Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Expressive, joyful, traditional and fun.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Good light and time to think.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Water colour, pencil, oils.
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Honore Daumier, Shaun Tan, Bob Graham.
The later part of Art Nouveau when it was becoming Art Deco because of the curved and swoopy lines and also to meet Alphonse Mucha and Gustav Klimt.
As well, the Europeam Renaissance because it was a time of amazing creativity and change.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
There was no moment of inspiration- I can’t remember wanting to be anything other than an artist (except for a brief time when I wanted to be a princess so I could own a tiara or an archaeologist so I could discover Atlantis). I have always been totally supported in my art by my family.
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often?
My desk sits in a bay window that looks out on my garden where I can see people walking by and ravens bathing in a very large birdbath.
My studio is a large room with high ceilings and full of paintings, drawings, projects at various stages, books, old toys, boxes of things, a computer and more books. I graduated from the kitchen table to this room and I’m always very happy in it.
What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
The very beginning when I do the scribbles that nobody sees and the very end when I’m adding the final details (but I like the bits in the middle too).
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Draw often, work hard, recognise an opportunity and believe in yourself.
Annie has illustrated for children for 40 years and has published over 60 books. Two of her picture books, Mbobo Tree and My Dad Is A Bear were CBCA Notable books. Recently Annie has also begun to write and her books, Clementine’s Walk and Clementine’s Bath were shortlisted in the 2014 and 2016 Speech Pathology Book Awards. You can visit Annie's website here - www.anniewhite.com
