Interview with an Illustrator: Eric Sturtevant

Eric Sturtevant is the only artist I've interviewed so far that I've actually had the privilege to meet in person....several times! It is SO exciting to me every time I run into Eric at a local art festivals because I love his work, I love his style, and I every time I see him I know the world (or at least my area!) is experiencing and buying his fantastic illustrations! Hooray for local artists! So anyway, here is my latest interview with Eric Sturtevant.

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How did you get started as an artist/illustrator?

I was tired of working jobs I hated that had nothing to do with art at all. Jan. 1st 2007 I quit my job as a warehouse manager, cashed in my 401k, sold my car and took the plunge into the art world head first. I've always drawn cartoons since I was a kid and really wanted to break into publishing. The dilemma was how do I make money off my work while strengthening my portfolio for art directors.

Growing up in New England, I've always attended local art festivals and noticed a major change occuring in the scene. There were alot of younger people attending the shows, starting families and looking for something different for there homes. Essentially its my generation growing up and becoming our parents, but with different tastes. I also noticed there was a real lack of artwork for kids at these shows. I really felt that there was an untapped market that I could try to appeal to with my work. Armed with a wad of cash (essentially my life savings) and some great advice from some professional artists who also travel the show circuit for a living, I applied to shows full tilt and began selling my work. I'm in the midst of year three full time and things are great. People are extremely enthusiastic about my work and I've gotten some incredible opportunities out of it, including a licensing deal with Barnes and Noble to sell puzzles and games based on my work nationwide. It's so much fun.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It's funny, there really isn't a typical day, which is another reason why I love what I do. I get bored really easily with routine, so there's usually a list of things I need to prepare for each show and I'll tackle them in the order in which I feel like it that day. Sometimes I'll get up and start drawing, or I'll hit the business end of it...mailing out internet orders or making prints of my work, applying to new shows, contacting art directors. After all it is a business and needs to be treated as such. And admittedly, sometimes I just want to watch Judge Joe Brown and do nothing. Just kidding. I'll have him on as background noise when I'm drawing.

Who/what inspires you creatively?

I'm a huge movie nut and really love music. I draw a lot of inspiration from both. Two of my newest pieces were drawn from each. One is called "Tambourines and Elephants",a lyric from a CCR song I really love, and the other is called "Pool Sharks", completely inspired by "The Hustler". I'm a big Paul Newman fan. A lot of it too comes from listening to the public. It's really invaluable the access to opinions and reactions from people at these shows. From a marketing standpoint you find out what works and what doesn't, and then you tweak your work to appeal to an audience.

How has your art/style changed since you first started?

I feel like I've really gotten better since I started three years ago. Its really true, the more you do it (whatever it is) the better you get. I feel my work is more polished...I'm more confident with my work (although I'm horribly self-critical). A big problem artists have is a lack of self esteem in getting your work out to an audience. Let's face it, it's really scary to put yourself out there and get people's reaction no matter what the situation. For me I had to move past that immediately since I was determined to make money off this venture. Again, this is where the public's opinions have been so important. Once I found out what they were looking for, I could just have fun with the ideas and really put myself into each picture without limits. That's really what I try to do each time.

What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone just starting out?

For any artist starting out doing art festivals, I would advise that you stay true to your work and keep it focused. While its always important to explore new mediums to better yourself, in the art show world it can be a bit confusing to the audience to have all kinds of work in a show. Find your niche and stick to it. That's not to say it won't evolve over time, but remember its a business venture too. I'm fortunate to have recognized my passion early on. For some people it takes longer.

Be prepared for a lot of work. It's true that nothing really worth pursuing is easy. Stay focused on the prize ( for me it was working for and supporting myself through my art) and commit yourself to it fully. You will learn to become your best salesperson and get people excited about your work. It's the greatest feeling when someone is willing to spend there hard earned money on your work instead of countless other escapes because you've inspired them. Believe me, once that happens you're hooked.

Most importantly, don't let a closed door deter you from your goals. Not everyone will like what you do. Stay true to your vision and people will see what you're trying to accomplish. Sometimes you have to win them over, sometimes you just can't. Keep going! Forward progress is extremely important. My mantra has become "Let my work take me where it's supposed to." While that may seem like an incredible leap of faith, if you believe in it, you'll find your audience.

