![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2771.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
<\/p>\nI adore Tracey’s work \u2013\u00a0her beautifully rendered mixed media pieces have somehow reminded me of Alice in Wonderland (if there were ever such a name for a style!) Her wonderful imagination and skill in creating gorgeously minute details has made her collection of illustrations a must-see. Read on more about her in our interview below!<\/p>\n
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Name:<\/strong> Tracey Long Tell us a little more about yourself!<\/em><\/strong> Where do you live? What stands out about living where you are, and what is your daily schedule like?<\/em><\/strong> Most days will find me in my \u2018studio\u2019. First thing I do is check e-mail for orders, jobs and enquiries. Then it\u2019s make a pot of tea, stick the radio on and knuckle down to work, I draw, paint or research projects, if I\u2019ve sold anything I pack it and cycle 7 miles to the post office; If all this makes me sound overly energetic, there are lots of breaks for cups of tea and staring at medieval castles (see above) My evenings are a jumble of reading, watching films, but usually more work. I also have to fit in cooking, cleaning etc but I try to avoid that as much as possible, I mean I know housework won\u2019t kill you, but I don\u2019t want to risk it!<\/p>\n How did you get your start in illustration?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I began as a self taught painter, but became more and more interested in producing work with a strong narrative element. Also, after seeing my work, people kept telling me I should seriously think about illustration.<\/p>\n I began the first year of my degree at Camberwell College of Art, but the commuting to London became to stressful, so I transferred and completed my degree at Hereford College of Arts where I was fortunate to have the illustrator Matthew Richardson as a tutor.<\/p>\n Could you tell us more about your thought process when you start a piece?<\/em><\/strong> What’s your favourite project so far?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n In the final year of my degree I made an illustrated book about the old folk song, There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly, making that was great fun (I was pleased and slightly flabbergasted when it won \u2018The John Hackett Book prize\u2019 in the degree show) <\/p>\n _Do you keep a journal\/sketchbook, and would you mind if we had a sneak peek?<\/strong><\/p>\n I do try to keep a sketchbook, (nosing through other illustrators sketchbooks is always enjoyable) although if I am sketching out ideas I will probably grab the nearest piece of scrap paper and use that. <\/p>\n Would you care to share your studio space as well?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Here is one side of it…a total mess but if I tidy up I can never remember where I put things!<\/p>\n What or who inspires you?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Interesting curios found while rummaging in antique and junk shops, folk art, secondhand book stalls, vintage costume.<\/p>\n What keeps you motivated?<\/em><\/strong> Could you share with us your progression as an artist — compared to when you first started out, how has your style changed since then?<\/em><\/strong> What’s your favourite tool?<\/em><\/strong> Are you a full-time artist?<\/em><\/strong> What advice would you like to give people who are interested in being an artist full-time?<\/em><\/strong> Where do you see yourself within the next few years?<\/em><\/strong> What message do you want to send out to people about your work?<\/em><\/strong> Tell us something random about yourself!<\/em><\/strong> I adore Tracey’s work \u2013 her beautifully rendered mixed media pieces have somehow reminded me of Alice in Wonderland (if there were ever such a name for a style!) Her wonderful imagination and skill in creating gorgeously minute details has made her collection of illustrations a must-see. Read on more about her in our interview below!<\/p>\n Name:<\/strong> Tracey Long Tell us a little more about yourself!<\/em><\/strong> Where do you live? What stands out about living where you are, and what is your daily schedule like?<\/em><\/strong> Most days will find me in my \u2018studio\u2019. First thing I do is check e-mail for orders, jobs and enquiries. Then it\u2019s make a pot of tea, stick the radio on and knuckle down to work, I draw, paint or research projects, if I\u2019ve sold anything I pack it and cycle 7 miles to the post office; If all this makes me sound overly energetic, there are lots of breaks for cups of tea and staring at medieval castles (see above) My evenings are a jumble of reading, watching films, but usually more work. I also have to fit in cooking, cleaning etc but I try to avoid that as much as possible, I mean I know housework won\u2019t kill you, but I don\u2019t want to risk it!<\/p>\n How did you get your start in illustration?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I began as a self taught painter, but became more and more interested in producing work with a strong narrative element. Also, after seeing my work, people kept telling me I should seriously think about illustration.<\/p>\n I began the first year of my degree at Camberwell College of Art, but the commuting to London became to stressful, so I transferred and completed my degree at Hereford College of Arts where I was fortunate to have the illustrator Matthew Richardson as a tutor.<\/p>\n
