Ximena Jeria Interview

Who or what made you want to become an illustrator?

Ohhh I think I have always been a illustrator, I imagine my self in womb with a pencil and paper. Always shy I used my drawings as a comfortable channel for conversations and expresion. I am trilingual, spanish, english and illustrations. As a child I was drawn inmediatley to the ilustrations of a book, it had a paralel and particular story that offered more than the text itself. Drawing has always been a part of me, I guess it comes from family generations that were expert in the visual language and crafts. Grandparents, parents and relatives that were painters, carpenters, bookbinders, seamstress, all artist with their one particular language. I owe to them what I am now.

Did you attend art school or undertake any other formal artistic training?

I have a bachelors degree in graphic design from the Universidad de Valparaíso in Chile. It was a five-year program that covered several design fields like, Graphic Design, Animation, Illustration, Photography. After graduation, I took some time off because I decided to become a mommy to two beautiful daughter and son. Reading to them was a must so visiting the neighboorhood library with them not only did it nuture them but I was exposed to a wonderfull and colorful world of drawings, giving me a endless hours of inspiration. I decided from that moment on that I wanted to be a illustrator. Since then I have taken several illustration courses and have diplomas that I have obtained in recent years.

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

Since I remember I have loved Arnold Lobel Frog and Toad books, his warm pallet and simple ilustrations, often humorous stories are my favorite. Of course Beatriz Potter and Maurice Sendak! Books like Roald Dahl’s classic story James and the Giant Peach with Nancy Ekholm Burkert always fascinated me. The detailed and moody ilustrations/ prints of Martin Lewis just hipnotize. I love new generations like Heidi Smith, Sonja Wimmer, and Isabelle Arsenault. I am still searching for my own visual dialect but I have enjoyed every minute of my path.

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

I do a lot of research!!! I have a mood board and for that Pinterest has become my coworker and best friend. I am always pleased when I confer with clients, editors, art directors and other interested parties, online, email or how ever regarding the content of the work, its great to have their feedback. Then I draw a quick sketch that I transfer to my Ipad and work with Procreate. It a has given me the flexibility that one needs as a commissioned artist.

What do you hope children take away from your drawings?

I hope that my drawings/illustrations make all children and people young at heart wonder in other worlds other than that the text has given them, and that they spent hours in this magical communion.

Ximena Jeria

Children's Illustrator

Who or what made you want to become an illustrator?

Did you attend art school or undertake any other formal artistic training?

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

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

What do you hope children take away from your drawings?

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