Last year, I was producing a self-initiated piece of work in response to International Women’s Day, and was looking for material to inspire me. I came across an old photo of three women jumping over a hurdle, and it summed up exactly what I wanted to convey. The images I find can have so much power on their own, and it’s really exciting to enhance and breathe new life into them.
The collage process
Once I’ve gathered my images, I cut them out in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet. I use the Eraser tool and cut round the object. I find this method most closely represents the process of physical cut and stick collage.
It’s then a case of layering, dragging, resizing and playing with the composition and colours. I have archives of handmade textures that I’ve collected and produced over time, as well as found material which I then use to make my work distinctive and bring depth to the illustration.
Sometimes I just use one key photograph, and find a concept to hang the image on. Other times, it’s about stitching together a whole range of different material. Either way, I find that a limited colour palette and rich, inky textures and found ephemera make my work unique.
From rough to final
I’ve worked on hundreds of editorial jobs and the experience differs hugely depending on factors such as client, deadline, budget and topic. Ultimately, I have to remember I’m working for other people, so must find a balance: creating artwork that I’m happy with, but that also satisfies the brief and client.
Although I am usually working exclusively with the art director, they are serving as the go-between for me and the editor, designers, their client, sometimes the writer too, so it is vital that I stay flexible and open-minded. Simultaneously, I am a professional image maker, so it’s okay for me to push my ideas and make suggestions.
Illustrations develop naturally from roughs to finals and my job is most enjoyable when my vision is in line with the vision of the art director. I don’t tend to draw sketches because my work is so dependent on found imagery, so I loosely put together a rough of what I imagine the final to look like, using materials I plan to use.
Achieving cohesion
One factor that can define how an image will take shape is the layout and composition of the page. With both editorial and books I try to consider how the page will look as a whole, and I love it when there is flexibility with the layout.
In a recent illustration for the Guardian, I created the main image – there was no time for roughs – and then we used spots to bring cohesion to the whole spread. Occasionally, clients will have specific colour palettes they’d like me to use, which can be because of other illustrations featuring in the publication or because of the tone of the article.
I’m also often restricted by the dimensions given to fit the illustration into. All of these challenges help keep my portfolio diverse and me engaged and excited about what I do. It’s great to see an illustration unfold with the guidance and support of talented art directors.
Finding balance
This particular Guardian commission was for publication in the launch week of its new tabloid format, so I wasn’t willing to turn it down. At the time, though, I was stranded in New York, meaning there was a five-hour time difference on an already tight six-hour deadline, not to mention that I was simultaneously negotiating flights home and fighting fatigue.
My tendency is to say yes to a commission and figure out how to do it afterwards (caffeine!), because once I’ve agreed to a job I have to do it. There are certainly a few tips I’ve learnt along the way to make the fast-paced nature of this career more manageable. I read and reply to emails as soon as I can, more than three icons on my desktop make me feel sick and there are always lists, notes and Post-Its.
I’ve learnt that this level of organisation categorically makes my working life easier, but maintaining work-life balance is important too. The flip-side is that I am working with amazing clients on a wide variety of really exciting projects and that makes any moments of stress totally worth it.
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