Please describe
your chosen illustration
Moondancer
This piece is
light hearted and abstract, giving the sense of vibrant movement in the pose of
the central character. The time and environment is hinted at through light and
shadow. I enjoy this piece for its sense of innocence and fun.
~ What medium
did you use?
Graphite and
lead pencil with charcoal highlights.
~ How long did
it take?
The initial
planning and sketch of the concept took about twenty minutes to capture the
essence of what I was after then the first draft was another half hour, with
several hours of tightening, darkening and adjustment. I also spent an hour
playing with the image on paintshop.pro© and photoshop© with the intention of
tightening the image further. This was such a simple image it did not take very
long to reach a stage I was happy with.
~ What is it
for?
An anthology of
children’s stories. Teapot tales; a collection of unique fairy tales. http://chapterbookchallenge.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/teapot-tales-collection-of-unique-fairy.html It is also being used in promotional material.
When did you
know you had a talent for illustration?
~How old were
you?
As a child.
Every piece of paper I have ever had under my hands has been decorated with
doodles of varying levels of complexity and every course I studied generated
caricatures of participants as a memory aid. In recent years I discovered a
moderate talent in portraiture which I am
polishing.
~ How did you
know?
Because drawing
gives me a sense of peace and the illustrations I do are enjoyed by others
beyond my own enjoyment. My portraits are recognizable as the people I am
reproducing.
~ Did someone
encourage you?
Me, my children
and the feedback from others who have received my art
work.
Have you ever
studied your craft at an institution of any
sort?
~Which
institution?
I have studied
short courses including illustration with Lorette Boekstra, through Deakin Uni
Warrnambool, and Mixed Media with Glen Morgan, and Ballarat University.
I was
discouraged by teachers in my youth, told there was no work for artists and I
would never make any money and I should stick to cooking, although they did
steal my work and senior year portfolio and I was discouraged by family with a
push to find ‘real work’. I went on to earn my living for two years from
painting wall murals and small commissioned works on guitar cases and furniture
as well as canvas. I am often commissioned by school students for specified art
work and I use my skills in working with troubled and disadvantage kids
especially disabled students. I have also worked on a number of community
projects involving art. I also access many valuable youtube videos and online
learning opportunities.
~Would you
recommend it to upcoming artists/illustrators?
Definitely yes!
I would recommend study to budding
artists, with people who will encourage their talents and hone their skills. I
also tell them to practice, practice, practice, and keep on practicing and I
tell young people not to listen to anyone who tells them there is no niche
(job/career/money) in art.
~Do you run
courses or workshops yourself?
Yes. I am
predominantly self-taught and have gone on to teach others (adults and
teenagers) in basic art classes in the use of acrylic paint, gouache and drawing
medium. I am very good at encouraging others to find their own talents.
What computer
programmes do you use?
My art is still hand drawn or hand
painted and I have not yet embraced electronic drawing medium although I am
interested in gaining more skills in this area. I recently purchased a smart pen
so I can doodle directly onto my computer. I know I am a dinosaur but I am an
eager dinosaur. J I am learning to use my smart pen,
paint©, photoshop© and illustrator© which shouldn’t take me too long. I
occasionally use a drawing tablet.
Have you
illustrated any books?
~How many books?
I have art work
in five upcoming anthologies and two already
published.
~Do you have a
favourite?
I have enjoyed
providing art for all the anthologies.
They range through fairytales- new and twists on the classics, superhero
girls, holiday stories, dark circus stories, horror with a collection based on
the work of Clive Barker, fishing tales and a three volume collection based on
bracelet charms. The variety is what excites me and I simply love to create.
~How are you
usually commissioned? What is the process?
Word of mouth
through social networking pages and face to face.
~Do you have
contact with the authors?
For anthologies
I usually have contact with the editor/publisher and I do have the opportunity
to read other authors stories to get an idea of the art work to
offer.
~On average, how
long does a picture book take to illustrate?
My art works can
take from five minutes to several hours on average or even days. From concept to finished work may take me up
to six or seven hours depending on the complexity. If I am working on something
with detailed backgrounds rather than a wash, this time may stretch. I expect to
spend much more time on a story without text because the drawings need to tell
the story and will take much more time than that in which the art work enhances
and supports the text. I expect to take six months to illustrate my own picture
books.
~Is it difficult
working to deadlines? Does it interfere with your creativity?
Not
particularly.
Who is your
favourite Australian children’s book illustrator and why?
Jeannie Baker. I
love her story through art and the use of environmental detritus for her
collages. I love Roland Harvey because his work is
humorous and light and I find Mem Fox quite delightful with whimsical and
beautiful people and animals. I aspire to the skill of Graeme Base I adore the
detail and richness of his illustrations however my own humble artistry is of a
different bent. I can dream.
What’s your
website or blog address (if you have one)?
I am in the
process of having a website built. Watch this space, well not this space exactly
but a space TBA. I currently house (inadequately) scanned copies of my anthology
art on Facebook. cecilia.clark.336@facebook.com
I have just
processed requests for an author/illustrator page with goodreads and amazon.
Would you like
to tell us anything else about yourself and/or your work?
When I paint or
draw the rest of the world disappears for a while. I love looking for images
that can be transformed into something else. I doodle a lot because I need to. I
like to create things. My writing is a way to allow my imagination to create
stories in such a fashion that I can pass on a part of the incredible worlds
going on in my brain and my art lets me make physical representations of
emotions and thoughts. I work fast and I work from my own imagination and
experience. I do like to research photography for posture and line, sometimes
for facial features. In portraits I like to sketch the subject but also work
from photographs. Line drawings are quick and light and a simple pleasure both
creatively and visually. Apart from
being a writer and illustrator I am also a mother, foster mother, trade teacher,
chef, disability worker and theatre props maker and occasional seamstress plus I
have 55 children. Well sort of, I actually have five young people in my core
family unit with a further two or three or five who come and go and I have cared
for more than 55 young people in out of home care. I currently work in a
secondary college supporting troubled kids and students with disabilities with
curriculum delivery and life skills. I am finally pursuing my passion with
writing and drawing after being sidetracked by life. My absolute favourite books
are picture books, followed by fairy tales myths and legends.
A good picture
book should last a lifetime and be passed on as a
treasure.
Cecilia Clark
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