When did you first become interested in art?
Well, I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember! I was always drawing animals and characters, but it wasn’t until I was about to finish 6 th form college that I realized being an artist was a career option. So, I guess you could say I’ve had a more focused interest in art since I was about 18.
How would you describe your design style?
Cute is definitely the first word that comes to mind – I really like making cute designs. I would also call it bright & colourful. I’ve also had people refer to it as ‘quirky’.
What inspires you?
A lot of things! I always love looking at pictures of birds as I find them so fascinating. Their colours and different patterns always fascinate me and I would definitely say birds are one of my favourite things to draw. There are a few artists that really inspire me too, such as Fran Meneses, Owen Davey, Kat Uno, Meg Hunt & Tiago Americo.
What is your favourite piece in your collection?
I really like my Happy Pink & Blue Bird Patterns. They were really fun to make as I tried creating my own birds with designs inspired by some of my favourite breeds.
Is there any artistic talent in your family?
My granddad was quite artistic. He would send me some really nice animal drawings for Christmas, and I think I remember my parents mentioning that he designed some greetings cards a long time ago. Unfortunately he passed when I was quite young, so I never got a chance to ask him about it. Other than that, I believe I am the only person in my family who’s been this into art.
What is the journey you take to produce your work?
I always start my ideas with drawing – sometimes I get the idea out the first time, other times I need to try a few different sketches. I usually have Pinterest up too, for reference images and to generally see if it inspires any new ideas. I then scan my drawing and throw it into Adobe Illustrator to trace over it with the pen tool.
Then I’ll do any final edits, such as shading or textures, in Photoshop.
What made you want to be a part of Art Rookie?
Having a place to sell my artwork in the UK is great! I have a few online shops, but they’re all based in the US, which makes for expensive postage, etc. When I found out about Art Rookie, I was excited to have a place to sell that was much closer to home.
When you’re not creating masterpieces, what do you enjoy doing?
Spending time with my friends is a must! They’re all amazing people who I can be myself around, and they’re all very supportive about my being an artist. Otherwise, you’ll often find me either playing Pokemon, binge watching Gilmore Girls or drawing for fun. I also recently started volunteering at Guide Dogs For The Blind, which is very rewarding and fun at the same time!
Have you faced any struggles getting your work noticed?
Definitely! I like to think I’ve been doing pretty well since graduating three years ago, but even I have a lot of difficulty in getting noticed. With so many amazing artists out there, it’s no wonder! That’s why more recently I’ve been focusing on selling my own work, so I still have an income coming in when I’m not getting many clients. Plum Pudding Illustration Agency recently picked me up, so fingers crossed that I’ll get noticed more now.
Where would we find you hanging out in the UK?
I’m currently based just outside of Leeds, and I love exploring the city. I’ll often be found wondering around playing Pokemon Go on my way back from volunteering.
What makes British talent different than elsewhere?
I feel like there is a lot of variety. From my experience, artists in the UK are taught to push boundaries and try new things – we’re encouraged to find what works for us and not to do something for the sake of being commercial.
What are your plans for the rest of 2016?
Continuing to create and develop my work! I don’t have anything specific coming up, but I just want to continue growing and improving my work. I’m also hoping to get my own little online shop up and running so I have even more ways to spread my art. Oh, and I’m really looking forward to Halloween!
http://www.artrookie.co.uk/cstamper