For todays blog, I thought I'd do something a bit different, something that is a bit more personal. To let you get
to know a little bit more about me as a person as well as an illustrator. Yesterday, I asked for some questions that you'd want me to answer as a mini interview/Q&A over on both my Instagram and Facebook. So here is my mini interview/Q&A from the questions/responses I got:
- 'What was your favourite thing to draw as a kid?'
When I was younger, me and my sister would always play Sims all the time but we only had one laptop with the game on so when one of us was playing the other one would design their characters and their story line. So I would design their outfits and label it with what their personality would be like. I also used to draw models and design their outfits and collections like the 'summer collection' etc. and I would always do 'fashion do's and don'ts' where I would draw what I thought at the time was a luxury fashionable outfit and then one that was a fashion disaster and looking back I was pretty brutal and I also once drew someone holding loads of bags like Chanel, Gucci but also... H&M?! ahah I thought I was a fashion guru and I clearly was not. Also, as you'll see in the photos below, I was ruthless and I genuinely said one of the girls I drew needed surgery and makeup to be a 'fashion do' and I made her smoke so that she would be less attractive... like whaaat!? What a little bitch. However, in terms of my favourite thing to draw when I was younger, it most definitely had to be eyes. For some reason eyes have always been so fascinating to draw and something I've always tried to master even now they are something I love to draw and they're always my go to doodle. Ive never ever been a landscape kind of artist like my Nanan who is absolutely amazing at scenery, although I have tried, I've always much preferred drawing portraits and I guess that kind of carries in my work now.
- 'If you weren't to pursue illustration as your career, what would your other dream career be?'
The previous question kind of leads into this one because when I was younger I never thought of being an illustrator or a graphic designer of any sort and to be honest I didn't even know it could be a job, I thought it had to be much more specific. When I was younger, I wanted to be a fashion designer if you couldn't already tell from reading the last question or a magazine editor/own my own magazine because I also loved writing and I would mess around on my computer and make fake magazines or draw them, always fashion magazines though. I have just always loved the idea of creative jobs like I have never wanted to be anything thats not in that sector and I've clearly always loved the idea of being a boss business bitch. Well, there was a weird time when I watched loads of mystery documentaries and playing heavy rain on the PS4 like everyone does and wanted to be a forensic scientist but then I realised that I'd have to actually be good at science and do something like chemistry and let me tell you now and my best friend Isobel can fully support this when I say I have no idea how I got a B in GCSE chemistry and PHYSICS because I had NO idea what I was doing ahah, absolutely no clue. But yeah, if I wasn't wanting to pursue illustration it would definitely have to be something like in the magazine, fashion, photography/videography industry... it would have to be something creative like that.
- 'You are a great ambassador for the next generation . Have you thought about doing workshops for kids ? Or young adults ? I think they would learn so much from a beautiful young lady with her head screwed on'
First of all, thank you so much that means so much to me to have someone think of me like that. To be honest, I've never considered doing anything like that before and it would certainly be something interesting to do and would definitely be pushing me out of my comfort zone as I am definitely a very shy person especially when it comes to talking to a group of people in that kind of environment. Theres something about being stood in-front of a group of people with all eyes on me that is very daunting. However, I feel like in the future it might be something I push myself to do and would be more of a personal accomplishment for my confidence.
- If you could travel to any place in the world where would you go and why?
Personally, I am an absolute sucker for romantic films and the idea of being in places like France or Italy in little quaint villages just seems so blissful to me. There has always been something so enticing about Italy to me and the pictures of places like Lake Como are just so beautiful. I can literally hear the clinking of glasses now with the Italian music in my head because I'd just feel like I was in a film, nipping into little cafes and little bistros wearing little summer dresses. Everything about Italy is just so beautiful, the buildings, the hustle and bustle of the cities...everything. Also, another place I would love to visit would be New Zealand again just because it is so stunning and looks so tranquil. It is so easy to fall in love with places of the world when they are as beautiful as they are.
- Is there a brand or an individual that would be your ultimate goal to work with?
When I found myself in a darker headspace and point in my life, I started listening to Fearne Cotton's 'Happy place' podcast as she talks to celebrities about their lives and what true happiness means to them and it really showed me just how different everyone's version of 'happy' is which at the time really helped me. It was just the perfect thing for the time and headspace I was in and ever since I've loved listening to it so I would absolutely love to even just have a chat with Fearne, I mean I wouldn't have a clue what to say and i'd be shitting myself but I really respect and look up to her. In terms of brands I'd want to work with, none really spring to mind. Another individual I will always deeply respect is Zoe Sugg, Zoella, a Youtuber that I have watched from a young age and I just always will. I just love how despite having such as anxiety she has absolutely manifested her shit and built so much for herself. So I would love to somehow work with her just to show and tell her how inspiring she had been for my younger self.
- What does a successful future look like for you?
The question above leads so nicely into this one as it is something the podcast has made me consider and for me right now a successful future means a happy future. As long as I am happy, to me that is success and to me that means being proud of myself and what I've achieved. Obviously I hope to one day have a nice house (I cannot wait to decorate it too) but I want to have built something for myself wether it be with this or something else and just know I loved doing it. That is why this is my dream job because I actually enjoy it and the thought of being able to have a job in something I love just seems so amazing to me as people complain so much about how much they hate their jobs when it is something they do nearly everyday and I'd just hate it and it would make me panic so much and just feel like I am wasting time I'll never get back.
- 'Have you thought of putting your designs onto merchandise ie t-shirts, key-rings etc'
This is definitely something I've considered and actually looked into like t-shirts and tote bags but it is just so difficult as they are very expensive. In terms of methods of printing and my designs being so heavily coloured, it is hard to find companies that will give good quality print at reasonable prices as for some methods of print, the more colour you add to the designs the more expensive it is and I'm trying to fund this business with the money I make from commissions as well as current website sales. So hopefully more merchandise will be coming in the future.
- 'What’s your next commission going to be?'
I have just recently finished a commission for a personalised print and it is a service I will now be providing as I can now get them printed for customers instead of just being digital, thanks to Graham Roberts' company Cavalier Postcards. So hopefully I'll be working on more personalised print commissions soon. As of yesterday I received a new commission for four designs for something very exciting so you will have to keep your eye on my page to see what is coming, I don't want to give any spoilers for the client or myself.
- 'Do you still cherish anything from your early childhood that makes you feel all fuzzy inside, for me it's Paddington, Rupert the Bear and Bagpuss'
Surely everyone has that teddy right that just will always stay with them? For me it is Rosie, my Jellycat teddy. From the moment I got her, she came everywhere with me and to this day she is still on my bed. Me and my sister have a sentimental value to teddies and dolls that definitely comes from my mum and Nanan. But on my bed now lays, Rosie, a teddy that I think Lauren bought me when I was born in an angel costume which is a real classic OG build-a-bear teddy, an older teddy that was my nanan's and a little sloth teddy that my best friend Isobel gave me at the start of lockdown along with some sweets when I felt down. I am definitely a keeper of things that hold memories for me as I am a big fan of scrapbooking and saving little things like receipts and train/gig tickets which my mum finds so strange and I have a big memory box with all stuff from when I was younger like my old drawings, nursery reports etc to one day show my children.
Hopefully you enjoyed reading this and I definitely enjoyed writing it so I might do another one of these at some point. Send me any questions that you'd want me to answer on any of my social media direct messages or via email oliviatatedesigns@outlook.com