Meet The Illustrator: Myke Mollard

Name: Myke Mollard

Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
An infusion of botanical illustrations and comic book impact + punch

What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Trinkets, handmade things by my kids make, collected and horded junk or keepsakes, a jungle of textures and emotionally enriching odds and ends surround me like natural ramshackle ecosystem of love and memories.

Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Not really. Sketching in ink and pencils I do the most because it’s accessible and obsessive. Yet emotionally what I like to do is create … I paint in all mediums, curve and sculpt, origami, inventing things, like clay and pottery, love cooking, decorating things, sand sculpting at the beach, writing poetry, stories and songs, Journaling, scribbling, designing, sketchbooks, photography, filmmaking, Tiktoking and social media stuff and of course digital retouching, digital CGI art. As long as I’m creating in some way shape or form I’m happy.

Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Hayao Miyazaki, Author Boyd and Brett Whitely as artists. Yet Elizabeth Gould’s illustrations also very inspiring to me.

 Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
The future! I like what is happening with NFTs, digital art, animation, CGI and AI. I like traditional art, but the impact of computers and access to apps and programs is changing the way we express and create art and I like what the future of art holds for creators.

Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
Strangely I grew up a Dungeons and Dragons nerd and Frank Frazetta inspired me to illustrate and Brian Froud's work on faeries. Yet my passion for Dinosaurs and Australian wildlife inspired by Harry Butler lead me to Elizabeth Gould’s illustrations and the Gould Society’s posters and prints.

 
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.

What is your favourite part of the illustration process?

The point where you just lose yourself in a world of imagination and focus. Time stands still. Days turn into night and night into days and you just have no sense of reality just the surreal fabric of self-expression, passion and dream-like space. There the world makes sense caught in the self-made reflection of reality.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Have fun! Laughter is the juice you squeeze from life.

 
Stuff the rules! Conventions were made to be broken! Do whatever inspires you! Dream big and laugh lots, because you’re going to need big Dinosaur dollops of both where you’re going!

 
You have three brains! Your brain, your heart and your gut! Use all three in alignment and find what drives 'your who', 'your what' and 'your why!' Then 'your how' will be discovered in the journey you choose.

Life must be enjoyed with a good measure of humour! So take care of your 'inner child' it’s key to both your success and survival as we grow up.

 
Practice makes permanent! Not perfect! Practice is the path to mastery, so accept your mistakes and flaws for they are the character stokes of originality and genius.

 
Success revels and failure reveals! But to learn from successes just as much as failures is a path to real confidence over arrogance.

Myke Mollard is a children’s educator, illustrator, author and designer – just some of his creative talents. He began his career in graphic design, branding management and producing commercials for TV. Now a fulltime Kid’s book author/illustrator and Tiktok Creator he spends his time drawing, researching, adventuring and video editing.

For more information please visit Myke's website or follow him on instagram.