Digital paper-cut illustrator Anthony Martin shares how he keeps his work space humming along and the ideas flowing.
Where is your studio?
I've set up my workspace in a separate room in my house, entirely dedicated to my illustration work
How have you made your space functional for your process?
As my wife is also an illustrator, we've set aside a small “communal” corner of the room for everything we use on a daily basis, such as paper, the printer, the cutter, various media… and more books! Not everything in the room is organized, because things are always on the move.
What inspirational items are a must for your space?
At my disposal is a library containing my published work (books, journals...), as well as books that particularly inspire me. Also on my desk are postcards written by friends and family, and figurines of emblematic characters from comic strips and the 90's, such as Gaston (Dupuis), the Looney Toons and Diddl, adding a touch of fantasy to my space and allowing me to escape. On the walls, there are framed works by artists I really like, or some comic strip characters again.
Tell us a bit about your computer set up.
Of course, the most important element of my workspace is my desk itself, on which I've set up my PC and Cintiq. My computer is the central element of the studio. I chose to configure this PC myself with powerful, quality parts, so as to work in the best possible equipment. It was then assembled by a computer specialist. It's a very important tool in my work as an illustrator, so I needed a custom-made computer for my vector illustrations. I work mainly digitally, but all my preliminary research is done with pencil or pen, in an A3 notebook. These items can be found on my desk or in its drawers. I like to keep everything tidy when I've finished working, but most of the time my desk is covered in research and sketches!
What do you do to set the mood for work?
Music sometimes helps me concentrate.
What, if anything would you change about your space?
The overall space of the room is quite limited, so I had to think of everything to make it feel comfortable, and I succeeded! I think that in the future, I'd like to have a bigger room to work in. However, for the moment it's enough, bearing in mind that I have a garden so I can get some fresh air when I need to take a break.
