The Illustrators Journal

SPRING ISSUE

the journal LevinLand’s

POLITICS AND ART: Ross MacDonald tackles it all

Illustrators

INTERVIEW WITH:

Stylish Illustrator

Stefano Imbert

Gail Armstrong

Paper Paper Sculpture Sculpture Genius

John Dyess

A true professional with classic talent reveals himself to us

Lisa Cyr

takes us on a fantastical journey with her work and words.

STUDENT WORK Introducing 4 up and coming artists

A Look at Representing Artists:

We talk talk to to Deal-maker Dealmaker Kevin We Kevin Jones Jones about about the the business business of of Illustration Illustration

Front Cover Art : Agata Karelus

Contributing Editor Jodi Mitchell Publisher Lon Levin "Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are." — John Wooden

FASHIONISTA Stylish and freewheeling Stefano Imbert opens up with us.

PERFECTLY VERSATILE Master artist Ross MacDonald covers a lot of his personal history and ecletic work with us FOLLOWING HIS PASSION John Dyess has always followed his passion and it's pushed him to create brilliant art THE DEALMAKER Kevin Jones, one of the top artist reps in the world fills us in on his background and his business FANTASTICAL ARTWORK Lisa Cyr sheds light on the magical process of creating her brilliant art UNIQUE ARTWORK FROM A UNIQUE PERSON Andrea Aquino delves into the process of how she creates her stunning imagery.

PAPER SCUPTURE MASTER Gail Armstrong shows up why she is one of the finest paper sculpture artists in the world.

FEATURED STUDENT WORK 4 artists venturing out into the "real world" strut their stuff.

IMBERT

Stefano

When did you first think about art as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

Drawing was always my “refuge” as a kid. I discovered that creating picture books from stories I invented myself was somehow liberating as they brought me into a world of total fantasy. I spent hours drawing intensely and realize only now that these images were black and white line drawings with no color… probably this gave me an immediate relief and gratification. My father was an architect and an artist, and I spent a lot of time in his studio where he always encouraged me to draw and experiment. When it was time to enroll in high school, there wasn’t even a question of where … an art school was the only possibility.

Choosing the arts was always something that was very organic to me.

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

I was a quiet kid but always ready to play and socialize with other children even though I quite enjoyed the company of grownups.

I was born and raised in Rome, Italy and was lucky enough to be exposed at a very early age to a myriad of artistic expressions - architecture, classic art,

and pop culture. I was especially influenced by musical theatre and the cinema of the 30’s and 40’s. As a consequence, my work is a mix of influences, from Otto Dix to Kander & Ebb to Lypsinka, and has an emotional range from pathos to the whimsical. Throughout many of my images, one may detect my ever-present sense of humor, too, so don’t be surprised to find a drag queen or glamorous aging diva within my imagery.

But my most important inspiration and mentor who remains my very good friend is James McMullan, the principal artist for Lincoln Center Theater. While still a student at School of Visual Arts, I worked as his assistant and there learned all about high focus drawing, theater illustration, and how to deal with clients.

My influences and inspirations are varied and that, I believe, greatly contributed to the evolution of my work into what it is now. Since I started in this business, I realized that too many young illustrators see editorial work as the only possible venue for their success, so I decided that I was better off trying to make my own passions part of my work. I always loved theatre and movies and remember drawing fantasy movie advertisements when I was eight or nine years old, so it’s not a surprise that for my career I carved a niche for myself close to what I feel most passionate about. Theatre is intrinsically part of my life, so consequently, it plays a big part in my work.

I also realized that I was instinctually drawn to fashion (I’m Italian after all!) and started to experiment with that field in mind. In fashion illustration I really love the immediacy, energy, and movement that only that kind of illustration can create. There is no construction or pencil lines to use as base for your drawing, just brushes of colors trying to reproduce the feel and texture of a garment and the strength of the model posing.

Your style is very unique. Did you work on developing a style or is that what naturally came out of you?

My work came together very organically and quite naturally. Of course, when you start you have so many influences and “heroes” in your mind that you would like to emulate. That can create a lot of confusion. It can take a little time to finally focus and embrace who you really are. In my case, it actually happened quite early in the game.

But you never stop developing your skills and expand your visual vocabulary … that’s what keeps you interested, focused, and open to discovering new ways to express yourself.

What markets does your work appear in? Newspapers, magazines, galleries?

How did that come about?

I have provided illustration to New York theaters and others nationwide for more than 15 years now and am regularly featured on a London-based men’s fashion online publication.

These venues came about quite organically.

When I was starting up, I seriously researched the areas in which I wanted to concentrate my career.

Did the advent of the computer affected your work? Or do you stick to traditional ways of creating art?

I use both traditional and digital as a complement to each other. Creating poster art for theaters involves not only an illustration for the final poster, but also an image that can be flexible enough to work for the flyer, the Playbill, the website banner, and many other marketing materials.

This flexibility can only be achieved with the help of the computer. I need to create a final image that is not “locked” into a specific size, so I paint a few separate images (for example, background and characters) using watercolor and gouache traditionally, and then “assemble” them using a digital tool like Photoshop to generate a single illustration in different layers. In my case the computer is a big help for my work.

What tools do you use to create art? And why?

Watercolor and gouache on paper are my favorite media as they allow unexpected turns that add much to the texture of the final image. Also working with watercolor is a pretty unforgiving media … as mistakes are quite difficult to correct, the process needs your full focus. I enjoy being really “in the moment” and having to make some risky decisions while working on a painting, especially if it’s a final image for a big project.

Your work appears in various publications.

How did that come about? What is your favorite venue to work in?

To illustrate is to express yourself, and my Italian “passion” gives me very intimate and sometimes intense relationships with my projects. I feel particularly attracted to theater and fashion, two genres of illustration that involve personalities, their stories, and often high drama, and I relish the challenge of encapsulating all in one image. Thus, I am fortunate being in New York City, a center of both theater and fashion.

Can you tell us about your work with Ink Well?

I’m so very proud to be part of Ink Well! It’s a foundation

that gives children who are sick or are going through some kind of hardship the possibility of interacting with artists and creating with them in order to both distract themselves through an artistic outlet. The kids are introduced to a variety of artists, spanning from illustrators to cartoonists to animators. It’s a wonderful way for them to get a close and personal relationship with art and artists.

I love to volunteer for Ink Well as it also gives me the chance to be and draw with kids who inspire my imagination and keep it young.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish.

Can you give us a short step-by-step?

When working for theaters, I read the play first, then discuss possible visuals with the Creative or Artistic Director, and finally start drawing thumbnail sketches.

When I select the right sketch with the right composition, I start to look for good references as I’m a firm believer in searching for the right image that can help you develop your concept. The Internet is a very great source, but sometimes I need to ask friends to model for me for a photo-shoot to capture a particular pose. Next, I advance to the color sketches, normally sending three to the Creative Director, each with slightly different variations on the initial concept. When I get the “go,” I create the final painting, or final elements of the painting to be assembled, as I described earlier.

I normally work wet-on-wet as it gives a softness to the composition, almost an under-painting. Next, I build extra layers of colors before the paper gets dry, and then, if necessary, refine the principal elements. When dry I scan the drawings and with the help of Photoshop put together the final image. Some projects require me to provide the title of the show, as well. I enjoy working with types, and every so often even draw them myself instead of using digital fonts. Creating your own types makes the image extremely cohesive.

What do you do to promote yourself and get more work?

Over the years I’ve created a database with contact information of as many artistic, art, and creative directors I could find. I started before the age of the Internet, and so used to go to specialized bookstores to research and write down the information I needed. I then had self-

I’m so very proud to be part of Ink Well! It’s a " foundation that gives children who are sick or going through some kind of hardship the possibility of interacting with artists, creating with them in order to both distract themselves through an artistic outlet." mailings. That’s how I got my first commissions and became the solo poster artist for both the Mint Theater Company and the Boomerang Theatre Company in NYC. Now the Internet has made it so much easier to create and build your list of contacts, contact them more frequently, and make this whole part of the business so much more affordable, too.

After a while, people in the business start to recognize your name and contact you directly. In addition, I always try to go to events related to my work area, and, armed with my business cards, I “work the room.” Living in NYC is a big help that way as there are countless art events to go to, and my involvement with the Society of Illustrators plays a big part in networking.