What do you hope to accomplish in the future (artistically or otherwise)?

The sky's the limit. My immediate goals are attempting to publish a book I hope to complete next year and continue the pursuit of more licensing agreements to make other products out of my work. I really believe there are many avenues I can pursue and am always willing to explore any opportunity. It's a grassroots effort to get my name out there and fortunately, it's working.

What's one thing you've always wanted to do?

Motorcycle cross country. I'd love to spend a few months exploring this country on a motorcycle. I've taken a lot of road trips by car, but there's nothing like riding on two wheels across an open road.

If you could hang out with anyone for a day (living or dead), who would it be and why?

Martin Scorcese. I think this man is a national treasure and an insanely creative force. I would love to watch him work for a day and see how his mind clicks. His cinematic style is so unique, and he lives and breathes what he does. It's so inspiring.

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Well! Isn't his stuff amazing!!! I'm like a kid in a candy store every time I see it! And I can't stop using exclamation marks!!! Aghh!!!! I absolutely love every piece. If you are interested in Eric's illustrations, check out even more of them at http://www.sturtevantillustrations.com/ and if you're in the New England area you can see him at upcoming art festivals in MA, RI and NJ this fall. Thank you so much, Eric!

Interview with an Illustrator: Kathy Hare

Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy! I am excited! The incredible Kathy Hare agreed to be interviewed and let her artwork grace my bloggy pages. I LOVE her stuff! I'm sure it doesn't help that she also works mainly with pencil or that her creative ideas are astounding or that she manages to submit something to IF every stinkin' week!!! It's sweet torture to watch her outdo herself week after week. Here is a little peek into the life of artist, Kathy Hare.

Q: How did you get started as an artist?

A: I have always loved to draw. When I was very young I had problems with my feet and had to have a couple of operations when I was two and six years old. I had to have casts on my legs and I spent a lot of my convalescence with crayons or pencils in hand, filling my time with drawing. I created little worlds through my pictures, often creating whole families and stories for them to populate. My love of art continued throughout my teens and into my twenties but I married young and started a family so thoughts of going to college and studying art to become an illustrator seemed like an impossible dream. I carried on drawing for pleasure but I always longed to pursue my artistic career. At the age of thirty-five my children were growing up and I had more time on my hands so I decided to go to college to study art part-time. After finishing a two year foundation course I was encouraged to push on and go forward to university to study illustration. I attended The Cambridge School of Art at Anglia Ruskin University, a wonderful school where the emphasis is on drawing rather than graphic illustration. It wasn't always easy juggling family, Uni work and travelling but I managed somehow and came out the other side of it a very happy woman with an honours degree in illustration!


Q: What does a typical day look like for you?

A: Since leaving Uni I have spent my time drawing and developing my portfolio, I usually spend about two to three days a week drawing for Illustration Friday,which I find a wonderful way to keep myself challenged. I also occasionally do commissioned portrait work. A typical drawing day starts with me getting my youngest son ready for school then after a couple of hours of drinking coffee, puttering about in the house and garden, checking emails and floating around in the blogosphere I get down to work. I have a studio but often prefer to sketch ideas in the garden before settling down to work on the final illustration. Once I'm in 'the zone' I can draw for hours with virtually no breaks often through the evening and into the night.


Q: How has your art/style changed since you first started?

A: I think the thing that has changed most for me is that the image in my mind of what I am about to draw has more clarity now than it used to have. I have a very definite idea in my mind before I start to sketch and with this has come a new definition in my work which in turn has given me more confidence in the things I choose to draw. I now like to experiment more with colour and light. I love exploring the way light can create drama in an image. I have also been enjoying working with just graphite pencil and rediscovering it's properties and subtleties.


Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the future (artistically or otherwise)?

A: I want to illustrate books for children. Last year I started sending work out to various children's book publishers and agents and gradually started to get positive responses. I have managed to aquire the representation of an agent and a few publishers have put my work on file in case anything comes up that suits my style but I still have not had any children's book work. But I will push on and keep sending out my mailers and hopefully one day soon my work will be seen by the right person at the right time and my illustrative journey will truly start!



Q: Who/what inspires you creatively?

