Traditional, contemporary, textured, energetic, versatile, detailed.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
There are the obvious items
including paints, brushes and paper. Other essentials include my trusty
hairdryer to speed the paint’s drying process, good music – the wrong genre can
ruin an illustration, and, of course, good lighting. I’ve heard neat, organised
studio spaces are also essential – is this true? I’ve never managed to get it that
orderly so can’t be sure...
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Watercolour and gouche – these
two mediums, especially the former, are such wonderful and expressive mediums
to work in. The creative possibilities are endless.
Name
three artists whose work inspires you.
Ronald Searle – his ink work was
exceptional.
Quentin Blake – his line work is
so deceptively simple.
Jon Klassen – I love how his
characters tell stories through their eyes.
I would love to visit the
Impressionists era – 1860-80s – and paint with these guys. Their ideas and determination
is inspiring - plus I love working outside. Also, spending time with them would
help me expand my French vocabulary beyond asking for directions to the park.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
There’s no specific person or
moment that inspired me. Even as a child it struck me how influential an
illustrator is. How an illustrated scene or character can leave a young reader
wondering, questioning and learning. From a very young age, I thought it would
be an amazing profession (if my potential careers in the circus or as a steam
engine train driver didn’t take off).
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
My studio is currently in
upheaval as I’m negotiating new spaces to record YouTube art videos. I would
hate for people to experience the present disorderly mess.
What is your favourite part of
the illustration process?
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Don’t limit yourself to a single style of painting. Explore,
experiment and research. Look at other artists that illustrate completely
differently to you. The wider you spread your creative net the stronger your
own personal art becomes.
Gabriel is an
artist and illustrator of over twenty books. He illustrates
for publishers including Walker Books, Scholastic and Penguin Random House. He works in
traditional mediums from a small, messy studio and travels Australia giving
workshops and talks on illustration. When he’s not
painting he’s growing trees, exploring beaches and drinking tea.
