Penelope Dullaghan is an award-winning illustrator and fine artist who started her freelance career after a five-year stint as an art director. She chronicles her artistic development on her site, PenelopeIllustration.com and also heads-up and contributes to Illustration Friday, a weekly creative outlet and participatory art exhibit. Penelope's clients include Target, United Airlines, the New York Times, LA Times Book Review, SF Chronicle and the Baltimore Sun.
02.25.09
Sketching Ideas and Watching Them Morph
If you have a degree in what field is it? I have a BFA in graphic design from the University of Indianapolis.
Have you always been able to draw or was it a skill you learned in college? I have always enjoyed drawing. When I was three I asked my mom to draw me a bunny and then giggled and said I could do it better. She never drew for me again, so I guess I had to pick up the slack.
What was your first paid assignment? Working with Dress for Success Indianapolis. I did a fun, illustrated mailer for them that went out to women asking for donations. Dress for Success went out on a limb with that approach and it was a big hit (whew!). They got a lot of donations and helped a lot of women in need. And it spurred me on to keep creating too. So overall, a great start.
Which illustrator (or fine artist) do you most admire? I really like Caio Fonseca’s fine art work. His colors are so bold and I like the simplicity of the shapes. I also really enjoy Andy Goldsworthy’s earth work. I love how he creates in the moment using materials he stumbles across in nature, and then lets the artwork fall apart and change as it returns to where it came from—it’s a good exercise in not holding on.
What would you be doing if you weren’t an illustrator? I could see myself owning a small coffee shop/gallery in a small town. Getting to know all the patrons and reading in a comfy chair when the shop’s not busy... sounds like a nice life.
From where do your best ideas originate? Usually out of a playful place, sketching ideas and watching them morph into other things.
How do you overcome a creative block? Walking away and doing something else completely different for a while. That’s so hard to do when you're stuck though.
In one word describe how you feel when beginning a new assignment? Nervited (part nervous, part excited).
Do you have a personal philosophy? I’m working on it.
Do you have creative pursuits other than illustration? I make really good snow angels.
What music are you listening to right now? I can never remember song or artist names, so I like to fire up Pandora and just be surprised.
What’s your favorite quote? “A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.” I have no idea who said it, but it always makes me braver.
Do you have any advice for people just entering the profession? Work hard. Start local. Read about how to handle illustration as a business so you don’t get burned (like I initially did). And keep playing!
What’s one thing you wish you knew when you started your career? No one really knows what they’re doing; they’re just making it up as they go along.