Colourful, bright and full of fun.
What items are an essential part of your creative space? Along with my paint and pencils music is important to my creative space. I couldn’t survive, though, without my scanner and computer.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Inktense pencils would be my favourite but watercolour paint is a close second.
Name three artists whose work inspires you. Jackson Pollock, Alphonse Mucha, Franz Marc.
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why? Art Nouveau would be my favourite period. The attention to detail and decorative style of all art forms was just beautiful.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator? I always knew I wanted to do something in the visual arts. One day I thought about where I saw myself in the future and realised I kept coming back to a book I had read as a child. The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base. I wanted to see my name on a cover of something that another child might come to cherish and love.
Just like that, I knew what I wanted. It just took a while to work out how to get there.
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often?
What is your favourite part of the illustration process? Easily the best part is when you get to add colour to the sketches you have worked for hours on. It’s when you get to see your creations finally come to life.
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Work at it every day. Even when you don’t feel like it. The old cliché is right, the more you practice the better you get. Always push yourself to get better.
Based in Wagga Wagga NSW, Suzanne holds a degree in graphic design. She is also an award-winning watercolour artist. Suzanne has published two colouring books and an alphabet book for young children. She has recently finished illustrating her first picture book, due to be released in 2017. See her website for more - www.suzannehoughtondesigns.com.au
