Contact Report: Liam Bardsley

My 3rd contact report was with Liam Bardsley who is a freelance illustrator, an ex student of stockport college and a good friend of mine. He was kind enough to answer a few questions for me :)

1. What inspires you when you are creating your images?

Anything and everything really. I think personal interests are key to genuine unique work. TV is a big influence on the ideas I come up with especially science fiction as it stretches the imagination and produces memorable abstract imagery that stays in my memory. Aesthetically 20th century design inspires my work like Pop art, Russian Constructivism, The Bauhaus etc.

2 How do you escape artists block?

By trying not to think about it! I've gotten into a pattern of taking regular breaks during a brief and not worrying about time as if I haven't got an idea then I don't go to bed! There is no time pattern with my work, if the ideas come at night then so be it. But I read the text frequently during the day and depending on how well I understand it overall usually plays a part in my expediency of ideas generation.

3. Is your work influenced by any other illustrators, artists etc?

Yes- Andy Warhol, Paul Rand, Gustav Klutsis, Otto Dettmer.

4. Do you work better under pressure or with more time?

A longer deadline makes me feel more relaxed. If there is more time then I can read the text a lot more feeling calmer about it. Whereas if the deadline is shorter then there is a real pressure to understand what the text is going on about, it's so important to sum it up properly. I suppose really I like having more time, more ideas!

5. Is there any advise you would give to students currently studying illustration?

Develop a thick skin! Be relentless in emailing your samples of work out to art directors and don't under any circumstances give up. Be postitive about your ability to come up with ideas especially and don't let fear get in the way if you feel daunted by a deadline. Uniqueness is so important in a heavily populated industry which I think comes from unique abstract ideas that communicate. Also know the areas you want to go into and try to develop your work widely across these- there is money to be made!

Anna Violet: Contact Report

Have posted about her work on my blog in the past but never thought to contact her. Really love her use of inks and other media in her images for children's book illustration. It really gives her animal characters more personality.

She was kind enough to answer a few of my questions and I found the answers to be very helpful indeed :)

1. Do you prefer children's book illustration or editorial work?

Children's book illustrations! I haven't done any editorials yet, although i would like to. I'm working on doing more mapwork, following on from a decorative map I did last year for the National Trust. I like the way Chris Riddell combines children's book illustrations (The Edge Chronicles) with some brilliant cartoon-style editorials.

2. What inspires you when you are creating your images?

Observation (animals, people, plants, trees, places...)& sketching (which helps me look).
Emotions. I try to feel the emotion my character would be feeling.
The use of materials - I love that ahhh moment when ink dries in swirly textures! It's the chance elements you get working with materials that can inspire - although i get a lot that don't work, too!
Ceramics - I love looking at medieval and prehistoric stuff as well as contemporary. Picasso has done some great ceramics, too. The British Museum & V&A in London are wonderful places for inspiration. Also, Manchester Museum
Old maps.
Mythology & storytelling too.

3. When looking at your work it appears that you favour using traditional media. Do you feel that this is more effective than images created digitally?

Yes, I love traditional media, esp inks, watercolours & clay - but I do use the computer to tweak and add/change colour. I also use it to do final collage/assembly.

4. Are you influenced by any other illustrators, artists etc?

Yes - there are so many! Children's books - Catherine Rayner (mark-making), Jane Ray (pattern), Pat Hutchins (pattern), Chris Corr (fresh, lively, colourful), Mairi Hedderwick, Satoshi Kitamura (surreal), John Burningham, Antony Browne (surreal), Shirley Hughes (wonderful observation of children), Cressida Cowell (messy funny). Artists - Nancy Spero (mythology & New York subway mosaic in 2000), Bonnard, Mary Cassatt (observation children & pattern), Chris Ofili (watercolours & pattern). Editorial illustrators - Luba Lukova, Jill Calder. Steinburg - wonderful humour

5. And finally, what advice would you give to students currently studying illustration?

I am a bit reluctant to give advice - I don't feel i have the answers and everyone is so different. I have a long way to go before being established. If I was giving advice to a younger me I'd say don't get too hung up on 'style' - let it come through play. Enjoy! And make the most of your time at college - a time to try new things out and absorb new ideas - and get feedback. And the help available from tutors is really good. Then, after college - don't expect to make a living from illustration. You need patience - and to keep producing images and contacting people.

I hope this is of some use, Rosie. Best of luck in your second year!

Best wishes

Anna

Contact Report: Carly Allen-Fletcher

http://carlydraws.com/default.aspx

First came across her work on theaoi.com. Really love her use of textures and also her illustrations aimed at children. She was kind enough to answer a few of my questions via email...




1. Do you prefer children's book illustration or editorial work?

Depends on my mood really, I don't have a favourite. I like the conceptual thinking in editorial work, and the atmosphere and narrative in childrens book Illustration.

2. What inspires you when you are creating your images?

Tons of things! Thinking about what I am wanting to say in my Illustration and the best way to communicate that is the most important thing.

3. When looking at your work it appears that you favour using traditional media. Do you feel that this is more effective than images created digitally?

I don't think any type of media is superior- they are only tools after all. For me, I enjoy creating with traditional media then faffing around with it digitally, so that's what I do!

4. Are you influenced by any other illustrators, artists etc?

I'm influenced by so many other artists, it's hard to name just a few. Artists I really admire are Amano, John Piper, Jon Klassen, Kate Beaton, Turner, Mary Blair, Romano, Hiroshige and Hokusai; and I could go on and on forever. I get a lot of influence from books too.


5. And finally, what advice would you give to aspiring illustrators?

Advice is to follow your interests, don't try to copy anyone else and don't give up!