Interview with Maurizio Quarello - (not exactly) to the towns of Macerata
Books of
Maurizio Quarello I have already spoken here
and
here and, as I mentioned, I would say that it is evident My admiration for this artist Piedmont. Apparently, given the large number of awards, are not the only one.
Well, as a result of other interviews with some of the teachers
Ars In Fabula, I had the chance to interview Maureen also, though not in Macerata (hence the title of this post). Although not surrounded by family Macerata steps, despite the absence of an atmosphere of fairy tale that reigns in the town of Marche, I must say that knowing full well Maurizio any deficiency. Maurizio fact, in addition to being the illustrator who is, also has a really nice person, able to put you at ease unceremoniously. At his poignant look nothing seems to escape, not a gesture or movement and at the same time, the feeling is that all the information recorded and stored to be carefully weighed, and then be re-used at the right time. This air brooding, which occasionally seems to absorb it completely, is accompanied by a joyful and playful spirit ... moreover, to understand it fully, suffice it to say its production more closely.
To find out more about this beautiful character, we pass the interview!
1 - Personal presentation - there 's a special place in your childhood, a place where you're still tied up? course, the grandparents' house in Monferrato. It was the last of the country with woods all around, and of course our favorite pastime was to explore the woods and several abandoned homes in the area.
Pleurent Aussi Les Arbres, Ed Rouergue
- as a child you were a good reader? If so, what to read usually? I read fairy tales and especially preferred those with ogres, devils and witches.
- what, if any, the first book of which retains? The first books I remember clearly are "legendary" "Fifteen
. Other basic book is "Treasure Island" which remains one of my favorites today.
- can you tell us your early memories of the design? I found that I liked to draw asylum last year, and I never wanted smettere. Disegnavo mostri, cavalieri medievali e animali, soprattutto aquile.
Studi per Barbe Bleue
2 - Inizio del percorso all'illustrazione - Che percorso di studi hai fatto? Alle superiori ho studiato grafica pubblicitaria, erano altri tempi: si lavorava basandosi sulle regole del
Bauhaus , si disegnava ancora il lettering a mano (!!) lo studio della composizione era fondamentale, tutte cose che mi sono utilissime anche oggi. Poi ho frequentato qualche anno di architettura, senza laurearmi because I could not overcome the scientific tests. But I must say that even those studies have been useful to me later in my work as an illustrator. Later I did the
Ied [
Ed. European Institute of Design] and then I took some courses in illustration.
Storyboard Barbe Bleue No 1
Storyboard Barbe Bleue No 2
Storyboard Barbe Bleue No 3
- When did you realize that you wanted to do the job of illustrator? In fact I think I always knew as a child I wanted to do a job that had to do with the design. And then, after discovering the publishing for children "to
Douzou " I had no doubts that my path would be that.
- what were your first steps in this direction? I think those of almost all: lots of talks at the exhibition and study of advertising, then lots of competitions and, finally, the first projects published.
- there has never been difficult moments? If, as you tackle the problem? course we were! After a year to design and prepare projects that no editor or art director wanted to (and without earning any money) I had virtually decided to let it go and look for "serious work". Then, suddenly, everything has changed, within a month I knew that I would have published three books and from that moment it was all downhill. I believe the difficulties can be overcome only by working so much, you have to have a hard head and do not fall at the first set.
3 - In-Depth illustration on - we are masters of illustration, or painting, you have particularly inspired over the years? I should make a list so long! For illustrators I just mention the two, in my opinion, the greatest:
Wolf Erlbruch and Michael Sowa . If I have to mention some of the great masters of painting that inspired me (say that I plagiarized spudaratamente) I can tell you:
Bruegel, Bosch
,
Rosso Fiorentino,
Giorgione,
Grunewald, Leonardo
,
Friedrich ,
Dix, Grosz
,
Hokusai,
Warhol, Goya
,
Degas, Hopper
e chissà quanti altri.
- in che modo le "altre" arti visive entrano nel tuo immaginario, ammesso e non concesso che vi abbiano alcuna parte? Il grande cinema ha certamente un'enorme influenza sul mio lavoro. Guardo tantissimi film e poi mi viene naturale riversare il tutto nelle mie illustrazioni. Quindi tagli e inquadrature, luci, colori e personaggi che vedo sullo schermo spesso passano poi sul foglio.
Storyboard di Barbe Bleue n. 4
Storyboard di Barbe Bleue n. 5
- your work is extremely versatile, steps from one register to another leaflet with great ease and amazing results, there is' a style that belongs to you most? do not know. One style in particular, I would say no, I do not care to be "recognized" and the idea of \u200b\u200bdoing the same things I abhor. Rather I would say that I tend to have a grotesque approach and / or ironic.
- and a technical memorandum that you like? Perhaps the acrylic, but used in several different ways. Lately however I have used other techniques, ink, pencil and oil, and I enjoyed it a lot. But as soon as possible I want to make books in xilografia e collage. Insomma non finisce qui!
