Interview with illustrator Laura Wood
The very talented emerging illustrator, Laura Wood, is here on Design Montage for an interview today. She’s currently working and studying in Melbourne and completing the Diploma of Illustration at NMIT.
Laura moved to Melbourne only two and a half years ago from her home in Italy. Back in Italy, Laura had completed a bachelor degree in cinema and multimedia, but after beginning work in the industry, felt that she wasn’t able to connect with the projects she was working on. She feels that coming to Australia and studying illustration has really given her a new lease on her creativity and something she can really be passionate about.
Her illustrations are colourful and quirky, and combine both digital and traditional media. Some of these are almost like vintage drawings, they’re just beautiful!
Hot off the printer at Avant Card’s headquarters, Laura’s “2012 dragon” will soon be available in cafes and venues all around Australia. See this piece further down the article.
Laura is definitely one to follow — and I’m excited to see what she gets up to in the future, as she has a bright one ahead! Check out many more beautiful illustrations on Laura’s website and blog. Also, pop over and like her Facebook page or follow her on Twitter.
How have you got to where you are today?
I spent my whole life being indecisive and insecure about my “grown-up life” and my future career. I just couldn’t focus on one thing and decide what I wanted to do for a living. This was because I was trying to find something I liked but also that could give me economic security.
So I studied Cinema and Multimedia at Uni in Italy thinking that was something that could do it. But when I stated working I suddenly realized I just couldn’t spend 8 hours of my day doing something I didn’t like or care. It was unbearable!
In 2010, I finally decided that I wanted to dedicate my time to something I genuinely loved. I knew it would have been difficult but for me it was so much harder doing a job I didn’t like.
I signed up for a 2 years Illustration Diploma and that’s basically how my journey began. I feel so lucky now that I had the possibility to go back to study, I know some people don’t.
In a few words, describe yourself…
I’m Italian but I moved to Australia 2 years and a half ago. Since I live in Melbourne my life has changed a lot and I firmly believe I wouldn’t have gotten into illustration if I had stayed in Italy, where I was born.
That’s because moving and opening my life and mind to a completely new and far away place made me realize life can be really different from what I always thought and been taught is.
What are you spending your time on at the moment?
At the moment illustration is the thing I’m spending most of my time on. It’s usually the last thing I do before going to bed and the first thing in the morning, right after breakfast.
Although, I also spend a considerable amount of time watching sitcoms and cooking.
Do you have a ritual for getting into the creative mindset? Or a creative process?
I do actually have a ritual. I usually like to start working after I’ve sort out all the little daily things that I need to do such as load the dishwasher or check my email. So I make sure I have plenty of time in front of me and nothing is going to distract me. This is because I work better if I know won’t be interrupted. At that point my creative mindset is ready to flow!
What or who inspires you?
I’m inspired mainly by other people’s work, beautiful children’s books and interesting stories. I must admit Pinterest is a good source for inspiration…!
What are you most proud of?
The thing I’m most proud of is that I’m finally trying to realize my aspirations, even if it’s incredible hard, instead of settle for an easier but unfulfilling life.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was a child I wanted to be a teacher, a comic book artist, a writer, a photographer, a video editor, a screenplay translator, a postman. I had a very indecisive childhood!
