two. So I’m very excited to get started on this one!

You can find the stunning work of Josh Patterson in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, available from Kickstarter soon.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday October 14th, 2015 10:32 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adobe Illustrator, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,AOI, ,Birmingham City University, ,Bramwell Brown, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Computer Arts, ,Illustration Using Print Award, ,interview, ,Josh Patterson, ,Kickstarter, ,Lara Vis Com Awards, ,Nobrow, ,RM2, ,The Illustration Award, ,Wilderness Festival, ,World Illustration Awards

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Laura Schofield: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Laura Schofield has contributed a wonderfully vibrant artwork inspired by a love of pattern and texture. The Arts University Bournemouth graduate talks about her love of microcellular biology, how to spread the concept of sustainability and possibilities for the future. Find her work in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion now.

Laura_Schofield_1
You clearly love to use colour, what inspired the colour palette for your double page spread in my book?
Colour palettes and complimenting combinations have always intrigued me. I take inspiration from a wide variety of objects but mostly from the colourful, unique items I have collected on my travels. I am also interested in the possibilities of mismatched arrangements and enjoy the elective feel they can bring to my work. For the colour palette in this piece, I was admiring the vibrancy in exotic fruits and also took inspiration from a patterned hair scrunchie I found on the little Greek island of Skiathos!

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Where did you find reference material to create your illustration?
If possible, I always try to find real-life references and like to keep my sketchbooks to hand from all the previous inspiring locations I have been lucky enough to visit so far. Therefore, for the plant shapes and textures in this particular piece, I used my visual research collected from Kew Gardens Greenhouse a few months back. And with regard to the monkeys and apes, I enjoyed another trip to my local zoo where I often spend hours enjoying their fascinating company.

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When did you first start drawing and when did you realise you wanted to make a career as an artist?
When I was young, my Dad always encouraged my drawing and took my brother and I to draw horses in the local fields near my hometown. We would also take many enjoyable trips to sketch the spectacular views of the South Devon countryside and coastline. Drawing and exploring nature became a passion of mine that I didn’t want to let go of and although I still have quite a few other academic interests, I decided pursuing Illustration would make me happiest and hopefully also bring such joy to others.

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I first found your work at the AUB graduation show this summer, what was the best thing about getting your work out there at the end of your course?
It was great to finish university off with a bang in July with The Observatory AUB graduation show. I was heavily involved with the organisation and coordination of this exhibition, which was a fantastic experience in itself. But, being from Bournemouth and managing to get our work up in London, for it to be seen by the creative eyes wandering about Brick Lane, was very exciting for all of us and has opened up many opportunities since.

Laura_Schofield_2
What inspired your beautiful installation at the show?
I am allured to the mystery and depth within the jungle environment and so I based my installation on the beautiful yet peculiar shapes and colours found within such exotic climates. Being interested in the potential of working with both 2D and 3D surfaces, I also explored the placement of my designs on textiles and ceramics and enjoyed a very positive reaction to these.

Laura_Schofield_9
Why are you so fascinated by microscopic cell biology?
As nature has always been the main inspiration for my work, of course Biology has always appealed to me; I love learning about how natural things work the way they do. Though, I am particularly intrigued by microscopic cell biology because of the intricate detail and complexity inside something almost unimaginably small. I also find the fact that while all living things are made up of cells, there is such immense diversity between each type of cell. And when observing them under the microscope, I find the patterns and textures they unintentionally create absolutely incredible.

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How do you incorporate or promote sustainability into your work?
Being passionate about sustainable and eco-friendly living, I see my overall role as an Illustrator to use my creativity to help influence people’s views and actions to make the world a more sustainable and harmonious place. Yet, as there seems to be a current abundance of fear-evoking campaigns, I try to counteract this by creating positive, colourful and energetic designs, in the hope to gain an optimistic and more productive outcome. Most recently, I have submitted designs to Paignton Zoo’s The Great Big Rhino Project, in conjunction with Wild in Art. I hope to gain the chance to promote rhino conservation with Save the Rhino International and give these critically endangered, beautiful but shy-natured creatures, a voice.

Laura_Schofield_8
Can you tell us more about your bespoke gift service L-E?
A fellow illustrator and myself created L-E in our second year at AUB as part of the Young Enterprise Start-up Scheme. It was a trial business, only lasting for the duration of a year but in that time we managed to set-up and run an illustrative gift service, hand-making products to order, such as personalised cushions, cards and mugs. I find the prospect of turning my illustrations into products that the public can purchase very exciting and it is something that I may likely pick up again in the future.

