Based in Costa Mesa, California, Roger has illustrated for many leading companies including AT&T, Bell South, DirecTV, Euro Disney, McGraw-Hill, Sprint Cellular and others. We wanted to find out how this award-winning illustrator got into the business and what he sees as the future of his industry. We think you’ll be interested too, so read on.

Hile Design: Roger, can you share a bit of your background and how you became a commercial illustrator?

Roger Xavier: I’m going to summarize this as much as possible: My earliest recollection of drawing was when I was 4 and started off with crayons. Then came my love of comic book art. The line drawings I grew up on in those comics would be ingrained into my psyche. I’d tried almost every medium used to create art, but pen & ink drawings have always been something that stayed with me.

Skipping ahead to college, I received my formal education in illustration, art history and design. In my senior year at college, I won a contest to create a poster for Molson Golden Beer. My entry became part of an exhibit and ended up gaining the attention of a book publisher in New York who not only hired me to do a couple of book illustrations, but also opened up an opportunity to work on a movie for MGM just 3 months after graduation. After that, I wanted to pursue the movie poster industry and started working for several Hollywood firms that specialized in entertainment advertising. During those early years, I tried everything from biomedical rendering to editorial art for magazines and working on any advertising job I could get. That was a time of growth and I didn’t really hit my stride until 1990, when I was awarded a project by Emmett Morava of Morava Design to create the annual report illustrations for the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power.  Emmett had great vision and instructed me to go bolder with my pen & ink drawings. He showed me how to design with ink and create something more than just a rendering.  The LADWP annual report went on to win many awards.  It was then that I started getting some recognition.

HD: Your medium is scratchboard. Can you tell us how you chose that medium, and describe your process for us?

RX: I started out working in a variety of media: charcoal, oil painting, acrylics, pastels, gouache and pen & ink. Out of college, I was just trying to make a living and see where this career would take me. I quickly learned that to survive you have to specialize in something (and be good at it). I thought I was good, but there were so many great artists/illustrators competing for a limited number of jobs. I could paint and draw. But many other talented people did it better. So I went back to my roots growing up on comic book line drawings. It was also an economic decision. Reproduction, sourcebooks and other expenses related to black & white advertising are less costly than color advertising. I was also faster at it since my mind was already comfortable interpreting a picture and breaking it down into lines and patterns. And after I had done the LADWP annual report, I realized that this style was where I could actually make a name for myself.

Scratchboard was the next best thing after pen & ink. It’s a clay-coated board that comes pre-inked or white, in which you can add the ink yourself (like a pen & ink drawing) and then take a knife to scratch back into the surface in reverse. I like working on the white scratchboards. It’s almost like painting with pen & ink. I apply the ink (or pigment) and then come back and paint back in by scratching into the black pigment (ink) and exposing the white clay surface beneath the paint. It takes longer than pen & ink but affords a lot more control over the drawing’s details and variety of textures.

HD: What is your favorite project, and why?

RX: My favorite project would be anything that gives me the chance to work with other talented people, in which the collaboration of illustrator, designer, art director and client produces something exceptional. Illustration is really a product of teamwork. It’s much like how an actor, if given a great script, director and production values, is able to elevate to the highest of his abilities. So much rides on teamwork. But in reality, what the client wants is paramount. I strive to surprise the client by exceeding expectations. I try to make the best of what I’m given.

HD: What are the most rewarding and most challenging aspects of being a commercial illustrator?

RX: Rewarding:  Seeing my work out there in the public eye. Having my art contribute positively to whatever its intended purpose is. Creating something that stands the test of time.

The challenging part is meeting deadlines, staying inspired even when you may be tired, and all the paperwork and marketing that is part of running a business. But even more important is the ability to stay in demand and to adapt to the technology and tastes of the times.

HD: How do you market yourself?

RX: First and foremost, I have a website. It’s the single most important advertising medium out there.  The website serves to showcase my body of work and is available 24/7. I have a web host that makes it easy for me to update the site myself. I also try to link my website with as many free illustration hubs I can find, as well as some others that I think are worth advertising in. The Workbook tends to have the biggest reach in finding quality work, so I always try to be in it and structure my annual advertising budget accordingly. I have also sent out postcards and printed mailers in the past to a targeted list of potential and past clients. Mostly I concentrate on agencies and design studios whose clients are either in the food and beverage industry or the financial, corporate and health care industries. My style of illustration tends to appeal to these industry segments.

HD: How have you seen the illustration business change over your career, and where do you think it’s headed?

RX: I’ve been in this business since 1985 and everyone knows how technology has advanced in the intervening years. I don’t believe the business of art has changed all that much but the way it is used, created and marketed has. It is no longer important that you live within a large metropolitan area with agencies that hire a lot of illustration. It is rare that you need to ever meet your clients or leave your studio. In many ways, technology has made things more convenient but it also has made the world a bigger stage in which to compete.

If you look back at history, you will see that technology is what drives change in almost everything we do. It opens up new markets and makes others obsolete. Tastes change, and change is inevitable. But overall, a basic, well-grounded understanding of drawing ability and design aesthetics will never be out of style. It’s how the artist uses those skills to relate to his world and adjust to market demand that will determine his or her ability to succeed as an illustrator.

I can’t say I know where the next big push in illustration will go. I know that cgi will be around for a long time and the new crop of artists who have grown up around computer technology will find it advantageous. There is a lot of need in advertising for digital enhancement, production and art. The entertainment industry definitely has a need for cgi. Conversely, I hope that traditional art will always have its place in balancing out the new with the old. I love almost all kinds of art but relate especially to print work—wine labels, packaging and the like. These markets, along with book covers and publishing, are markets that I hope continue to reside with print work.

HD: What advice would you give to a young person starting out as an illustrator?

RX: Look around and see what is being done. Study the works of great artists, illustrators and designers who came before you. Find inspiration everywhere. But then understand that this is a business and the goal of illustration is to reach out to people and get them to like what you do and what you can do for them. It’s great if you create art in the process but the reason someone would want to hire you is to get them the results they desire. In order to be successful you will also have to work hard, be professional, be consistent and be someone people want to work with. People skills are just as important as raw talent.

With that said, you should understand that there are a limited number of jobs out there and a lot of people who want to do art for a living. Try to find out what makes you special and unique. Find a niche in style or medium and then concentrate on being the best at it. (But keep in mind to develop a marketable style.) Believe in yourself and stay confident. Perception is very important in all things. We are visual people. Try to make sure that everything you put out there supports your image and the brand of art that you do. And one last thought: Do good work and the business will follow.

Interested in learning more about Roger and seeing additional samples of his work? Visit rogerxavier.com.

Tags: illustration, line drawing, pen and ink, Roger Xavier, scratchboard

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 12th, 2009 at 4:40 am and is filed under Advice, Interviews. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.