Name: Audrey MaloAge: 22
Country: Canada
Website: http://grillon-grillon.blogspot.com/
At which age did you start creating art? And why do you feel compelled to create?
From what my mom told me.. I was 2 when she first put a crayon and a paper in my hands. A year later, I was drawing characters from my favorite cartoons at the time "Serendipity the pink dragon" and "Candy". I was always impressed by cartoons and illustrated books, and wanted my drawings to be just as good.
What are you inspired by? And who do you look up to?
I am inspired and look up to people who are creative in their everyday lives, that documents make it interesting. Also, runway fashion shows, the world, fancy food, animals, thrift store finds and other illustrators, thanks to internet for opening my eyes to all thoses wonderfully talented artists !
Which influential artist would you like to ask for advice?
I don't think I would ask any artist for advice, I would just like to observe them, hide in their studios and learn from what i'm seeing. Maybe some excentric character like Salvador Dali...
If you had to put up one piece of artwork on your wall and stare at it for a year, who would it be by and why?
This is a hard question. I think I'd like to have some painting from a secret admirer delivered and I would look at it everyday to try to figure out the identity of the painter. Or maybe a world map because it's the best dream provider.
Tell us about your creative process.
I always start to draw in early afternoon, when my mind is clear and awake. I almost never plan what I'm going to draw and what it will end up like, because it never comes out how I plan it anyway.. Sometimes it's a hit and sometimes it's a miss. If I have to draw something more serious as a commission, I look up for references in books and on the internet and make some small doodles first. Sometimes I also start painting on my doodles and they end up being some finished, satisfying work.
Do you ever find weird connections between life and art?
No, though that would be exciting !
As an artist, are you Technical or passionate?
I am definitely not technical. So yes, passionate. My style is sort of sketchy and when i try to draw straight lines or re-do the drawing because I am not satisfied with it, this is not fun anymore to me. I am really fascinated by other artists who works for days, weeks and months on the same painting, but I am not able to be like them. If I work too long on something I start having ideas for something else in the meantime and will quickly grow bored of my current project.
How do you determine when a work is finished? Or is it ever finished?
When I am satisfied with it or that adding something else would feel like it's too much. Sometimes when I ruin a painting I will abandon the idea forever.
Do you think there are boundaries you would never cross in your art making?
I am not very fond of nudity in my art, though in other people's art it doesn't bother me. I think the characters would en up looking too much like me and would make me feel naked myself, ahaha.
What frightens you most about your art?
I am scared to stay at the same level forever. I'd like to be really comfortable drawing everything someday. Locations and weird angles and shadows.
Do you have any magic cures for creative blocks?
I rarely stop being creative in my everyday life, so sometimes I will have a creative block for illustration but in the meantime I will be sewing a dress or altering a thrift store found piece of clothing. Do other things, go for a bike ride, or try another medium for a change, start a sketchbook in which you are allowed to draw the ugliest stuff ever.
Do you dream about your artwork?
No but I wish I would. I mostly have reoccurring dreams of my old budgie coming back from the dead with a mega dirty cage that I need to clean up...
Which of your own works are you most proud of/ is most meaningful to you and why?
This a drawing I had to do while I was still in college, for our end of the year exhibition. It was one of the first time I was using collage and loving it, and I had it framed professionally and it looks very good hanging on my bedroom wall. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cendrille/2279410063/
Which art mediums and brands do you prefer to use?
I have this opaque watercolor set that is made by Pelikan, that I love very dearly. Once in highschool I also stole something that looks like hockey pucks that are actually opaque watercolors too, and they are still lasting, but I don't know where to find more of them. I would definitely buy more. For doodling I like having a H pencil and a darker one like a 2B. I also colour some of my drawings digitally with a wacom graphic tablet.
What kind of art education do you have? Do you think it is important?
I have a college diploma in graphic design. I would like it if i could pursue my studies in illustration but we don't have illustration programs here. I believe it is not an obligation to go to school to be an artist, some are self-taught and are far more talented than any other art student. Personally though, school had helped me on a technical level. For example 4 years ago I didn't know what was a "composition" and once i had drawn a character the sheet would remain white all around. I also learnt important things about graphic design, though this is not what I like the most.
What kind of career do you ultimately want? And what kind of career do you think you'll end up having (or already have) realistically?
I just want to be a freelancer illustrator and make a living out of this. This is almost like a dream to me. If I stretch out the dream a little more, I'd be a multidisciplinary artist and work on various projects.. fashion and animation related. When I was young the careers I had in mind where being a fashion designer, an illustrator and an animator, so maybe a mix of the three would be nice. Realistically, if I can't be an illustrator, well I still am a graphic designer and could find a job in this field, though I had a bad experience working in a company that made me do funeral cards and I am a bit scared of this whole corrupted world of creativity versus productivity/pleasing a client that have no clues about aesthetics and just wants a poster for his company asap/ect.
Is your family supportive of your art? Who influenced and nurtured your creativity most?
Yes, they are. Which is funny because no one in my family is an artist. Recently I think I've achieved to make them proud with my little successes and contracts and weekly trips to the post office. Since my early life it has always been clear to me and them that I was going to be an artist and go to art school, they never said something against that, though maybe they think I will be a graphic designer someday and they have a hard time figuring out why I have other plans. But they are starting to see what I want to do really.
Which direction do you see your art heading in the future?
I want to become more technically good and be able to draw everything, like I stated before. Draw characters that have a story to tell, make series and zines and maybe a book. Try to clean up a bit my messy lines. Learn new techniques.
Who are some of your heroes outside of the visual art stream?
Daria !!!
