For this edition of Three Degrees of Curiosity, we meet Rye-based writer and illustrator Oliver Brooks. A University of Brighton graduate, Oliver creates stories through both words and pictures, with a particular love of folklore, fairy tales and the visual world of silent film. From children’s books to local creative projects, his wonderfully imaginative work encourages curiosity which makes him a particularly appropriate candidate for our own Three Degrees of Curiosity.
We step beyond the sketchbook to discover the influences, passions and experiences that have shaped Oliver, with questions that reveal a little more about the man behind the illustrations.
Which three artists or illustrators have influenced you most, and why?
Lotte Reiniger- I finally grasped composition by studying her silhouette animations.
Jeff Smith- precise storytelling that flows like animation.
Hayao Miyazaki- I love the character animation of his films, even down to their unique ways of running.
What three things do you always have within reach when you’re drawing?
Water (always keep yourself hydrated).
Laptop to listen to music, watch a film, or for reference.
A variety of pens and pencils, fine-liners in size order.
Choose three words to describe your illustration style.
Inviting
Believable, not realistic
Character-focused
What three things are guaranteed to get your creative imagination going?
An empty sketchbook page.
Listening to classical music (Mussorgsky is a particular favourite).
Engaging with other art, say films, or reading a book.
If you could spend three hours sketching anywhere in the world, where would you go?
Galapagos Islands- I’ve always wanted to go, so might as well get a free holiday out of this.
Which three colours could you absolutely not live without?
Teal
Red-orange
Olive green
What three things make a really memorable illustration?
A strong composition which guides the eye.
Think in black and white, even if it’s in colour, as this will give you a good sense of contrast.
A style that fits the subject.
If you could draw three famous people, past or present, who would you choose?
Vincent Price
Louise Brooks (no relation)
Terry Pratchett
What are three things people might be surprised to discover about you?
I made a short animation for the Native American exhibit at the Hastings Museum.
I am named after my mother’s childhood teddy bear, but I tell people it’s after Oliver Hardy.
I have never seen The Big Lebowski.
Which three childhood books or characters do you still remember for their illustrations?
The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell.
Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.
Asterix the Gaul by Albert Uderzo.
What three pieces of advice would you give to a young person who dreams of becoming an illustrator?
Carry a sketchbook and pencil/pen with you at all times, as you never know when inspiration will strike you.
Tell stories without words, only visuals. You learn how to tell a story by providing the reader with only necessary information.
Start out with short projects you’ll finish, not your impossible-to-finish epic.
Name three things you notice that other people often walk straight past.
How light hits certain objects, like buildings, or on the water surface.
Characteristics of buildings, old and modern.
The range of faces and fashion of passers-by.
What three words describe you best?
Dedicated
Imaginative
Short
If your life so far were a book, what three illustrations would have to appear in it?
When I tripped over an indoor clothes horse and bashed my head against a door frame, resulting in a scar next to my eye. Great opportunity for some slapstick cartooning.
At four years old, talking to a man in a restaurant in Florida, surrounded by some serious men in suits, who turned out to be the mayor and his security.
Unboxing my first published book.
If you could step inside three paintings or illustrations for a day, which would you choose?
Any of Tove Jansson’s Moomin illustrations. Probably the banquet scene at the end of Finn Family Moomintroll.
Providing I can survive it, John Martin’s The Great Day of His Wrath would be a phenomenal scene to witness.
WHAM! By Roy Lichtenstein- so I could jump back out and give that comics art thief a piece of my mind! Wham!
You are granted three wishes, one for yourself, one for someone else and one for the world. What are they?
For myself: to recover all lost films.
For someone else: my dogs to be blissfully unaware of surrounding cats.
For the world: the Christmas Carol ghosts to be real.
Image Credits: Oliver Brooks .