Carolyn Scrace is an illustrator and writer. She studied illustration at Brighton College of Art in England, and her career has taken her into the worlds of advertising, animation, and publishing. She specializes in children’s picture books and art guides.
Can you share with us some of your earliest memories related to art and design that sparked your interest in pursuing a career in illustration and publishing?
At school, I had a marvelous art teacher, Joe Di Guisseppe, who, having originally trained as a Graphic Designer, explored the different ways art can be used to convey ideas and stories with his classes. It was Joe who suggested that I should make art and design my career – much to the horror of the Careers Teacher who insisted instead I should work my way up to become a Bank Manager!
Being a Brighton College of Art graduate, how did your art education there influence your artistic style and approach to design?
During the late ’70s/early ’80s, when I was at Art College, the world of illustration was vibrant and exciting! The list was endless and not restricted to book covers and children’s books, illustrators’ work featured in magazines, advertising, and educational works. There was a tremendous variety of styles and techniques used and places for illustrators to showcase their artwork. This diversity of style and technique was exemplified by our tutors, who each provided their own individual interpretation of the illustration course.
We understand that you had the opportunity to study under the guidance of Raymond Briggs, creator of The Snowman and John Vernon Law, widely recognized for his illustrations for Aesop’s Fables and The Nonsense Verse of Edward Lear, at Brighton College of Art. How did their teachings impact your artistic development?
Both Raymond and John were working illustrators, as was my personal tutor, Carol Lawson. As a consequence, they were able to provide us with detailed briefings and tight deadlines that reflected illustration as a profession. Raymond was adept at spotting weaknesses in one’s work and equally good at providing advice and encouragement.
Could you tell us about your experience working on the book ‘Giants’ devised by David Larkin? How did that project shape your early career?
After graduating, I took my portfolio round to the major London publishers. In those days, seeing the Art Director and showing your work in person was possible. David Larkin, head of Pan Books, was charming and offered me the opportunity to work on Giants. It was a fantastic experience. However, I found it very difficult to capture the lightness of touch of my two fellow illustrators. I’m not sure that the experience shaped my early career, but it did reinforce the importance of deadlines.
Having started freelancing at the young age of sixteen, what challenges and lessons did you encounter in the early stages of your career, and how did they contribute to your growth as an artist?
I illustrated my first book cover with the inside illustrations whilst at school, and during the holidays, I was lucky enough to work on other book covers. At the same time, I was offered work in advertising, illustrating a range of pamphlets, leaflets, and posters.
First and foremost, you need to read the brief to know who the illustrations are intended for and exactly what they need to convey. Deadlines are crucial and have to be adhered to. Also, I soon learned not to presume I’d been given a commission until I had signed a contract!
I do have one ‘claim to fame,’ in that Prince Charles (Now King Charles III) complained by letter to a National newspaper about nudity in my work! I had been contacted by an animation studio who had briefed me ‘to have fun, let my imagination go wild,’ then create the storyboard and illustrate an animated version of The Emperor’s New Clothes. I did indeed have fun; my Emperor was shown totally stark naked, and the emperor’s palace was embellished with equally naked cherubs… unfortunately, I had no idea the video would be shown on Jackanory, a popular children’s television program on BBC, but neither did the animation studio who commissioned me!
Your portfolio includes a diverse range of works, from books for babies to sophisticated coloring books for adults to information books like The X Ray Picture Book… series. How do you adapt your artistic style to cater to different age groups and themes?
The starting point is to research the subject and then study how other artists have approached it. Some of the children’s activity books I’ve worked on for David Salariya have first been trialed by children in the classroom. Their teachers have written notes enabling us to adjust and redesign the books to make them work as effectively as possible.
The X Ray Picture Books were a sheer joy to work on. I found Dinosaurs particularly exciting as I worked closely with John Cooper, at the time Emeritus Keeper of Natural Sciences at the Booth Museum, Brighton in the UK. John used his expert knowledge to enable me to illustrate the digestive system of a Plateosaurus!
Working on books created, designed, and published by David Salariya for over thirty years, how has this collaboration influenced your creative process, and what do you find most rewarding about this partnership?
David Salariya is an extremely talented designer, artist, and writer. Exceptional design requires passion, intelligence, and, most importantly, personal dedication. David has created over 50 book series – the stand-out series for me are Spectacular Visual Guides, Timelines, Fast Forward, and You Wouldn’t Want to Be… these have been tremendously successful with incredible longevity and received worldwide acclaim. Having been art-directed by David on these amazing projects has been a wonderful learning curve, a joy, and a pleasure.
David has always welcomed change and embraced new ideas, digital technologies, and methods. As an illustrator, it has been both exciting and challenging to be with him at the forefront of many new inventions: CD Rom and augmented reality. David and I worked on the first children’s books to feature augmented reality in 2010.
Your fashion drawings are compared to the caliber of drawings done for renowned designers like Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, and Jean Paul Gaultier. Can you elaborate on your inspiration and approach to fashion illustration?
I have always been interested in fashion and, for a time, designed and made most of my own clothes. When asked to produce some fashion drawings, I took inspiration from those illustrations that have best stood the test of time. I have tried to replicate their elegance and simplicity by using fluid lines made by brush and ink.
As a multi-talented artist and major author, you’ve significantly contributed to the world of art and publishing globally. Can you share some insights into the evolution of your artistic vision over the years and your perspective on the industry’s changing landscape?
I’ve found that it’s best to treat every fresh project as a blank canvas. Never take on a new commission unless you are prepared to put your heart and soul into it.
The industry has changed tremendously over the past few decades. Illustrators are now competing globally for work in a reducing marketplace. With the digitalization of much of the artwork, there appears to be a gradual decline in originality. The qualities achieved by using hand-drawn and painted images are sometimes lacking. That said, I am in absolute awe at so much of the illustrators’ work nowadays, and it will be interesting to see what future developments lie ahead.
To connect with Carolyn Scrace, please follow on Instagram @carolyn_franklin_illustration.
