interview: Inkymole
For the first interview of the year, we have Inkymole. Behind this “nickname”, there is Sara Coleman an illustrator and lettering artist from Leicestershire (UK). Her calligraphy and hand-lettering are creative, whimsical and pretty girly. All her work is inspiring. Please visit her website and her blog, you can even have a glance at her studio! Enjoy.
How long have you been in the illustration and typography industry and how
did you start?
- 16 years! I started drawing and writing as a child with my dad’s ink pens. Studied art at school, before going to Birmingham Institute of Art and Design to study a illustration degree. I got my first commission job in the second year of university, so by the time I left I already had a modest list of clients and some published work.
How would you define your style?
- I recognise I have a certain distinctive look, however this wasn’t specifically cultivated, it has evolved and will continue to do so through the continued processes combined personal work and client work.
What are your influences?
- Mum, dad (as a child there was lots of creative stuff going on at home), letraset catalogues, Solo One (for his work ethic and fragrant use of colour), Jill Calder, Melanie Tomlinson, Laurie Lipton, Vania Zourislav, Edward Gorey, Victor Ambrus, Aubrey Beardsley and loads more.
What do you find most challenging about your work?
- Deadlines!
Sometimes it’s hard to be creative on demand, especially when people desire a certain ‘energy’ and ‘spontaniety’ for a job.
How do you get inspire?
- I look at the brief and figure out what it is about my work that the client likes and how I can apply the same energy to their project. Sometimes it’s a really interesting project, or product or book etc. so I’m really inspired from the beginning. Otherwise I’ll do what I’ve always done, even at university, to the kind of stuff I like to draw.
How do you feed your creativity?
- Films, reading, looking at other peoples work from different disciplines, traveling to different cities (like London and Manchester) and music is very important, there is always something playing somewhere in the studio/house.
Have you been stuck creatively?
- Yes, plenty of times.
What’s your remedy to get past it?
- Stop what you’re doing, walk away from it (I like to bake), maybe take a walk around the block, stop looking at a blank sheet of paper, talk to your boyfriend.
How do you work? (Process)
- I usually write some words down, then draw out some thumbnail sketches, which is particularly important if it’s a book cover so I can work out the composition. Do a rough in pencil and/or ink, then scan and send to the client, there are usually 2 to 3 rounds of changes, then a finished piece.
Mac or pc? Software used:
- Apple Mac. To make my hand-rendered images ready for clients, I use Photoshop and Illustrator.
To run the business I use Filemaker, iWork, Kashflow and a whole host of other applications.
Favourite material to draw:
- Black Quink made by Parker! Though I have many, many inks and pens, my dip pens and Quink are my favourites.
Your favourite place to work:
- In my attic studio on the 3rd floor. It’s got great light and is warm in the evenings.
What project are you actually working on?
- This is a constant misconception (mainly by students and occasionally by clients!) that illustrators only work on one project at a time. The current list as of right now is:
An illustration about water for Ernst & Young (A3), UK.
A cover for Mindy Klassky 3rd book in the, US.
A cover for Christopher Fowler’s 8th book, US.
6 chapter illustrations for an Orion children’s book, UK.
A cover for the 50th Anniversary edition of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, US.
A US-wide campaign for a large American superstore.
Lettering for a book cover, chick-lit! UK.
An ad-campaign for Quaker in the US.
Product range for the Natural History Museum, UK
And my own Christmas cards!
This week I’ve just finished:
Some advertising for Crabtree & Evelyn, Hong Kong.
A design for my architect’s Christmas cards.
Some test lettering for a new edition for the Library of America, US.
An illustration for the Southern Poverty Law Center.
As of January the 5th I’ll need to start an audio book cover and some additional work for an ongoing project for the Robert Burns museum in Scotland.
Your favourite artists:
- See above!
And finally, tip or advice for those who want to work in this industry
- Be prepared to work really hard, meet your deadlines, never assume the work will just come to you, it won’t, it’s your job to go and get every bit of it.
Remember illustration is a business as well as a craft and you must remember to apply that creativity to every aspect of your business, whether it’s finance, promotion, the way you set your desk up or the relationship you build with your clients. Clients are your friends, not your enemies, work with them and you’ll build relationships for life.
Incoming search terms:
- inkymole
- girly typography
- creative calligraphy
