Joe Fenton is a London-based artist who works mainly in monochrome. His lavishly scaled, surrealist drawings are produced almost exclusively in graphite on paper, and inhabit a world populated by humorous and grotesque Hieronymus Bosch-like figures. With a giant eye for darkness and detail, Joe’s work embraces the strange tensions between life and death. Hi Joe, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Pr...
With several of their artists featuring in Tiny Pencil Issue No. IV, Vanessa Amianti, Assistant Art Director at De Dominicis, took some time to share some of their thoughts on drawing and graphite in today’s commercial world… De Dominicis Agency is a creative services agency, managing projects from commission to production. They partner with high-profile, international organisations with a keen interest ...
WARNING! PLEASE NOTE! CONTAINS GRAPHIC CONTENT! James Unsworth practices art like an inventor who creates problems instead of solving them. Taking the world view that “all human production is problematic and we’re all part of one big problem that can’t be solved”, James makes sense of the world through drawing whilst trying to find amusement along the way… What appeals to you, or attra...
Inspired by Marvel and DC Comics, Sina Sparrow started drawing his own comics when he was just 11 years old. At 16, he discovered queer comics and zines. With a unique style and voice all his own, Sina is the creator of cult comics such as his autobiographical work ‘BoyCrazyBoy’. What do you like about working in pencil? It just feels very spontaneous, I like the different weights and textures you can ge...
Inca Pan was born in 1983 and he is a freelance illustrator in Taiwan. His work is most published in newspapers alongside articles on literature. He likes movies and has a cat. Could you tell us a bit about your creative process, from the initial image or idea to the finished piece? In general, I don’t draw very detailed sketches: I like drawing and thinking together at the same time. This helps me to creat...
Oregon-based artist Susannah Kelly creates dark, intricate drawings that take figurative portraiture to another level. She owns and curates Antler Gallery in the Alberta Arts District of Portland with fellow artist, Neil M. Perry. Could you tell us a bit about your creative process, from the initial image or idea to the finished piece? I start with rough thumbnails to work out a basic composition. Then I move on to a...
Dace Sietina’s fantastical maps and charts are made with a scientific penchant for exploration and wonder. She attributes her obsession with stars and space to her last name, which means ‘Seven sisters’ or the star cluster ‘Pleiades’… Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your work? I love to stare at the stars at night, take a long walks in the fog and bike through open field...
Tobias Tak creates mysterious and magical worlds inhabited by outlandish creatures. His comics have appeared in publications such as LeGun, Pood, Bare Bones, The Comix Reader and Hotwire, winning him praise from luminaries such as Robert Crumb, Joann Sfar, Art Spiegelman, Joost Swarte and Rod McKie. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and your work? I started in art school (in The Netherlands), where I studied pai...
Jennifer Parks is a comic artist, illustrator, and co-member of the Pony Club Gallery. Her world is filled with ghosts, charcoal, and ornamental gatherings. Her inspiration comes from nature, dreams, and the beauty of life and death. She has a weekly comic called ‘Lone Wolf’ that can be seen on StudyGroupComics.com. Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Could you tell us a bit about yourself and what ...
Artist Matt Craven draws, sculpts and prints. He grew up in Great Grimsby (a Northern ex-fishing town) and worked a stint as a circus entertainer before finally pursuing illustration. What appeals to you, or attracts you to, working in pencil? Pencil is nostalgic, for me the smell of them is one of my earliest memories. Pencil is a universal medium, not an exclusive, specialist tool for professionals – everyon...