Artwork
1) What mediums do you use when creating work?
-I recently cut down my art supplies to a bare minimum, so now I only use: mechanical pencils (best for sketching), inkpens (various nibs), Prismacolour + Lyra Ferby brand coloured pencils, watercolours, marker pens, sketchbook/scrap paper (I also use Moleskine sketchbooks - expensive, yes, but fantastic quality!), canvas/board, cardstock, Bamboo graphic tablet + Photoshop.
2) How long does it take you to finish a piece?
-I get asked this a lot, but my answer is always quite boring: it depends on the piece.
The longest I've ever spent on a piece of artwork was five hours...but I may have been watching TV at the same time ;)
3) Have you ever had any formal art lessons?
-Apart from the (unhelpful) compulsory classes in school (pre-GCSE level), no.
It's something I'd like to do eventually, perhaps.
4) Do you use references for your work?
-If I am drawing somebody else's character/etc, then definitely. I want to make sure I get it looking right.
I very rarely use models or guidebooks, but I know I should. I have an anatomy book called 'Body Parts' that's very helpful. I also have a lot of wildlife books for reference, and I regularly add to my 'Inspiration Folder', where I stick photos and so on from magazines, etc, that I've found inspiring/useful.
5) Do you take requests, art trades and commissions?
-Yes, I take trades and commissions. Check the commissions page for more information!
I will always be up for taking on a commission, but I may decline art trades if I've got too much work on, etc. In usual circumstances, I'll gladly take them.
Unfortunately, I don't take requests anymore. On rare occasions, I might offer a limited number of requests, but not always. When I'm taking these requests, I'll put a notice up on whichever-gallery-it-is.
6) Do you accept any other forms of trade?
-Yes! I definitely do.
I will happily trade some art with you for various things...stuff I collect, your own crafts/zines/etc.
Just ask! :)
7) What inspires you to draw?
-This, that, everything.
A big influence is music and always has been. It's nice to just throw on a CD while sketching - it's interesting to see what comes out.
I also find wildlife very inspiring, mythologies (myths have always, always been a big inspiration to me, in art and writing), movies, other artists, my friends, life - everything, really.
8) Who are your favourite artists/inspirations?
-This is such an evil question, because I know so many great artists and couldn't possibly begin to name them all!
The first ones who spring to mind, I guess, are: Roy Lichenstein (pop artist), Ross Campbell (comic book artist), Savannah Horrocks (fantasy/anthropomorphic artist), May Anne Licudine (childrens illustrator), Quentin Blake (childrens illustrator), Dr.Seuss (childrens illustrator), Terry Moore (comic artist) - and so many others!
Writing
1) How many books have you written?
-There is a list of my books here on this website, and a list of any upcoming projects I'm undertaking. My first published novel was Rose Petal Tea. Incidentally, that was the first full book I completed as well.
2) Have you taken any writing courses?
-I'm currently taking a three-year course in Imaginative Writing at University, which has had me writing poetry, short stories, plays, journals, myths and so on and so forth!
It's a very fun course, I would highly recommend it!
3) Where do you get your ideas from?
-It's a really popular thing to say, but I do get some of my ideas from life, daily routines and just listening to people talking on the way home or whatever.
Reading helps, a lot. I firmly believe that you'll be a "better writer" if you're well read. Read childrens books! They have some of the most unique ideas in them!
I also derive a lot of inspiration from music, history, mythology, dreams, folklore (the last three have been significant inspirations to a bulk of my work), nature, travelling, movies, and so on.
4) Do you read any books on writing?
-Not really. I read books if they are relevant to my course (i.e: books on script-writing, as I had no idea how to!), but apart from that, I do have a selection of 'writing prompt' books, such as 'The Writers Block'. They're quite helpful.
Keeping journals helps too.
5) Which writers influence you?
-To name a few; Oscar Wilde, Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, Stevie Smith and Roald Dahl. Quite a mixture there.
I get inspiration from a lot of sources, including online fiction and zines.
Personal
1) Is Cally your real name?
-Yes. It's not short for anything.
2) Are you a boy or a girl?
-I'm a girl. ;)
I get asked this quite a lot, and I have a feeling it's because a lot of my characters are male. My pseudonym is 'twinklestah', and Twinkle (of my book, Indigo Sky) is male, while I am female, so...
3) Where does 'twinklestah' come from?
-It's the name of one of my favourite personal characters (Twinkle), with 'star' attached, but in a silly accent. Staaaahhh. I'm from Liverpool, that's how we say it, apparently.
4) What the hell is "death wore chinchilla"?
-My e-mail address and a line in the Marc Almond song 'Indigo Blue'.
5) Are you a furry?
-No, I just like drawing animals. I most certainly do not have any interests in beastiality, want to dress up in a fursuit, or believe that I am an animal.
6) Can I add you on Myspace/Facebook/Livejournal?
-Yes, but please introduce yourself first, or at least make the effort to keep in contact.
I'm quite private when it comes to these sites and I would rather limit my friends list to people I know/admire.
Sorry :)
1) What mediums do you use when creating work?
