Professional Illustrator Interview - Mike Wilks

 One of the most interesting aspects of the Professional Practice module has been having the time and encouragement to take the opportunity to interview professionals in our field. All of the interviews I've conducted have been fascinating, with commonalities and also differences between the artists and their approach to their craft.  

Mike Wilks came to my attention a few years ago.  I had long admired the pen and ink work of Chris Riddell and the colour and complexity of Patrick Woodroffe.  I came across a book called 'Pile' by Brian Aldiss and illustrated by Mike and was instantly drawn to it's beautiful, highly complex and intricate black and white illustrations.  I researched more of Mike's work and discovered that, like me, he is fascinated by detail.  I e-mailed Mike a while ago for another module and he was kind enough to reply and to share some information with me, and so I approached him again for this module and he very generously agreed to give me an interview.  I had hoped to meet Mike in London, but circumstances did not allow and so here instead is the transcript of our interview which was conducted over e-mail - huge thanks to Mike.  I e-mailed many illustrators and only a few were kind enough to respond, so this is greatly appreciated.

Hi Mike, Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.  First of all, I’m curious to know where your love of illustration comes from. I believe you drew a lot as a child? Who were your early influences.

My dad must have been my earliest influence. He was not a trained draughtsman but he could draw a bit. I also read a lot of comics.

Where did you do your formal training?

I won a 13+ scholarship to junior art school in 1960. The one I attended was in Sutton, Surrey but there were other junior art schools all over the country at that time. It was where I learnt to draw and paint and a few other skills that were on the curriculum such as wood engraving and calligraphy. At that school we sat GCE O-levels at 15 and A-levels at 16 to get them out of the way. I then attended Croydon College of Art for four years where I studied graphic design. Illustration was almost totally absent from my work throughout that time.

What sort of work did you do to start with? When do you consider you had your breakthrough to commercial success and being able to make a living?

When I graduated from art school I worked as a graphic designer. My first job was as a packaging designer. I designed a lot of milk cartons, bread wrappers, blancmange packets and the like and then changed jobs to a large design group designing more sophisticated projects such as corporate identities and eventually I was promoted to creative director by the time I was 22. I then left that rather well-paid job and set up my own graphic design group, TWD, doing much the same thing. TWD grew and prospered but by the age of 27 and facing many more years doing similar work I got bored and sold my share to my partners. I then freelanced and taught graphic design part-time at Harrow School of Art. When I had free time I rediscovered my love of drawing and began my first book, Pile, Petals From St Klaed's Computer.

You’re well known now, but how did you market yourself when you first started? How did you get your name known?

I started by lugging Pile around to most of the publishers in London but without success. I was then introduced to a top literary agent (since retired), Carol Smith, who sold the book for me and got me a commission for my second book, In Granny's Garden. From there I published The Weather Works and then, in 1986, The Ultimate Alphabet which was my first commercial success.

Detail features heavily in your work. How long does it take to complete a piece?

A pen and ink drawing might typically take me about two weeks (14 days - no weekends off for me). A small painting can take up to two months. The largest painting I have undertaken was for The Ultimate Noah's Ark. It measured 1.2 x 1.8 metres and occupied me for two years.

Mike Wilks - Ultimate Noah's Ark

How did you become involved with Central Illustration Agency? Do you work with any other agencies?


Following the success of The Ultimate Alphabet I upped sticks from London and moved to the South of France where I stayed for ten years. When I returned to London in 1998 I was looking around for new challenges and decided to join CIA. They seemed to have the most exciting stable of artists. Apart from my literary agent CIA was the only other agent I have used.

Tell me about your daily routine and where you work. Can you send me a photograph of
you in your studio?

I work every day in my studio in an old converted pub in South London. You can find pictures here http://www.theresident.co.uk/homes-interiors/convert-pub-live-work-space/ I have acres of space and use the former public bar for a painting and drawing studio and the old saloon bar is where I write surrounded by books. I live downstairs in what used to be the old pub cellar which is much nicer than it sounds.

Tell me about your processes. How do you generate ideas? What are your favourite mediums and brands to work with?

I don't have a 'process' I just roll up my sleeves and get stuck in. Talk of 'process' is just art school jargon to make art teachers sound important (believe me, I used to be one) and I usually have to fight off ideas with a stick. I write with a computer, draw with a Rotring Isograph and paint with Liquitex acrylic colours and Winsor & Newton series 7 sable brushes. More recently I have been getting back to painting in oil colours and I have enjoyed using Pro Arte brushes. Oils are obviously not used for commercial commissions as they take weeks to dry.

How much of your work is produced digitally? How do you move between digital and traditional mediums?

Apart from writing I only like to use a computer to 'tickle' what I produce with traditional media. There is a homogeneity with digital images that I find unattractive and there's not as much fun to be had as there is when sploshing around with paint.

What do you consider are the best and worst aspects of being a self employed illustrator?

As most of my work in self-instigated I feel I'm insulated in many ways from the 'illustration world'. The best part of being an illustrator would be the variety and flexibility of the work and the worst, probably, the relatively small income and intermittent nature of it.

Illustration can be a pretty solitary occupation. How do you keep yourself motivated and engaged professionally?

I've never had any problem with either of these.

Do you collaborate with other artists or writers directly?

The nature of my work means I don't need to.

What are you working on currently? What’s in the pipeline?

I never talk about work in progress except to say that I'm currently completing the illustrations for a new novel (my fourth). Recently an American publisher, Pomegranate, bought the rights to republish several books in my back-catalogue. The Ultimate Alphabet: Complete Edition has just been published and a new edition of The Weather Works will be published in autumn 2016. There are also ranges of jigsaw puzzles, note cards, wall calendars etc to complement the reappearance of these books with much more to be published over the next few years. http://www.pomegranate.com/mike-wilks.html

What social media do you use to engage with your audience, and how do you use it? What has been most successful?

I only really use Facebook. I would much rather be making books or pictures than 'interacting' with an audience.

Finally, what advice would you give to new illustrators wanting to enter the profession?

Strap yourself in and be prepared for a wild, fun ride. Don't expect to become rich but don't expect to starve either. Forget everything you learnt at art school - unless you came across a surefire cure for hangovers - and, above all, don't try to be 'fashionable'. That way if there is any 'fashion' about your work you'll be the one making it. Oh, and make sure you wash your brushes out and clean your pens every evening.






















Thanks again to Mike for that interview.  One thing that comes across again and again when talking to professionals is the incredible work ethic and dedication which comes hand in hand with having the privilege to work doing something that you love.  Repeated I hear tales of no evenings or weekends off, but I also sense and have experienced myself the joy of working in a quiet studio while the rest of the family are out or in bed or doing 'normal' things like watching TV and becoming totally and utterly absorbed in creating a piece of art.  I am reminded of one of the many reasons for embarking on this path, the desire to work for myself, doing something I love and being able to manage my time around my daughter and her schooling. Mike has also talked to me in previous correspondence about the importance of having self belief - practice, practice, practice, be the best you can be and believe in yourself. 

H. x