DEBBIE:
Hello Leanne,
I have attached my answers in a Word document. If you need me to expand on any of my answers, please email me and I will try and answer them asap. Sorry that I was not quicker with these questions.
Hope everything is ok.
debbie greenaway
WORD DOCUMENT:
What made you want to be an illustrator?
I am not sure of when I first heard the word illustration or if I ever understood what the word meant. I think we must have used the word in a lesson of history during high school. I never liked history and picked Geography because I liked drawing the pictures about what we were learning. I remember drawing about glaciers and the different types of farming. So I suppose I think I first wanted to be an illustrator when I didn’t even know what an illustrator was or did. When I was younger, people used to see me drawing then ask me to draw certain things and I suppose that is what an illustrator does, draws and creates illustration for a significant reason or purpose. I think it is easier to draw something in response to something you have been asked to do. Other than that, I have always liked drawing.
2) Who are your main style influences?
I would have to say my main influences are Oliver Jeffers, Sara Fanelli, Shaun Tan, Calef Brown, Simone Lia, Edward Gorey, Donna Wilson and Raymond Briggs…I have just reread the question and seen that it says ‘style influences’ so I would still say the same people, though I would say that I admire anyone who uses colour as the moment! I look at many illustrators, artists, creative people’s work, websites, books, magazines and I bet there are loads more people I could name. I have recently discovered Marc Boutavant. I have seen his work in the Guardian and he has illustrated several children’s books. Style is one of them words that I do not like to use. I feel I do not have a style though I suppose I can see that there is one developing when I look through my sketchbook. It is a very difficult word, ‘style’.
3) What outside interests do you have?
I can’t quite decide what my outside interests are as everything I think of seems to be linked with illustration in some way or another. I work at a café in order to support myself but whilst at work or away from it, I am always thinking of what I could be drawing or what I should or could be doing illustration wise. I am always on the hunt for characters; I can’t help but look at people and think about what they would look like as a lion. I am continually trying to learn the guitar and have been doing so on and off for the past four years. I like to bake sweet things, cakes, buns and biscuits. I go to the cinema whenever I can but this is usually to watch cartoons/animations etc. I like visiting parks, galleries and just nice places in general that have plenty of things to look at and draw. I usually carry a camera round with me. I try to see my friends as often as I can. I quite like swimming. I seem to switch off completely when swimming. I love growing and collecting cacti. I have ten at the moment and one foster cactus.
4) How have you found getting work as an illustrator since leaving university and what ways do you promote yourself in order to gain commissions?
Since I left university, I haven’t actively seeked any illustration work. It has just found me and I have had one what I would call proper illustration job/commission since leaving university and have had a couple of enquiries about my work. Promotional wise, during university in my second year, I started a blog and then during third year, I opened an etsy shop. Upon leaving university, I didn’t have a website set up and have just set one up this week. It is very much a work in progress. I continue to keep my blog. I have never done a mail out or anything that resembles promotion except have business cards to give to people. I am aware that having a website and doing promotion mail outs are very important but I find it hard to know what to promote at the moment, as I feel I am still experimenting and developing my work. Illustration is what I really want to do full-time but I think after leaving university, I kind of decided to have a bit of time out to enjoy illustration just for me, while I find out what it is about it that I want to do. Also, as my boyfriend is studying for his PhD, it was up to me to get a job to make sure we are and were financially secure. Thinking about it, I do promote my work but maybe more as a fine artist would. I take part in group exhibitions (mainly print, etching/screen-prints), I look for competitions or projects to enter/be a part of such as contributing work to a zine. It is difficult as a single person to do everything all at once, all of the time and so for the moment I look for group things to do in order to promote my work if that makes sense. Some of my work is in PAD in Preston. Plus, I often have a market stall at Christmas and I would like to do this on a more regular basis. I would also like to have work in more than one shop/gallery. My work is to feature in the AOI Images 33 Annual and exhibition and I have a piece of work in the Mailmeart book.
5) How would you like your work to progress in the future?
I would like to give more colour to my work, either through use of traditional methods such as painting, collage or printmaking or by colouring them in digitally. I would like to create more finished pieces of work. Ones that have a background as many of my characters live and float around in a white space. One day I would like to write a complete story and illustrate it from start to finish. I draw quite a lot of animal or inanimate object characters and sometimes it does get quite repetitive. Therefore, I think I would like my work to feature people in it in the future as well as backgrounds in full proper stories. The to-do list is very long!
6) If you were not an illustrator, what would you want to be?
If I wasn’t an illustrator I think I would like to be either a long distance runner or sprinter, run my own tea shop/art shop/gallery place, an hairdresser or a snooker player.
7) Do you think that you will always be an illustrator or do you have another career path in mind?
I think I will always be an illustrator, a creative drawing person. I have always drawn and can’t imagine not drawing. Even when I am angry or frustrated with my ideas, or when the café job annoys me, drawing always makes me feel better. I have often thought about being an art teacher, a technician of sorts, workshop helper, art therapist or something else creative and probably may end up doing something like one of these jobs alongside being an illustrator.
8) What context do you think best suits your work? (i.e. editorial, children's books, book covers, etc.)
I think the context that suits my work best would be children’s books. Maybe it would work in an editorial context if I was to research and create some ‘mock-up’ illustrations for articles that appear in an educational or parenting magazine. I also feel that my work would work in maybe a design context such as surface pattern, for ceramics or textiles. It is something I am working on at the moment. Since leaving university, I have been thinking about learning animation or maybe doing a masters in children’s books in a couple of years time.
LEANNE:
Hi Debbie,
Thank you so much for your reply. It is fantastic and really informative. I particularly liked that you said once you left university, you just wanted to enjoy illustration for you, as this is something that I would like to do, as the stress of university has taken the fun out of it for me. I also look forward to seeing your work in the AOI images book. Even though I have nearly finished my course, I would really enjoy keeping in touch if that would be okay with you.
Hope your are okay,
Leanne x x x
