Featured Artist – Daniel Stolle
Artwork by Daniel Stolle
What is your earliest memory of creating art? (or drawing as a child)
I remember drawing was very important in kindergarten. It was done very regularly and always to a specific topic, thinking of that it seems like a good preparation for being an illustrator, though it probably was not their intention in those days. One of my earliest drawings I remember doing was of a car and I was really obsessed with the profile of the tires.
What type of environment do you prefer to work in? At home or in a studio? Listening to music?
I have a shared studio since autumn 2009, and I like it a lot. Working alone at home can become a bit creepy at times. However I found out, that I can also work acceptably well even while travelling. So I guess the environment has not such a big effect on the work. I often listen to music but also audiobooks, though they sometimes interfere a bit with the drawing. But they are important since I otherwise hardly ever pick up a book.
As a working illustrator, do you still find time to create art for yourself?
Yes I do. I think creating a great drawing is very hard. Creating a great drawing for a client with all the restrictions (subject matter, colors, format, audience, time …) is naturally even harder. Making personal works is a way to work without these restrictions and also creates a reference that can help and support the commissioned work. It helps you in finding ways to do things.
What type of transition needs to be made between creating art for yourself and creating art that is commissioned?
I only know what makes it different. The work for clients has to be often very bold, clear, all-out, quickly understandable, and often has to explain or depict a complex issue. Whereas in my own work I spend a lot of time putting in a single pose or facial expression or some other detail. A woman and a dog are a great subject for a personal drawing for me, but of course the approach is very different from an illustration about “exchange traded funds”.
How do you deal with negative criticism?
Often I know the shortcomings someone points out already very well, which does not mean that it is always easy to admit to them. And of course I might curse over the seventh correction or alteration a client requests but after that is done I sometimes even happen to be happy, that someone pushed me that far. There are also simple ways to make that easier for both sides. I do not like a simple “No, different please!” – I want to work with somebody, so they have to play the ball back, include me, explain to me and let me explain … then I am happy to go all the way until we get it right.
What are your goals for your future as an illustrator?
I am struggling still a lot with the way I am drawing and want to become more confident and better with that.
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News published at 1:00 am, Monday, May 13th, 2013