I use social media as another vehicle to showcase my work, posting only business-related items. Last, I have my own website where I can direct any new potential clients.

What’s the future hold for Stefano? Any ultimate goal? Mine is to have a barn studio in a rural area where I can paint on large canvases, have no idea what I’m going to paint and drink white wine all day. You? I love the idea of having a barn in the middle of the country and focus all your energies solely on your work.

In reality, though, I’m afraid I’m a city boy. Actually, living in New York City has been one of my all-time dreams, ever since I was a young boy in Rome. Now that I’m here in this difficult, impossible, noisy city, I’m afraid I couldn’t survive without its constant inspirational energy.

I obviously would love to work with more theaters, across the country and internationally. But, a dream, of course, is to do a poster for a Broadway musical!

Last year I began teaching illustration at CUNY and discovered I LOVE it! I am actively seeking to expand my teaching career and hope to do so in the very near future.

I also would love to be able to work on my own children’s book. In fact, I have started working with an author and have already put together some ideas and sketches… so stay tuned!

Ross MacDonald

PERFECTLY

VERSATILE WITH STYLE

"I liked to draw when I was a kid, although most of my family wasn’t at all artistic. When I was in second grade, I was confined to a hospital bed for 6 months. I read and re-read tons of Classics Illustrated comics and drew for entertainment."

For many years Ross MacDonald has been a contributor to periodicals like Vanity Fair, The New York Times, The New Yorker, Newsweek, Time, and Rolling Stone, creating illustrations and writing humor pieces.

He also authored and illustrated 4 children’s books, as well as the adult humor books In and Out with Dick and Jane, (with co-author James Victore) and What Would Jesus Craft? Yet all the while he has led a secret double life designing and fabricating props for over 40 movies and television series.

He has made everything from the book Bradley Cooper’s character throws out the window in Silver Linings Play-book, to the titular Book of Secrets for the second National Treasure movie; Jennifer Lawrence’s mop patents for Joy; baby’s favorite book in Baby’s Day Out; Nucky Thompson’s checkbook and Arnold Rothstein’s calling card for

Boardwalk Empire; the morgue toetags in The Knick; the Pawnee town charter for Parks and Recreation; the Red Tobacco tin in Tarantino’s Hateful Eight; Versace’s book in the latest season of American Crime Story and thousands of other props.

Born and raised in the backwoods of Canada, he lived for many years in New York City before finally washing up on the bucolic shores of Connecticut.

I had the pleasure of doing a Pod cast with Ross and I found him to be thoughtful, funny and full of life. He's an example of making the right choices in his life and thriving. I was particularly impressed by his candor and willingness to share his story and methods of working. His story is a great example of being prepared when opportunity presents itself.

And now our interview...

When did you first think about art as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I liked to draw when I was a kid, although most of my family wasn’t at all artistic. When I was in second grade, I was confined to a hospital bed for 6 months. I read and reread tons of Classics Illustrated comics and drew for entertainment. A little later my older brother got kicked out of high school and sent to a vocational school, where he took art classes.

When he’d come home, he’d bring his assignments and hang them on the wall of the bedroom we shared.

That was the first time I realized that drawing was something a grown-up person could do. Going to school in tiny towns in rural Canada, there were no art classes, but that tiny glimpse of the world of art and design and illustration was hugely impactful.

timely I guess. When I took those around, I got magazine work. Later, because of deadline pressures, I stopped doing 7-color lino-cuts, and started coloring black lino-cuts with watercolor. Then I started doing all-watercolor illustrations. But I still do flat-color illustrations, and I also still do lino-cuts sometimes.

What kind of kid were you? What were your influences?

I was a scrawny bespectacled kid but I was pretty active. I grew up in rural Canada. I was the youngest kid in a large family. I used to run around with my friends and play in the woods and fields. We moved a lot when I was a kid so I lived in different towns in southwestern Ontario, Alberta and Saskatchewan. There weren’t a lot of books in our house when, but there were 2 sets of old encyclopedias, and a twelve-volume set of kids books called My Book House. It was published in Chicago in 1930 and was actually a great set of books, illustrated by some of the top kids book illustrators of the day.

Those illustrations have been a huge influence on me, since I spent so much time with them. I used to research obscure subjects in the encyclopedias – something that I still do for my prop and product design work, although I don’t use encyclopedias anymore. I used to like to design and make stuff when I was a kid too – home made rockets and fireworks, bows and arrows, leather stuff, metalwork, wood carving. I made a telephone microphone from an old battery and an oil-can, built an electronic proximity switch, an AM receiver, and a gas mask, which I wore on long car rides with my chain-smoking parents. I guess I was a weird kid.

Your style is very unique. Did that naturally come out of you?

Yeah, it just sort of developed, depending on what I was doing or interested in. I dropped out of high school and left home when I was in my teens, and moved to Toronto. I worked as a printer at a printing/publishing place called Coach House Press, where I rubbed elbows with a lot of poets and writers and artists. Then, with my older brother, I helped start a letterpress printing/publishing house called Dreadnaught Press. When I first started doing illustrations, they were small lino-cut decorations. Then I started doing larger pieces. They were a weird mix of lino-cut, influenced by my 1930s kids books. It was early 1980s, and that combo somehow seemed to work.

How did those Trump pieces come into being?

It’s almost impossible to avoid Trump, and he manages to hit new lows daily – hourly! So there’s lots of material to work with for sure. I think there’s a lot of visual anti-Trump stuff that verges on being heavy-handed, and frankly hysterical. To show him as the destroyer of civilization is not only hyperbole, it gives him WAY more credit than he deserves.

Remember those Tea Party posters of Obama as Hitler and the Joker? Me neither. Humor and satire is harder to ignore, more interesting, lasts longer, has more room for new material, and shows these buffoons as they truly are, to my mind anyway. And people HATE being laughed at.

It’s funny – back in the summer of 2015 I put together a huge proposal for a book called How To Speak Trump. It was a humor book, full of his words and phrases, with satirical definitions. There were also various sidebars, illustrations, etc. Publishers liked it, but none of them wanted to touch it. The general consensus was that Trump would be long gone by the time the book came out. I should have asked if any of those editors were willing to put money on that.

Another missed opportunity.

How did you get started?

In a time when digital type was in its infancy. Most of the foundries and printers were starting to see the writing on the wall, and we were able to pick up huge amounts of type and equipment. A few years later we started a branch operation in Bear River, Nova Scotia.

We had 2 buildings, with a large handmade paper mill, a type casting operation with 3 mono-type casters and 2 keyboards, a print shop with a large Vandercook and a K-model Heidelberg flatbed letterpress that I had restored. We did a fair amount of publishing, but also a lot of job work. Some of that tended to be high-end, custom designed and fabricated pieces for promotion, special events, etc. We also got into book packaging – that’s where I started writing and illustrating children’s books.

How did different types of projects come to you?

Magazine illustration was something I really went after, but the rest is pretty much dumb luck. Someone would see an illustration and call me, or I’d run into somebody somewhere.

My current children's book agent called me because she knew my magazine work. In 1993 I got talking to another guy at a party – he was about to start working on the movie Baby’s Day Out, and they’d been trying to find an illustrator for a faux 1930’s children’s book.

He remembered my work from magazines.

Long story short, I worked on location in Chicago for 6 months and made a lot of friends who worked in the movie industry, and learned a lot from them. The movie work just snowballed from there.

How has the computer affected your work?

I work mostly traditionally, but I scan in artwork and tweak it. I also color some work digitally. For my prop work, I couldn’t really do it, or do it as well, without the Internet.

Research is a huge part of that work. I do some of the prop work traditionally – hand drawn artwork, hand drawn type, letterpress printed from handset wood and metal type.

I also bind books, do leather work, etc. But a lot of the prop work is designed and set digitally, printed on ink-jet printers, but then hand bound and/or hand aged, etc. The Pawnee town charter for Parks & Recreation is an example of that.

D

(Cont.)

