BreeAnn Veenstra

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed by Spanish art & illustration magazine, Anormalmag.

You can read the interview in full here, but just in case your Google Translator isn't working here's the English text.


BreeAnn, you come from a very creative family. How has it affected your view of art, especially in your childhood...?

It’s quite possible that I was interested in art even before I understood what art was, and I truly don’t think I stood a chance against it. It’s always been a part of my life and who I am. My grandfather is a photography enthusiast and my father runs his own glass art business called E-Scape Art Glass, so I grew up surrounded by art and art-minded people. I remember tagging along with my father at various art shows as a little girl, and when he had an exhibitor’s booth at a show he would let me have a small table in which to sell drawings and little clay sculptures that I had made. I was pretty confident even at a young age that I would pursue some form of art professionally. Whenever someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I’d tell them an artist (and a dolphin trainer).  
For me, I am fascinated by the narrative powers of painting and illustration. I love stories, so it only makes sense that I love the ability to tell a story through the visuals of illustration. Sometimes those are the best stories… the ones that cannot be told by words alone. I am also often in awe about how painting and illustration can trigger such strong reactions, and I absolutely love it when I come across an artist or work that makes me feel inspired or motivated. I strive to return the favor by inspiring the imaginations of others with my own work.

And what caught your attention for the two interesting fields of painting and illustration?

I am fascinated by the narrative powers of painting and illustration. I love stories, so it only makes sense that I love the ability to tell a story through the visuals of illustration. Sometimes those are the best stories… the ones that cannot be told by words alone. I am also often in awe about how painting and illustration can trigger such strong reactions, and I absolutely love it when I come across an artist or work that makes me feel inspired or motivated. I strive to return the favor by inspiring the imaginations of others with my own work.

What would you take away from your time at Grand Valley State University?

At Grand Valley State University, I became under the impression that there were really only five main avenues to pursue illustration: children’s books, editorial pieces, greeting cards, concept art for games/film/media, and then fine art to sell in galleries. I thought we had to try and fit into one of those and that would be that. But this is not true at all. There are so many more opportunities and directions for illustration and I am almost overwhelmed because I want to experiment in all of them. 

You always had the desire to work as a children's book illustrator. Why?

I wish I could go back to being a child again. Everything is so raw and unadultered. The world is full of color and whimsy, and there is no such thing as impossibility when you’re a child. You can stretch anything and everything as far as your imagination allows. This wild-eyed and innocent perspective of the world fascinates me and I would love to encourage its growth in children through my work. I also want to keep that inner child’s spirit alive within myself. I never want to lose that sense of wonder for the world we live in. 

No doubt you manage to capture the magic that is so characteristic of children in your work, especially with a very fluid and natural backdrop. Where do you find inspiration for this fantastic result?

I find inspiration on a regular basis and from all places, but nature is definitely my biggest source. I am continuously amazed by all the wonderful creatures and things that it has to offer, and how there are such delicate shapes and patterns to be discovered if you only look close enough. That being said, I also draw inspiration from a multitude of artists, including musicians. I am constantly analyzing and discovering little elements in everything I encounter that might inspire a thought or idea for me to carry over into my next piece.

How would you describe your own style?

I would say my style is naturalistic… being that it resembles realism but isn’t always an accurate or one-hundred-percent portrayal. My linework is also very precise and controlled at this moment, but I’m trying to loosen up and pursue that elusive “imperfectly perfect” feel. 

My style also has a very textural feel to it, and I sometimes call it “tradigital” since it is a marriage of both traditional and digital elements. I like to add layer upon layer of texture to everything I do while keeping an almost “flat” look to the piece. I love traditional Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock prints and I think that influence shows in my work.

How do you find your characters... Where do they come from?

Some of my characters are influenced by existing legends and folklore, but I think the majority of them are discovered by tapping into my inner child and into my dreams.

Speaking of dreams, what is the last one you remember?

I love this question! I have very vivid and imaginative dreams and I’ve been known to sleep in on free days just so I can prolong them. I swear someone could write entire novels and movies based on them, and I’ve entertained the idea of illustrating a few of them as short stories. In my most recent dream, I was the keeper of a powerful sword that glowed emerald green. I kept it hidden and safe in a hotel room until a modern-day evil overlord invaded the land with an entire fleet of ships. He wielded a dark and powerful sword that could only be defeated by its twin: my emerald sword. So we had to battle one-on-one, sword against sword, while everyone else waged a full-scale war around us. I knew nothing of swordsmanship, but my sword’s mystical power guided me and I defeated the evil overlord at the last moment. Both of our swords had proper names, but I couldn’t remember them when I woke up.
I can also lucid dream, which means my consciousness is just aware enough that I’m dreaming to allow me to exert limited control over what happens in my dream. Perhaps my most favorite recurring dreams are the ones with dinosaurs. I almost always end up about to be someone’s lunch, but being eaten alive is not something I want to imagine so I let myself turn into a dinosaur instead. Then I can choose to be a good dinosaur and help defend the people or a bad dinosaur and rampage around. Both are equally fun when you’re dreaming.

Can you describe your design process and what techniques you use?
 
After I have my idea and composition sketched and planned out, I complete the final drawing first in pencil and then with pen and ink. This linework is scanned in digitally and then finished in Adobe Photoshop with a combination of painting digitally and applying found or homemade textures. The finished illustration is completely digital, but I use enough traditional elements that leave a lot of people guessing at whether it’s digital or traditional. 

What music do you like to listen to while you're working?
 
I almost always have to have music on while I’m working. Some of my artist friends can play movies in the background, but I’ve found that I can only do that on my most leisurely-paced days since I end up watching a lot of the movie. I do like having a sense of storyline to listen to, so lately I’ve been singing along to my favorite Disney soundtracks. Mostly I choose music that is upbeat and optimistic as I find it encourages productivity, but sometimes I just have to select a musician that suits the mood of the piece I’m working on. My go-to for more surreal and somber illustrations always includes the Water album off “The Alchemy Index Vols. I & II: Fire & Water” by Thrice.

Reviewing your past projects, what is your favorite?

My favorite projects are the ones that involve animals, nature, and one of my three favorite things to draw: clouds or wind, water, and trees. But I always feel especially satisfied when I’ve completed something that my client absolutely loves. I enjoy making people happy, whether it is an illustration for someone’s home or an illustration that will be commercially published. 

What are your future plans? Are you working on any particular projects right now?

I’m hoping to be able to do illustration full-time in the near future. Right now I have to have a full-time day job for financial support, but I’m working hard for the privilege to be able to devote all my work days to freelancing as an artist. That is the dream I am racing toward. 

I do have a few particular projects at the moment, some of which are for personal work or private commissions, but my largest current project involves illustrating the covers for a series of short DVD films that will be sold internationally. Though I can’t go into the details yet, the cover for the first film was finished last month and I’m very excited to begin work on the subsequent films.