Illustrator Saturday – Robbie Cathro

Robbie is an illustrator and storyteller living in Bristol, UK, where he creates fun and lively work from his desk in The Island Studios. He loves bright colors, limited palettes, atmospheric textures, and layered characters. His work is inspired by animation he loves, folk tales, as well as the small stories he finds in his day-to-day life. He has worked with Airbnb, The Sunday Times, The Natural History Museum, Aquila Magazine and Anorak Magazine, where he has produced children’s activity spreads, editorial imagery and illustrated narratives. Robbie loves nothing more than getting a brief that covers a subject from all the way across the world – whether that’s the animals and inhabitants of Yosemite Park, Chinese Inventors, Victorian Ghosts, or a damsel in distress being rescued from a tower by giant owls.

Robbie is represented by Alex Gehringer

HERE IS ROBBIE DISCUSSING HIS PROCESS:

I thought I would share the process with creating the first spread of my new book, ‘Free to Be Fabulous’. This spread introduces you to the main character Daniel, and lets you know oh his favourite pop star! With this spread I wanted to convey that he is a HUGE fan – posters on his wall, he’s dancing, the presence of Fabulina is all around!

My sketches start out very, very basic. I managed to find the first one I drew, which essentially captures the composition I initially aimed for. Daniel is on the right dancing, while Fabulina’s presence is on the left-hand side watching over him!

The second very very rough sketch is a further version of this, but trying to display the colour balance of the page and the various placement of different Fabulina poses. I wanted to have her singing, flying, performing… Like Daniel and Fab were the same person, like he’s fully embodying her.

This third one is another little sketch, advancing on this previous one. But giving slightly more detail. I think this is the first sketch I sent to the publisher as an initial thumbnail… the previous two were just me figuring things out in my sketchbook.

This fourth is a detailed rough, fully fleshing out the ideas of the previous 3 sketches, also showing the balance of colour on the spread. At this moment in time I wanted the book to be just lilac, blue, red and white as a colour scheme so this would’ve been more of an accurate colour rough – however the publishers wanted to include more colours into the colourways.

I think with this next one, I was giving the notes that there wasn’t enough of a sense of place with Daniel, it didn’t feel like he was in his bedroom. So I included a chest of drawers and a wardrobe. I also darkened the left hand side to try and get the eyes to travel across. I think ultimately for the publisher there was too much going on for the introductory page, which I can see. They wanted something more paired back and simple, that introduces you to just Daniel. I was just very focused on having Fabulina as more of a character and a presence within the book.

This next image is a lot cleaner, it simplifies the image and draws focus onto Daniel and creating a silhouette of his room through a spotlight shape. The presence of Fabulina is still there through the posters, and the eyes travel across the page through the ribbons and posters. Ultimately, I think for an opening page this was definitely the best option to pick. And the AD really zoned in on what was important.

Then we have the final image! As I said, I initially wanted a different colour scheme. However, we managed to settle on something that’s still rather limited. We just brought in a couple more contrasting colours. Overall, I’m really happy with how this came out, and I can see this image in that first tiny pencil thumbnail!

INTERVIEW WITH ROBBIE CATHRO:

When did you realize that you had a talent for art?

Growing up I always had a love for animation and comics, they were really the things that I loved the most. And I guess I was always drawn to being creative and taking inspiration from those particular avenues during education. I think since college, from the age of 16, that’s when I knew I wanted to do something along that path and have that be my main focus.

What was the first thing you created where someone paid for your work?

The first thing I created as a paid commission I think was when I was around 18, during my Foundation-level art, and I created some character portraits for a Graphic Design students final major project. Thinking back now, they actually paid a respectful amount… more than some actual professional clients have done for a similar amount of work!

Did you grow up in the Bristol UK area?

I didn’t grow up in Bristol, I moved here in 2013 to study illustration at the University of the West of England! My family and I are from Scotland, but we moved down to England when I was around 3 to a small village in the countryside outside of a city called Nottingham. It was very small and rural!

How did you decide to attend The University of the West of England to study Illustration?

I was really only considering London and Bristol, and London was too expensive for me to live in. And Bristol as a city was just lovely too and it had such a creative vibe to it that I really enjoyed! I also got the train to my Bristol interview on the wrong day and they had to rush together an interview for me, and the interview went really well, so I took that as a sign?

