Hi Gaia, tell us about yourself…

I am an italian illustrator and I currently work mostly for the children’s/teen market. I graduated from IED - European Institute of Design in Milan. At the end of the third year and during my fourth year there, I was lucky enough to start working as a natural history illustrator, in a studio with two of my teachers. It was a beautiful place packed with books, home of two illustrators, one cartographer and a rather unusual pet, a sand scorpion! It was very different from what I do now. Scientific illustration in general, requires a very realistic approach and requires a large amount of research for references, but it was perfect for me at the time.

I always had a strong interest in wildlife and being a bit of a nerd, I didn’t mind spending hours at the library or at the museum talking about bugs or birds. It was also a very formative experience, they taught me how to handle deadlines and the importance of teamwork. In 1998 I was selected for the Illustrators Exhibit at Bologna Children’s Bookfair and slowly I started working for the children’s educational market, until I had to choose between the two.

How did you decide to become an Illustrator?

When I was in high school I was selected for an international exchange program and spent one year in the U.S. There I had an amazing art teacher who introduced me to illustration as a possible profession and encouraged me to study art.

While most of my family was expecting me to take a scientific degree, Physics like my father or Biology, the only thing I really wanted to do was to draw all day. I’ve been very lucky to have their complete support even if they had no idea of what being an illustrator meant. I was also very lucky to meet many people along the way who were willing to share their experience and to help me if I needed.

What materials do you use to produce your work?

When I started I only used watercolours. I still do in my journals and sometimes when I need to loosen up a little. For work now I use the computer, mostly Photoshop.

Recently I am re-discovering printing, linocut in particular and I hope I’ll be able to add a traditional work section to my portfolio based on linocut and collage. It’s a new side project that is very dear to me at the moment and it’s taking up most of my spare time.

Can you explain a little about your process when creating an illustration?

I start with thumbnails, usually two or three. They help me define the composition, then I do a first draft and I send it for approval. Sometimes I also add a color study if I feel this helps or if I’m asked to. When pencil is approved by the art director I start with colour. I use a lot of textures in my work, I scan different fabrics, papers or take pictures.

How long does it usually take you to create an illustration?

I don’t have an answer in terms of hours. On personal projects I usually go on for days, often having more than one going at once. On assignments I have to deal with deadlines and not every illustration
requires the same amount of time. Sometimes I have the subject clear in my mind, especially if it’s something I’ve done before. Other times it just takes longer.

Which other Illustrators influence or inspire you?

Too many to list them all. As a child I was fascinated by Rackham and Dulac. I had a beautiful copy of Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens and I used to look through the pages wanting to be part of that world. Peter Pan is to this day my favourite fairytale. Later I found the same dream-like atmospheres in Rebecca Dautremer and Lisbeth Zwerger.

I also like comics even if they are not part of what I do. My grandfather was a big enthusiast and introduced me to Little Nemo, The Peanuts and Mafalda. Calvin and Hobbes, The Far Side, Bloom County and Mutts followed right after. I love children’s book illustrators like Stephen Cartwright, Richard Scarry and the very talented Anna Laura Cantone. Mary Blair and Mary Engelbreit are always a big influence and source of inspiration.

What are your Illustration goals for the future?

I hope I’ll have the opportunity to continue with what I’m doing now and do more picture books. I also hope to work more for image licensing, it’s a new world for me and I only just started with the
first commissions. I know it’s something that will require time and effort.

What advice would you give to aspiring Illustrators?

There’s a perfect balance between being aware of what you’re worth and self-doubt. Sometimes the scale goes down towards the second and you’ll tend to forget about all the things you have achieved so far. I think that’s part of the life of every creative and should be used to your advantage to move on and improve.

Connect with other illustrators, because this tends to be a very lonely profession. The internet is a fantastic place to do that. There’s so much going on and illustrators are in most cases, very friendly and helpful with each other.

Join a critique group if you have the chance, it can be a very useful experience and it will help you see your work through someone else’s eyes.

Learn as much as you can of the market you want to work for and search for the contacts you need. Don’t be afraid of getting in touch with publishers who accept submissions. They may never find out about you, if you don’t.

Don’t be too discouraged by rejections, we all go through them. Sometimes there’s something new to learn from them, sometimes simply you were not the best match. Not everyone will like what you do, but it doesn’t mean your work isn’t good.

Be sure to visit Gaia’s blog and Flickr page to see more of her lovely work. You can also follow her on Twitter too.