I graduated from the University of Northampton in 2010 with a first in Illustration. Since then I have been pursuing a career as a freelance illustrator.
I'm
often drawn to themes of the bizarre, the supernatural or themes from
historical, theatrical or literary culture and my work is often described as dark and quirky.
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| Amy and the Origami Man - Children's Book 2010 |
Children’s book illustration has been a constant interest of
mine due to the enormous challenge it poses, but my interests within
illustration varies from book illustration to editorial to more abstract
themes. I’m generally drawn to illustrating narrative or any subject matter
that has a good story behind it.
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| The Panto Horsemen. 2011 |
For the first Edge Arts group show I created a new piece called Symbolic
Portrait of August Strindberg. This is the first in a series of studies of the Swedish author
and playwright. What I found out from reading Strindberg’s diaries was that his
life appeared just as dramatic as his plays, but it seemed that he would often
dramatise events to make him appear more interesting to the reader.
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| Symbolic Portrait of August Strindberg. 2011 |
What was
true about him is that he was a polymath and experimenter whose interests
ranged from photography and painting to literature and science. During the
later part of his life he dabbled in occultism and alchemy and spent an intense
period on this subject. Accounts of Strindberg and the subject matter of his
own paintings portray a man in conflict with the world and also himself. My aim
with these portraits is to untangle this character and separate the myth from
reality.
My work always starts with a drawing and then I
digitally add texture, loose pattern and colour. I create background texture in
many ways, either by using vintage paper, photography or textiles, or by
creating large sheets of mark making, random drawing, painting or collage.
The Strindberg portrait is available for sale as a framed single edition print. Contact me at contact@edgearts.co.uk for more details. Some smaller prints and handmade items can be purchased online at Etsy
All images © Emma Carpendale 2011
