The Learning Zone

Dylan North is currently finishing his 3^rd year in the Illustration program at OCAD University. Dylan’s main focus is primarily in 2D digital illustration, he also enjoys experimenting with many different digital image production techniques including 3D animation and sculpting, motion graphics and music production.

Learning Zone: How long have you been interested in art? How long have you known that this is something you want to pursue as a career?

Dylan North: I’ve always been interested in art but it wasn’t until later in high school that I started devoting a lot of time to expanding my technical facilities beyond simply cartoons and Flash animations. That said, I did not think this was something that I would do as a career. Then I stepped back and looked at what I had been doing ever day for years and realized I was making a lot of images and enjoying it a lot. I guess around that time I started leaning away from a potentially strictly academic post-secondary study and started thinking about a career in the arts.

What influenced your decision to major in illustration?

I wanted some sort of structured environment to hone my skills at. I wanted to be a part of a community of creatives where I’d hopefully learn about techniques I had never explored. I wanted to get out of my miniscule farming town, so I chose Illustration at OCAD U. I felt that I would fit most comfortably in the design stream.

What is your creative process? 

Right now it’s usually pencil thumbnails to work out composition then really loose linears then I scan those in and start a tight linear in Photoshop. Sometimes my vision for an image isn’t clear enough in my head to draw it so, I’ll use 3D software to bash elements together and fly around the scene until I see something that clicks. An image can come from a whole multitude of processes though. Often I will explore an assignment in every medium I can and cross-pollinate the ideas until there’s some clarity to my vision.

What do you enjoy most about studying illustration?

I enjoy the people the most. Studying illustration can be a really personal thing because you are constantly trying to find out how you uniquely visually communicate but then you go into class and realize everyone is going through a similar developmental process and there’s always laughs to go around.

What inspires you?

Used books stores and libraries – you can find old text books, monographs, journal articles that all inspire you in certain ways. The Internet, movies, comics and manga, history, language, memories… everything! It’s good to be learning something and be inspired to make an image at the same time.

Where are you most productive? Tell us a bit about your creative space.

My creative space is in a small apartment in a room that can’t hold all of my things but it’s a good environment to work in because I can play some music, have a video playing, flip through books I love and work at my own speed. I’m most productive in a place where I have sources of inspiration at hand.

What are two of your favourite tools that you could not live without?

My tablet and computer.

What is it that excites you most about the tools you work with? Is there another medium you would like to work in?

I like working on a computer because I can infinitely iterate. While retaining old versions I can skew and distort the work without anxiety of ruining it. Of course, I enjoy painting and drawing so I’m always working on getting better at traditional art techniques. I want to embrace mediums like acrylics, gouache and oils but I don’t have a consistent command on them yet.

Working digitally lets you take the image in the direction that you need to go in a short time plus material cost is low and you don’t need much physical space.

Has attending art school helped you to develop your own personal style? If so, how?

Whatever style I may inherently have will come naturally through creating many images and through my personal execution of an idea. Art school helps you see how varied we all are as artists and I guess it reveals to you the kind of styles you’re not interested in pursuing.

Is there any illustrator or artist from the past or present that have influenced your style?

Too many to name. I think every image I’ve seen has influenced me in some way.

Last year you were an exhibitor in Zine Dream, how did you get started in zine making?

I decided that I wanted to give a try because I like how open the DIY/zine scene is to personal expressions and reflections. I had some illustrations and comics that I thought other people might enjoy so I got some risograph prints and stapled up short zines. I had a lot of fun. It was really inspiring to meet the other artists and a few people actually bought my things, that was cool.

How do you promote yourself?

I try to maintain an active social media presence, Dylan-North.com.

Is there anything else you want to share with us, any final thoughts?

Thank you for asking me about my experiences here.