We had a conversation with a young emerging illustrator, Laura, who finds freedom through illustration.
Laura is 25 years old, born in Modena, but she has always lived in Lerici, a small seaside village in the province of La Spezia. After graduating from the Art School, she went to Bologna and graduated in Product Design. Illustration and the world of design brought her closer to graphic design, so she moved to Milan and continued her studies with a master's degree in Graphic Design. Currently, she lives in Milan and works in a creative agency.
I find myself in the emotions I draw.
Who are the characters you draw?
When I draw, I rarely think about a well-defined subject. However, it often happens to me (and I realize it only when I finish drawing) that I find myself very much in the character I have drawn, as if I had made a self-portrait. This is something I do unconsciously, probably because I find myself in the emotions I draw. In general, I love the single subject a lot. But I also like to draw groups of people: lost people, looking for something, passionate, sad, afraid.
Your illustrations are mostly red colored. What does this color express to you?
I've always loved red; since was 18 years old I often dyed my hair in this color. Mainly, red represents passion to me. Passion, sex, two bodies coming together. I could represent certain images just using this color: which is bright, striking, sometimes even intrusive. Adjectives that remind me of the passion between two people.
All the emotions that I feel go I put them on a canvas, in this way it doesn't hurt anymore. Expressing myself makes me free.
What does illustration mean to you?
Illustration - as like art itself - means really a lot to me. I started painting and drawing by hand, at a time when I was not feeling very fine. The only time I didn't think about anything, was when I locked myself in a room and painted. In those moments it's as if my brain is switched off; all the emotions that I feel go on the canvas, in this way it doesn't hurt anymore. To date, I can say that the illustration is the same. Expressing myself makes me free.
What are you inspired by?
I am inspired by my surroundings. I often draw right on top of photos