What are you drawing tribal masks for?
After visiting the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford earlier this year and researching into the backgrounds of their vast collection of indigenous folk art, I found such masks and artefacts highly inspirational. A lot of these fascinating and skilful creations have been delicately made in cultures with isolated environments; with natural surroundings being their predominant influence. I think this is something to be celebrated. I hope one day that I will get the opportunity to see the making of such art firsthand and am eager to learn even more about the purpose and uses of such exquisite items.

What do you hope to do with your designs in the future?
In the future, I would like to see my designs spread across a variety of different platforms. My work can be easily adaptable and applicable to a wide array of concepts and I see it fitting well within packaging and advertising design. Yet I am also eager to explore textiles and the many products this medium can produce. There are a lot of possibilities and I am very excited to have the opportunity to be flexible in the way I work. I can’t wait to see my designs in action!

What is your favourite way to relax after a hard day’s drawing?
Preferably I would be on a beach, overlooking the Ionian Sea and watching the sun go down, but I suppose a few drinks in good company will do!

Laura Schofield is featured in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion alongside 40 other artists, funding on Kickstarter. Get your copy now, it makes a perfect Christmas gift!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Monday November 9th, 2015 9:53 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Arts University Bournemouth, ,AUB, ,Brick Lane, ,Coloring, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Greenhouse, ,illustration, ,interview, ,Ionian Sea, ,Kew Gardens, ,Kickstarter, ,L-E, ,Laura Schofield, ,Pitt Rivers Museum, ,Save the Rhino International, ,Skiathos, ,South Devon, ,The Great Big Rhino Project, ,The Observatory, ,What do you hope to do with your designs in the future?, ,Wild in Art, ,Young Enterprise Start-up Scheme

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Lydia Coventry: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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LYDIA_COVENTRY_FOLK
Lydia Coventry contributes a super fun bird-filled image for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion. She tells us more about life as a designer at Macmillan Children’s books, and the colourful influence of Oilily.

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Why did you choose to study at Plymouth University and what was the best part of your course?
It’s a funny story actually, I had never visited Plymouth before applying – I knew it was by the sea and that was a bonus alone! I applied to a range of different universities and when I was called for an interview at Plymouth that was my time to explore. Not only did the Illustration course sound fantastic, Plymouth itself just felt . . . right. I think the best part was probably the skills, knowledge and confidence I developed there but also the people I met. I met my boyfriend and some of the best friends I’ve ever had there. To have like-minded people studying with you is just the best feeling!

LYDIA_COVENTRY_LOVE_
How did you get your job at Macmillan Children’s books and what is most enjoyable about your job?
I just finished my Illustration course, and my boyfriend had just started working at publishers Profile Books in London. So I had an extra month alone in our Plymouth flat before I would need to move out. I was constantly looking online for design jobs (well any job really!) and then I came across an amazing advert on The Bookseller for an Assistant Designer. I love absolutely everything about my job, I’ve learnt so much since I started and not just in terms of software but the actual production of a book. You never realise how much hard work and how many people are involved in the production, it has been such a fantastic experience. It’s also incredibly rewarding working with talented Illustrators, which has really helped me develop – every day I’m inspired.

LYDIA_COVENTRY_CATTERPILLAR_LYDIA_COVENTRY_CATTERPILLAR_
How have you been building up your portfolio in the past year?
It sounds silly but I’ve been trying to draw exactly what I want to draw and when I want to draw it. The nice thing about finishing University is the freedom. I was so used to working on a brief, researching and drawing constantly to meet a deadline – it felt a bit robotic and at times forced, I didn’t have time to develop my drawing skills as much as I wanted. When I finished I wanted to get control back and just doodle away without thinking which is exactly what I have been doing this year. My next step is to take my doodles and develop them into a project or final stand alone pieces, which I’m really looking forward to.

LYDIA_COVENTRY_THOR_
What is your favourite way to work?
I love being as free as I can when drawing. I don’t really think about anything else whilst doodling and I have found that approach to be the most effective. I love using collage and ink brush pens, I find that they really help with the looseness of my lines and colour. I also love using colouring pencils and wax crayons. I tend to work in layers then combine them in Photoshop, I think experimentation and playfulness is key, I love not knowing exactly what the end result will look like.

