When I was a kid I wanted to be a comic artist! And then I wanted to be a zoologist, a marine biologist, and then a graphic designer. Even though I remember growing up with a handful of picture books and young fiction books, it never struck me that being an illustrator was an actual profession until later in life. Looking back on it now, art has always been a constant, and I'm glad I finally took the plunge to change career paths and focus on moving from being a hobby scribbler to becoming an illustrator.
2. What is your favorite thing to draw?
I naturally gravitate towards animals and plants, and I especially love doing underwater scenes packed with life!
3. Was there anything that you particularly liked drawing in Danny Chung Sums It Up?
Pretty much all of it was a whole lot of fun, but the comic panels in particular gave me nostalgia as I used to create my own comic books as a teenager!
4. A lot of your art is geared towards illustration for children. What drew you (sorry for the pun!) to drawing for children?
I really liked the fact that you can create a visual world for children (and adults
too!) to immerse in, get lost in, and when a reader connects with a character you've created it really is a feeling like no other.
5. Who is your favorite artist/illustrator?
There are many, and I feel like I'm always discovering new artists to fawn over.
Currently I'm a huge fan of Beatrice Alemagna, Beatrice Blue, Shaun Tan, and Sang Miao.
6. What methods do you use in your illustration work (paints, digital, etc)?
I currently work digitally, from starting sketch to final edits! When I am out and
about, I would usually bring a sketchbook and a pencil case containing various pens and pencils for sketching, as they're lighter than my iPad Pro and I don't fuss over the sketchbook as much
if I accidentally spill anything on it!
Thanks so much Natelle for answering my questions!
Find out more about Natelle and her work at:
INSTAGRAM @NatelleDrawsStuff
WEBSITE https://natellequek.com/
