Interview with Margot Senden [margotsenden]

What is your specialty in illustration?

Children's book and editorial illustrations.
The techniques I use vary form aqrylic and watercolors to vector illustrations.

Is there a web address where we can see some of your work?

Have you completed formal art studies, or are you self-taught?

I received my BFA in illustration in 1994 and I have a Ba in communications.
As most of us I have to admit that a lot is selftaught.
I am still learning after all these years, and I think there is still a lot to learn.

How did you get your first full assignment? What did it involve?

I got my first assignment when I was still at art school. A writer saw my illustrations and asked me to illustrate his book. My first assignment for an editorial illustration was in 1996 I think, for a company called Hago.

What past or present day illustrators do you admire most?

That is a difficult question, because I do admire a lot of artists.
Especially children´s book illustrators. Here´s a short list.
The late Fiep Westendorp, she made lovely illustrations that amuse me everytime I see them;
Tony Ross: I admire his skills in illustrating and writing.
Guido van Genechten: not only a gifted illustrator but also nice warm person, who really cares.
Carll Cneut and Klaas Verplancke.

How similar are your current drawings to those you did as a child?

I think I always loved to make colorfull drawings. And I always loved to draw complete story's. I guess my style changed from childhood till now, but one thing certainly never changed. I always wanted to become a children's book illustrator and a magazine maker:).

What was your favorite comic book as a child?

My favorite comic book: it was a complete series called 'Suske and Wiske' illustrated and written by Willy Vandersteen (Belgium), and of course 'Asterix and Obelix'.

Do you have a particular style, or does it vary a lot?

yes and no. In children's book illustrations I do have two particular styles.
One a more quick and sketchy style. The other one a combination of colorfull aqrylic illustration's with a certain type of character, combined with paper cut and digital collage.

yes and No concerning editorial illustrations. For one client I make vector drawings, because that is what they want. It vary's, It depends on what the client wants. Although if a client asks to exactly copy a style of an other illustrator I will refuse.

What type of music do you listen to while you work?

Classical music as well as Rock. I've noticed that I can concentrate better when I put on some Music. Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Debussy have the perfect effect on me. Anouk and Pink will do as well as Pink Floyd.

Do you have a favorite work of art?

Yes nearly all the work of William Turner. It really touches me.
His paintings and illustrations are like music to me.

What do you do when a client simply says "I don't like it"?

If that should happen, I must have not been listening very good to my client when he-she gave me the assignment. I always try to figure out what sort of person they are, what they like, dislike, what sort of tast they have, what their idea´s are and very important what image they have in mind. And believe me most clients do already have something in mind of how the endresult should be... The art is to figure that out by asking the right questions and picking up the signs.

Besides that, a client always get´s an initial sketch, and final sketch which he/she has to approve first. After my clients approval on that final sketch, I will start with the final illustration.

What new techniques have you been experimenting with lately?

adding structures, using sand and other materials in my illustrations with aqrylic

What part of your work do you do on paper and what part digitally?

In Children's book illustrations: nearly all the characters, artifacts and object on paper.
backgrounds and the floor or sky, I will often use photographs (own photography) and ad these digital.

Editorial: a lot of vector illustration's digital of course

What research do you do for your illustrations?

The book that was released in April 2010 was in my field of intrest: Astronomy
The second book in the same series, released in December 2010, is about the Arctic Poles, the third about volcanoes will be released in May 2011. Now I am busy with the fourth book in the Wantokow (Willewete) series. This time about Inventions.
Very intresting fun and...Amazing the things you learn from illustrating a non-fiction book...

...So, I do read a lot, try to read more, go to the library, visit places that might be relevant and make photographs if needed.

Do you have colleagues with whom you share techniques, tricks, ideas, etc.?

Yes, 3 friends of mine. We will share new techniques, ideas with each other and we motivate one and other. it works fine this way.

Do you have any specific goals as an illustrator?

Goal.. better call it my dream. It is to become a famous children´s book illustrator.:)

What illustration web sites do you frequent?

many sites, most of them dutch sites.

What are you working on now?

I am working on 2 books at the moment 1 a non-fiction children's book meant for children up to 6 years. This is the fourth book in that series and it will be released in autumn 2011. third book in that same series will be released in May.
The second book I am working on is a picture book for younger children. Written and illustrated by me. Very exciting indeed.

What advice do you have for someone who likes to draw and would like to make a living from it?

Stay yourself, look around, notice, receive, sketch and work hard. And very important: stay positive and make sure that you have a good network of friends and illustrator's. Also one last advice: illustrating should be like writing. Everybody develops his own handwriting, it is not something you go and look for, it is something that is already in you. so keep on going and the style will float to the surface and will find you.

Ask me a question, make a comment, or request my opinion on something:

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