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Tag Archives: drawing skills
Interview with children’s book illustrator John Shelley – Japanese influence
Meet illustrator John Shelley and learn about his experience drawing for children’s books and advertising both in the UK, USA and Japan and learn how his love of Japanese culture and art has inspired his work.
John Shelley studied at Bournville School of Art, in the UK, amidst the aroma of chocolate from the nearby Cadbury’s works, then in Manchester under Tony Ross, before debuting as a children’s book illustrator in London. A fascination with Japanese art then took him to Tokyo, where he lived for many years, seeking the connection between Ukiyo-e and Ultraman.
In Japan, John illustrated for a wide variety of clients from advertising to editorial, and children’s books for publishers in East and West.
He now divided his time between Japan and the UK, writing, drawing, and annoying his cat.
John talks about his career as an illustrator, his influences and the lure of Japan which has influenced his style in a way that Japanese art has been influencing British art for a couple of hundred years, The influence then returning to Japan in a regular cycle. Being island nations, the British and the Japanese actually have quite a lot in common and hold a mutual fascination for each others cultures and arts.
John is on instagram @studionibs and Twitter @studioNIB
In this video:
00:00 introduction
00:36 Background and training
02:03 The lure of Japan
06:03 making posters in Japan
11:29 self promotion
13:02 Manga and Anime
17:53 Manga covers
20:44 Arthur Rackham influence
22:58 One Inch Drawings
28:00 Talking about Sketchbooks
33:00 More about one inch drawings
IMPROVE YOUR DRAWING SKILLS – with these 9 EASY drawing exercises
Do you want to improve your drawing skills?
Do you want to motivate yourself to draw something everyday?
Do you want to get your brain into drawing inspiration mode?
Use these nine, easy drawing exercises everyday, to get yourself warmed up and ready to draw something inspirational.
Drawing exercises like these are like learning sales on the piano, they give you the courage, knowledge and confidence to launch out and try something new. Your new idea may or may not work, but at least you tried and these exercises will help you get started. If your idea didn’t work first time, then keep going until it does!
If you are inspired to draw something else half-way through an exercise, that’s great! Come back and finish the exercise tomorrow. Exercises are also about building resilience and stamina. It’s good to see things finished.
Do all this in your sketchbook. Keep your sketchbook and pen at hand all the time. It’s like your instant art studio, always open, always ready for a quick start when inspiration strikes. And it’s always there to remind you of ideas and never lets you forget.YOUR SKETCHBOOK IS YOUR FRIEND!
The Seawhite of Brighton a5 travel journal that I use http://amzn.to/2hLANfw in the UK and http://amzn.to/2zU9dkU in the USA
Rotring Tikky Graphic Pen http://amzn.to/2hLNgQo in the UK and https://amzn.to/2Oe85R6 in the USA and http://amzn.to/2E3qL08 in Canada