Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Playful, dynamic movement with an emphasis on fun and learning.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
Space! I’m lucky to have a large, bright studio at home with my materials within easy reach. I also enjoy listening to a podcast or audio book whilst I work.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
If I had to choose, it would probably be paint (any kind). As part of my practise, I enjoy experimenting with material play.
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
This question is very difficult for me to answer because there are so many that I admire. To help narrow it down, I have chosen three artists that shaped my formative years. They are as follows: Vincent van Gogh, Georgia o’ Keefe and Gustav Klimt. What they all have in-common is their ability to tell stories and a dedication to experimental practise.
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
Probably expressionism, because the subject matter didn’t have to be realistic. It was more about how it made you feel and the emotion it evoked. I would have fit nicely into this era, because I enjoy playing with my interpretation of the subject matter and channelling feelings. When I draw, it’s like I’m an actor; the paper is my stage, and my pencil is a voice from which I project.
Probably expressionism, because the subject matter didn’t have to be realistic. It was more about how it made you feel and the emotion it evoked. I would have fit nicely into this era, because I enjoy playing with my interpretation of the subject matter and channelling feelings. When I draw, it’s like I’m an actor; the paper is my stage, and my pencil is a voice from which I project.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
Reading to my children before bed. We read for a good hour or more, each night when they were younger and those memories will last me a lifetime.
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
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The storyboard and development stage, when I get to have fun with the visual language of the book. I’m learning to closely retain the freedom of these phases as I grow in confidence.
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
No two practises look the same and there isn’t a right or wrong way to go about it. Every illustrator will arrive at the same place with a journey that is right for them. By engaging with the illustrator community and listening to artists talks, it will empower your own method. The other piece of advice I would give is that there are no shortcuts, you will have to take the long road eventually. Lean-in to this stage and enjoy experimenting with a sketchbook that is full of bad drawings! Those bad drawings are probably going to be the most interesting part of your work and will define you as an artist.
Sarah Zweck is a self-taught, award-winning Melbourne-based author and illustrator who enjoys making a glorious mess in her studio using traditional media. She graduated from the University of Leeds in the UK with a BA (Hons) in Fashion Design and had the privilege of working as a childrenswear designer in London, prior to studying illustration. In 2022, Sarah's family moved to Melbourne, which she now calls home, and she is delighted to be a part of the Australian kid lit community.