LYDIA_COVENTRY_OHHDEER
What was the brief for the recent Ohh Deer competition that you entered and what was the outcome?
Ohh Deer always have such fabulous competitions! Recently they were on the look out for designs which they could add to their greeting card collection. They were looking for something fresh but something that would also fit in with their cute and quirky brand. I remembered a little doodle I did while at Uni; it was something a bit soppy I did for my boyfriend and I thought it was something cute that other people could relate too, so I entered it! I was very lucky to win along with 9 others whose cards have been added to their collection.

LYDIA_COVENTRY_HOLIDAY_
Where and how did your love of colour and pattern begin?
My mum has played a huge part with my love for colour and pattern! From a young age I grew up with her love for the gorgeous Dutch brand – Oilily. She dressed myself and my siblings in it for years (until we got to the age when we wanted to just wear denim to her dismay). I have always been incredibly fond of their eye for detail, and their wacky colour combinations are so quirky and inspiring. I have been very lucky to inherit her love for the brand, which has really helped my confidence for using colour.

LYDIA_COVENTRY_COLOURINGPAGE_
What inspired your artwork for my colouring book?
I absolutely love colour, texture and character design so this was the perfect brief to fuse them together. This piece focuses on my love for nature depicting beautifully coloured birds of paradise allowing for the ‘colourer’ to explore any combination of colours they wish. Within this scene nothing needs to be an ordinary colour, not even the plantlife, as a rich diverse Jungle can offer a huge variety of colours!

LYDIA_COVENTRY_DINO_
What do you find most exciting about the prospect of your work appearing in the colouring book?
I’m really thrilled to be appearing in the colouring book. I am eager to see what colours/patterns people use when they colour in my page. I love not knowing what the end result will look like so that is something to really look forward too!

LYDIA_COVENTRY_LONDONMAP_
What do you do to unwind and does it ever influence your designs?
Oh it definitely influences my work! I love watching old movies and cartoons I grew up with like ‘The Secret Garden’, ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys’ and ‘Madeline’ (based on the original illustrations by Ludwig Bemelmans). I am constantly on the look out for inspiration whether it be the clothes they wear, the expression in a face, the flowers in a certain scene – it all pops up in my work one way or another. It’s also a must to take time out of work and just relax, I love going to the cinema, watching old movies, sewing, and spending time with my family and friends.

Lydia Coventry is featured in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, jam-packed with artistic talent, and available on Kickstarter soon!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Wednesday October 28th, 2015 12:44 pm

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,illustration, ,Kickstarter, ,Ludwig Bemelmans, ,Lydia Coventry, ,Macmillan Children’s Books, ,Ohh Deer, ,Oilily, ,Plymouth University, ,Profile Books

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Nanae Kawahara: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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06-Nanae-Kawahara
Nanae Kawahara is yet another talented Camberwell College of Arts graduate who has produced art for my colouring book. Her imaginative underwater scene features mermaids and all the creatures of the sea… Find her art in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, funding on Kickstarter now!

01-Nanae-Kawahara
Why is Japanese culture so full of images and tales of the sea?
I never thought about how Japanese culture is full of images and tales of the sea… maybe because I am Japanese? I guess Japan is full of nature and technology and it has never been dominated by other countries, so Japanese people have a very different character… it’s hard to answer this!

16-Nanae-Kawahara-ColouringBook-for-web
What is happening in your fantastical colouring book artwork?
Firstly I started just drawing like brightness on the surface, and then… I could see this is in the ocean with star lights of water. Then I started seeing mermaids like ‘The Little Mermaid’. I imagined a girl… a mermaid who is shy. The ocean is so colourful, with lots of creatures living in there. There is a festival in the ocean, they enjoy dancing, eating, singing… it is a very peaceful world. A shy mermaid is so quiet, but her friends try to make her join in… the mermaid diva calls her and then they enjoy all day… I just had a dream that everyone welcomes everyone, and it makes happiness. I coloured it in like a watercolour painting to illustrate ‘in the ocean’, and the drawing is tidy to show sensitive creatures.

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How would you describe the style of your work?
At first, I can say it is vividly colourful and sweet cutie characters. Recently I recognised my works are loved by each different type of people, according to attend to art events. Adults, young, kids, men and women… some of my fans gave me the comment which mentions first impression of my works is cute, and then other aspects permeates like pleasure, fear, anger etc. I gather my feelings and memories then express them on my works, so there are full of my mind to communicate with people.