So I did that stuff for years. In the early 80s I started striking out on my own a bit. It meant I had to do years of house painting and construction and landscaping to support myself, but I started doing freelance illustration, worked in a children’s performance group, worked for an animation studio, and worked building sets and props in local television. Around the mid 80’s the illustration started to take off. I moved to New York in 1987, where I met and married my wife. About ten years later, I was starting to self publish promotional pieces, like the Get Tough poster I did with James Victore. We were hiring local printers, and I started to think maybe I should buy a small press and a few fonts of type for printing my own stuff. It wasn’t long before a few small things turned into a large collection of type and equipment. I was mainly using it for promotional pieces and for special projects with designers I knew. But I was inadvertently building a huge resource for prop work.

Your comics seem to be political. Where does that come from?

My parents were both in the military and were fairly conservative, and rural Canada wasn’t exactly a hotbed of liberal politics. But after I left home, I lived and worked with hippies and artists. I guess if my political lean comes from anywhere, that’d probably be it. Lately my comics have been confined to social media posts. I haven’t had many comics published in the last few years, but the New York Times was kind enough to run many of them back in the day. I did maybe a dozen comics for the Op Ed page, and I also did comics for other sections of the Times – the Book Review, Real Estate, etc.

I also did comics for Time, Newsweek, Entertainment Weekly and PC Magazine. I also did a regular comic for the Virginia Quarterly Review.

What’s does your process entail? Can you give us a short step-by-step?

I doodle lots of tiny thumbnails – usually about an inch or so big – on a 9x12 bond paper pad with a non-repro blue lead in an automatic pencil. Once I get one that might work, I’ll draw over the blue with a super fine pen. I scan that with my iPhone using Turbo Scan. I eyeball the size so it’s maybe 3 inches big on the page, then I print it out using air-print. I put that print under a sheet of the bond and trace over it in non-repro blue, then draw over that in pen. Often that’s tight enough to blow up and trace the final art from.

Sometimes I have to trace over it again and redraw, or scan it in and make adjustments or corrections in Photoshop.

For most of my illustrations, I trace the final art onto 90 pound hot press watercolor paper or Strathmore 500 series bristol, vellum surface. I trace the lines with a Terracotta Prismacolor. Then I paint it with watercolor dyes.

I’ve always used Peerless dyes – they seem to be a lot more light-fast than the others, and I like the old school colors. I tend to use a small range of colors – sepia, burnt umber, burnt sienna, India yellow, Prussian blue, indigo, vermillion, orange and a couple of greens. The dyes come in liquid form, but I put them into ceramic slants and let them dry out, then I mix a little water in when I use them. I usually tape the paper down onto a board, wet it, and then lay down a pale yellow wash. I do a lot of the first washes wet-in-wet, but then dry it with a heat gun, and lay down more color. Once all of the watercolor is dry, I go over the Terracotta lines with an indigo blue Prismacolor. I got the idea for that years ago by observing how old lithograph posters often achieved a black by laying blue over red. I like how I can get a lot of variation in the line by overlapping or not overlapping the 2 colors. Sometimes I do the line in India ink with a brush and pen, and then watercolor that. For the little pieces, I do the line with a Rotring Tikky Graphic pen. They’re really black and totally waterproof.

What’s the future hold for Ross? Ultimate goal?

I’ve never really had any long-term goals, or if I ever did, I quickly forgot them. I know we’re all supposed to have long-term goals, but I’m too “anything shiny on the ground”. I just love making stuff, researching stuff, designing stuff, drawing stuff, trying new things, and I’ve been lucky enough to have clients who hire me to do just that. When I hear people talk about retiring, I feel a bit sad for them. I wonder if that means that they are not doing what they like, and can’t wait to stop doing it once they’ve made enough money. I’ve never been lucky enough to make enough money to set any aside for retirement, especially since I blow it all on dumb shit like old books, ephemera, type, and presses. But I am lucky enough to love what I do and so far I don’t ever see a time when I’ll want to stop doing it and plant my ass in a rocking chair. The work can be hard – very hard – and I often work long hours, 7 days a week for months at a stretch. But it’s always interesting and I learn new stuff all the time. And sometimes I can pay a bill.

DYESS JOHN

I saw John's art online and I was inspired by his meticulous work which seems to have the grace and insight that greats like Bernie Fuchs and Mark English embodied. I knew I had to talk with him (despite the fact I'm a Dodger fan and he's a Cardinal and include him in our publication. I contacted him and he was gracious enough to agree to this interview John is a career painter, illustrator, photographer and teacher.

His style is primarily realistic with wonderful draftsmanship.

He combines his traditional painting and drawing skills with digital techniques in many of his finished pieces. From children to seniors, historical to national monuments, music, animals, wildlife, fishing, sports and landscape, his subject matter is diverse.

John has done work for many major corporations and companies throughout the US, including Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto, General Electric and the St. Louis Baseball Cardinals. He has been published in widely distributed magazines such as Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, North American Fisherman and TV Guide.

His painting and photography has been represented in numerous local and national shows. He is a member and frequently exhibits at the St.Louis Artists' Guild. His work has also been recognized by the New York Society of Illustrators and Communication Arts Magazine.

John has taught illustration and drawing at Washington University, Webster University, Meramec Community College in St. Louis, MO and Jefferson College in Hillsboro, MO. John has done work for many major corporations and companies throughout the US, including Anheuser-Busch, Monsanto, General Electric and the St.Louis Baseball Cardinals. He has been published in widely distributed magazines such as Field and Stream, Outdoor Life, North American Fisherman and TV Guide. guess you can call me a good kid that was a little shy but " had friends that shared my interest in sports, going to movies and sometimes doing things that were dangerous " I

"

My mother was supportive and my father wanted me to study to be

an engineer. My brother became the engineer and later an architect.

I followed my passion to be an illustrator"

Did you have support or encouragement as a young artist?

Where did you grow up?

I have a brother that is five years older then me that had an interest in painting. Because of his interest and maybe a desire to compete with him for attention, I began to paint and draw.

I grew up in Aton, Missouri, which is a few miles outside of the city limits of St. Louis, Missouri. I guess you can call me a good kid that was a little shy but had friends that shared my interest in sports, going to movies and sometimes doing things that were dangerous.

My mother was supportive and my father wanted me to study to be an engineer. My brother became the engineer and later an architect. I followed my passion to be an illustrator.

My high school art teacher, Jeannine Cook, was very supportive of my art and was a great in influence for me to attend Washington University School of Art, where I later taught in the 1970’s. I have lunch with her once a month along with other friends that were in the art class that she taught.

Graves Gladney (1907-1976) a teacher at Washington University School of Art, taught anatomy, was an influence. He was an illustrator for Street & Smith pulp magazines, especially The Shadow covers. Richard Brunell another teacher at Washington was very helpful and supportive even after I graduated . He asked me to teach illustration at Washington University in the 1970s.

One influence was living near a wooded area where my friends and I could play “Army”and swing on vines. I have enjoyed illustrating Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, several times for textbook publishers, because it reminds me of the fun I had playing in the woods as a child.

How did you develop your style or did it come naturally?

I work at developing my style and it also comes naturally.

Since my freshman year in high School I've had good drawing and painting skills, especially working on people and animals. I also like to experiment and push whatever medium I am using to do something different to go beyond technique and try to apply to my art what I “see”.

How did you first get work?

It came about by showing my illustrations to clients through source books, direct mail, and the internet. When I began my career in the 1960’s I would set up interviews with advertising agencies, companies and corporations. I would carry a large portfolio with my finished illustrations inside of it. The advertising agencies would put your portfolio in a room for several days and art directors would come and view it when they had time. In 1977,while attending the Illustrators Workshop in Tarrytown ,New York, I took my portfolio to Randy Mulvey and Associates, an illustrators representative and after seeing my samples they decided to represent me. Charlie Garner was one of the sales representatives at Mulvey and Associates and because of his interest in hunting and fishing he had connection with the art directors of many outdoor magazines. In my portfolio of illustrations I had one fishing illustration that Charlie showed to the art director of Field and Stream. He also showed the Art Director samples of my pen and ink illustrations. The art director gave me an assignment to illustrate a story called “Wisconsin’s Mighty Muskies”. This appeared in the June 1979 issue. I illustrated a hunting story for the August 1979 issue of Field and Stream called “Railbird Needed Hunters”.

