Interview with an Illustrator: L i v i G o s l i n g

Interview with an Illustrator : L I V I   G O S L I N G

Hello everyone and congratulations to YOU because today you get to meet Livi Gosling!  Livi is a quick-witted, baking-loving, uber talented Illustrator from Hertfordshire.  In case you didn't know, Hertfordshire is a County in southern England just north of Greater London.   I should've asked Livi to draw a map since it happens to be one of her specialties.   Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice was set there.  Being the diligent researcher I am - I watched the Kiera Knightly movie version for the 36th time last night.  (When the hubs asked if I'd take the dog out,  I told him "it'd be most inconvenient since I have sworn to loathe him for all eternity."  Chuckle...  He didn't get it.  But I digress...)

Livi went to Falmouth University in Cornwall where she earned a degree in Illustration.  I first discovered Livi on Jolly Edition, one of the best custom stationery companies out there.  I've been stalking her work ever since.  I love so many things about her illustrations, but perhaps what I love most is how organic they are.  They're rich in color, detail and feeling yet Livi manages to maintain a rawness in her artwork.   There emanates a sense of nostalgia in her paintings, and each one looks as if it was meticulously and thoughtfully created over a significant span of time (probably because it was).

In addition to being a full-time Illustrator, Livi is quite the foodie.  Just check out her Instagram!  She loves to cook and bake and hopes to one day illustrate a cookbook.  I hope so too.  Scroll down to read our Interview!

Livi's Clients: Australian Traveller - Ampersands Publishing - Doodle Plate - Fool Magazine - Gosling Creative - Jamie Magazine - Jolly Edition - London Food Essentials - Lonely Planet - Lussmann's Restaurant - Luton Hoo Kids Book Festival - Nixon Design - Oh Comely - St Aubyn Estate Holidays - Spicer & Cole - Taproot Magazine - Tesco - Tresco Island - UCLH Galleries - Verily Magazine - Voyeur Magazine: Virgin Australia - Zizzi

How did you get started in illustration?

I didn’t really know that illustration was a career option until I did my foundation course at a local college. It was a real eye opener for me.  I felt like I’d found something that could offer a real career. I also discovered that I was truly diabolical at pottery.

What are three words to describe your art? 

Painterly, inky & tactile.

Walk us through your typical day.

I’m lucky enough to now work in the same studio as my boyfriend (Josh Hurley, illustrator and digital designer) and it’s up to me to drive us to the studio so he’s there at 9am sharp. I’m pretty rubbish in the mornings so I’m grateful for him getting me caffeinated and out the front door. He’s excellent.

Once in the studio, I usually wake up with another cuppa and go through my emails. Then it’s just spending the day working on commissions. Inking in the morning, Photoshop in the afternoon. I tend to work until 5.30pm, but recently I’ve been staying later. I’m working on several hundred illustrations for a big publishing commission. Pretty huge.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of your illustration process? 

Ummm, my least favourite part is probably when the client asks for changes and alterations that I don’t agree with. But that comes with the job, I get over it pretty quickly. My favourite part is when an exciting commission comes in and I get such a buzz. They don’t always work out but the adrenalin rush is always the same.

It sucks when I have to miss out on socialising because I’m working weekends but I know my friends understand. And at the end of the day, I feel super lucky to get to draw for a living.

What is your favorite size “canvas” to work with and why? 

I always work on A3 cartridge paper. Nothing too fancy. It’s easy to draw and ink onto, and it isn’t too pricey!


What is something new you’ve recently learned about your craft? 

Wacom tablets are bloody great.

What are three important qualities an illustrator must have to succeed? 

Ambition, self-belief, persistence.

What is the most important thing aspiring artists can do in order to get their artwork discovered? 

Set yourself commercial projects, utilise social media. Keep busy. 

Any tips on finding/applying for commercial projects - especially for those whom lack a formal art education?

I think a portfolio usually speaks for itself.  If you have a strong body of work then your education background should be irrelevant.

What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced as an illustrator and how did you overcome it? 

Hmmm… Probably pricing. When you’re starting out you really don’t know where to begin when giving a quote. I’m better at pricing now (after a little trial and error.)

What advice would you give to new ETSY artists with respect to pricing their work?

I would suggest doing some serious research into other illustrators who sell similar products.  Consider how long each piece takes you to make and don't be afraid to price appropriately.

You draw lots of fun maps. Have you been to all of the places you’ve drawn? 

Oh I wish! After working on a map of Tresco (in the Scilly isles), I holidayed on the island and it was the best week of my life. It’s such a beautiful place. My boyfriend and I pretty much had the whole island to ourselves. We ate a lot of clotted cream.

If you could go anywhere and draw anything – all expenses paid – where would you go and what would you draw? 

Oh New Zealand. Without a doubt. It looks so beautiful. I’ve wanted to go there since I was at school (I was a huge Lord of the Rings fan). I’d walk in the mountains, draw the landscapes, take way too many photos and listen to all the amazing accents all day long.

Besides illustrating, what else are you passionate about? 

Regular mealtimes.

What is success to you? 

After having a part-time job for three years since graduating, I went full-time last October and haven’t looked back.

What are three websites you visit on a regular basis? 

Twitter and Etsy all the time. I’m trying to understand Pinterest at the moment, but all the tasty looking recipes distract me. Everyone says I’d love it

Who or what has been the single biggest influence on your way of thinking? 

My father. He’s a creative person too and started his own Graphic Design company when I was a tiny baby. He works incredibly hard, as does my mum. I have wonderful parents. They’ve always encouraged me to be an illustrator and I am eternally grateful for that.

What is your personal motto? 

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Virginia Woolf.

Who is another artist you think we should check out? 

Eleanor Taylor. Her work for the NYT is really lovely.

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A GIGANTIC thank you to Livi for taking time to do this interview despite her crazy busy schedule!  I hope everyone finds her as charming, witty and talented as I do!  To view all of Livi's art, check out her website and ETSY shop.  And be sure to follow Livi on Instagram and Twitter too!  Thanks for stopping by!