Eleni Kalorkoti came to give a lecture and to chat with us about her work.
I had heard of Eleni's work before and was interested in hearing more about her process in constructing zines. Zines aren't something I've really explored much before, but Kaloroti is the Queen of Zines. Her zines are so beautifully considered and I wanted to know about how she planned and made the images to go inside each issue.
http://www.elenikalorkoti.com/New-York-Times-Op-Ed-1
She talked about the social side of zines, something I had never considered before. Zines are really quite trendy at the moment and she is thriving in this market by selling her work at Zine fairs. She discussed how she has made friends and connections by attending these events. At zine fairs, you can see what other people are making and watch how customers receive and interact with your work.
Anyone can apply for a table at these fairs and she recommended doing so.
She told us how some artists only sell their work at zine fairs, but she uses both the internet and these events. It is a personal connection and transaction that occurs between author and reader and this makes the product even more special. I've never bought work at a zine fair but I would love to go to one and to see the artist in person before purchasing their work.
Kalorkoti started making zines after graduating and committed her practice to making one zine a month for an entire year. I was really shocked at the pace of her work, but this intense practice has really benefited her as an illustrator - pushing her to create quickly and make illustrations for an audience (her customers). She showed us how she progressed and learned more about illustration by doing this challenge; we watched her zines and her visual signature evolve from her first to her most recent zines. It's great that Eleni herself can notice the difference and it is evidence that she has learned and developed through the process.
It would be great to do a similar task, but maybe not quite as intense! Although she did sell the zines, Eleni admitted that these zines were for her own fun. She wanted to make work that she was interested in. This should be a project that allows me a little freedom.
The themes of each issue are based on Kalorkoti's current interests: witches, disco music, plants etc. It's brilliant to see her passion seeping into her drawings and know that she drew these things because she felt 'obsessed' with them. This is such a human trait, it is humbling to acknowledge that this fantastic illustrator fangirls over things too!
http://www.elenikalorkoti.com/Good-Witch-Bad-Witch
The thing I love most about Kalorkoti's work is her use of texture. Her monochrome work, in particular, demonstrates a tangible quality. Her illustrations might be flat and often quite simple, but they are full of information as the result of texture. This information creates interest.
Her characters and outfits are very interesting in the illustration featured above, with distressed tones of grey communicating noise through their fuzzy textures.
She briefly mentioned selling things at the right price since she felt she had been taken advantage of in her first paid comission after graduating... 10 colour illustrations for £100 is not enough. Just because it is your first job, don't accept any old job and don't undersell yourself! You know what you are worth.
Someone asked what kind of work she gets and why she thinks that clients come to her. Eleni said that it's mostly editorial work that she is given and that she thinks it's because they want something a bit deeper than just a literal interpretation of the words. Her clients are looking for images to add interest to their content, not just spell it out.
Kalorkoti is doing really well in the industry and is making fantastic work. She is quite well known and respected, so I was a little shocked and worried when she said that sometimes she doesn't get work. This is a successful illustrator, and even for her it isn't easy!
On this note, Eleni then told us about how low the job can make you, being rejected feels like a piece of you is being rejected too. Illustration is entirely personal and it is difficult not to take a rejection to the heart.
http://www.elenikalorkoti.com/Post-Its
ON THE BRIGHT SIDE, you make your own job! According to Kalorkoti, illustration is literally a made up job and you do what you want with it. It is the best job in the world because it is whatever you want it to be.
I was desperate to ask her a question at the end.
I was the only Level 4 student to ask a question. I asked whether she often used reference in her drawing and where she got it from. Such a dull question, but I wanted to know even more about her working process - yes, these are the things she likes to draw, but where does she begin? Is it completely random doodles or are they based on something real?
Yes, she uses reference and it is mostly by taking photos of herself. She sometimes uses Google to find a picture of something, but will also go on trips to find the real thing and study it.
Eleni's lecture was really inspiring, and not just in that generic way that you call things you see on pinterest 'inspiring', 'ooh I am so inspired by this hairstyle'.
She made me reconsider my definition of illustration.
She told us things that terrified me.
She said things that had me smiling for the rest of the day. I have all of this ahead of me!