04-Nanae-Kawahara
In what way do your feelings and memories manifest in your illustrations?
Be positive whenever I feel fear.
Keep going whenever I am sad.
Remember everyone around me.
Remember everyone around me died.
Keep my feelings when I am impressed.
Do not forget what I feel.

09-Nanae-Kawahara
It sounds as though you like the cute and the Kawaii but also the dark and the gothic – in what way do you try to combine both these inspirations in your artwork? 
I quite like fashion illustration (but I am now on Fashion Illustration FILE here), and am often inspired by artworks in fashion magazines or on cosmetic products. I was very shocked when I saw art by Rene Gruau, Hiroshi Tanabe and Antonio Lopez a long long time ago (maybe I was 12 or 13) because they were so refreshing to look at. On the other hand, I was attracted to cute works by Rodney Alan Greenblat and Dick Bruna. They give me lots of fun and happiness to live. My dream is that my illustration could be loved by many people and categories – I know it is difficult, but I try to show something special in my illustration. I am also influenced by my feelings and memories. As you can see by my favourite artists and my work, I love colourful stuff, shiny stars and some kawaii imagery like animals and girls. On the other hand, I also like the dark side of gothic, horror, suspense and monsters. I recently noticed they are related to death as I have experienced deaths of my relatives and pets (also animation characters – e.g. the final story of Sailor Moon) from my childhood. I often felt weird someone suddenly died as he or she was alive just a short time ago. I don’t want to think about the deep meaning of death, I believe that everyone is always alive and glowing.

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What work featured in your recent exhibition Colourful Colourful and where was it held?
Yes I have just had my exhibition in Tokyo, the title was ‘Colourful Colourful’ and the theme was colourful elements in a negative scene. Lots of feelings compared with monsters and scenes. The artworks were darker than my previous work, but I want you to enjoy my new world. And also… I have just taken part in a group show called ‘Imo Hori’ with Hiromi Kado and Natsuko Oshima. (Imo=Potato / Hori=digging – so it means ‘Find good arts!’) If someone is in Tokyo, please visit us!

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Is the big white poodle yours? Is she/he a muse? What is their name, can you tell us more?!
Yes! I sometimes post photos of my dog Nana, she is a Standard Poodle, coloured white with a little brown, female, age 7. Actually this dog is the third in my family, the previous dog was also called Nana and she came from a divorced couple. She was mixed breed and had black hair so we call her Black Nana as opposed to White Nana. We gave the same name because Black Nana was so kind and beautiful but suddenly dead by cancer, and I hoped the next one would also be a good dog. Muse..! I do not think Nana is a muse. But thanks for that. She is just normal and my best friend! Her power is so strong and she always punches me.

05-Nanae-Kawahara
Why did you head to the UK for your MA in illustration and what was the best part of studying at Camberwell?
After my BA I still wanted to research illustration with an MA, so I thought I should go to another country to study and chose the UK for its mixed culture. Art and design in London are similar to Tokyo (but Japan is more chaotic and closer). I also think there is a quite friendly and mysterious atmosphere which Japan does not have. I chose Camberwell College of Arts because it gives great freedom for creative works and it has an illustration course. I felt I had enough of graphic design as I studied it for my BA at Tama Art University, Tokyo. Camberwell gave me the freedom to re-think how to create my illustration.

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Why do you feel it is important to raise your profile abroad and how do you set about doing so?
I longed to go overseas to see the reaction to my illustrations in another country. I think there are no borders in the creative world, but it is not possible to feel another place by just communicating on the internet. I needed to be in there.

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What do you hope for in the coming year?
I hope I can do more new things; challenges and find new opportunities for work. This year I have done illustrations for books and magazines, fashion and greeting cards. I wish I could do covers for magazines, books, and also illustration for advertisements. I think there is no limit for the possibility of illustration. I want to try anything, so my work can keep developing.

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Nanae Kawahara is featured in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion alongside 40 other artists, make sure you grab your early bird copy for just £12 on Kickstarter now!