A: I am inspired by many things; life itself , my family, nature, art whether it be illustration, fine art or sculpture. I enjoy it all. I am inspired by many illustrators. I love the work of John Tenniel, Arthur Rackham, Edward Ardizzone to the more contemporary work of Shaun Tan, Oliver Jeffers, Angela Barrett, Raymond Briggs, Quentin Blake, Edward Gorey and Maurice Sendak.... I could go on and on.



Q: What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone just starting out.

A: Draw, draw and draw!! :) Draw as much as you can, have a little book with you and sketch when you're out, just quick sketches nothing too intricate, people, children, dogs, buildings, trees by doing this it helps you to build a kind of visual library in your mind that you can dip into as you draw. I sometimes even sketch as I watch tv! The slope of someone's shoulder or the outline of someone's face... it all feeds into later work.

Play, experiment with things, find what works for you. I have often spent days playing with new materials, dropping things into watercolour to see what happens, covering whole sheets of paper with scribbles of colour pencil building them up layer upon layer. Sometimes you have to just play without trying to get an end result.

Persevere, push on with it no matter how disheartened you may feel. Whether it is a drawing you are struggling with or approaching publishers you must persevere. If a drawing goes wrong I either continue until I get it right or start afresh and the same goes with publishers. If you get rejection, keep working and sending out your stuff until you don't! If you want something enough you have to keep going until you get it! :)

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Aren't you as amazed as I am! Thank you so much Kathy for agreeing to be interviewed. I'm sure you're dying to check out her other work. Visit her on her website: www.kathyhareillustration.com or check out her blog: www.moongazinghare.blogspot.com or if you hang around Illustration Friday circles for any length of time, you'll recognize her exquisite illustrations!

Interview with an Illustrator: Laura Zarrin

This week I'm bringing another wonderful artist to your attention. Laura Zarrin's colored pencil work makes me gasp with envy. I love it so much! Her illustrations are bright and funny. She's been in the biz for a while and is still learning and doing new things. Be sure to visit her website and blog and check out her amazing art.



How did you get started as an artist/illustrator?

I’ve been drawing since I was very little. The illustrations in the Little House books inspired me. I began working as a designer while working on my illustration degree. Right after graduation, I attended Illustrator’s Day in Pasadena. I showed my portfolio to Art Directors attending the event and was hired to illustrate 6 books for a book packager. It was amazing!!!!

How long have you been doing this?

Since 1988 with a big break for the last 9 years while my kids were little. I'm now restarting my career and it’s a lot harder this time around.

What does a typical day look like for you

Up at 6:45 to get the kids ready for school. Drop them off. Walk the dog, then dig into work. I’m currently working on a lot of promotions for the children’s and educational market. Researching constantly. I’m also working on collections for licensing. This is very new to me, so there’s a big learning curve. Let’s not forget checking blogs and Twitter. The kids are home by 3:30, then homework, dinner, bedtime. Sometimes, if I’m very lucky, I get to work while they’re home. It’s getting better as they get older.

Who/what inspires you creatively?

Everything. My kids, the dog. A walk. Other artists. I’ve recently embarked on a new path after reading Kelly Rae Robert’s book, Taking Flight. I knew I needed a change, but didn’t know what it was. Her book launched me into collage and painting. I’ve been painting up a storm lately. I am not giving up color pencil, but it’s feels so good to work in a freer, quicker medium also. I love color pencil, but it is extremely labor intensive.

How has your art/style changed since you first started?

I’d like to think it’s gotten a lot better. I still cringe at some of my earlier work. I was lucky to work with a great art director, Annette Hollister-Papp, early on. She really pushed me in my style. I love to collaborate like that. A good art director can really get you to do things you didn’t think you could or hadn’t thought of before. I’ll always be grateful for her input and direction.


What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone just starting out?

1. Draw, draw, and draw!


2. Make art friends and support each other. I’m finding some great friends on Twitter. They inspire me daily.


3. Know your market. Research. Get out to as many conferences and industry related get togethers as you can. If you want to illustrate children’s books, join SCBWI!!!
   

What do you hope to accomplish in the future (artistically or otherwise)?

I want to improve my drawing skills. Explore more. Add more fun and humor to my work. Illustrate more board books. License my work. Achieve balance.

What's one thing you've always wanted to do?

Be a great wife and mom. I’m a work in progress.

If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be & why?

