Meet An Illustrator 1 – Jim Field

self-portrait © Jim Field

We’re delighted to have Jim Field as the first subject of our new Meet An Illustrator feature.

This year we can look forward to:

• The Whale Who Wanted More written by Rachel Bright illustrated by Jim Field
  Publishing with Hachette Children’s Books UK April 2021
  
  
• Rabbit and Bear – A Bad King is a Sad Thing (the 5th book in this picture book series) written by Julian Gough illustrated by Jim Field
  Publishing with Hachette Children’s Books Aug 2021
  
  

As a child, what were the first illustrations you remember being pleased with? 

A Summer Fair Poster I illustrated when I was 5 years old, it was picked as the winning illustration to be used for my School. The drawing is still somewhere at my parents’ house.

Who/what inspired you when you were young?

Characters were a big inspiration to me from a very young age – from cartoons and books, Tom and Jerry, Wile-E Coyote and Roadrunner, Richard Scarry’s Busy Town. My dream was to make animated cartoons as a child.

Who inspires you today?

Many things inspire me from music, my surroundings, my family, walks in nature, films, exhibitions, other illustrators (too many to name here). 

Did you study art or illustration? If so, where?

I studied a BA in Animation at Hull School of Art and Design from 1999-2002.

What is your favourite artist tool/product?

A Jumbo Faber Castell 4B pencil.

Where do you buy your art supplies?

Rougier et Plé in Paris 11éme.

What software/apps do you use?

Photoshop. I’ve been using it for 20 years, we have a love/hate relationship.

What was your first commission?

I designed a logo of a super-hero character for a Carpet Company back in 2002. 

What are you working on at the moment?

I am just starting work on my second self-authored/illustrated bilingual book, Monsieur Roscoe; Book 2 (title still to be confirmed!) 

Twitter or Instagram? Instagram

Coffee or tea? Tea

Cat or dog? Dog

Grape or grain? Grain

Sunrise or sunset? Sunset

What do you listen to when you are working?

Oh I love to listen to many types of music while I work, such as Bill Callahan, Ravi Shankar, Eternal Tapestry, Brian Eno. 

Where can we follow you on social media?

@_JimField on Twitter

@_JimField on Instagram

This will be a regular weekend feature, publishing every Saturday.