How has the computer affected your work?

The advent of the computer was helpful in many ways. It became a good source for research on the in- ternet and sped up the process of creating illustrations. I focus on Photoshop. I prefer traditional but enjoy working digitally. I like the “hand drawn” look whatever medium I am using to do some- thing di erent . I also like to go beyond technique and try to apply to my art what I “see”.

Can you describe how your personal style evolved?

I began to use pastel while drawing from models in art school.

I used soft pastel sticks and the set I used in art school had very bright Fluorescent colors. I have some of them, that I still use. They were 48 sticks of Weber Costello Alphacolor Pastels. Along with the pastel I use pastel pencils. The pastel portraits that I show on my website are all drawn from models and sometimes finished in the studio using photo reference that I took of the model during the drawing session.”

How did you get the St. Louis Cardinals as a client?

I had a friend that had the St. Louis Cardinals as a client and the first assignment that I did for the Cardinals was do draw black and white portraits of the 1982 World Champion team, to be used in a Baseball Digest magazine. This magazine was given out at a 1983 Cardinal home game. I created illustrations for other Baseball Digest that were given out at home games. My friend spoke with Stan Musial’s business agent about creating paintings of him that could be made into prints and signed. I painted two oil paintings of Stan based a black and white photo of him hitting and a black and white photo of him and his friend Red Schoendienst, posing in the dugout in their Cardinal uniforms. Stan said he would be happy to sign prints if we paid to have them made.

My friend that I worked with decided not to pay for prints and the project didn’t happen. Stan did sign a black and white photo of himself that he gave to me and my paintings of himwere shown in the Stan Musial section of the St. Louis Cardinals Museum for about ten years.”

How has networking helped your career?

At the beginning of my career in the 1960’s living in the Midwest limited my assignments to the St. Louis market. My first job after graduating from Washington University was as an illustrator working as a civil servant for the Military Airlift Command at Scott AFB in Belleville,Illinois. A female student in my illustration class at Washington U. was working at Scott AFB and decided to join the Peace Corp. She recommended me to replace her and an art director at Scott called me. While working at Scott AFB my goal was to create new illustration samples and leave after three years,which I did. I had recommended an illustrator friend for a job at Scott AFB and he began working there about a year after I started.

He left several years later and went to work for an illustration studio in St. Louis. I interviewed there about a month after he started and got a job there. This demonstrates the importance of networking and helping others. My friend was let go at the studio about three months later and got a job at Maritz Motivation company. I stayed for three years until the studio went out of business and I followed my friend to Maritz. I stayed there eleven years until I left to freelance in 1980. While at Maritz my illustrations were accepted in the New York Society of Illustrators and Communication Arts Illustration Annuals. During this time while working at Maritz I began to be recognized nationally. Maritz also paid my tuition and food and lodging at the Illustrators Workshop in Tarrytown NY in 1977. Attending the Illustrators workshop changed my life in many ways. While there I decided to plan on going into business for myself, which I did in 1980.

I am living the future now. I teach as an adjunct professor, once a week at Meramec Community College, which is in Kirkwood, Missouri. I teach an illustration class during the Fall semester and a class called Drawing for Graphics during the Spring semester. I started an art gallery at the church I attend, eight years ago. “The Gallery Within” presents art that has themes of Social Justice and Social injustice.

Most of my time is spent in my home studio, which I share with my wife Carolyn. In 2014 I received an assignment from the National Geographic Museum in Washington DC to create four black ink and color illustrations of endangered Monster River Fish, that would be reproduced on acrylic panels 4 feet wide by 8 feet high. The panel was backlit. I attended the opening in March of 2015. I entered the four Monster fish illustrations into the Communications Arts Illustration Annual , which were accepted and published in 2016.

My wife is a Graphic designer creating designs for several clients and creates cloth sculpture art. I attend a painting group several times a month that draws and paints from costume and figure models.

I have been given much in my life and now want to give to others my time and knowledge.

KEVIN JONES The Deal Maker

Kevin Jones has been working in the commercial art market since the early 80's.

He has survived many ups and downs to reach the point to where he heads up one of the premier Artist's reps in the world.

His agency KJA represents over 400 of the world's finest professional, creative illustrators and animators. And as their agency bio reads "you only need to look in one place to quickly and easily find the perfect proven artists for your illustration needs". All of their illustration and animation work is created with great flair and a truly friendly, no nonsense, simple approach that will exceed your expectations.

With an illustrious reputation, 33 years of unrivaled, in depth knowledge of the illustration industry and a total lust for perfection, KJA can project manage the whole commissioning process, from concept to completion, with just one point of contact. This saves precious time with no additional cost, just a great deal of added value, but most important of all, peace of mind that clients know their artists will create something special and meet the deadline, on time, every time.

athlete in track and field, soccer and tennis. I was the reserve goalkeeper for Liverpool schoolboy soccer. I played at Junior Wimbledon at the age of 17.

Tennis is a passion that has never left me. I grew up in When did you first think about art as something you wantLiverpool with two amazing parents who gave me eved to be involved with? Are you an artist? Were you encourerything they never had, with love and without strings. aged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

My influences were my more talented contemporaries in art arena. are Theyasking all seemedifsoit's far really ahead ofworth me and Iit. As executive pay spirals ever higher, thethepublic I always loved drawing as a child but I was not necessariwas determined to catch them up and surpass them.

In HRat has crucial role to ly encouraged school!aDespite suggestions fromplay teach- in reforming C-suite remuneration many cases I achieved that. My biggest influences were ers that it was the wrong thing to do, I applied to art school two tutors on the art foundation course I attended afand was accepted on the basis of a very rushed portfolio of ter leaving school. Doug Harker and John Baum. Doug 001_HR_0218_Cover.indd 1 29/01/2018 11:17 work and despite the fact I applied after the closing date. I was an all round illustrator with a huge talent for realdo believe in fate as a result of this... It completely changed ism and accuracy that pushed me into wanting to do the course of my life. My family was always very supportwhat he did. As a result I went on to train as a technical ive, amazingly. Looking back, in hindsight, it was incredillustrator. John was a realistic painter working on large canible for working class parents to accept and encourage their vasses with photo realism. That had a huge influence on me arty child to go into more full time art education rather than too, but it was Doug's work that he did for an advertisement going out into the world and getting a job to bring in some for recruiting men into the British army that sealed my deextra money. cision as to what type of illustrator I wanted to be. He did a cutaway of an army personnel carrier for this advertisement What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? showing the troops inside. It was so incredibly real.

Everyone has their price

What were your influences?

I was a very shy kid who loved sports and was an

You represent a lot of illustrators. How do you keep track and do you market them or is that up to the artist?

Yes, we have a huge roster of artist. Its a simple idea really... if a client needs any style (no matter how esoteric) we have somebody that can do it for them. No panic for them, just a greet service for all styles they may ever need. Client has an easier and trouble free work experience as a result. We have a team constantly communicating the benefits of our artists to clients and potential clients. We build long term relationships born out of our 'above and beyond' attitude and professional service we deliver daily. It's that difference that has made the difference for our clients. Many are now long-standing friends and are fiercely loyal. Fortunately! The artists can then just get on with what they are great at... illustrating, and not have to worry about finding the work.

How did your agency come to be?

We started out as technical illustration studio in the early 80's and grew to be 9 full time staff by 1990.

Business was plentiful and we didn’t ever market ourselves. Work found us, or was repeat business. Life was much simpler then! The recession in the UK and globally in early 1990 hit the market place and us very badly and with the change in decade, style and requirements changed our business almost overnight. We struggled for a while to keep our in-house artists with work that was not what they had been used to. We ended up having to let most of them go and re-employ them on a freelance basis as and when an appropriate job came in for them. We were being offered work that was not technical in nature and so found contemporaries

that were experts in whatever style or technique that was required, and we slowly grew a roster of hugely talented and diverse artists to call upon when we needed them. One day, a client said, "you guys aren’t a studio any more, you’re an agency" and I realized that was what we had become and the rest is history, as they say. Since that epiphany, we set about sourcing new and greater talent, regular scouring the world for a new style, or artist that helps us offer and even wider depth of talent to our clients.

