Meet the Illustrator: Matt Glover

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Simple, fun and lazy.

What items are an essential part of your creative space? 
The only really essential thing, apart from my drawing materials, is solitude. No music, no talk back radio, no kids, nothing. Just the sounds of the world going by quietly in the background.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
The bulk of my work is digital, and I have enjoyed being able to experiment with just how much can be achieved in the digital environment. However, it’s hard to beat the feeling of a crisp new sketch book, a sharp 2B pencil, and a couple of hours of uninterrupted time to draw.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Richard Scarry. Cars and Trucks and Things That Go was one of my favourites as a kid and I would try to replicate his style in my homework at school.
Chris Hart has fostered a love for cartooning and storytelling in me.
Graeme Base. I want to be like him when I grow up!

Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I have great respect for those that have gone before, but the period we live in now is my favourite. Being able to contact other illustrators around the world with the click of a button is amazing. We can see the work of others produced in garages on the other side of the world. Incredible!

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
My Dad. He taught me to draw and even in his older years will still get the paper and pencils out from time to time.
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often?
Working in the digital environment so frequently, I am fortunate that I can take my tablet with me anywhere to work. However, this is the work space I use as a home office/studio.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
Finishing a project! Sometimes the process seems so laborious and painful, but then the finished work appears. It’s like meeting a life-long pen friend in the person for the first time.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
The best advice I was given about life in general was, 'Never stop learning.' I think that applies particularly well to those in creative endeavours. The best way to keep learning is to keep asking good questions. Ask questions about yourself, the media you use, the media you want to use, potential markets, other illustrators – everything!
Ask good questions, always.

Matt Glover is a Melbourne based cartoonist, illustrator, author, and counsellor in private practice. He runs creativity and wellbeing workshops in school around the country. In 2016 he saw over ten thousand students and released his first book, Shapes, Lines and Dots: Cartooning, Creativity and Wellbeing for Kids. See his website for more - www.mattglover.com