Artist Isobelle Farrar, who designed this month’s spooky cover, tells us about her inspirations and recent projects…
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I’m Isobelle Farrar, a freelance illustrator from Nottingham who loves all things colour and texture! I love swimming and going on walks in nature. I enjoy reading and doodling in coffee shops with friends. My work is often bright and colourful and I like making work that people can connect with and enjoy.
What is the story behind the cover?
For this month, I wanted to make a spooky cover that tells a story with some quirky monster characters! I was inspired by the articles in this month’s magazine and wanted to reflect them on the cover in a fun and spooky way! I had a lot of fun imagining mischievous ghouls haunting the Galleries of Justice, what jokes would be on a skeleton stand-up’s set, or which drink a pumpkin head would be sipping on whilst having a cosy evening at home. I wanted to make the cover a bit whimsical and silly to reflect the nature of Halloween and changing of the seasons with a bit of fun.
Halloween is one of my favourite holidays. As a kid who loved to dress up, I like that as an adult I still have the excuse to dress up and get creative with a costume each year!
What inspires you as an artist?
I’m inspired by narratives; I enjoy work that has a story behind it and creating pieces that are full of details for viewers to find and connect with. I also find a lot of inspiration in folklore, myths, and creating work that retells those ancient stories to modern audiences.
Tell us about some things you’ve worked on in the past…
I’ve recently worked with Rushcliffe Borough Council to create some colouring pages for their community events that are available for free download on their website. That was a great project that I really enjoyed working on and it was lovely to see people, young and old, colouring them in and getting inspired. I also enjoy working in textiles and made an embroidered tapestry based on a Greek myth, which was a great personal project.
Do you have any tricks for getting started and staying inspired as a creative?
I would say to put yourself out there and try new things. You never know what it might lead to! Even if it doesn’t amount to much, the experience of trying something out of your comfort zone might make you realise you enjoy certain creative areas more, or even give you the confidence to try more new things that will aid you in a future creative project. And don’t compare yourself to others – your creative journey is unique to you and comparing yourself to others will only hold you back. Use them for inspiration, but don’t get too hung up on comparison.
If you could sit down and chat with any artist in your field, who would it be and what would you talk about?
There’s so many to choose from, but I would say Lauren Child. I grew up loving her books and illustration and would jump at the chance to sit down and talk about her work both in illustration and writing! I would however be too starstruck to chat coherently!
Is there anything else you’d like to tell the LeftLion readers?
Have a cosy, spooky October and remember to be kind and look out for others!
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