Sophie Martin                             

Meeting Sophie Martin and getting her on the topic of drawing and illustration as a medium, adds depth to the clean black and white line drawings. One year fresh out of her Graphic Design degree at Kingston, Martin has found the bonds of institution gone and has reformed her instinctive ability for illustration. Focusing on her sketchbook work, predominantly figurative, I wanted to talk to her about her work in relation to an inherent style.

Her work is a culmination of capturing fleeting moments without over analysis, and holding onto that instant response to what inspires her. 

 

Solido: When drawing from life, what factors dictate the details you choose to draw? 

 

Sophie:  'My art teacher, told us that our eyes are very clever, let your eye draw the line and it will make sense. You are made to look at everything with such detail, I found this very gothic. The eye makes sense of what it sees there is no need for over working something and making it too complicated. I like to eliminate things from the composition, and test how sparse I can depict objects until people don’t recognise them.’

 

Who influences you work? 

 

‘Working with children I am inspired by the way they look at objects. They respond emotionally, with no set of guidelines or rules. It's a primitive reaction they have to the world around them, without needing to prove something. I’m guilty of being satisfied quickly by my work and the finished piece, I embrace the feeling of drawing in the moment.’

 

The people you draw, are they from life?

 

‘The characters I depict are from an amalgimation of my imagination, people I see in the street, and character traits I see within quotes I find. Some of the time I find creating these characters is a way of expressin what I am feeling at that time.’

 

‘Illustration can be charming and natural, yet at the same time indulgent.’