How did you get
started as a Freelance Artist?
After graduating from studying an Honours Degree in Illustration
& Printmaking in Scotland I could think of nothing worse than being a
designer full time. I took a break
and worked in an office for a few years and created little trinkety type
costume jewellery just to get my creative fix and I called the hobby based
business Hungry Designs. After I
moved back to Australia I kept making the trinkety type jewellery but my family
insisted that I start to draw again and attempt to make the switch from jewellery
to art. It definitely took a few
months of them pestering me but I eventually listened and was stunned by the
response my art received. I had
just 3 designs cut and made them into brooches and they sold out. I illustrated 3 new designs and they also
sold out. Now I have over 200
individual designs!
What do you look
to for your inspiration?
I am a massive comic book fan and this is definitely reflected in my
art. I have been collecting comic
books since I was 16 and still collect them today. I also love anything Day of the Dead themed and am into more
macabre themes, like horror, hunting and classic fairy tales. I also love anything Disney and often
watch cartoons and animated films while doodling and designing, so it’s safe to
say that these play a massive part in my creative process. I am also very much inspired by the
people who follow me on my social networking sites – they always let me know
what it is they hope to see, which is always so helpful!
How long does it
take you to do an illustration, start to finish?
Gee, it really depends on a lot of things. I would say between 8 – 12 hours start to finish for an
average, run of the mill illustration.
Obviously if there are lots of changes to be made it can take
considerably longer. I very rarely
spend a lot of time sketching out ideas and tend to go straight for a finished
product. It’s a terrible habit
that I have had since high school!
What is your
process when working with clients? Can you explain your typical job?
Thankfully, all the clients that I have are all really wonderful and
it is a very simple process that isn’t painful at all. After chatting extensively about what
my clients are after I then draw up the pencil illustration and send it
away. If they are happy with it I
then move to the flat colours and send them to the client. The flat colours are then approved or
amended and the third and final stage begins (which is actually my favourite
stage!): shading and highlighting.
This really breathes life into the flat colours. After this is completed the client has
their finished design.
What is the
hardest thing about working for yourself?
The hardest thing I have found is finding the time to do everything
I want to do. I have a “proper”
full-time job and it is impossible to cross everything off the to-do list –
especially when it keeps growning.
Time management is key when working on Hungry Designs and although this
doesn’t leave much down time, I am doing what I love. Hungry Designs is my baby and without it I would be
completely lost.
Do you get ‘Creative
Block’ and how do you push through it?
I
recently had a terrible case of creative block and it lasted for almost 3
months. It was awful! I felt so lazy not doing any
illustrating and this put so much pressure on me to be creative. I am so used to drawing/designing daily
so when I couldn’t do anything creative or I wasn’t satisfied with anything
creative I felt like there was a piece of me missing. I actually think I started acting like a completely
different person. I actually don’t
really know how I overcame the creative block I had, just one evening I sat
down and started to draw. That
night I stayed up until 4am drawing, there was this intense outpouring of ideas
and there were sketches and designs everywhere! It was wonderful!
What Advice do you have
for new kids starting out in the Freelance field?
I
wish I had something profound to say but I don’t... So, um, don’t be forced to work in a way that isn’t you, persevere and practice, practice,
practice!
Check out Hungry Designs here:
x x x