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Written by Amelia Gregory on Sunday November 8th, 2015 1:27 pm

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Antonio Lopez, ,Camberwell College of Arts, ,Coloring, ,Colourful Colourful, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Dick Bruna, ,Fashion Illustration FILE, ,Hiromi Kado, ,Hiroshi Tanabe, ,Imo Hori, ,interview, ,japan, ,japanese, ,Kickstarter, ,Nana, ,Nanae Kawahara, ,Natsuko Oshima, ,Poodle, ,Réne Gruau, ,Rodney Alan Greenblat, ,Sailor Moon, ,Tama Art University, ,The Little Mermaid, ,tokyo

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Alex McGinn: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Alex McGinn Artwork example 2
Illustrator Alex McGinn was one of a slew of graduates discovered at this summer’s New Designers show. Her distinctive artwork features a strong palette of autumnal colours, which lend themselves perfectly to a host of subjects.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 2
What was the best bit about studying at Falmouth Uni?
At Falmouth University I think the most helpful part of our course was the amount of tutor time and group critiques we had to discuss the development of our work. The university felt like a community, probably because the campus is situated in such a small town. As a student, I really felt the tutors really knew me and were always aware of what particular problem I was trying to overcome.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 4
How do you start a piece of artwork and what is your favourite part of the art making process?
Generally my favourite part of creating an illustration is the ‘thumbnail’ stage. Which is where I am literally laying out every idea that pops into my head until I have this massive page filled with plenty of different visuals to compare and choose from. At this part of the creative process I feel very liberated as I don’t have a fixed idea about what my final outcome will be.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 7
You favour a very particular colour palette, where do you find inspiration for the colours you use?
I think when I was starting to create more editorial illustrations I looked into the kind of colour palettes other successful editorial illustrators use, such as Neil Webb and David Doran. My main aim was however to make the illustrations really jump out at the viewer which is why my colour palette is vivid and bright.

Alex McGinn Double Page colouring book
How did you create the artwork for the colouring book?
I started off by making a few sketches and thumbnails and decided what subject matter would work best for a wide audience. Once I had decided I wanted to create a nature themed image the rest of the process was fairly simple. All my drawings are rather large so I can place all the necessary detail, and then digitally edit using the Adobe Suite.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 6
What are your favourite Dorset landscapes and why?
I personally enjoy the view from the Purbeck peninsula looking towards Corfe Castle which is an area I visited regularly as a child.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 3
How did you get involved with Write to Freedom and what have you done for them?
One of my Falmouth tutors was in contact with a member of Write to Freedom who were collaborating with the Workers’ Educational Association (WEA), and it was through this connection I got one of my first commissions. For this particular commission I was asked to produce a leaflet depicting the History of the Workers’ Educational Association within Dartington, and an illustrated map. The illustrated map was designed to lead the viewer along a trail around Dartington Estate and the surrounding countryside. It was called the ‘Dartington Then and Now‘ Trail. Throughout the trail there were a series of ‘then’ and ‘now’ statements displayed, explaining the past and current projects the WEA undertook in Dartington.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 1
What kind of illustration are you producing for Workers’ Educational Association?
At the moment I am working on another commission now specifically for the Workers’ Educational Association. I am creating large illustrations summarising the development of the WEA over the last 100 years. These illustrations will eventually be displayed in an exhibition towards the end of the year.

Alex McGinn Artwork example 5
Why have you decided to train as a teacher and where do you hope to pass on your skills in the future?
I decided to train to be a teacher whilst keeping up with my freelance work as I really do have a passion for passing on the knowledge I have learnt throughout my education. I enjoy the opportunity to inspire creative thinking at any given opportunity which is why teaching was a logical path for me to undertake. At the moment I am training to teach Secondary Level Art and Design but potentially, in the future, I may qualify to teach at University level as well.

Stay tuned for many more interviews with featured artists from Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion.

Written by Amelia Gregory on Tuesday September 29th, 2015 10:28 am

Categories ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Alex McGinn, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Corfe Castle, ,Dartington Estate, ,Dartington Then and Now, ,David Doran, ,Dorset, ,Falmouth University, ,illustration, ,interview, ,Neil Webb, ,New Designers, ,Purbeck peninsula, ,Workers’ Educational Association, ,Write to Freedom

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Amelia’s Magazine | An interview with Becky Dinnage: Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion featured artist.

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Becky Dinnage Terranium 72
Becky Dinnage of Ludicrous Prints is a remarkably talented illustrator and surface designer, infusing her fantastical designs with incredible detail despite her imperfect eyesight. Here she shares her story and her jungle reef artwork for Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion.

