If you haven’t heard of Doodlers Anonymous’ annual coloring books, then you’re missing out. This year in particular, in fact – because there’s an open call for entries and it ends today, the 7th of October. If you think you have got what it takes to be one of the 60 artists featured in the 64-page coloring book, then it’s time to whip out your Sharpies and doodling gear; because it’s going to get intense real quick. Oh by the way, the deadline is less than 24 hours away.
One, two, three – draw!
I found the amazing work of Lorena Alvarez, a freelance illustrator from Bogotá, Colombia, over at Behance not too long ago. And her work is just gorgeous. They’re full of beautiful textures, colors and characters. Oh and her characters! They just seem to want to jump off the page in all their illustrated glory. Fairy tales, magic and adventure seem to be the subject matters that are close to her heart; as evidenced by her bio:
Each one of my pieces is an attempt to create a small, colorful and whimsical world. Nature as a protective and nurturing element is always present, embracing playful and elusive characters in a theatrical composition. Im deeply interested in color language, its formal qualities and symbolic meaning. An important part of my work process is putting together a strong color palette, always looking for surprising and unusual, yet pleasant matches.
Although most of my work is digital, it also includes photography, toy making and traditional media. I enjoy trying different techniques and understand their particular qualities in order to take my work to the next level. As I’ve developed my own way to work with materials like paper and fabric, my conceptual work has gained complexity. Drawing, sewing and cutting are ways to elaborate my thoughts about the projects I’m working on. I usually begin with a simple concept that evolves into a narrative piece with multiple associations and approaches that I find through sketching. This process helps me to create elaborated pieces with a strong presence that invites the viewer to sift through their details and discover their inner tales.
See more of her work at her website and follow along her journey on her blog.
I first came across Tom Gauld’s work on Flickr, and once I started looking, I couldn’t stop. Tom works in the UK as a cartoonist and illustrator; counting The Guardian and the New Yorker among his clients. His comics are filled with robots, astronauts hapless personalities that combines innocence with wry wit – there’s so much eloquence in his panels, delivered in a deft swift kick. I read an interview from 2011 where he talks about what he does, and I wanted to share some snippets of the interview that I thought was really thought-provoking.
On his working process:
I sit and think and doodle in my sketchbook until I have a good idea. Then I’ll make rough pencil sketches on copier paper till I have things worked out visually. Then I hone these sketches on paper and in photoshop till I have a rough version of the image which I can send to anyone who needs to approve it. Then I will print out the image and use a lightbox to trace an ink version which I crosshatch then scan back into the computer where I can clean it up, tweak bits and add any colour. I love using the computer but I try to stay away from it till I’ve done most of the thinking for an idea, looked at it from all sides, because I feel that once the computer is involved things are on an inevitable path to being finished. Whereas in my sketchbook the possibilities are endless.
On illustrating a book cover versus a cartoon:
I feel more pressure doing a book cover than almost anything else, I think “This author has probably spent years writing this book: I mustn’t mess it all up with a crap cover”. So I have to try and find a way to react to the book and make something which is suitable, but is also strong and interesting in its own way.
On how Edward Gorey has influenced his work:
I like that what he makes is unclassifiable: he makes picture books for adults which aren’t comics, many are self-published but they’re beautifully produced. I love his drawing, the odd narratives, the design of the books, the compositions, the hand drawn typography: everything really. The way I crosshatch (with small “patches” of short lines rather than long ones) I learned from Gorey.
On what he thinks is next for books and print:
One thing which might happen with the rise of e-books is that the books that DO get published in paper may have to justify themselves by being better made, designed and illustrated. That would make me happy.
Read the complete interview here. Also: another in-depth interview about his comic-drawing process that’s really good.
Links: Tom Gauld’s website | Flickr
His books: You’re All Just Jealous of My Backpack [Amazon link] | Goliath [Amazon link]
