What inspired you to become an illustrator?
My dad. He used to paint as a hobby; seeing him doodling and painting was always inspiring. He would also take me to art exhibitions and would buy me different types of art supplies for me to try out. He always kept my interest alive.
Books inspired me a lot as well. I used to read quite a lot when I was growing up, and that made me want to tell my own stories. I spent hours writing and drawing things based on what I had written.
Being selected to be part of a local street art competition also inspired me greatly. I was surrounded by loads of talented people and the whole experience just felt right. After that I decided that I needed to place myself in more creative environments, learn as much as I could and be serious about my work.
What is your advice to younger artists?
Try to not compare yourself to others. We are all unique, being different is ok, embrace those differences. Don’t convince yourself that what you want to communicate has no worth or isn’t valid.
What are you interested in investigating through your work?
I think that at the moment my work is mostly introspective; perhaps I want to explore the ways I perceive the world and how others relate to my own experiences.
You frequently illustrate private moments in your work. What draws you to these moments?
I spend a lot of time in my own head and sometimes I feel that by putting those thoughts or ideas on paper I depersonalize them a little and they don’t feel so daunting anymore. I find illustrating private moments very insightful.
What do you seek to express, capture, or reveal in your work?
I try to capture unifying elements in the characters I Illustrate. I also try to unearth the narrative found in common shared experiences.
BIO
Karla Alcazar is a narrative illustrator, currently based in Mexico, where she was born and raised.
She grew up among books and pencils and despite of her desire to become an illustrator, she ended up graduating with a bachelor’s degree in psychology.
A couple of years later, she was planning on doing a Master’s in clinical psychology but moved to Boston instead where she did an Illustration for the children’s market course at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design. After this experience, she decided to pursue her life-long dream and moved to England to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Illustration.
Currently, Karla is a freelance illustrator who sources inspiration from Japanese graphic novels, magic realism and other forms of literature. Her work centers around the exploration of characters in the context of seemingly everyday situations. She would love to see her work on a book cover and travel the world.
website:
www.karla-alcazar.com
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