Becky Dinnage Portrait
I first encountered you as graduate from the surface pattern design course at LCC, what have you been up to since then?
I started work as a graphic designer shortly after graduating, with a designer I had interned with during my degree. I loved being in such a creative challenging environment until health issues meant I had to stop. I learnt so much about how the design world worked, and how to run a small design company – which made me all the more determined to work for myself.

Becky Dinnage
Becky Dinnage
How would you describe your style, and how does your love of pattern infuse your illustrations?
I’ve always loved pattern and found that I couldn’t let it go as I moved from working with textiles to paper. I would describe my illustrative style as intricate, slightly surreal and kind of quirky! I find if I don’t fill my drawings with a ludicrous amount of detailed patterns and doodles I can’t connect with my work… I want it to be crammed with interesting things that people keep discovering every time they view it.

Becky Dinnage
What have been your biggest challenges in producing work as an illustrator?
My biggest challenge in producing illustrations has been my vision. I developed an eye condition just before university and have since had to have my cornea replaced. This set me back quite a bit and unfortunately didn’t help improve my sight. I am now partially sighted but awaiting a special contact lens which I am hoping will give me my eyes back!! It’s been an interesting journey, my illustrative style being so intricate and battling with my vision; there are days where my eyes want to hide away behind my sunglasses but I know I have to keep pushing to get where I want to be.

Becky Dinnage Avocet Screen Print 72
What other jobs keep you going?
Alongside illustrating I work part time in a Ceramic Painting studio. Most of our customers are kids and I love working with them, they’re so fun and imaginative and extremely inspiring, so every day at work is just one big creative bubble of joy! It’s also a great job to give my eyes a rest, which makes me fresh for my days off to illustrate.

Becky Dinnage
You have already produced a series of images for an adult colouring book, how did you get this commission?
A few months back I showed my designs at a local Pop Up Art Gallery and the Senior Editorial Director of a well known book company was there (incognito of course) and we got to chatting about how my work would look great in a colouring book, something I had always wanted to do. We exchanged details and it went from there. It was such a fun project, and I would love to work on my own intricately detailed colouring book in the future. I completely believe in putting yourself out there and talking to everyone, you never know who they are or what they could bring to your life!

Becky Dinnage
What kind of landscapes inspire you the most?
Anywhere with water is an inspiration to me; I am happiest when I’m near the sea, or by a lake or meandering along the side of a stream. I love the force water brings to completely change a landscape, its look, the emotions, the colour. A little while ago we bought a camper van, and it completely changed my life. I adored being out in the wild amongst nature, discovering new places that we could ‘live in’ for a day or two before moving on to the next adventure. It bought out the ancestral gypsy in me.

Becky Dinnage Sealife Colouring in Original Draft
Where did you get the idea for your jungle reef seascape?
With my desire to be close to water, I set out to create my own pattern-filled, bold and graphic underwater jungle, full of all my favourite rainbow colours and quirky and imaginative shapes and animals. I’ve been inspired by the Great Barrier Reef and London Aquarium, that are both filled to the brim with unusual magical creatures. With my poor vision I’m sensitive to light, and enjoy the night, the stars and the moon… and how these connect so importantly to our oceans to keep them moving and growing. All hand drawn, I’ve created a repeat pattern out of the image that should flow horizontally like the ocean currents around earth.

Becky Dinnage
What are your biggest hopes for the future?
I want to start my shop, selling my prints and products, and to expand my brand. I hope I can continue to be creative for the rest of my life, it’s what keeps me happy and is all I can think of being. I would love to work on more commercial briefs and projects, as they shake up my imagination and push me out of my comfort zone, into a more challenging exciting world.

Thank you so much to Becky Dinnage for being so candid about her life as an artist, an inspiration to us all! Find her artwork in Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion very soon!

Written by Amelia Gregory on Thursday October 15th, 2015 11:32 am

Categories ,#ameliasccc, ,Adult Coloring Book, ,Adult Colouring Book, ,Amelia’s Colourful Colouring Companion, ,Becky Dinnage, ,Coloring, ,Coloring Book, ,Colouring, ,Colouring Book, ,Great Barrier Reef, ,interview, ,Jungle Reef, ,LCC, ,London Aquarium, ,Ludicrous Prints, ,Surface Pattern

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