Interview with:Elgin Bolling [subwaysurfer]
ILLUSTRATION
 | What is your specialty in illustration? I specialize in Humorous Illustration known as Caricature. Caricature is the art of exaggeration. What I love about it is that it is adaptable, and Ive been able to use it in storyboarding, character design, animation, editorial illustration, and of course, cartooning, and party caricature for live entertainment. |
| What are your regular clients like? What do they expect from you? It depends on the what job I am working on. If I am hired to do live party caricature, my clients expect speed, accuracy. and interaction with their guests, and also a degree of sensitivity for those who get insulted easily! If I am doing editorial illustration, I must be knowledgeable of current events, and be able to present a point of view in a one panel cartoon. For Character design I am required to invent engaging characters that a targeted audience will respond to and recognize easily, and also be able to draw the characters simply enough for the animation team to copy. As an illustrator my clients expect me to stick to a specified production schedule , illustrate their concepts and ideas accurately and be able to take constructive criticism. |
| 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 am primarily self taught. Ive learned my craft through many years of consistant practice, experimentation and practical application. A great dal of the skills Ive obtained were learned on the job. Sort of a sink or swim situation. I feel this is how most professionals learn how to do their jobs regardless of their profession. School can teach you fundamentals, put you in contact with key people who may be able to advance your career, but the passion, dedication and focus must come from you. I continue to be inspired and learn as much as I can. |
| How did you get your first full assignment? What did it involve? My first full assignment was when I was eight years old. I was commissioned to draw the cover of a book, "Mother, These Are My Friends" For author Mary Anne Gross. I basically drew a fantasy picture of me, my mom, brothers and sisters, and some other characters, flying. I Drew it with magic markers, which today is still one of my favorite media to use. |
| What past or present day illustrators do you admire most? My heroes are caricature artists, that some people have never heard of. I admire caricature artist storyboarder, Kenly Dillard, who is a close friend, and who taught me how to "think funny" and draw fast!
I admire the work of caricature artists, Roger Hurtado, Jan Obdebeek, Sean Gardiner, and Steve Silver, just to name a few. |
| How similar are your current drawings to those you did as a child? I would have to say my work still retains that same engaging quality along with a touch of "crazyness" I didnt lose as an adult. |
| What was your favorite comic book as a child? Marvel Comic's Adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs, Character, John Carter, Warlord of Mars.
My favorite artist, Gil Kane did wonderful work on the book that was perfect. Gil Kane is the artist responsible for me getting interested in anatomy. Gil's work, was sort of a pen and ink version of another favorite artist, Frank Frazetta. |
| Do you have a particular style, or does it vary a lot? I feel at home in a number of styles, mainly because different projects call for "different visual personalities" that interpret the material. Cartoonist, Kyle Baker, is a firm believer in this point of view, and I agree.
I am at home doing Photo realism, semi cartoony, full blown cartoony, abstract, or minimilism.
If I HAD to choose a style though, it would lean more in the area of cartooning though. |
| What is hardest to draw? machinery and archtecture. NO guesswork. It MUST be CORRECT, or just looks BAD!!! LOL! For me, "HARDEST" doenst mean Impossible for me to draw, it DOES mean that i have to REALLLLLLY focus in order to draw it! |
| What type of music do you listen to while you work? I listen to Contemporary Gospel Music, Jazx, or "Soft Rock" and also I will have the Cartoon Network Channel on while working. Just helps with the vibe. I MUST have Background Noise!! |
| Do you have a favorite work of art? The Human Body. It's Perfection. God's Greatest work of Art. |
| What do you do when a client simply says "I don't like it"? I get them to be SPECIFIC about what they dont like so that I can alter it if possible. As a freelancer, it's my job to make the client happy, I never forget that it's HIS/HER vision Im trying to illustrate, not my own. I try to get the client out of the "subjective" realm into the4 objective and concrete. I ask them what were they looking for, what is it about the work that they dont like? the color, the style? If possible I get THEM to draw me a rough sketch of their idea so that I can come close to executing it. |
| What new techniques have you been experimenting with lately? digital painting, and flash animation. |
| What part of your work do you do on paper and what part digitally? illustations are sketched individually on paper, scanned into photoshop and colored digitally. I sue photoshop to add text if needed, to reposition characters and other background elements, and to add different effects with the various filters. |
| What research do you do for your illustrations? lots of photo references on sites like google and other other image sources. |
| Do you have colleagues with whom you share techniques, tricks, ideas, etc.? absolutely. In fact it is ESSENTIAL to consult others. Freelancing is a LONELY life. You spend a lot of time working by yourself, and if you get stuck it's helpful to have people you can email or call to bounce ideas off of. Often tmes a colleague who is not involved with your project can look at it more objectively than you can. |
| Do you have any specific goals as an illustrator? My goal this year is to do more storyboarding for animation and film as well as my own indy projects. My ongoing goal is to keep growing. |
| What illustration web sites do you frequent? cartoon brew, caricature.org cartoon modern, chewing pencils, cartoon cave |
| What are you working on now? An autobiograpical webcomic where I overcame the persecution of a bully in Junior High School. The story is in development on extremelifedrawing.com |
| What advice do you have for someone who likes to draw and would like to make a living from it? Make sure you study foundation. Especially anatomy and life drawing. Whatever area you go into those skills will serve you well. Draw EVERYDAY for FUN and Forget about money at first. If you're in this just for the money, you WILL NOT LAST. It is rewarding and DIFFICULT to make a living as an artist, and dont let anyone tell you diffeently. You must develop a thick skin early if you are going to make a career at it. Keep your mind open to new ideas, learn to collaborate with others and learn as much BUSINESS as you can. Dont neglect developing the ability to SELL your SERVICES. People dont wake up in the morning and say "GEE, I WANT ART!!" they might "want Beer" but NOT art!! YOU must make them WANT your services, so you have to learn to SELL it. This is the MOST neglected aspect of the art world and accounts for a lot of artists being out of work. Develope your public speaking and writing skills as much as possible. You want people to feel COMFORTABLE using you. Trust me, most people think artists are JERKS, and WILL take advantage of you, often times wanting to NOT pay you for your services, but for "EXPOSURE" Good LucK! Stay POSITIVE! It CAN BE DONE!!!! |
| 
679 visits Whohub
Elgin Bolling
queens, ny
|
95745 interviews created
![[subwaysurfer] Elgin Bolling](http://www.whohub.com/_pics/17743.jpg?1337675273)
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS