Erin Hunting - Quick Bio
Erin Hunting is a Melbourne based freelance illustrator / cartoonist who has dabbled in a variety of media and styles. Erin has always had a love for cartooning and ink, the style in which you will find most of her artwork.
Erin has worked on a variety of projects, most notably in character design for various companies. Erin is always looking for new work to challenge and inspire her. She would love to be picked up by a big newspaper for a regular feature!
- May 2009
Cartoon Animal Designs by Erin Hunting
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An Interview with Erin Hunting - cartoonist & illustrator
How many years have you spent perfecting your art?
(and/or do you think you've perfected it yet?)
I've always drawn since I was a kid, but have spent the last ten or so years taking art as something that I would like to make a big part of my future.
A few years ago when I embarked on doing a 'fine arts' course, another world opened up to me where I experimented with oil paints, goauche, and printmaking as well as drawing with different mediums such as charcoal, pastel, etc. Funnily enough, it was drawing with ink and pencil that remained my burning love throughout everything else.
As for style, it's always evolving & changing, though people do comment on my 'style', so I guess I do have one after 30 years!.
How did your style evolve?
Through the above mentioned. Also a lot of studying of other artists, a lot through comic books with Robert Crumb and his observational studies of life as well as his masterful attention to detail which I've always had a love of.
I remember reading Stephen Silver talking about doing 'memory sketches' from people he had seen that day, then going home and drawing them, which I often still do. It's great practise, hones the memory skills and is also fun to do!
More recently my art teacher from last year, Prue Flint, has been a big inspiration. Although a painter, her deep appreciation and knowledge of colour, as well as her passion for all kinds of art, definitely rubbed off.
How do you see the significance of the artist in today's world?
Just as important as it's always been.
What made you decide to turn your art into a profession?
Quite simply, my love of art. As for deciding, there's nothing else I'd really prefer or want to do, so it was quite easy in that respect.
In what ways have you found becoming an established artist to be a challenge?
One of the biggest challenges I've found is having to promote myself and my work. I would much rather focus on creating, whereas I find I struggle to put myself 'out there' in the professional world to try to sell my work.
Is there any advice you would offer to aspiring cartoon and caricature artists?
I think continual practise - results don't happen overnight or just because you want them to. Also try to observe the world around you - articulating that in pictures and drawings is what we do. Life drawing studies don't hurt either and is a solid fundemental skill to have as an artist.
Are there any personal traits or abilities that you feel help you in creating your art?
I think having a keen eye for observation always helps! The determination to keep practising and honing your skills is a plus too. And a sense of humour is important in most things we do.
How do you get most of your work?
So far it has mainly been through the internet, I have been approaching companies recently though and so far it's been pretty positive.
If you had the opportunity to start over, would you do anything differently?
The simple answer to that would be no.
In what ways do you think the "Digital Age" has made life easier and/or harder for artists?
I like using the internet as do most people, but I don't like artwork being confined to being only digital, or the attitude to people who prefer to draw the traditional way being told they have to 'move with the times.' I see alot of great art being done via digitally, but I also see alot of souless work being produced too.
I have tried to bring the two together in my own artwork, but I will always be more of a traditional type of person.
Do you think that artists are all essentially "crazy"?
And the simple answer to that would be yes :-)
I think it tends to be a complusive sort of person who would want to spend all day trying to perfect that 'thing'.
What things in life matter most to you?
Family and friends would be upmost. Obviously art is a very personal thing to me and wouldn't want to imagine my life without it. Books, comics and good movies also rate very highly with me.
Do you think the world "as we know it" will survive into the future, and why or why not?
I am a cartoonist, not Socrates! :-)
Where would you like to be ... in say, five or ten years from now?
Professionally I would like to be living successfully as a freelance illustrator and creating amazing characters and pictures as well as taking lots of holidays for inspiration!
Personally it is hard to say, as it encompasses a lot.
A Parting Message to Readers
I hope that you're still awake and keep drawing or pursuing whatever it is that is your passion!
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