Ask an (IGI) Illustrator no 7: Úna Woods - Úna Woods Illustration
Q: Hi Úna, tell us a bit about you?
A: Hello, my name is Úna Woods and I am a freelance illustrator based in Dublin, Ireland. I love to create Magical illustrations for Children. My work has featured in educational books, print and web campaigns for clients such as Folens, Gill Macmillan, BBC and Disney.
A: Hello, my name is Úna Woods and I am a freelance illustrator based in Dublin, Ireland. I love to create Magical illustrations for Children. My work has featured in educational books, print and web campaigns for clients such as Folens, Gill Macmillan, BBC and Disney.
Q: What does your studio/workplace look like?
A: I work from my studio at home. I have a room at the front of my house. It is full of things I love. I collect children’s picture books and I also love is to collect Disney stuffed toys!
A: I work from my studio at home. I have a room at the front of my house. It is full of things I love. I collect children’s picture books and I also love is to collect Disney stuffed toys!
Q: What did you want to be when you were growing up?
A: I always wanted to do something artistic. I found a brochure for Don Bluth Studios in my career guidance library at school and fell in love instantly with the characters on the cover. It inspired me to go onto to study Classical Animation at Ballyfermot.
A: I always wanted to do something artistic. I found a brochure for Don Bluth Studios in my career guidance library at school and fell in love instantly with the characters on the cover. It inspired me to go onto to study Classical Animation at Ballyfermot.
Q: Why did you become an illustrator?
A: I began my career working as a feature animation artist and worked in many studios including Don Bluth, Warner Bros. and Disney. I loved working in animation and getting the chance to draw every day, however, I decided to move into illustration as I really wanted to work more on my own characters and ideas. I moved to London and worked as an in-house illustrator in a couple of studios. Here I got to work on lots of interesting projects with many different types of clients before moving back to Dublin and becoming a freelance illustrator with a focus on children's illustration.
Q: How has your upbringing/environment influenced or shaped your illustration?
A: I grew up in a creative house, my dad was a primary school teacher and he was always making things and preparing art projects for his classes. My mum was really good at sewing and knitting. There was always loads of paper and art materials in our house which kept me and my 4 sisters busy! I loved drawing, especially making up stories and putting pictures together with them!
A: I grew up in a creative house, my dad was a primary school teacher and he was always making things and preparing art projects for his classes. My mum was really good at sewing and knitting. There was always loads of paper and art materials in our house which kept me and my 4 sisters busy! I loved drawing, especially making up stories and putting pictures together with them!
Q: Where do you find inspiration?
A: I have 2 young children so I am always getting ideas from them! I also get inspiration from films and books. I love fairytales and cute Japanese things as well.
A: I have 2 young children so I am always getting ideas from them! I also get inspiration from films and books. I love fairytales and cute Japanese things as well.
Q: What do you like to draw the most?
A: My favourite thing to draw would be fairytale characters. I also love inventing new characters with a particular emphasis on cuteness!
A: My favourite thing to draw would be fairytale characters. I also love inventing new characters with a particular emphasis on cuteness!
Q: What tools do you use?
A: I work both digitally using Adobe Illustrator and also by hand with paint and coloured pencils depending on what suits the project. I will always start by doing loads of sketches by hand. Recently I did a screen printing course which was really cool. This has influenced my most recent work. I have been trying to make my work simpler by thinking more about colour and shape and also reducing details in an image.
A: I work both digitally using Adobe Illustrator and also by hand with paint and coloured pencils depending on what suits the project. I will always start by doing loads of sketches by hand. Recently I did a screen printing course which was really cool. This has influenced my most recent work. I have been trying to make my work simpler by thinking more about colour and shape and also reducing details in an image.
Q: Do you enjoy or specialise in a particular area of illustration?
A: I work mainly on projects for younger children. I have created a lot of illustrations for educational books, posters, magazines and both illustration and animations for apps and websites.
A: I work mainly on projects for younger children. I have created a lot of illustrations for educational books, posters, magazines and both illustration and animations for apps and websites.
Q: What would be your dream (illustration) job/commission?
A: My dream illustration commission would be to illustrate a children's picture book. I am currently working on some ideas for my own for picture books, but I would love to work with an established author.
A: My dream illustration commission would be to illustrate a children's picture book. I am currently working on some ideas for my own for picture books, but I would love to work with an established author.
