Illustration

So, you want to get into Illustration?

An interview with Artist Jessica Sharville

Jessica Sharville is a Brighton based illustrator represented by Loveblood Creative in the Uk. she uses various mediums for her work including digital illustrations, packaging, vector illustrations, animation, live drawings, paintings and murals. Jessica has worked with a wide range of clients including Levi’s UK, Sony, Lululemon, Schuh, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Feminist Bookshop!

I’d like to thank Jessica for agreeing to do this interview with me; I hope you find it helpful! You can find out more about Jessica on her instagram @jessicasharvilleillustration or her website http://www.jessicasharville.com/about/

How did you become an illustrator? What led you to follow your creative impulse and create a career from it?

I did a degree in illustration at Plymouth University, graduated in I think 2008, I then had a bunch of different jobs after uni, it felt like it was impossible to make it as an illustrator at that time so I kind of gave up before I even thought about starting! Also financially I just needed to work so I had 3 kind of full careers before actually becoming an illustrator really. I only went full time this year (2020) - the pandemic kind of pushed me into being full time and luckily for me it’s worked out! I guess I really officially had been working as a freelance illustrator from about 2017 but part time around a job as a manager of a tattoo studio. Working within that creative environment where you encounter lots of different people everyday gave me lots of opportunities to do small jobs for local businesses. I think having a kind of part time start to being an illustrator meant I got to gradually become one through doing jobs for small clients and then building up as my career grew doing commissions for bigger brands and clients. In 2019 I got an agent and that really cemented that this was a feasible career for me.

How did you seek out opportunities when you first entered the industry?

I think a combination of a few things, meeting people through my part time job at the tattoo studio, and then from having a strong online presence on Instagram. I also think just being open and talking about your career often with people; they might then suggest you to someone else and help you find opportunities.

How did you find the confidence to strike out as an artist and exhibit your art?

I really struggled showing my art at the beginning of my degree, I felt quite vulnerable about showing people my work but then throughout the degree you have to show your work over and over again and talk about it lots so you get more used to it. I think from then on I felt more comfortable showing my work. When I moved to Brighton in 2015 I started going to illustration fairs and events and then started my own little illustration fair called Fair Play which was based at the North Laine Brewhouse pub. That was such a fun way of showing my work, although often terrifying sitting behind a little table with my work in front of me hoping people would buy it! It was a nice way to sit and meet people and interact whilst being in a cosy pub.

Where do you find inspiration for your work? Have there been any real-life situations that have inspired you?

I am always inspired by people, people around me, people I see in the street, situations that happen to me or I hear about. I think fashion and society are my biggest inspirations. I often get really angry about something that’s happened to me (like someone shouting at me in the street about my tattoos) and then go home and angry draw it!

How would you describe the creative process - how do you get from a brief to completing a commission, or from concept to a piece of work?

I think the moment I get the email or have a discussion about the commission I start thinking about it, there’s so much time spent thinking about things before pen is even on paper. I think also asking lots of questions if you need to is always a good idea, but opening up communication is key. But usually I just start in a sketchbook and do some small thumbnail drawings, then perhaps I take it to the iPad and start developing it. I always have to step away from my illustrations a lot as I see them better often the next day or a few days later. Sometimes I come back to it and I am like “why have I drawn such a weird long arm there?!".

Do you think it is easy to find jobs / projects that can provide a comfortable wage in the creative industries?

I think at the beginning of a creative career it’s so difficult, even now people still don’t fully accept that it’s a career and they think of it as being more like a hobby. I still get requests of people asking me to do a logo for £50 or something which I have to politely say no to. Having an agent helped me be more assertive with it and realise my value as an illustrator, however I still love doing commissions for small businesses and friends alongside longer projects for bigger clients. I am always passionate about illustrators getting paid fairly. I think no matter where you are at your career it’s a skill that we have built and often spent a lot of money on (through doing a degree or courses) and that adds value to it.

Do you think that a person's passion and interest in art can die out or be dulled if working with creative jobs where you have to follow specific briefs or having to work on projects that don't fit the artist's preferences?

Yes, I think so in some ways, I think that’s why it’s important to still do work for yourself, personal pieces or just create art that makes you feel good. I try and make sure I spend time drawing in my sketchbook, maintain my voice in my work through personal illustrations.

What is the one think you wish you had known before you embarked on your career as an artist?

I wish I had known more about how important it is to be organised, I used to be a very disorganised person and I think it’s an important side of being an illustrator which I struggled with initially. The kind of admin side of things can take up quite a lot of time. Now I have monthly spreadsheets of income and outgoings etc but before it was just a wild ride every year trying to figure out that side of it!

What advice would you give to aspiring artists?

Always keep in mind your voice in your illustration work, don’t pay too much attention to instagram likes and get bogged down with comparing yourself to other people, love your own work but also keep moving forward with it, grow and change and experiment! I’ve never liked staying static with my work and I always stay driven to get better and learn more.

Thank you for reading!