It’s so hard to choose. Garth Williams—I’d like to just watch him draw.

I would love to shadow someone whose art is licensed. I want to see how they do everything from the art to the business. Mary Engelbreit would be at the top of my list in this category.

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Thanks so much Laura! Go check out her work at:

http://www.laurazarrin.com/
http://www.creativewhimsies.blogspot.com/
http://www.pixiebears.com/

Interview with an Illustrator: Carmen Keys

The first in a series of wonderful artists that deserve recognition for all of their talent and hard work. I don't remember how I first found freelance artist, Carmen Keys....through Illustration Friday maybe. Following her blog, I often have moments where I can't help but thunk my head and exclaim, "no way!" "how in the world did she do that!" Carmen's work is soft and beautiful and peaceful. She mainly uses watercolor (my archnemesis!) and her paintings are sometimes so intricate and detailed I have no idea how she finishes them so fast. Click on the artwork to see it bigger or find out how you could purchase it.


Q: How did you get started as an artist/illustrator?
A: I have wanted to be an artist/illustrator since childhood, but never had the courage to step out and do it seriously until about 4 years ago when I found myself in a position where I badly needed a way to earn money. I knew that other people sold their art online, such as through Ebay and websites – I finally got desperate enough to get over my fear of selling my artwork and jumped in! I started by selling itty bitty ACEO paintings of fairies and fantasy on Ebay. Out of the necessity to earn money I learned to paint like crazy, and ever since then I've been painting hundreds of pieces every year. At the time I had a blog on LiveJournal (the archives are still there) and that is where I learned the wonders of networking! I met many artists there that are still my friends, and we look out for each other in this wacky business. I don't know what I'd do without them! Though most of my art friends are fantasy/fairy artists since that is where I started, their support and friendship are invaluable still as I've transitioned into children's illustration.

Q: How long have you been doing this?
A: Like a lot of artists, I've been drawing since I could hold a pencil – however, I've only really been painting for about the past 4 years. My mom and brother are artists, too, and we kids got to play with all my mom's good art supplies from the beginning! I owe a lot to her for that, even though we ruined a lot of markers and brushes. ;) She also was (and is) very adamant that children should not stifle their imaginations, encouraging us to use them more!

Q: What does a typical day look like for you?
A: There is no “typical” in my day, ha ha... I have discovered that sticking to a set schedule/routine just does not work for me, no matter how I've tried to fight it. I wish it did, but it doesn't; I am learning to just accept this and roll with it, as long as the work gets done on time! The creative part of my business (drawing and painting) happens best in the evenings to late night, so I try to do the more tedious office-y tasks during the daytime. Lots of web and computer work, post office, things like that. I feel more physical during the day, so I also let myself play in the garden on sunny days as I wish. Sometimes a painting will be so consuming that I will do it all day despite my dusk-loving creative muse. Lastly, all of the things I've just said are subject to change on any given day! Deadlines are good, schedules are bad. For me at least.

Q: Who/what inspires you creatively?
A: First and foremost, God. This is His business, not mine. I love innocence and all things childlike and gnomish, and I love being out in God's creation. His great and inexpressible beauty is something I long to stay close to. Those things really drive my work, and I want to make a little respite from the trials of this world for both adults and children. All of the beautiful illustrations and storybooks I loved as a child really helped me in this way. Looking at other artists' wonderful work is usually a good way to get me fired up for some drawing and painting.
Music is also a huge part of my creative process, as it is my other main vehicle for creative expression. I write it/sing/play instruments and I certainly love listening to other peoples' music. My brother is a very gifted musician/composer, and listening to his work is great fuel for creative fire!

Q: How has your art/style changed since you first started?
A: It has changed a fair bit, especially in subject matter. When I started I was an animistic pagan, so did a lot of fairy, mythology, goddess, and pagan type subjects in a rather Art Nouveau style with heavy ink outlines and bright, soft colored pencil. Three years ago I met Jesus, which has utterly rocked my world and just exploded my ideas about everything. My art began to change with me, switching to themes of innocence and childhood. My work also became much softer and looser, mostly all in watercolor. I love acrylics and oils too, they're just a lot more work! I still paint fairies from time to time, but I have felt called mainly to paint through the eyes of childhood (which can certainly include a fairy or two!). The transition from fantasy art to children's illustration was an inevitable thing for me.

Q: What are three pieces of advice you would give to someone just starting out?
A: 1) PAINT. (Or whatever you do to make art). Do it all the time. Set quotas, it doesn't all have to be amazing. I end up with plenty of mediocre and even bad paintings scattered amongst the good ones, and I go through artist's block ridiculously often. Doesn't matter, keep painting. If you get used to this, meeting deadlines even when you don't feel inspired becomes far less of a problem. If you want to do art as a profession, there are going to be plenty of times when inspiration isn't there (unless you are very unusual and lucky, then rejoice!), yet it still must be done. The more you paint the more you want to paint and get better at painting, and the less you fear painting -- at least for me. Also your unique style/voice will emerge naturally from this.

2) Make friends! The single most important thing in my art business other than doing the actual art is the networking with people. Almost every single licensing contract I have has come through knowing my circle of artist friends. Most people are more than willing to help set you in the right directions. We protect eachother against copyright violations and steer eachother through the murky and sometimes dangerous waters of contracts. I made friends primarily through my old LiveJournal blog when I started out, which also led me to various artist forum communities. Nowadays I make friends through my Blogspot blog, Illustration Friday, and recently Twitter. Some people like Facebook, MySpace, etc or may prefer face-to-face in their own community, people from SCBWI – find something you like and use it! Go forth and meet people! I'm shy/introverted and I did it, don't let that stop you!

3) Have a way for people to keep up with what you are doing, like a website and/or blog and be consistent with it. It's much more fascinating for people to see the human being behind the paintings and illustrations. Post sketches, works in progress, tutorials, pictures from your life, talk about your process, your life, etc. People will want to know more! This phenomenon still amazes me, but it is true. I know I for one end up liking an artist's work many times more than I already did just by knowing about who they are.

Q: What do you hope to accomplish in the future (artistically or otherwise)?
Many book publications with my illustrations in them, I hope! Getting my business in a place that it will support me without being always driven and nervous about the next set of bills (thus creating lots of lovely artist's block). A little less hand-to-mouth, please. Mostly I just want to listen to what God wants me to do with it and follow.

Q: What's one thing you've always wanted to do?
A: I would so love to be able to write my own little stories for my illustrations. I am incredibly shy and fearful about doing this, but there it is. My brother seems to just be able to write fantastic stuff without sweating it too much, but I don't have his confidence in that area!

Q: If you could meet anyone living or dead, who would it be & why?
A: Wow, that's kind of a tough question. I'm going to say Beatrix Potter, as I identify with her a lot. Besides loving her illustrations. I love that she created an entire little world to keep her company in a very introverted childhood, what a great imagination! And such perseverance despite obstacles. I'll bet she might be a “kindred spirit”.

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Thanks so much, Carmen! Go and leave her a note on her bloggy if you LOVE her work as much as I do. www.carmenkeysart.blogspot.com or visit her Etsy and ArtWanted shops and personal website.

For the love of Blogging

Okay, that's it. I've just realized it. I like blogging. Despite all my best intentions, I really do. I desire a simple, minimalistic, naturally beautiful life....I view computers, gaming systems, and the internet with aloof disdain. After having a job that requires a computer for over 7 years I still wouldn't know how to set one up myself (it's okay, you can be embarassed for me). I think people get sucked into staring at a screen and buying the latest gadget instead of spending time with real people or solving real problems in our world.

But you know what? In the short time that I've been blogging, using Etsy, Artfire, Deviant art and the like, I've found a whole bunch of amazing and interesting people I might not otherwise have the privilege to know and learn from. In the journalistic world of blogs I can learn from other peoples mistakes with money like this guy, or find even more ways to be frugal like her. And then there are the days I stumble upon hard to read blogs like BringTheRain and I feel so completely immersed in the heartbreaking story of someone I've never met.

Lately I am thankful for how this technology has led me to real artists that I can learn from and interact with. I am so excited to let you in on the newest idea I have cooked up for this bloggy. Interviews with the Illustrators! I will be publishing interviews from some of the amazing people I have met online through one connection or another. I know that you will love getting to know them and seeing their awesome creativity. It definitely inspires me! Stay tuned for my first Interview with an Illustrator featuring my new bloggy friend Carmen Keys!