How do you choose the artist’s you represent? After they submit work do you talk and advise them?

Many artists find us and ask to be represented but we also actively seek out new emerging talent. We like to foster a close relationship with our artists. They are after all our lifeblood and we are talking to many of them almost every day. Without them we are nothing. We advise on what we think sells in terms of pieces they showcase in their portfolio with KJA. We never promise anything to an artist in terms of how much work we can find but always explain it is in our interest to find them work as we only make money by finding large quantities of work for them!

What’s your percent of success amongst all the artists. What I mean is how do you evaluate each artist and how they are doing? Do you advise them about a certain level of success you want them to reach? When they don’t reach it do you cut people loose?

We never cut anybody loose if they are not perceived as being successful. We only cut loose those that have broken fundamental moral principles and rules here at KJA. It’s very hard to measure overall success. One month an artist can be flat out and then have little work for two months. Is that a failure or a success? They have to be the barometers of that and being able to support themselves is a way to measure that. If an artist hasn’t had work from us for while we often suggest a shake up of their work and always ask out artist to keep adding new pieces to the KJA site. It keeps their folios fresh and interesting for regular visitors and keeps their work contemporary and up to date. It also has the effect of sorting out who is prepared to make the effort to help us, to help them.

How has the advent of the computer affected your marketplace? Meaning do you see more artists doing digital work or less?

We had our first Macs in the office way back in 1990. 11 FX's as I recall. The big daddy of its day.. or so the advertising went! Hugely expensive and very slow with only an 8mb of ram and 80mb of hard drive. How we did anything on them I don’t know. 99.99% of all work now is created digitally or started traditionally and scanned in and then manipulated in some way digitally. We don’t take on anybody new that doesn’t work digitally unless they have an amazingly unusual style. I cant remember the last job we did that was supplied as flat artwork for scanning.. thankfully! The days of having to strip board for roller scanning have gone. The stress of peeling off a $10,000 artwork that it would be ruined aged me beyond my years!

When I worked with Reps as a creative director I found that if an artist I wanted to use was not available they’d sometimes offer another lesser artist to do the same type of work. Is that a practice you employ?

Timing is everything, and if a particular artist isn’t available, of course we would offer somebody we thought was suitable for the clients needs. We would never offer a 'lesser' artist as our reputation is everything to us. One bad job and a client is lost forever. We always offer to do a free sample for a client that is unsure about an artist’s suitability. That way we have the opportunity to prove our artist choice is valid and appropriate and takes away the clients fears. If we didn’t have anybody that was suitable or that we thought was correct for the job in hand we would gracefully bow out.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

Its a simple process that we find works really well after 30 odd years of utilizing it. We insist that when clients submit a brief, all stockholders with an interest in the end result have their say and help formulate the brief from the beginning.

Nothing worse than a new voice half way through a job asking for a change in direction as he/she has just joined the party..

Then we brief the artist as we know how to get the best out of them, having worked closely with them for many years. First drafts are prepared and submitted to the client for approval or comments. Any changes are relayed to the artist and either they have sign off to go to final art, or they submit with the necessary adjustments. When final sign is given, we again insist all stakeholders agree on this and the artist then produces the final piece. Any color adjustment can then be briefed in if required, then, hopefully, final sign off from the client and a lot of back slapping ensues!

What’s the future hold for you and your agency? Any ultimate goal?

Ultimate goal is for us to make the working lives of our artists easier and more successful (however we/they calculate that). Longer term we have been talking to several large media companies about us adding value to their in-house ability whilst also providing a lucrative additional revenue stream to them. A kind of win, win for all concerned. Our artists would get access to a huge yearly requirement for illustration and animation and the media company doesn’t have to worry about where they are going to source the artists and animators for their next project.

We are currently having a custom website built from a brilliant IT Web company in the UK who can still write code rather than having to utilize 'word press' or similar applications that have in built restriction to functionality and usability. Hugely expensive of course, but will be worth the cost and effort in moving us forward and making us stand out further in the competitive illustration marketplace.

LISCyr' CYR Lisa s

Fantastical

Artwork

"The more we approach our work with insight, vigor and passion—continually cultivating creative play, exploration and experimentation—the more we are able to see and reach our full potential and inner greatness as creative beings.”

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up?

Early on, I didn’t have a lot of kids in my neighborhood that were my own age, so I learned to amuse myself through creative play. As I grew older, we moved and I was able to interact with others my own age.

At the time, there was no video games, social media or an abundance of TV shows to distract my focus and attention. I grew up in New England where there is a beautiful change in the seasons. When my friends and I came home from school, we played outside, made tree and snow forts as well as other such enclosures, using

our imagination and ingenuity.

We were always actively using our minds, bodies and hands to create something.

Your style is very unique. Did you work on developing a style or is that what naturally came out of you?

The development of an artistic style is very much like the development of one’s personality. It takes time, courage and experimentation to fully realize who you are as a person and as a creative being. My evolution has been about the exploration of alternative forms of picture making and personal storytelling working in tandem with the experimental aspect of process. This is a journey I am still on and will probably remain, as it feeds my interests for knowledge and exploration of all things fantastical. I would also like to share an excerpt from my book Experimental Painting that speaks to Work as Play and the development of artistic authenticity. “As artists, our legacy lies in the ability to approach aesthetic endeavors with an authentic voice and vision, maintaining an intimate connection with the divine spirit that resides within. The expression of our gifts and talents is our unique contribution to world. To make an everlasting impact, an extraordinary mindset that is genuine at heart is needed to persevere, triumph and succeed. The more we approach our work with insight, vigor and passion—continually cultivating creative play and experimentation—the more we are able to see and reach our full potential and inner greatness as creative beings.”

What markets does your work appear in?

How did that come about? What is your favorite venue to work in?

The majority of my work has been developed around publishing, both editorial and book. In more recent years, my focus has been on building unique intellectual properties. The work that has developed is packaged in different ways, distributed to the masses through books, videos, webinar broadcasts, interactive media online, merchandising and the like. My original work has also sold to collectors through museum and gallery shows that I have participated in. Teaching and lecturing is another aspect of what I do, as it inspires and informs my work in unique ways. As an instructor, I work with undergraduate students at the New Hampshire Institute of Art and MFA illustration and design students at The Hartford Art School and Marywood University. I also teach weekend workshops at the Art Students League of New York in NYC as well as other venues like the Norman Rockwell Museum. My hands-on workshops explore creative, mixed-media approaches, using an interesting array of unconventional techniques in inventive combinations. In addition, I lecture across the country. My most recent endeavor entitled Figure of the Imagination includes a traveling lecture that focuses on the development as well as the symbolic and metaphorical vision behind my fantasy-based, figurative works of art and

I use a digital camera to transform my layered, mixed-media work into publishable images for print as well as broadcast and interactive projects.

The computer is a tool that I used to distribute, promote and reformat my work.

my creative storytelling in journals and sketchbooks.

How has the advent of the computer affected your work?

I am an artist that creates with both two-dimensional and three-dimensional traditional media. For reproduction, I use a digital camera to transform my layered, mixed-media work into publishable images for print as well as broadcast and interactive projects. The computer is a tool that I used to distribute, promote and reformat my work.

What tools do you use when you’re painting?

And why?

In addition to employing traditional painting tools in my work, I seek tools from outside the art industry and alter or repurpose them. When it comes to exploring alternative ways to apply and manipulate paints, pastes and mediums, I have used sponges, squeegees, trowels, putty knives, pastry decorating utensils, combs, toothbrushes, eyedroppers, sticks, straws, basting syringes and plastic bottles with various applicators, just to name a few.

I have also invented some of my own tools!

You can check a demonstration on how to make a custom roller here on my Confessions of a Mixed Media Artist blog: https://lisalcyr.blogspot. com/2013/01/create-customized-paint-roller.html When it comes to innovative techniques and alternative picture making for artists and illustrators, I have written two books, Experimental Painting and Art Revolution (North Light Books).

Experimental Painting includes an entire chapter on unconventional tools, surfaces and materials, where I explore alternative, repurposed and custom tools, experiment with metal, wood, clay, foam and paper substrates, use layered panels and mixed surfaces and employ inlaid boxes. Art Revolution on the other hand, explores two-dimensional, threedimensional, digital and new media techniques from various artists of the fine art, illustration, comic and film industries.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish.