-I recently cut down my art supplies to a bare minimum, so now I only use: mechanical pencils (best for sketching), inkpens (various nibs), Prismacolour + Lyra Ferby brand coloured pencils, watercolours, marker pens, sketchbook/scrap paper (I also use Moleskine sketchbooks - expensive, yes, but fantastic quality!), canvas/board, cardstock, Bamboo graphic tablet + Photoshop.
2) How long does it take you to finish a piece?
-I get asked this a lot, but my answer is always quite boring: it depends on the piece.
The longest I've ever spent on a piece of artwork was five hours...but I may have been watching TV at the same time ;)
3) Have you ever had any formal art lessons?
-Apart from the (unhelpful) compulsory classes in school (pre-GCSE level), no.
It's something I'd like to do eventually, perhaps.
4) Do you use references for your work?
-If I am drawing somebody else's character/etc, then definitely. I want to make sure I get it looking right.
I very rarely use models or guidebooks, but I know I should. I have an anatomy book called 'Body Parts' that's very helpful. I also have a lot of wildlife books for reference, and I regularly add to my 'Inspiration Folder', where I stick photos and so on from magazines, etc, that I've found inspiring/useful.
5) Do you take requests, art trades and commissions?
-Yes, I take trades and commissions. Check the commissions page for more information!
I will always be up for taking on a commission, but I may decline art trades if I've got too much work on, etc. In usual circumstances, I'll gladly take them.
Unfortunately, I don't take requests anymore. On rare occasions, I might offer a limited number of requests, but not always. When I'm taking these requests, I'll put a notice up on whichever-gallery-it-is.
6) Do you accept any other forms of trade?
-Yes! I definitely do.
I will happily trade some art with you for various things...stuff I collect, your own crafts/zines/etc.
Just ask! :)
7) What inspires you to draw?
-This, that, everything.
A big influence is music and always has been. It's nice to just throw on a CD while sketching - it's interesting to see what comes out.
I also find wildlife very inspiring, mythologies (myths have always, always been a big inspiration to me, in art and writing), movies, other artists, my friends, life - everything, really.
8) Who are your favourite artists/inspirations?
-This is such an evil question, because I know so many great artists and couldn't possibly begin to name them all!
The first ones who spring to mind, I guess, are: Roy Lichenstein (pop artist), Ross Campbell (comic book artist), Savannah Horrocks (fantasy/anthropomorphic artist), May Anne Licudine (childrens illustrator), Quentin Blake (childrens illustrator), Dr.Seuss (childrens illustrator), Terry Moore (comic artist) - and so many others!
Writing
1) How many books have you written?
-There is a list of my books here on this website, and a list of any upcoming projects I'm undertaking. My first published novel was Rose Petal Tea. Incidentally, that was the first full book I completed as well.
2) Have you taken any writing courses?
-I'm currently taking a three-year course in Imaginative Writing at University, which has had me writing poetry, short stories, plays, journals, myths and so on and so forth!
It's a very fun course, I would highly recommend it!
3) Where do you get your ideas from?
-It's a really popular thing to say, but I do get some of my ideas from life, daily routines and just listening to people talking on the way home or whatever.
Reading helps, a lot. I firmly believe that you'll be a "better writer" if you're well read. Read childrens books! They have some of the most unique ideas in them!
I also derive a lot of inspiration from music, history, mythology, dreams, folklore (the last three have been significant inspirations to a bulk of my work), nature, travelling, movies, and so on.
4) Do you read any books on writing?
-Not really. I read books if they are relevant to my course (i.e: books on script-writing, as I had no idea how to!), but apart from that, I do have a selection of 'writing prompt' books, such as 'The Writers Block'. They're quite helpful.
Keeping journals helps too.
5) Which writers influence you?
-To name a few; Oscar Wilde, Sylvia Plath, Ted Hughes, Stevie Smith and Roald Dahl. Quite a mixture there.
I get inspiration from a lot of sources, including online fiction and zines.
Personal
1) Is Cally your real name?
-Yes. It's not short for anything.
2) Are you a boy or a girl?
-I'm a girl. ;)
I get asked this quite a lot, and I have a feeling it's because a lot of my characters are male. My pseudonym is 'twinklestah', and Twinkle (of my book, Indigo Sky) is male, while I am female, so...
3) Where does 'twinklestah' come from?
-It's the name of one of my favourite personal characters (Twinkle), with 'star' attached, but in a silly accent. Staaaahhh. I'm from Liverpool, that's how we say it, apparently.
4) What the hell is "death wore chinchilla"?
-My e-mail address and a line in the Marc Almond song 'Indigo Blue'.
5) Are you a furry?
-No, I just like drawing animals. I most certainly do not have any interests in beastiality, want to dress up in a fursuit, or believe that I am an animal.
6) Can I add you on Myspace/Facebook/Livejournal?
-Yes, but please introduce yourself first, or at least make the effort to keep in contact.
I'm quite private when it comes to these sites and I would rather limit my friends list to people I know/admire.
Sorry :)