It’s Thanksgiving here in the US, meaning that many of our friends and followers (and yes, the ADC staff) are indulging in turkey related delights with their loved ones today. But north of the border in Canada — where a large number of our non-US fans reside — they already celebrated Thanksgiving a month and a half ago, and so today is just another day.

With that in mind, our next featured Illustrator of the Day — part of November’s Illustration Month here on the blog — is a Canadian ADC Member with an “incredibly intricate” style.

JEREMY LEUNG
Toronto, Canada
jeremyleung.ca
(416) 710-7856
jeremy@jeremyleung.ca

Follow @jalexleung

Almost every kid likes to draw. When did it become more than just a kindergarten project for you? How was that interest nurtured?

Seeing the passion of older artists spurred me forward. I was heavily into cartoons, Japanese manga and video games as a child and my parents were very nurturing my interests towards a more serious pursuit.

How much of your ability is self-taught versus through schooling?

I’d say about half and half with the self-taught portion being of more importance. For instance, the most learning I achieved was in university when I took what I learned from the instructors and forged my own path.

How would you best describe your illustration style? Would you say that you had a specialty?

I would describe my style as incredibly intricate and representative of my obsession with detail. I’ve fostered it through my keen interest in telling a story through a piece while having enough detail to keep the viewer’s eyeballs on the drawing as long as possible.

My speciality is typography and editorial work— I love distilling an idea into a single image to reveal a new perspective on the writing.

“…the ability to control the stroke width of ink with my own hand allows me to feel closer to my work than any other digital tools.”

What’s your weapon of choice? Any particular brands or models you swear by?

I swear by the brush pen— the ability to control the stroke width of ink with my own hand allows me to feel closer to my work than any other digital tools. Also, I really enjoy the softness of graphite—it helps me show value and tone depending on how much pressure I use.

Finish this sentence: “Despite what you might think, illustration is not _______ .”

Illustration is not self-expressive art. As an illustrator, I believe you are first and foremost, a problem solver for the client’s needs.

What other artistic passions do you have?

I enjoy studying film and in another life would go to school for film studies and criticism.

Which professionals do you look up to the most in the illustration world?

I have several professionals I deeply admire, some of whom I’ve had the pleasure of meeting at various illustration events.

• John Hendrix – Besides being an amazing storyteller through his work, seeing John draw is like seeing raw passion come alive.
• Raymond Biesinger – Raymond is one of the shrewdest illustrators when it comes to keeping his business thriving in both editorial, advertising and selling his amazing prints. He also has an incredibly effective visual approach to his work.
• Ben Weeks – Equal parts illustrator and strategist; Ben has successfully made his brand about both amazing drawings and helping large ad and design firms with their campaigns.
• Pete Ryan – A master concept illustrator, Pete has some of the sharpest wit I’ve seen the in the business.
• Nimit Malavia – Just beautiful work to admire—Nimit is particularly stellar at controlling colour and eye movement in all of his work.

At the end of the day, what do you love most about being an illustrator?

Being able to contribute to culture and as cheesy as it sounds, to enlighten people with how an image can truly mean more than 1000 words.