What classes were your favorite?

We did an ‘Abstract’ brief which I really enjoyed, it allowed us to think about our work through a different lens and consider different ways to compose an image, as well as different ways to utilise colour. I also remember one specific lecture our tutor Marian Hill gave where she introduced us to Pantone Colour of the Year and different ways to compose colour palettes and that definitely changed me as an illustrator.

Did you do any freelance artwork while studying illustration?

The only freelance work I did while studying were live briefs that were given to us an option to do as a part of our degree. There was a music venue poster competition for The Lantern in Bristol, as well as a kid’s mag brief for Anorak Magazine that I won/got chosen to be a part of, so as a prize, we got paid, which was pretty cool.

Did the University of the West of England help introduce you to publishers or companies who might be interested in you and your art before you graduated?

So, as I just mentioned, they put me in touch with Anorak Magazine, and they became a client after I graduated, and we did some fun work together! UWE also got me to compete in the MacMillan Children’s Book Prize in my final year, and I was lucky enough to be shortlisted for my work. So I got to meet some people in publishing through that exhibition (nothing came as a result of that prize after those encounters, but it was a cool moment to have!).

Were you always interested in Comic illustrations?

Yeah! Growing up, and to this day, I love comics and manga. As a teenager, my shelves would overflow with my favourite books. To name a few, Dragonball Z, Yotsuba, Azumanga Daioh, and Bleach. I feel like there are some aspects of these sorts of comics that I’ve retained in my work, they’ve been my biggest inspirations. I wouldn’t be where I am without the films of Hayao Miyazaki or The Simpsons; those are my life.

I see you have done a lot of magazine work for AQUILA Magazine. Was that the first place you were published?

Aquila Mag are so great! I’ve been lucky to work with them for so long now, maybe 5 or 6 years! The first piece I drew for them I think was in 2018, and It was a header image for story about a talent show I think? I just remember the image was awful and I over thought it completely, and I was certain that they’d never want to work with me again haha!

How many magazine issues have they used your illustrations?

I don’t honestly know, they’ve commissioned me for a lot of issues now. I’m pretty much working for them every month unless I have a book project on that’s keeping me too busy from working with them. It’s a cute little gig, their briefs are always a lot of fun and they have great colour palettes too.

When did you decide to make a career illustrating children’s books?

After graduating, I knew I wanted to make kids’ books, but Illustration is a pretty tough industry, so knowing when to make that full-time jump is tricky. And even after you do it still feels pretty uncertain! I think I made the jump when making my first book, Be Your Own Man. I was working at a supermarket at the same time, and I was just too burnt out doing both things, so I decided it was time!

Was your debut book Be Your Own Man first published by a UK Publisher?

Be Your Own Man was published by Five Mile Books, an Australian publisher! It was initially just published in Australia in 2020 (I think, maybe it was 2021?), but it’s since been released in different countries which is cool to see. I think it came out in England this year though, I was on the Waterstones website (a UK publisher) the other man and I was like ‘I’m going to type in my name and see what comes up!’ and Be Your Own Man was there, so I feel like it is in the UK now!

How did you get that contract?

Through my agency Bright!

Were you excited when your first published illustrated book was nominated for the Favorite Australian Book Award?

That was a great thing to see! I’d never really gotten an accolade like that before, so it made me happy to know that people liked what I was making. And Jess Sanders, who wrote the book, did such a beautiful job with the text so I was very happy for her too! She’s so lovely and has released so many gorgeous books.

How did you connect with your agent a the Bright Agency?

I sent them an email, I think in 2019, asking if they’d be interested in representing me, and they were!

Did you discover things you didn’t know when you illustrated ‘Two Grooms on a Cake’, a kids book telling the story of America’s first legal same-sex marriage written by Rob Sanders, and released Summer 2021?

Definitely – I honestly didn’t even know about this story when they approached me with it. I really learnt a lot whilst making that book and I’m so happy that I got to be a part of telling that beautiful story to a new generation of children. The story of Jack and Michael, the couple in the book fighting for their right to marry in the book, is such an important one in the history of marriage within the queer community so I’m so grateful I got to help turn it into something physical.

