How and why did you decide to pursue illustration as your career?

Growing up, I loved writing stories and illustrating them. I had other interest too, like building forts and playing Robin Hood in the woods with my brother. When I got older and playing in the woods wasn't cool anymore, I mostly just drew pictures in my room instead. When I realized I could just keep drawing instead of having to get a boring grown-up job, it just seemed like the best possible option. Today I honestly can't imagine working with anything more rewarding than illustration.

Where do you currently live and where did you grow up?

I've lived in the U.S. for 15 years, but I grew up in rural Sweden, where I often return. Our house was at the edge of a forest and a big lake. Sweden is a place rich in folklore, and I grew up hearing stories about elves, gnomes, and fairies living in the woods. I used to imagine all sorts of creatures living around our house.

Moving to America was a liberating experience artistically. I became more aware of the incredible multitude of styles in the professional field of illustration. It was a bit of a Eureka moment. Today I live in New Jersey with my wife and two kids.

Have you always loved to draw?

Yes, I've always loved to draw. When I started working exclusively in digital form using a graphic tablet, I stopped drawing with a traditional pencil for a while. It wasn't until my oldest son was a toddler that I really picked it up again, doodling together with him, drawing made-up animals, pirate ships, trolls, castles and much more. It's such an enjoyable thing to do.

Who or what have been some of your major artistic influences?

I find visual inspiration from many artists' work, new and old, but what I always come back to is mid-century children's illustrators like Lowell Hess, JP Miller, Mary Blair, Alice and Martin Provensen and others. There's something about how they combined form and color that I find endlessly intriguing. 

Which books from your own childhood really stand out?

One book that comes to mind was a beloved Robin Hood pop-up book published in the 70's. The bold illustrations by J. Pavlin and G. Seda really made an impression on me. Many years later I found the book in my mom's basement, and now I keep it in my studio whenever I need inspiration! The colors are a bit faded but they still inspire me. Another illustrator whose work appeared in many books during my childhood was Hans Arnold. His highly original and detailed artwork was both fascinating and a bit scary. I remember his illustrations in Most Beloved Sister by Astrid Lindgren.

What was your first commission as a professional illustrator?

My very first commision was to draw minimalist portraits of famous Swedish people in a bread recipe book published by the Salvation Army. It was a challenging and fun assignment, but very different from my work nowadays. It's a special day when you first get paid to draw. 

Describe your working technique and how you came to perfect it.

I use a graphic tablet and Photoshop, with a combination of brushwork and shapes made with the lasso tool. Sometimes I add textured layers, but there's been less of that in recent years. My methods have changed considerably over the years, and I'm always curious about the work process of other illustrators. Working together with other in-house illustrators at a company for a few years definitely influenced my technique in a very positive way. I have a friend who does the most beautiful work using mainly the lasso tool, and another one that opened my eyes for implementing more brushwork. There are so many ways to create an illustration, and I don't expect I'll ever stop with one single technique. 

Talk us through the process of creating one of your latest illustrations or books.

I usually start a new assignment by looking at lots of images related to what I'm about to illustrate. For example, I recently finished illustrating a Greek mythology story, so I looked at pictures of ancient temples, clothing, gods and goddesses. Then I set up a moodboard with colors and styles that I thought would work, to help me establish and define the tone. After that, I played around with layout options. In this case, the composition had some limitations, but there was still plenty of room to create some interesting movement. Once I had a good layout I proceeded with sketches. This assignment had a short turnaround and I could go quickly to the coloring phase. When I think I've finished a piece, I like to wait for a day or so, and when I come back to it I always find something that I want to modify. 

Outline your dream project.

One dream project would be illustrating the Iliad. It would love the opportunity to dive in to drawing all those ships, horses, castles and stoic profiles. I'm also a big fan of the Wild West, so anything related to that would also qualify as a dream project. I think most illustrators are thrilled when there's a lot of artistic freedom involved. Generally, I believe this is when the best images are created, although limitations can sometimes be surprisingly helpful. 

What’s the best piece of advice anyone has ever given you?

Composer John Cage said, "begin anywhere". I think it's a profound piece of advice that works in many areas of life, including when you're stuck with an illustration. As long as you have movement, things will happen, and some of those things will be good. Stagnation is the enemy.

How do you overcome a creative block?

I take a break and go for a long walk. When I come back I usually have an idea of how to get things started. Another way is to simply browse through other illustrators' work. Ideas will pop up for sure.

What are some of your favourite subjects to draw?

I always loved drawing people. Over the years I've become equally fond of drawing animals, especially horses. I think they are beautiful creatures that can be illustrated in a ton of different ways.

How do you get your creative juices flowing?

Coffee helps, but the best and only way for me to really get into a great rythm is to work for multiple hours without interruptions. I listen to upbeat music without words, which also helps. Being completely absorbed and in the flow is a wonderful place to be!

Animals feature heavily in children’s books – do you have a pet?

We used to have a big dog named Wally who died last year. Wally was nuts but we loved him anyway. Whenever I illustrate dogs, I think of Wally and what he looked like when he chased the farmer's chickens. We had a lot of animals when I grew up, including dogs, hamsters, mice, rabbits, and hermit crabs. My dad also had a beautiful big aquarium full of tropical fish. One day my brother caught a perch in the nearby lake and put it in the aquarium. That was the end of the tropical fish.