‘Rapture: Robot Girl and the Angel’ from Digital Art by Gemma Duffill. ‘This is a character I am working on for a short comic book series. Her story is very sad and sweet.’ (Digital Painting in Corel Painter) Artwork courtesy of Gemma Duffill.
Artist Watch
The Artist
Gemma Duffill (continued)
‘Practice, experience
new things, try new things, fail at things, and try again.’
‘Realistic portraits still fascinate me. The challenge of getting a likeness and the satisfaction
you feel when you do manage to get one is the best part. I’m currently in love with Corel Painter and am finding that I’m using that program more in my art – whether it’s for cartooning or realism.
‘My own personal animation and illustration projects include short films, most likely just to broadcast on the internet. If they turn out well enough I may enter them into film festivals. I’d love to
make something similar to Simon’s Cat on YouTube.
‘I’m an avid reader of comics and graphic novels and, although I have a couple of ideas
of my own, I’d love to work with a writer to create one. Currently I’m plotting a self-published comic book featuring Robot Girl. She came about when I entered the 7x9 exhibition with Illustrators Australia a few years back. The theme was “rapture”
and I don’t know why, but that little robot reaching out to an angel came to mind. So I ended up coming up with a story for her. It will be a sad, sweet and quiet story. I plan for it to be a mini-series, perhaps 4-5 issues long.
‘I design T shirts for my stores on zazzle in redbubble, which are print-to-order websites. But I can design shirt prints for anyone; all I need to know is what colour shirt it will go
on, how they want it printed and what they’d like on it. Pricing depends on the level of time and detail involved in the artwork.’
Do you think that attitudes
to art have changed over, say, the last thirty years? Are people more interested in art or less interested, and if more so, in which form?
‘I think people in general
have this misconception that people don’t “make” art anymore; that it just happens. Especially if it’s digital art, they think the computer does all the work, like there’s a “make art” button on your keyboard. I think
that unless someone has a particular interest in art in any form, most people don’t really pay it any mind, which is sad.
‘That said, artists can find each other
and art lovers more easily than ever before with the internet. We’re no longer bound by our locales and art can be seen in galleries all around the world just from your computer screen – it’s more accessible than ever.’
How necessary do you think formal qualifications are in terms of finding work?
‘I think that
in freelance your work speaks for itself and you don’t necessarily have to have qualifications. But, if you’re looking to work with a studio in design or illustration, you would stand a much better chance of getting employed if you have them.
‘These days everyone is expected to have qualifications and a great portfolio. Once you get a job with someone they may train you more in their specific field. But something
that would help any artist is to take life drawing classes – they not only teach you about the human form but they also teach you to see as an artist.
Do you think
that there will be an expanding market for artists in Apps, eBooks and for people who are self-publishing in the future?
‘There already is. I know many of my peers
are working in these areas already. I am working on an eBook with a long-time friend of mine to bring her children’s book to life for tablets and computers everywhere. Self-publishing is also much easier these days. People can run kick-starter campaigns
to fund the first run of a self-published book or they can sign up to a print-on-demand service that will print the books and post them to clients for them.
Is there
any advice that you would give to someone starting out in your field now?
‘Practice, experience new things, try new things, fail at things and try again. If you
go to art school make sure that it’s one that will teach you technical skills as well as art theory. Most of all, stick at it – it’s a hard industry.
Website Watch
GEMMA DUFFILL is an illustrator, animator and story artist based on the Gold Coast (south of Brisbane) in Queensland, Australia.
She graduated from Griffith University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Animation (majoring in 3D Animation) and, after further study, also acquired a Graphic Design Diploma from the Cold Coast Institute of TAFE.
Gemma excels at digital and traditional illustrations and can provide illustrations for any kind of project; a children’s book, a mural, a comic book or an advertisement. Anything – she’s very versatile. If there is a particular
style the client is after Gemma can emulate that style and also provide graphic design services such as logo design, brochures, pamphlets, business cards etc. The best way for clients to find out project costs would be to contact Gemma on gemma.duffill@gmail.com
as each client’s needs differ and she can customise a price to suit.
To keep up with what Gemma’s doing and to see more of her work, go to her blog at http://gemmaduffill.blogspot.com.au,
visit her websites at http://www.gemtoons.com, and http://www.gemmaddesigns.com and browse through her gallery at http://gemmaduffill.deviantart.com.
But wait, there’s more! You can also find Gemma on the Behance website at http://www.behance.net/GemmaDuffill, follow
her on her Facebook pages at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gemma-Duffill-Cartoonist-Illustrator-Graphic-Designer/194214427282030 and LinkedIn
on http://www.linkedin.com/in/gemmaduffill.
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