You illustrated ‘Everyday STEM: Physics’ and ‘Everyday STEM: Geology’ that was published by Kingfisher in Autumn 2021. How long did it take you to illustrate these books? They look very detailed.

I don’t remember the exact amount of time, I think it was under a year? I know I felt very stressed and rushed the whole time. I like some of the work in these books (there’s a page on straws which I love, it sounds boring but it came out very fun) but not all of it. I know there were time constraints so there were areas where I had to cut some corners. But Jim the Art Director on that project was so great!! Such a nice and reassuring point of contact. I’m always so grateful when the AD’s are lovely.

‘Around the World in 80 Inventions’, released October 12 2023 from Templar Publishing, sounds like a fascinating,book with 80 incredible inventions and the real stories behind how they have expanded humankind’s knowledge and shaped our lives today. When did you started working on illustrating that book?

With this book, I think the contract was signed in 202, and it released late 2023. And I think the artwork was made around August 2022 – May 2023? While working on this book I was working on 2 other books at the same time, so there were lots of delays on all ends. It was a hectic year! That was a stressful one to complete however I’m really really happy with how it came out. They were really interested in what my vision for the book was and took that on board in the design process, which was such a nice feeling. I wanted it to feel like a vintage compendium, kind of 50’s inspired. And Ted, the AD, was so great and selected great type that really fit the theme and designed the book in a way that really captured what I imagined.

I just feature Free to be Fabulous, which you illustrated. Were the eyes that represented The Hate your idea, or was it something you art director suggested?

So with this book they sent me through just the manuscript and let me visually tackle it how i wanted to. So with the mean I wanted to represent them as more of a presence than a literal group of children – that way you’re not stereotyping, singling out or presenting any sort of person as a bully. And when you’re under those circumstances, that sort of interaction feels more like an overarching presence that is constantly looming. And that’s the feeling that I wanted to give.

Do you have any desire to write and illustrate a picture book?

I do! That was always the goal for me.I have a few ideas written up, some are a more detailed outline.. some are just paragraphs of ideas. There are about a dozen that I would like to pitch someday. It’s about finding the correct partners for those ideas and then seeing whether or not they’re marketable ideas. I love the books that I’ve created, but the ideas I have written up are a bit different and are definitely follow the sorts of stories that I would love to start illustrating.

Would you illustrate a book for an author who wants to self-publish?

For me, I think it’s down to if the fee matches the time it would take to create the project, and if the contract is good. Illustration isn’t a very affluent business, the world is expensive and creating a book takes up a huge amount of time. I’ve never illustrated for someone self-publishing, but usually working with a publisher, for the most part, allows for some sort of safety net or fee that may match my time. So if that can be provided and I love the project, then sure!

 

Do you have an art studio in your house?

I’m lucky enough to share a studio space in the centre of Bristol in a building called The Island, with 6 other friends/illustrators (Ollie Silvester, Molly Fairhurst, Molley May, Lucie Ebrey, Honey Parast & Lucy Haslam – they’re so talented, go find their stuff if you get a moment!). There have been time where I’ve worked from home and I just go insane, i can’t handle it. I need like-minded people around me to chat with and to bounce ideas off of. It’s really important to me to have those different perspectives around me that allow me to see my work and ideas from different viewpoints.

 

What do you think helped develop your style?

I think just doing it for so long and understanding how I like to work/want to work, and always referring back to my different inspirations that I’ve always loved (Studio Ghibli, Hanna Barbera cartoons, Looney Tunes backgrounds, French animation to name a few).

What is your favorite tool or medium to use when creating your illustrations?

24 – So I only really work on my iPad with my Apple pencil, and I use mainly the same few brushes on Procreate created by Joe Lillington (they’re really good brushes, and he sells them for pretty cheap!). It’s not very exciting but it works for me! I want to start branching out and trying different brushes for different things because I’ve got ideas on where I want to take my work in the future.

Do you try to spend a specific amount of time working on your craft?