Country: Canada
Website: http://grillon-grillon.blogspot.com/
At which age did you start creating art? And why do you feel compelled to create?
From what my mom told me.. I was 2 when she first put a crayon and a paper in my hands. A year later, I was drawing characters from my favorite cartoons at the time "Serendipity the pink dragon" and "Candy". I was always impressed by cartoons and illustrated books, and wanted my drawings to be just as good.
What are you inspired by? And who do you look up to?
I am inspired and look up to people who are creative in their everyday lives, that documents make it interesting. Also, runway fashion shows, the world, fancy food, animals, thrift store finds and other illustrators, thanks to internet for opening my eyes to all thoses wonderfully talented artists !
Which influential artist would you like to ask for advice?
I don't think I would ask any artist for advice, I would just like to observe them, hide in their studios and learn from what i'm seeing. Maybe some excentric character like Salvador Dali...
If you had to put up one piece of artwork on your wall and stare at it for a year, who would it be by and why?
This is a hard question. I think I'd like to have some painting from a secret admirer delivered and I would look at it everyday to try to figure out the identity of the painter. Or maybe a world map because it's the best dream provider.
Tell us about your creative process.
I always start to draw in early afternoon, when my mind is clear and awake. I almost never plan what I'm going to draw and what it will end up like, because it never comes out how I plan it anyway.. Sometimes it's a hit and sometimes it's a miss. If I have to draw something more serious as a commission, I look up for references in books and on the internet and make some small doodles first. Sometimes I also start painting on my doodles and they end up being some finished, satisfying work.
Do you ever find weird connections between life and art?
No, though that would be exciting !
As an artist, are you Technical or passionate?
I am definitely not technical. So yes, passionate. My style is sort of sketchy and when i try to draw straight lines or re-do the drawing because I am not satisfied with it, this is not fun anymore to me. I am really fascinated by other artists who works for days, weeks and months on the same painting, but I am not able to be like them. If I work too long on something I start having ideas for something else in the meantime and will quickly grow bored of my current project.
How do you determine when a work is finished? Or is it ever finished?
When I am satisfied with it or that adding something else would feel like it's too much. Sometimes when I ruin a painting I will abandon the idea forever.
Do you think there are boundaries you would never cross in your art making?
I am not very fond of nudity in my art, though in other people's art it doesn't bother me. I think the characters would en up looking too much like me and would make me feel naked myself, ahaha.
What frightens you most about your art?
I am scared to stay at the same level forever. I'd like to be really comfortable drawing everything someday. Locations and weird angles and shadows.
Do you have any magic cures for creative blocks?
I rarely stop being creative in my everyday life, so sometimes I will have a creative block for illustration but in the meantime I will be sewing a dress or altering a thrift store found piece of clothing. Do other things, go for a bike ride, or try another medium for a change, start a sketchbook in which you are allowed to draw the ugliest stuff ever.
Do you dream about your artwork?
No but I wish I would. I mostly have reoccurring dreams of my old budgie coming back from the dead with a mega dirty cage that I need to clean up...
Which of your own works are you most proud of/ is most meaningful to you and why?
This a drawing I had to do while I was still in college, for our end of the year exhibition. It was one of the first time I was using collage and loving it, and I had it framed professionally and it looks very good hanging on my bedroom wall. http://www.flickr.com/photos/cendrille/2279410063/
Which art mediums and brands do you prefer to use?
I have this opaque watercolor set that is made by Pelikan, that I love very dearly. Once in highschool I also stole something that looks like hockey pucks that are actually opaque watercolors too, and they are still lasting, but I don't know where to find more of them. I would definitely buy more. For doodling I like having a H pencil and a darker one like a 2B. I also colour some of my drawings digitally with a wacom graphic tablet.
What kind of art education do you have? Do you think it is important?
I have a college diploma in graphic design. I would like it if i could pursue my studies in illustration but we don't have illustration programs here. I believe it is not an obligation to go to school to be an artist, some are self-taught and are far more talented than any other art student. Personally though, school had helped me on a technical level. For example 4 years ago I didn't know what was a "composition" and once i had drawn a character the sheet would remain white all around. I also learnt important things about graphic design, though this is not what I like the most.
What kind of career do you ultimately want? And what kind of career do you think you'll end up having (or already have) realistically?
I just want to be a freelancer illustrator and make a living out of this. This is almost like a dream to me. If I stretch out the dream a little more, I'd be a multidisciplinary artist and work on various projects.. fashion and animation related. When I was young the careers I had in mind where being a fashion designer, an illustrator and an animator, so maybe a mix of the three would be nice. Realistically, if I can't be an illustrator, well I still am a graphic designer and could find a job in this field, though I had a bad experience working in a company that made me do funeral cards and I am a bit scared of this whole corrupted world of creativity versus productivity/pleasing a client that have no clues about aesthetics and just wants a poster for his company asap/ect.
Is your family supportive of your art? Who influenced and nurtured your creativity most?
Yes, they are. Which is funny because no one in my family is an artist. Recently I think I've achieved to make them proud with my little successes and contracts and weekly trips to the post office. Since my early life it has always been clear to me and them that I was going to be an artist and go to art school, they never said something against that, though maybe they think I will be a graphic designer someday and they have a hard time figuring out why I have other plans. But they are starting to see what I want to do really.
Which direction do you see your art heading in the future?
I want to become more technically good and be able to draw everything, like I stated before. Draw characters that have a story to tell, make series and zines and maybe a book. Try to clean up a bit my messy lines. Learn new techniques.
Who are some of your heroes outside of the visual art stream?
Daria !!!
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her work is wonderful!!
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