Welcome to the Plum Family, Camille Whitcher!

Our Plum Awards 3rd Place runner-up, Camille Whitcher, has a chat with us about her life as an illustrator: read more about her here!

Where do you live/work?

I live and work In East London. I mostly work at my desk which is in my bedroom and is, more often than not, very messy.  I consider it organised chaos.

Camille's workspace

What do you like about working there?

It’s pretty quiet in my street, there’s good light and I get to stare out of the window. Being a tube ride away from central London is also great for museum and gallery visits.

However, having my work space in my sleeping space isn’t ideal and sometimes interferes with my sleep, but beggars can’t be choosers. 

What do you love most about being an illustrator?

Apart from enjoying making pictures, I love the flexibility and variety of work. Each project is an opportunity to research, experiment, and learn new things.  

How do you work – what are your techniques?

I always start out by doodling in a sketchbook, or on some random scrap of paper and make little notes to myself. I try not to get too caught up in doing things too nicely at the beginning, I just want to get images from my head onto paper.  I then do a neater sketch whilst trying to decide how this would best be rendered at the end.  There’s a lot of experimentation with watercolours, inks, coloured pencil, and digital colouring.  At some point I have to make decisions on colour and media.  

What is your favourite thing to draw and why?

Rabbits! And girls and flowers. Same as when I was a small child which might mean I’m immature or something!

Camille at Bunny Island!

What or who are you most inspired by?

I’m inspired by folk tales, folklore, and documentaries. I look to nature and fabric designs for colour inspiration.

Do you have a favourite illustrator?

I couldn’t really pick a favourite as there are so many I love and it all depends on my mood at that time. Right now I like looking at the work of Chihiro Iwasaki - gorgeous watercolours and such great compositions.

Do you have a particular favourite character that you’ve illustrated?

Not a particular favourite, but I do keep drawing a tiny little girl who’s about the size of a large insect. I’m currently creating a picturebook project around her.

Camille's project

How did you get into illustration?

I was working as an English teacher in Japan when I saw an ad on a train for an illustration competition.  I entered and was one of several runners up. After I moved back to London I took a couple of short courses in book illustration.  I then decided to get serious and applied to the the MA Children’s Book Illustration course at Cambridge School of Art. 

What do you like to do in your spare time when you’re not illustrating?

I like running. Just after I graduated from my master’s course, I realised I was at a low point and urgently needed to do something about it.  I needed to get out more, let off steam and clear my head.  I plucked up the courage to join my local running club - one of the best decisions I ever made.  I now run about 4 times a week and last year I completed my first marathon. Being an illustrator is awesome but it can be isolating and lonely, not to mention the lack of movement and snacking. 

Camille's number and running shoes from the Frankfurt Marathon

What are your three top tips for aspiring illustrators?

1/ Enter illustration competitions - preferably the free ones. They often have a theme so it’s good practice for working to a brief…and potential prizes!

2/ Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. Easier said than done unfortunately. I know plenty of people, myself included, who can get pretty disheartened comparing their work to someone else’s. 

3/ If you feel creatively blocked, go do something else. Watch a film, go for a walk, go for a coffee with a friend, read a book about algebra! The last one is also good if you’re having trouble sleeping.

What were your favourite books when you were younger?

To be honest, when I was younger I didn’t have too many books and I wasn’t really encouraged to read.  I often had to read Japanese books to learn the language so I don’t think I ever thought of reading as a fun activity. However, I was given a lovely hardback version of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland illustrated by Justin Todd for my 7th birthday which I still treasure.

What was the last book you read? What did you think? 

Not including picturebooks or books I dip in and out of, the last book I read was “Requiem For a Dream” by Hubert Selby Jr.  A harrowing and heartbreaking story that reduced me to tears.  I recommend it.

What are your aspirations for the rest of the year?

I had two goals for this year. The first - get an agent :-D

I shall now focus on my second goal - to do at least one, unassisted, pull-up.  I have zero upper body strength so…wish me luck.

What’s your ultimate dream?

I have many dreams in life that I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to just one, or even a top three!  I’ll get back to you on this ;-)

Welcome to our punnet of Plums, Camille!