Really, the only time I’m working on my craft is when I’m doing work for clients – I’m doing it all day that I don’t really want to spend any extra time on it unless I have a gap in my schedule where I will make sure to have a play, or unless there’s something that I really want to try out (character ideas, story ideas, new software, gifts). But the great thing about having Aquila as a regular client is that they are so open with the work that you do for them, so I love having that magazine as a space to try out new things!

Have you done any illustrating for children’s magazines? Which ones?

As previously mentioned, I’ve worked for Aquila Magazine and Anorak Magazine. I’ve also done work for French kids’ mag Salamandre, and I’m currently doing some fun work for Highlights Magazine.

Do you take pictures or research a project before you start?

Getting reference material for projects is so important to me! It really benefits a project and make it so much stronger and more informed. Especially if you’re doing non-fiction projects, you need to make sure you’re accurately recreating that particular moment or object. I will also use the people in my studio for reference photos as well. My favourite reference memory was getting Lucy Haslam to pose like she was clinging onto a branch for dear life to save her from getting swept away in a Molasses flood.

Do you think the Internet has opened doors for you?

I think the internet has opened doors for everyone. Without it, I wouldn’t have worked with the majority of the clients I’ve worked with. It’s allowed me to discover so many new clients, publishers, and publications to contact. It’s also a godsend for reference material. My work wouldn’t be as informed as it is without it. Accessing reference material of Jack and Michael’s wedding in the 1970s at leisure would’ve been impossible!

Do you own or have you used a Graphic Drawing Tablet when illustrating?

I used a graphic tablet when I was at college/university and when I was first exploring making art digitally/using Photoshop to edit and add to my scanned-in pencil work. But I’ve been using an iPad now for maybe 6/7 years, and that really works for me!

Any words of wisdom on how to become a successful writer or illustrator?

Do you use Photoshop, Painter, or Procreate with your illustrations?

Procreate is the best £10 I have ever spent. It has really changed the game for illustrators and has made digital art so much more accessible! I only use Procreate for my final artwork just because it does exactly what i need it to do. Before my iPad, I created an image through multiple layers over the span of several sheets of paper, then scanned them and edited them in Photoshop. But Procreate has eliminated so many steps, and has made my process more efficient. I still use Photoshop to arrange files for print or any last-minute/quick alterations.

Do you have any career dreams you want to fulfill?

My career dreams are to release a series of author/illustrated books and have those adapted into an animated series, or for me to somehow be able to use my skills on an animated series. Who knows if this will ever happen, but we’re manifesting it. I would also love to design a Happy Meal box; that’s another dream.

What are you working on now?

At the moment, I’m just doing some small bits for some different kids’ magazines! Then I have a book I’m starting work on at the end of the month! Last year I illustrated an upcoming book called The Danger Files. It follows children through different historical disasters and explains how these

disasters could’ve been prevented (there’s the Hindenburg, the Chicago Fire, and a Molasses Flood), and this book is the second installment in that series!

What are you working on now?

Hmmm, I think a tip for me is to try to color an image with a limited color palette. That’s my favourite way of creating work. If you’re off out sketching, go get yourself even just two colours – a red and a green, or a blue and a pink – and explore what you can do with just those two colours. The results are always so bold and effective.

Any words of wisdom on how to become a successful writer or illustrator?

Words of wisdom. I would say just remember why you love what you’re doing and always go back to the source of what made you love what you do in the first place. Whenever I’m lacking in inspiration, or have the thought of ‘maybe this isn’t for me,’ I go back to those pieces of media (Miyazaki films, Sylvain Chomet’s ‘The Illusionist,’ Dexters Lab, season 5 of the Simpsons, etc.) and I’m like ‘yeah, I do love animation and I do like drawing fun things, okay let’s go.’

Robbie, thank you for taking the time to answer the interview questions and sharing your process with us. It was a wonderful way to get to know you. I’m sure your illustrations will make everyone smile. Please let me know when your next book comes out and I will share it with everyone.

You can visit Sharisse using the following Links:

WEBSITE: https://www.robbiecathro.com/

INSTAGRAM:https://www.instagram.com/robbiecathro

TWITTER: https://twitter.com/robbiecathro

AGENCY: https://thebrightagency.com/uk/childrens-illustration/artists/robbie-cathro

Talk tomorrow,

Kathy