ESRA ROISE INTERVIEWS

Hi
I’am Esra, and I’am a freelance illustrator living in Oslo, Norway.
I’ve spent 2 years at the Einar Granum Art School, and I am currently a bachelor student at The Academy of The Arts in Oslo.

DESIGNER PROFILE
NAME: Esra Roise
SEX：femme
AGE:27
LOCATION：Oslo Norway
WEB：www.esraroise.com
EMAIL：esra@esraroise.com
BLOG：www.myspace.com/the_esra

1 Please give us a brief bio of yourself.

I'm Esra, and I´m a 27 year old girl from Norway.I work as a freelance illustrator in Oslo,Norway..

2 Where did you receive your education?

I spent two years at the Einar Granum School of Arts in Oslo, and I´m currently a bachelor student at the Academy of the Arts, also in Oslo.

3 What program?

visual communication

4 Could you briefly explain to us about "snapshots"

With Snapshots, I wanted to play with people´s perception of time.I experimented with photography versus drawing,which is such a "slow" and romantic medium. I find the whole snapshot esthetique very fascinating ;the whole point of them- especially in these party pictures-  is to capture a wasted moment and freeze it,and not think much of angles and preparations.. I´ve tried to bring out the irony of spending so much time on moments that are over in a split second.
I also wanted the hair to abstract the pictures and take a form of itself. I had a lot of fun with the project.

5 How long you spent for this illustration?

I spent about four weeks on the entire project

6 How would you describe your style?

Oh, I dont know.. maybe a mix between traditional naturalistic drawing and .. something completly else!? . Truth be told, I try not to think to much about certain styles when I draw, but rather let myself me inspired by all the different styles that I like.
I think the result looks very eclectic ;)

7 When are you the most productive?

I try to keep a routine by drawing from when I get up in the morning, but it´s fair to say that nighttime is when I am the most productive:)

8 What do you do for inspiration?

Well, I find inspiration everywhere I guess.. it can be anything from music, to movies to literature,to people I meet  or just an emotion..Other artists that I admire also inspire me.

9 What is your express for through the illustration?

I try to express a certain emotion I guess..be it happiness or akwardness..  but sometimes I just draw for the sake of drawing..

10 how'd you make your way to starting your own business?

I´d been working in a skate shop for almost six years, and just drawing on the side, but after I started getting more and more jobs, I finally summoned up the courage to quit my day job and go for it! 
So far so good, and I havent regretted it for a second since.
it is scary in a way, but I love to be depended of drawing for a living.

11 Is there a particular moment in your career that stands out?

When I illustrated my first children´s book for Norwegian publishing company Gan Achehoug in 2007, and got to see my drawings in a hardcover book, was one of my proudest moments.
Getting my stuff published in Mexican art/fashion/culture magazine Celeste was also fantastic..

12 How many hours do you work each week?

I try to work at least 3 concentrated hours per day, but it all depends on wether I work on a certain project or not. Sometimes it varies from none to 10 hours a day.

13 How do you relax or unwind?

I read, or hang out with my fantastic hubby Trond, or my friends.. watch movies, and go out.

14 What are your views on design/graphic school. Do you think someone can get into the field without educational experience in a school environment?

Absolutly, I´ve seen many examples or very talented artists that are self- taught, but I do believe it helps a lot to be in a creative environment where you are surrounded by other very talented individuals-  at least that helps me push myself to wanting to do things better. I also think it can be easier to get in touch with people in the same business, when you are connected to an art/design institution.

15 what books do you have on your bedside table?

I always have a stack of books on my bedside table..I just finished A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole, which I really enjoyed, and I´m rereading Kafka on the shore by Murakami.

16 Do you read fashion and design magazine?

I´m a magazine junkie.. so yeah, I read lots and lots of glossy fashion and design magazines.
Dazed and Confused, I-D, WAD, Clear, Celeste, BabyBabyBaby, Nylon,Cover,Bon.. etc, I find a lot of inspiration just flipping through them, looking at pictures.

It has been a privilege, thank you very much.