I Wish I'd Done That - Artist 3

- Artist: Paul Kidby

- Project: The Last Hero (2001)

- Client: Victor Gollancz Ltd

- Genre: Speculative fiction, Fantasy,Fiction, Science Fiction

Paul Kidby has been a massive influence and inspiration for me while I was growing up (in fact he's the reason why I ended up drawing so many dragons and delving more into the sic-fi/ fantasy world). Last year I sent Paul an email, and didn't really receive any answers to the questions I asked him, so I sent him another email (more professionally done and with more professional questions) and he answered back with better answers, which I was thankful for.

- What advice do you give to aspiring illustrators?   

Keep practising! Draw every day, don't give up and remember that to produce anything really worthwhile takes a long time.

- How do I go about getting work as an illustrator?

I really don't think there is a cut and dried answer to this question (which I do get asked a lot). The best advice I can offer is to ensure you have a comprehensive portfolio of your strongest images. Try every avenue you can think of within the field and don't lose your motivation or inspiration even when the going gets tough (the first time I approached Terry Pratchett with my artwork I was unsuccessful, so I tried again four months later and we began working together). An up to date copy of the Writers and Artists Yearbook is very useful too.

Where do you get your ideas?

I was always blessed with an over-active imagination, not great when you are four and you are convinced there are dinosaurs in the hall in the middle of the night!

The natural world is a constant source of inspiration for me, I try to go for a walk every day in the countryside.

I enjoy watching films to see how other people have realised characters and environments and I read lots of reference books on all sorts of things. 

- Would you love to work with this client?

Yes, as its main publishings tend to be based on Sci-Fi/ fantasy based, which is the area I tend to work in.

- Are you inspired by the ideas and concepts in the work?

As stated before my work is influenced very much by Pauls work, the expressions he uses and the humour those expressions portray grip the reader and make the reader laugh or symphasize with the character.

- Have you got a special interest in this genre?

I have yes, its quite an inspirational genre to me, and a massive section in the art world now (especially thanks to the development and introduction of technology in the art world). 

- Do you want your work to be received by a similar audience?

Yes, the audience that receive this piece of work are those who are fans of the weird and wonderful....and the slightly odd wonders of the disc world (the book series that Terry Pratchett is renowned for), after showing my work to people and my tutors everyone has remarked upon how weird and whacky my creations are.

- Are you seduced by the style/aesthetics of the work?

The style of the work is very easy to the eye and the humour expressed in the pieces are very pleasing to the viewer.

- Is the work well and truly within or outside your comfort zone?

Outside of my area. His work is very detailed and the acrylic paints he uses for his work is a material that I don't use so I couldn't achieve the effect of the clean, smooth texture that he portrays in his work, as I'm more digital based.

- Is the work surprising or unusual in any way?

No, the work isn't surprising at all, as it does the job and it illustrates what the story is trying to show.