Can you give us a short step-by-step?

To expand my visual vernacular, I experiment and explore almost every day. When I start to play, there are happy accidents that begin to happen. Things that I could not have predicted occur. I find that

when I push myself creatively, I discover alternative ways in which to conceptualize and create art.

From texturing the working surface with collage, employing additive and subtractive processes, establishing an interesting topography to using transparent and opaque painting for richly painted passages and utilizing alternative and custom tools to produce signature mark making, my process varies and is dependent upon what I’m trying to communicate in the work. Ultimately, the message dictates the methodology and materials.

What do you do to promote yourself to get more work?

To make an audience stop, look, and listen, creatives need to produce memorable promotions that speak to a prospective client’s needs in unique and innovative ways. Rather than relying on any one venue, artists should penetrate their target market on many fronts. Image and brand-building initiatives, campaign endeavors, keepsake promotions, publication/newsletters, blogs, podcasts, events online and on-ground, media relations, social media strategies and even thank you notecards can all be employed as ways to build brand recognition and make a long lasting impact with key clients. Whether I am embarking on a launch or looking to maintain or expand my market share, a multimedia approach can prove to be very effective in calling attention to what my creative business has to uniquely offer.

What does the future hold? Any ultimate goal?

I recently launched a labor of love project called Figure of the Imagination, furthering my passion for all things fantastical. The intellectual property includes a traveling lecture, workshops, downloadable wallpapers, signed postcards, creative writing journals with hand-marked original art inside, artistic process and insight videos on hybrid, multimedia approaches to storytelling. In addition, the release of signature, limited-edition books, illustrated sketchbooks of the work in series, notecard sets and inspirational calendars will also be created. I hope to someday have a major traveling exhibition of the work as a whole!

age. Then as a teenager, I loved the Beatles to an obsessive point, and I drew them over and over, and people loved it! That was enough for me to keep it going, and then when it was time for college, there was no question that I’d go to art school. I opted to major in graphic design. I come from very working class roots, so – fine art was not even a consideration, and that came only from my own instincts. I studied the history of graphic design from the Bauhaus to Russian Constructivists to Pushpin Studios and Herb Lubalin, to Massimo Vignelli and Michael Beirut and Pentagram to the 80s new wave like April Grieman, etc . It was just pre-digital age by hair, so – I feel lucky to understand that design is not about knowing how to use software, yet – I also became very comfortable with it as soon as that became the norm in ad agencies that I worked in. Long story short – I became an art director and worked at some of the very best and most creative agencies in the 90s, with some of the very best people possible. Creativity still reigned in those places, and it was a good time.

When did you first think about art as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I started drawing at about 10 years old, I recall drawing the gymnasts from the Olympics, and it seemed to come very naturally to me. Everyone said “wow”, so, that was enough encouragement for me to continue. I suppose I was fortunate, I never had anyone give overly practical advice, or discourage me. That may be because I am female, I suppose. There is less expectation to have professional success, at least in the 70s when I was that

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

I grew up specifically in Mt. Vernon, NY, which is just minutes beyond the Bronx border, so I had benefit of suburban life, with immediate proximity to New York City of the 70s and 80s, which was a very rich time, and almost bears no resemblance to what exists today. I was very fortunate. Therefore, my influences were literally everything and anything from high art in the best museums and fanciest stores which I recall as very glamorous and cutting edge, to the street which was still pretty grimy and rough…and much in between.

Your style is very unique. Did you work on developing a style or is that what naturally came out of you?

I think everyone’s style is what “naturally comes out of them”, but that is also the result of much work. I think there is a lot to be said for a simple work ethic that is not unlike any other, there is nothing special about art – you still have to just put the time and effort and countless hours in. That is usually pleasurable, but I think you need to have an almost irrational drive to keep coming back to it, even after many failures. You have to be the kind of person that just comes back to it the next day and

"I recall drawing the gymnasts from the Olympics, and it seemed to come very naturally to me. Everyone said “wow”, so, that was enough encouragement for me to continue." the next, who knows why. That’s just how it is. You look at a lot of art, but eventually – you just have to do what you do. I might have gravitated toward using collage – even if I’m just drawing and painting, I still work in a collage manner, as an outgrowth of the cut and paste, moving around methods of traditional analog graphic design. I read that even Dekooning worked that way for similar reasons, so – it must make sense!

What markets does your work appear in? Newspapers, magazines, galleries? How did that come about?

All of those, though I think my work is most naturally for picture books (or animation). I like the problem solving aspect of editorial assignments as well. Galleries, its on a modest scale, or more accessible ones, group shows. That said, this is something I see pursuing more of in the future, perhaps, less commercial work – as a future goal. I am always getting tired of one “world” and wanting to crack another. How did it come about?

I feel essentially that the right audience and clients will find you eventually if you are true to your own point of view. You can’t please everyone, so – stay the course with your own instincts, even if they may be pretty quirky. That’s all you’ve got to be unique and it’s important to remember that What tools do you use when you’re painting digitally? And why?

I actually almost never paint digitally. I use photoshop more like print making – as simple layers

of analog elements. I always use a Wacom tablet, though actual drawing on it is kept to a minimum.

I use photoshop and InDesign to plan out rough ideas or general assembling. I may do some color shifts, etc. I like to be able to move elements around easily, or extend a backround, etc. I also have a huge library of my own art elements organized on file.

There are excellent digital brushes around now, but I rarely use them, I like the analog, organic feel more than faux effects. It can start to look artificial very fast, even with great tools and filters. The end result is not the same. I want to experiment more with an iPad pro though, it can be efficient, and certainly for animation, which I enjoy. For editorial assignments, I tend to work more digitally as time and flexibility is of the essence.

Your Alice in Wonderland book is marvelous. How did the idea of mixed media, collaging mixed with watercolor come about??

Can’t say it was an “idea”, it just is what comes naturally to me. Those are the mediums I typically use. (Though I’m much less into watercolor these days). I like to play around with every art supply I can, in

an almost childlike way. I may learn the proper way to use these things, but…then that is boring and too careful and correct, so – I just mix gesso with ink or just experiment the “wrong” way, and chemically, interesting things happen! That is much more interesting to me than doing things properly, whatever that means. But, it’s interesting to learn the classical techniques, also. I just tend to get tired of that and want to see what happens if I spray hairspray or soap on to wax paper and then……? Whatever! It’s like cooking without a recipe. I’m not a precise or by-the-book personality. If you want to do something unique, you have to break the rules. That comes with both success and big failure, so, I think it takes more guts to leap into the void. But, it’s worth the risk.

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

Think. Extremely loose sketches probably only I understand. Think more. Take a break (things are still happening in this stage, its important!). Sketch more ideas. Brutally narrow to the few best, in my own estimation and then bring to a next level of finish. For me, this may mean jumping right in and doing a “finish”, particularly with with my more personal, analog style. I can draw something very carefully, but it often gets discarded in favor of the more spontaneous and “honest” interesting chance mark that lands on the paper…. careless, more or scrap of paper that is in right place at the right time. You can’t overplan for these things.

Even with editorial, where I may be playing around with elements digitally, it’s still in same playful way that leaves room for a haphazard, non-sequitur chance thing – which inevitably makes it all come together.

You can’t plan for these odd connections. But they do always happen.

What do you do to promote yourself and get more work?

I used to do a lot of email blasts, but found that for every thousand people you hit, maybe 10

even see it, and 3 vaguely interested… and that’s with a focused list. I guess I did get some excellent assignments from it sometimes, but the odds are not in its favor. Now, I try to see who is most specifically doing work I admire, or may be inclined to respond to me, personally. I post work on both facebook and Instagram, some Pinterest…some decent assignments come from that, but, it’s a mixed bag.

If you stick with what you do long enough, the correct people do find you, but you have to keep working and updating all the time. I wish I had a more failsafe method!

What’s the future hold for Andrea? Any ultimate goal? Mine is to drink white wine and paint.