\nLocation:<\/strong> Herefordshire UK
\nWebsite:<\/strong> www.traceylong.co.uk<\/a>
\nShop:<\/strong> www.etsy.com\/shop\/chasingthecrayon<\/a>
\nBlog:<\/strong> www.chasethecrayon.blogspot.com<\/a>
\nIllustration media:<\/strong> Pencil, watercolour, collage<\/p>\n
\nI live with my husband and son in a house filled to the rafters with records. I don\u2019t have any pets but I\u2019m pretty sure there are bats in my loft. I am a tea drinking, cake eating, bookworm with a passion for shoes, history, films based on books and comfy button-back armchairs with stripes. I collect illustrated editions of Alice in Wonderland and my favourite season is Autumn.<\/p>\n
\nI live three miles outside a little market town on the border between England and Wales. From my studio window I can see a medieval castle ruin and a beautiful wide river, so you can imagine I do a lot of staring out of the window!<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2773.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2772.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
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\nI do a lot of thinking first about associated words, jiggle them about, browse the thesaurus; then I start playing about with sketches and leafing through magazines and books for images, all this takes a couple of hours before I feel ready to start.<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2776.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2778.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
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\nIf motivation is having a day off I will look at a couple of my favourite illustrators, read a book or go for a walk, one of those will do the trick. But if I don\u2019t draw I can get very unhappy and start moaning at my husband.<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2770.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
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\nI was finally dragged, kicking and screaming into the modern age and persuaded to learn to use the computer and Photo Shop…Thank goodness! My work is more surreal and whimsical as a result.<\/p>\n
\nThe pencil. I really could not live without one. I\u2019ve just started using a propelling pencil, fantastic invention!<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2775.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
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\nEm..not sure I would give myself the \u2018Artist\u2019 tag, although drawing and painting is what I spend most of my time doing..so maybe!<\/p>\n
\nDo it! and ignore that little voice that lives just above your left ear when it tells you you are not good enough…..!<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/2774.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
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\nWell, living in a Georgian house near a beach would be just the ticket! Realistically I will be satisfied if I am still producing work I am happy with.<\/p>\n
\nOh hard one..I suppose my philosophy is, \u2018Be very silly whenever possible\u2019!<\/p>\n
\nI fantasise about being a brilliant violinist! Sadly the violin sits in a corner of the room, untouched, gathering dust…… One day Royal Albert Hall, one day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/2771.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
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\nLocation:<\/strong> Herefordshire UK
\nWebsite:<\/strong> www.traceylong.co.uk<\/a>
\nShop:<\/strong> www.etsy.com\/shop\/chasingthecrayon<\/a>
\nBlog:<\/strong> www.chasethecrayon.blogspot.com<\/a>
\nIllustration media:<\/strong> Pencil, watercolour, collage<\/p>\n
\nI live with my husband and son in a house filled to the rafters with records. I don\u2019t have any pets but I\u2019m pretty sure there are bats in my loft. I am a tea drinking, cake eating, bookworm with a passion for shoes, history, films based on books and comfy button-back armchairs with stripes. I collect illustrated editions of Alice in Wonderland and my favourite season is Autumn.<\/p>\n
\nI live three miles outside a little market town on the border between England and Wales. From my studio window I can see a medieval castle ruin and a beautiful wide river, so you can imagine I do a lot of staring out of the window!<\/p>\n![\"Tracey](\"http:\/\/pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/2773.jpg\" "\\"Tracey")
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