Nick Gowman
Children's Illustrator
Where do you currently live and where did you grow up?
I currently live on the outskirts of Salisbury Plain and have done so all my life. Salisbury is my home town and a great place to live, especially with all of the beautiful countryside allowing me to escape when inspiration is required. Love being a Salisbury cartoonist!
Have you always loved to draw?
Drawing has always been a major passion of mine, and I have been doodling and drawing on absolutely anything I can get my hands on ever since I could hold a pencil. As a very young child, I enjoyed drawing The Mr Men and loved how you could get all manner of expressions from very simple shapes.
Who or what have been some of your major artistic influences?
Growing up, I always enjoyed watching cartoons and pestering my mum for comics at any given opportunity. I think subconsciously I was observing the shapes used on the characters on screen and paper, and these influenced my drawing style. My favourite comics were always The Beano and Garfield, plus any syndicated comics and favourite cartoons would have to be The Simpsons, Animaniacs, and any of the Looney Tunes or Tex Avery cartoons, as they’re just bonkers!
What was your first commission as a professional illustrator?
In my teens, I had a two-week work experience placement with a graphic design team. Here I learnt the baby steps of what would later become my career as a graphic designer for many years. When they discovered I had illustration skills, they set me to the task of creating a self-promotional flyer for myself. The office manager at the time was so impressed with the flyer, that she commissioned me to create seven more cartoons to be used on posters in a small scale campaign - imagine how chuffed I was to go back to school afterwards at age 15 with a cheque for my work (£110 at the time too, which to me was a small fortune!)
What do you do in your spare time?
I have far too many hobbies to mention (or to actually do for that matter) but mainly my music - I play bass guitar in several local bands in and around Salisbury and have also been lucky enough to play at some of the larger festivals, including Teddy Rocks Festival and The Larmer Tree Festival. I also enjoy reading comics and watching an unhealthy amount of cartoons (both of which are for research purposes, I promise…) and have recently gotten back into painting and gaming with miniatures after a 30(!) year break.
Outline your dream project.
My absolute dream project would be a regular comic strip in something like The Beano or Dandy, but any form of comic strip, whether for fun or educational purposes, would be fantastic. A dinosaur-themed book or history graphic novel would also be top of my list.
Have you visited any schools to speak or hold workshops?
I was very lucky to be asked along to the BBC Bitesize roadshow a couple of years ago, where I was interviewed in front of several classes of school children to find out what it was like to be an illustrator and what my day-to-day adventures are like. I also hold regular cartooning workshops in libraries around Hampshire, where I teach small groups of children how they can draw cartoon characters using just simple shapes.
Do you have a favourite soundtrack you listen to when you’re working?
To be honest, what I’m listening to will be dictated by what it is I’m actually doing. I’m a massive fan of heavy metal and rock music, but actually find I work best to some 90s dance music when I’m doing any pencil work - I think it’s the upbeat nature of it. I will then tend to listen to podcasts or have the TV on in the background when I’m colouring and don’t need to focus quite so much.
What are some of your favourite subjects to draw?
I enjoy drawing most subjects, but any chance to draw some zany characters or situations is right up my street. Dinosaurs are another passion of mine, and I always enjoy drawing these, but anything involving animals or nature is always top of my list. I enjoy drawing things for educational purposes, too, such as classroom support characters and fun worksheets.
Are there any children’s classics you’d love to illustrate and/or re-tell?
Being a big fan of comic books and comic strips, I’ve always fancied the idea of retelling some classic stories as graphic novels/comics - subjects such as Treasure Island, The Lost World or Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein would all make cracking adventures for smaller readers.