I know you mean this tongue in cheek, but – I think it’s important to have visions that are 100% based in actual possibility. And reality can be quite amazing, and jaw dropping - but I suspect you don’t really expect to drink white wine all day! : ) So, rather than make it into a kind of “impossible” dream, what do you truly visualize as what you wish to do? For me, its actually somewhat similar – I wish to have a big space that is free to be messy and work on larger scale, and yes – be closer to nature. I will drink wine in moderation. However, I actually think that after decades of working my butt off in ad world, making decent financial decisions like buying an apartment that I will eventually sell….I can actually take steps to make this something how my future will look.

Whatever way it goes, I can guarantee I’ll always be “working” in some way, as long as I’m physically able, as that has always been a constant in my life, even since childhood – so it’s clear to me that aspect won’t change. We who find pleasure in work and the process of making things are about the most fortunate people on earth, far as I can tell. I can’t figure out what other people actually do with their time, to be very honest!

It’s said that famed Renaissance painter Arcimboldo wrote and collected bread recipes which he shared with his students and art loving friends. Whether that’s true or not, we choose to believe it.

So, in that tradition we are giving our readersa special recipe, one that surely would bring a smile to the famous painter’s face.

Giuseppe Arcimboldo was an Italian painter best known for creating imaginative portrait heads made entirely of objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish, and books.

Braided Lemon Bread There’s just something about lemon that brings a smile and cheerful laugh in the middle of even the dullest of days. The bright yellow color and zippy taste can’t be beat. This bread combines a soft and tender sweet dough with the tangy flavor of lemon, and wraps it all up in a beautiful yet easy-to-shape mock braid.

Ingredients SPONGE 3/4 cup warm water 2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon instant yeast 1/2 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour DOUGH all of the sponge 3/4 cup plain or vanilla yogurt 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened 2 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup sugar 2 teaspoons salt 2 teaspoons Buttery Sweet Dough Flavor OR vanilla 5 cups King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour egg wash for brushing braid pearl sugar or sparkling white sugar for sprinkling on braid CREAM CHEESE FILLING 2/3 cup cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup sour cream 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 1/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour 1/2 cup prepared lemon curd INSTRUCTIONS In a small bowl, combine the sponge ingredients. Stir well to combine, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and set aside to proof for 10 to 15 minutes.

In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the sponge, yogurt, butter, eggs, sugar, salt, and flavoring. Add 4 1/2 cups of flour and mix with the paddle attachment until the dough is a rough, shaggy mass.

Switch to the dough hook and knead on speed 2 until a soft, smooth dough forms, about 5 to 6 minutes, adding more flour if needed to achieve the correct consistency.

If you’re using a bread machine, combine all the dough ingredients in the pan and set the machine on the dough cycle. Be sure to check

the dough as it kneads and adjust the flour or water as needed to achieve a soft, supple consistency. Let the cycle complete itself.

If working by hand or stand mixer, place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow to rise for 60 to 90 minutes, until quite puffy and nearly doubled.

While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Combine all the filling ingredients (except the lemon curd) in a small bowl, mixing until smooth and lump-free. Reserve the filling and lemon curd until ready to fill the braids.

Gently deflate the dough and divide it in half. Cover half with plastic wrap and set it aside as you roll out the first piece into a 10” x 15” rectangle. Rolling on parchment paper makes moving the bread to the baking sheet much, much easier. Lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise, to divide it into 3 equal sections. Spread half the cream cheese filling down the center section, and top with half the lemon curd, leaving 1” free on all sides of the filling.

To form the mock braid, cut 1” crosswise strips down the length of the outside sections, making sure you have the same number of strips down each side. Beginning on the left, lift the top dough strip and gently bring it across the filling diagonally. Repeat on the other side with the top dough strip, so that the two strips crisscross each other. Continue down the entire braid, alternating strips to form the loaf Repeat the rolling, filling, and braiding steps for the second piece of dough, using the remaining cream cheese filling and lemon curd. Set both loaves aside, lightly covered, to rise for 45 to 50 minutes, or until quite puffy Preheat the oven to 375°F. Brush the loaves with egg wash (one lightly beaten egg, 2 teaspoons water and a pinch of salt), and sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar, if desired. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the loaves are golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

Yield: 2 loaves.

gail armstrong paper sculpture master

I was trolling through the internet one day (as I regularly do) looking for interesting artists and stories. I somehow landed on artwork, specifically paper sculpture that knocked me out. The craftsmanship was so superior it was hard to believe. I thought to myself I must contact this person, whose name was Gail Armstrong, and convince her to be interviewed. Our readers needed to aware of the magic an artist can do with bits and pieces of paper. I found out how to contact her and to my delight she agreed.

Gail Armstrong has been creating paper sculptures for over 20 years and her enthusiasm for the medium hasn’t waned one snip. She still wants every image she creates to be better than the last, and this approach has led to plenty of awards, including a Cannes Gold Lion for her Kleenex campaign. She finds inspiration in contemporary art and, not surprisingly, the huge Paperchase outlet on Tottenham Court Road in London. Gail did her foundation course at Sheffield Polytechnic before gaining both a BA and Post Graduate Diploma in Graphic Design and Illustration at Glasgow School of Art. Paper may seem flat to most of us, but Gail sees in it the

potential to create new worlds with their own look and feel. Simple sheets are manipulated and transformed into 3D sculptures, imbued with beauty using a gamut of stocks, textures and colours.

When did you first think about art as something you wanted to do? Were you encouraged or discouraged by family, friends, teachers, mentors?

I knew from age 5 that I wanted to go to art school. We drove past our local art school in Sheffield on our way to primary school, and the people going through the carpark just looked so interesting and were always carrying weird and wonderful objects. I knew I wanted to be a part of that. My grandmother in particular was so pleased when I finally went, as she had wanted to study art but been forbidden by her parents. My family are generally more science-based and I was quite academic (I think my father would have loved me to be a doctor like him), but no-one ever blocked me like they did my Granny.

Then when I was accepted at Glasgow School of Art, my parents were so pleased, not only because it such an internationally acclaimed art school, but also because I was reconnecting with my Scottish roots,

myself. I always loved any form of crafts.

Your style is very unique. Did you work on developing a style or is that what naturally came out of you?

The first time we had a paper workshop at Glasgow School of Art, I knew I had found my medium! I just seemed to know how to get paper to do what I wanted (I think a lot of that comes from the years of making clothes). Someone once described my style as “drawing with a scalpel” rather than making and constructing and I think that’s a pretty good description. The paper sculptures are very like my drawings. I’ve always been attracted to images with a dramatic perspective, or that have a flow to them and that’s what I try to achieve in paper.

Before I discovered paper, I tried all sorts of drawing and painting styles, but this is the style and way of working that just naturally worked for me.

I also have to mention my amazing art teacher at Brantwood School, Mrs Carpenter - an absolutely incredible art teacher, who never let you rest on your laurels! She really did nurture and inspire me from a very young age.

Being at Glasgow School of Art when I was, has had a long-lasting affect on me. There was a spirit and creative energy in the place that kept building - there are several successful artists who were there at the same times me.

Looking back it seems like I was there during a golden age, but at the time it felt more like having to work really hard just to keep pace with everyone!

What kind of kid were you? Where did you grow up? What were your influences?

What markets does your work appear in? Newspapers, magazines, galleries? How did that come about?

I grew up in Sheffield, England with an older sister and a younger brother. Sadly my sister died when I was 17, just a few months before I left home to study in Glasgow. I’d say she was one of my biggest inspirations growing up, along with my mother. The pair of them had amazing imaginations (my sister was a writer and my Mum made up inspired games when we were little), and had a “joie de vivre” and “I can” attitude that still influence me today. My sister never let her ill health compromise her ambitions or used it as an excuse. As a child I spent a lot of time drawing and making things, especially clothes for my dolls, then later clothes from

All of them! Probably galleries least of all, but I’m working on rectifying that :) I don’t really like it when people describe illustrations as being “publishing” or “editorial”. To me, illustrations are more than just being about a style or a category. A good illustration conveys something more, whether it’s a complete narrative or a lifestyle moment…a good illustration actually says something and is more than just a pretty image. On that score, an illustration has to work much harder than a gallery piece. I’ve also know of illustrators who will only work for advertising or “blue chip” clients and frown upon editorial.

For me every job I do has it’s own merits and appeal.

