All images © Kiersten Eagan

In this sneak peek at issue 133 we talk to illustrator and designer Kiersten Eagan about what keeps her inspired…

Vancouver based designer Kiersten Eagan loves using her art to tell stories and Since graduating with a BFA in Illustration she has put her name to some well known children’s shows including Mr. Peabody and Sherman and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. At the moment she is working as a background and color artist on the Netflix show My Little Pony. Kiersten’s favorite projects to work on are ones where she can collaborate with other artists and learn and grow from the experience. When she is not working she spends as much times outside as she can, travelling to new place, or spending time with family and friends…

‘Beneath the Waves’, a personal illustration

Hi Kiersten, thanks for talking to 2dartist! Could you start by introducing yourself a bit to the readers?

Kiersten Eagan Hi! Thanks so much for having me! I am an illustrator based in Vancouver, Canada, with a passion for storytelling. I currently work as a designer for television and work freelance on children’s books as well as a variety of other side projects. I love finding inspiration and stories to tell from my travels whenever I can. When I was growing up we moved around a lot and lived in some very rural settings; this gave me a lot of time to myself so I became a keen observer of life and explored within my imagination, which has lent itself well to life as an artist. I love working in a field that allows me to channel my curiosity for life in a creative way!

 

‘Book Nook’ was created for a children’s book project

Your works have a really bold style with bright colors do you have any tips for readers who want to recreate this in their own work?

KE: Absolutely! I get a lot of inspiration from mid-twentieth century illustrations and cartoons where bold, bright colors are very prevalent, so I would suggest finding those types of resources to inspire you. In addition, I always find it very helpful to paint from life, this will increase your understanding of color and light, as well as allow you to better manipulate or exaggerate colors effectively.

‘Japanese Tea Garden’ is an attempt to capture the beauty and tranquility of the Japanese Tea Gardens in San Francisco

Where do you look for inspiration? Are there any other artists you particularly admire?

KE: I feel like I could be here all day listing artists who inspire me! Some that really stand out are Maurice Noble, Kevin Dart, William Joyce, Jim Henson, Tadahiro Uesugi, Floriane Marchix, Julia Sarda, Emily Carr, Miroslav Sasek, Paulina Suarez, Scott Wills… to name a few! Also all the amazing friends I’ve had the pleasure to study or work with constantly inspire me with their creativity and work ethic. I also get a lot of inspiration from travelling, reading, watching films or just life in general; it might be something that happens that inspires a story or something as simple as how the light looks on my way to work that can trigger an idea.

‘New Years’ is a celebration piece for the Chinese New Year

If you could meet any artist (past or present) what would you ask them and why?

KE: I would like to meet Walt Disney to ask him about his experiences during the early days of animation and what he thinks of animation today. I think someone who demonstrated such exceptional innovation within the field would have particularly interesting insights into the current state of the industry and what else might be possible moving forward.

‘Winter in Central Park’ is an image inspired from a cold walk through Central Park while visiting New York City

 

Check out the rest of Kiersten’s interview in issue 133!