See where the magic happens. Artist work spaces are endlessly fascinating. The voyeur in all of us love to know how people live AND work. Illustrator Ane Arzelus shares a bit about their space and how it helps them create the best art possible. Take a peek and get inspired.
Where is your studio?
My studio is a desk in a corner of the living room in the house my spouse and I rent and share with our two cats. It's surrounded by two bookshelves full of books, reference material, my trusty printer and other artistic materials. The centerpiece of the desk is a weary but resilient Mac computer of 7 years.
What is a must-have for your work space?
Having good natural light is the most important thing for me. As a person who works from home and doesn't go out maybe as much as they should, being able to enjoy natural light all day long is extremely important. It keeps my mood up and helps see things properly, both literal and metaphorically regarding my mental state.
How have you made your space functional for your process?
Being surrounded by shelves helps me make little piles of materials for specific projects that I can then move around, put away and retrieve when needed. I am a bit chaotic about organization, but that doesn't mean there isn't method to the madness!
Tell us a bit about your computer set up.
My trusty Mac is front and center in the desk, plugged into a Wacom tablet that rarely works. My keyboard and mouse sit on the biggest mousepad I've ever seen with Hokusai's Kanawa Wave printed on top, which my spouse gifted me after getting fed up of me using random bits of paper as a mouse pad.
What ‘decorates’ your space?
I installed a small shelf behind me on the wall to hold some of my work visible as a backdrop for videocalls. It has actually helped me appreciate all the work that I do! I feel that people who mostly work digitally don't have a tangible perception of all the pieces we create, and being able to put some of those in physical form into my space has forced me to face the fact that I do, in fact, create quite a lot even though sometimes it doesn't feel like so hahaha
What do you do (if anything) to set the mood for work?
A mug with a warm beverage as company, my 3d printed lamp in the shape of the moon as ambiance and some interesting podcast or video essay as background noise is the way I usually create illustrations.
What inspirational items are a must for your space?
I have several books of artistic movements that always inspire me, mostly art nouveau and other decorative art styles, but lately I've been very drawn to classical grecorroman art and mosaics too.
What if anything would you change about your space? Any dream setups that you aspire to?
I'd love for my work studio and living space to be separate. I struggle with switching off my working brain, and I feel like having a designated space outside of my house could help. Maybe just getting a bigger space to live in and to have my desk sit behing a closed door in a separate room could help!
View Ane Arzelus’ illustration. Represented by i2i Art Inc.