Robbie Carter, designer (AU)
Robbie Carter, our designer from Sydney, gives us a peek into his passion for illustration. He is also the talent behind the calligraphy work on the AnalogFolk brand refresh!
1) What is your passion outside work?
Drawing and being creative. You’ll often find me sitting in cafes around Sydney sketching away in a notepad or on the iPad, trying to recreate photographs or superheroes in my own style. Yes, coffee can be pricey after a while but I like taking breaks from the grind of life.
2) How long have you been doing it?
I’ve been drawing since I was a child, but I only started drawing properly when I finished university, about four years ago. I found myself getting really bad headaches after staring at computers for long periods of time so I needed another outlet to be creative. After that first sketch, I started to challenge myself to get better and kept looking for inspiration, which lead me to discovering comics. My style became heavily influenced by different comic artists.
3) How do you balance this with life at AF?
It can be difficult but I always try to set some time aside in the mornings, and get to the local cafe early. It gives me about an hour to enjoy a coffee and get some pencil to paper. It has ended up becoming a good way to meet new people too.
4) What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a passion project?
Don’t rush things, enjoy it. A passion project isn’t meant to be created instantly. I think it’s good to plan it, build on it and work at it. Make sure you find the enjoyment. Don’t make it a chore. Also, do it for yourself. Especially in the world of illustration, too many people try to follow the trends and do things for the likes. Don’t make passion projects about social media — do it for you.
5) Wild card question: Pencil or paintbrush?
I better say the pencil because it’s how I start any creative project, but the truth is I use both! Occasionally I will use paint brushes with ink washes to do the shades on my drawings. I even paint models on the side for fun when I need a break away from the pencil and paper. I just love being creative in many and different ways. If it’s going to challenge me and teach me new things, I’m going to have a red hot go at it.
