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Describe your illustration style in ten words or less:
Quirky, fun, bold colours, colourful, Australiana, stark, different, organic.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My desktop computer with the Adobe Creative Suite, Ipad and Apple pencil. Walls printed with photographs of my inspiration.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium
Although I work digitally, I do love traditional media such as printmaking using lino tiles and ink. I also love working with paper and oil pastels and getting messy with a mixed media approach.
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I would love to visit the High Renaissance period.
I'd watch the classical masters painting live in their elements. I want to learn those artistic techniques like chiaroscuro and maybe even ask Da Vinci how he painted Mona Lisa’s smile.
Name three artists whose works inspire you?
I love Kirsten Katz, her artworks are so vibrant and colourful. I love her approach towards how she interprets the Australian environment. I also love Kasey Rainbow, her artworks are so bright and joyful and I love her use of organic shapes. Pete Cromer is another one of my favourites, his playful and unique style to his subject matter of flora and fauna is stunning! I know it's more than three but I can’t leave out Jocelyn Proust! Her style and pattern work is amazing!
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
As a child I loved watching the extras in the Disney movie VHS’s (yes showing my age!) the processes of how they made drawings by hand and cartoons. I remember mentioning to my mother that, ‘I want to do that when I grow up!’. I always drew as I grew older and experimented with art styles and techniques as a teenager. Once I reached adulthood and went into high school education as a visual art teacher I moved out of doing the drawing and teaching it to children instead.
On maternity leave I tried to get back into illustration but with a newborn it became a nightmare setting up materials, so I decided the quicker and cleaner way I could make art was through digital. I entered the first anthology competition by Just Write for Kids and had my art selected for Our Australian HeArt. This gave me the push to keep going with it and I have Romi and her team to thank for that. Which then gave me the push to enter local art competitions in my area and display my art in the community. And the rest as they say is now history!
Can you share a photo of your creative space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
At the moment my artspace is a little boring and is shared with my husband's office, but I am in the process of converting the home office to my own art studio, finally! (I’m not kicking the husband out, he is getting an external office! hehe). My plan is to make it more creative friendly with more space to move around to make a mess. I have an inspiration wall behind me which when I feel I need that extra push creatively I can look at something to spark my creative juices. My desktop computer and devices are always around and central to how I create my pieces. My favourite piece is my children’s Mother’s Day combined artwork they made for me which I feel in a yellow frame close to where I work that makes me smile..jpg)
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Never compare yourself to other illustrators. You have your own unique style, your own tastes and your own approach to artmaking. If you compare yourself too much you will get into a state of negativity about your talents and give up. When I started drawing, I wasn’t happy with my style and wondered why I wasn’t as good as everyone else. Just keep going, don’t be afraid of taking risks in your art and believe in your skills and abilities!
Never compare yourself to other illustrators. You have your own unique style, your own tastes and your own approach to artmaking. If you compare yourself too much you will get into a state of negativity about your talents and give up. When I started drawing, I wasn’t happy with my style and wondered why I wasn’t as good as everyone else. Just keep going, don’t be afraid of taking risks in your art and believe in your skills and abilities!
Dani G is an artist trained in traditional media and graphic design. She uses the Adobe Suite, Apple Ipad and Pencil to create her work. Dani’s inspiration comes from society, culture and Australian flora and fauna. She loves the use of colour and shapes, working organically to create contemporary designs.
For more information, please visit Dani's website or follow her on instagram.
