Sometimes people assume that I work slowly because of all the detail I put into my illustration, but it isn‚’t the detail that takes time. I like to think twice about the steps I take before making them.
I usually begin with a rough sketch. In my case, a defined rough doesn’t necessarily result in a better piece. If my sketch is less defined then it leaves me with more room to improvise, so¬†I try to avoid defining the composition too far in advance. After the rough sketch I draw the illustration in ink. When I’m working in line I use as much texture and cross hatching as I can, but if the illustration is in colour I fill in areas using traditional ink and watercolour washes. Occasionally I add colour digitally so I can experiment a bit more.
Fantasy stories and fairy tales are my favourite subjects and I have been commissioned to work¬†on titles in these genres from clients such as Macmillan Children’s Books, Museum of London, Oxford University Press, Puffin, Royal Mail, Scholastic, Transworld and Templar Publishing.
I find inspiration in Renaissance engravings and paintings by artists such as Pieter Bruegel, Hieronymus Bosch and Albrecht Durer. I’m also partial to the work of 19th century artists including Aubrey Beardsley, Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham.