Personally, I know editorial is the lowest paid and fastest turnaround so doesn’t appeal to everyone, but for me, some of the best images I’ve done have been for magazines. I think when the next issue is pending and each issue has to make it’s mark, I’ve found the art directors are a little more willing to take risks and let my try new things that help advance my work.

How has the advent of the computer affected your work?

Hugely!! It’s speeded up the drawing stage of my work and allows me to make changes and edits at that stage more easily. And previously, I was entirely reliant on a photographer’s input to get the paper sculpture looking at it’s best. Now I only work with photographers when the image requires something extra special with atmosphere or lighting. Otherwise, I’m now photographing the individual elements of the overall image and then putting the final illustration together in Photoshop, supplying the final artwork as digital files. Which also means I now work with clients all around the world, rather than shipping off paper sculptures as I did previously. Which all means the process of getting to the final image is far less time consuming and completely under my control. I also use the computer for scanning textures or creating patterns that I can then print onto papers to use in my sculptures, so I have much more paper to play with now :) When I first started there were only 5 of us in the UK working commercially, creating images in paper and each of us had our own distinct styles.

Now I have to compete internationally with a multitude of paper artists (also digital artists that mimic a paper style). I’m glad I started when I did, as my work practice has been able to develop organically over the years along with the developments in computing, so I’ve built up a wealth of experience and a substantial portfolio of work over that time.

What tools do you use? Do you ever worry that an injury or arthritis might curtail your ability to work with paper? Would you or could you work in another medium if necessary?

Ha! When I first started one of my first pieces was 9ft long. Now if I made the same piece it would be about 2ft long, but with the same amount of detail.

The biggest hazard is paper cuts or when I accidentally knock the scalpel off my desk (I’ve had several near misses of my foot). But the worst thing for me is neck strain and muscle spasm, which unfortunately does incapacitate me or trigger migraine. I’ve discovered pilates and that’s a huge help, and I adjust my work position throughout the day to try and prevent getting set in one pose. The worst thing recently though is that I now sometimes have to wear glasses for some of the smaller fiddly bits. There’s nothing like your eyes going and your back aching to make you feel old!! I guess the biggest adjustment for me to prevent injury is learning how to say “no” and not get overloaded with work. I get so excited by the ideas that are sparked by new briefs, that I sometimes to take on more than I should. My main tool is a scalpel with a 10a blade - the callous on my finger only appears when I take a holiday. I think it’s constantly being worn away for the rest of the time! I also work with a self-healing cutting mat, small rulers from Muji, a ball-end, burnisher and a hat-pin! I find the best weight of papers to use are between 170-240gsm. I also have a Silver Bullet cutting machine, which I use if I’m doing lots of repeat cuts and want them to be consistent (and not get neck strain!).

I think it’s every artist’s nightmare to go blind or get arthritis in their hand. Personally I’m very biased to my right hand and couldn’t possibly do what I do with my left. But then Monet produced his best work when his eyes were failing, so perhaps there’s hope for all us artists if parts of our bodies fail!!

Your work appears all over. How did that come about? What is your favorite venue to work in?

I’ve been around for a very long time!! I signed with my wonderful agents, Illustration Ltd, about 25 years ago and in that time they have expanded and grown all over the world. So I get clients from just about everywhere! With the efficiency of working with the internet though, there’s never an excuse for me to go and meet the clients in person, so I don’t get to go beyond London.

What would be lovely would be to get work from Japan and have to go out and install it - it’s one place I’d love to visit and somewhere that had definitely had an influence on my work. I did get much more noticed after winning awards for the Kleenex campaign and then again when my United Nations stamp won a Philatelic award. International awards have really got me noticed.

Do you do Gallery shows or is your focus mainly commercial?

It’s largely commercial with an occasional gallery piece, although sometimes the client purchases the

What’s does your process entail? Start to finish. Can you give us a short step-by-step?

I start with rough doodles of concepts and compositions, which I then work up into drawings for the client to approve. I use those drawings like templates to make the actual paper sculptures, cutting and scoring through copies of the drawing onto the actual final papers. If there’s a tricky bit I’ll work it out in white paper and masking tape, but usually I work straight onto the final paper I want to use.

If the finished piece is to be a complete paper sculpture, then I make supports for the individual paper elements and stick them all to a base board. If it’s to be supplied as an illustration, I take photos of the sculptures against a white background and import the photos into Photoshop for minimal retouching. I digitally cut out the paper sculpture image from the white background and layer up the final image, adding extra shadows if required. Voila!

What do you do to promote yourself?

Most of my promotion is done through my agent, with them suggesting competitions to enter and books to advertise in. I also have clients who enter my work in competitions. Most notably JWT, London entered the Kleenex “Feelings” campaign into so many competitions and it did so well that it ended up The Big Won awarded it 1st place in the Top 10 Press Campaign in the World, having previously scooped one Gold Lion and 2 Bronze Lions at the Cannes International Advertising Festival (the advertising equivalent of the Oscars). That’s the kind of promotion you really can’t buy and it got my work noticed internationally and I haven’t looked back since.

On a day-to-day basis I try to post reasonably regularly on Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr as well as project samples on Behance. Since I don’t have a personal website (my online portfolio is exclusively with my agents at www.illustrationweb.com/gailarmstrong ), it’s my way of having a more personal presence on the internet, with my agents handling the professional one.

Instagram : www.instagram.com/gailarmstronglanksbury/ Facebook : www.facebook.com/gail.armstrong.paperart/ Tumblr : www.gailarmstrongpapercraft.tumblr.com Behance : www.behance.net/gailarmstrong

What’s the future hold for Gail? Any ultimate goal?

I already have my dream studio. It’s the front room of our gorgeous early Victorian London house with.

a bay window overlooking the busy road outside. No peace but lots of activity! It’s a large, light room with enough space for my enormous 18-drawer plans chest that houses my multitude of paper, 2 large desks (one for drawing and cutting and one for computer work) and lots of bookshelves crammed with more papers and reference books.

I would like to squeeze in some more time for life drawing for pleasure and have a bit more time enjoying gardening, but my ultimate goal would be to have published a children’s book project that I’ve been tinkering with for about 10 years. I would really love to get that finished and out in bookshops…maybe with some accompanying animations and merchandise?!!! And I would also love to see my large scale sculpture made and installed….in fact, why stop at one! I’d love to see more of my work in galleries and on show to the public :)

STUDENT

Egor Pashkin A graduating student at The Art Institutes of California - Hollywood started as a 2D concept artist and now, having that foundation has moved on to focus on making 3D characters for games. He likes to create dark and scary looking characters. He hopes to to join Netherrealm Studios (WB) one day, and work on another Mortal Kombat game, which has always been his main source of inspiration.

WORK

Andee Kiraly An aspiring Visual Development artist focusing on Layout and Prop Design. Currently, she works as a freelance artist. Andee left her home state of Pennsylvania to pursue her art and animation career in Los Angeles. She volunteers with the non-profit organization, Women in Animation. She hopes to bridge her love for artwork with her passion for the community by creating more outreach programs for youths

STUDENT

Casey Mascorro Casey Mascorro is a newly graduated student from Art Institute from North Hollywood. She majored in Media Arts and Animation, focusing in 2D and 3D animation. On her own time she did her own personal projects, working on illustrations. For her illustrations she focused mainly on portraits of females, because she enjoys creating the curves on a woman but illustrating a strong pose. She wants to continue going to school and might get a degree in Illustration.

WORK

Esther Tejano Esther moved to Los Angeles to continue her education at the Art Institute of California. During that time, she was introduced to the Creative Talent Network (CTN) and Women in Animation Organization (WIA). She's had the chance to be a Production Intern at Cartoon Network and Dreamworks TV Animation Studios. Now, as a recent graduate, she is continuing to pursue my dreams of working as an artist in the animation industry.

Lon Levin • 1129 S. Point View Street • Los Angeles, Ca 90035 • 818-268-9953 • lon@levinlandstudio.com ©2018 Illustrators Journal/Levinland Studio. All Interviews and stories contain with the publication are the sole property of The Illustrators Journal and Levinland Studio and cannot be reproduced in any medium without the expressed written permission of the publisher.