Les Arbres Pleurent Aussi, Ed. Rouergue
- quando inizi un nuovo lavoro segui uno schema preciso oppure ti lasci trasportare dall'ispirazione? Per me è fondamentale il primo impatto, un testo deve subito darmi "la scossa", voglio che si creino immediatamente delle immagini nella mia testa, che nascano accostamenti di colori e che dei personaggi si materializzino.
Quello che voglio dire, insomma, è che il libro, per me, nasce in 5 minuti o non nasce affatto.
Pleurent Aussi Les Arbres, Ed Rouergue
- what, in your opinion, the greatest challenge to be faced in order to illustrate a text? able to find a balance between words and images. There are texts that are accompanied by illustrations "muted", other texts (perhaps a bit 'weaker) that must be supported and enriched by the figure, sometimes it's good to be a bit' didactic and sometimes much more courageous to put the their views.
- what counts is not said in the picture? lot. E 'key to allude, suggests, for telling symbols and external references.
- and the white space? lot. Whether in an illustration that in the general economy of a book. E 'should be given breathing and rhythm and the alternation of full and empty is the best way to do it.
4 - Your recent work Barba Blue, Effets Secondaires e. .. - I got to see your beautiful version of Blue Beard , edited by Milan Jeunesse. There is, in your illustrations in this book, what I would call a quality film, in shots in the movement from the images. It 'an album in motion. Am I wrong? no mistake, this book is much more than others with my passion for cinema. I used various tricks film, such as the reverse, to let the viewer into the book.
Images from Barbe Bleue, Copyright Milan Presse
- the other thing that struck me in Blue Beard is the use of color, as well as some environments and lighting effects, I would call almost Hopperiane. Hopper is one of the masters I most admire and più spesso cito nei miei libri. L'uso che fa del colore e la teoria delle ombre che ha costruito mi affascinano enormemente, continuo a studiare il suo lavoro e poi cerco di reinterpretarlo per arricchire le mie illustrazioni.
Immagine tratta da Barbe Bleue, Copyright Milan Presse
- alcune riprese di paesaggi invece [e alcuni ritratti di personaggi, vedi immagine sotto] mi fanno ricordare i grandi pittori romantici Britannici... A dire il vero mi sono ispirato soprattutto al romanticismo tedesco, e a Friedrich in particolare, e a Degas oltre che alle fotografie di
Atget.
Image taken from Barbe Bleue, Copyright Milan Presse
- then move on to Effets Secondaires for the Rouergue, and illustrative narrative register with a totally different, and what 'important to you to change the atmosphere? Moving from the surreal poetic? In fact I must admit that for me it's important not to get bored, this is also why I love different themes and texts illustrate why so I have to get back into play, to experiment with new solutions and new techniques. And I continue to have fun.
Image taken from Effets Secondaires, Editions Rouergue
- in Effets Secondaires have an almost cartoonish style, which reminds me a little ' for Tin Tin some respects, the use of the section even if you are the "dirty" for the character with a tuft prominent. Can you talk about in this book, however, you're the author? In fact I love Tin Tin! I wanted to play around 'with the manner of the Franco-Belgian school and then work on the section and the flat backgrounds. The idea for the text, really simple, was born by chance, during a chat on the abuse of drugs. And the structure is the classic narrative of repetition that closes the circle by returning to the initial situation.
Images from Effets Secondaires, Editions Rouergue
- I know that Ear Acerbo 're working on a project inspired by the story of Rosa Parks . Could you mention something about this? For some 'time I spoke with a writer friend, Fabrizio
Silei , to do a book together during I threw out a fair idea of \u200b\u200ba text about Rosa Parks that fascinates me immediately. Five minutes after meeting Fausta Orecchio tells me it's time to do another book together, talking about the idea of \u200b\u200bFabrizio and, almost instantly, even without a final text in hand, he chooses to do so. Everything in no more than a quarter of an hour. Sometimes books that come under a lucky star. In fact there are already a number of co-editions in the program and the book will be released simultaneously in various countries.
Since the book takes place in two different historical periods, the fifties and the present, it was decided, rather bravely I would say, to switch the color to black and white. When we find out next year se abbiamo fatto una scelta azzeccata.
Anteprima sul libro dedicato a Rosa Parks, in uscita per Orecchio Acerbo, su cortesia dell'editore.
Anteprima sul libro dedicato a Rosa Parks, in uscita per Orecchio Acerbo, su cortesia dell'editore.
- da Anna Frank a Rosa Parks, due eroine importanti della storia moderna. C'e' un filo conduttore che lega questi due personaggi nella tua interpretazione? Il filo conduttore, la chiave di lettura, in realtà mi sono stati forniti dagli scrittori because both stories are told outside of time and distance. In the case of Anna's tree
* writer, Irene Cohen-Janca, has chosen as the narrator of the chestnut tree garden in front of the window of the hideout of Anne, Fabrizio has decided to tell the story from an old black who was present on the bus at the time of the famous "no" to Rosa Parks and, years later, tells his grandson of the events he has witnessed. Both texts were magnificent and very important, so I am limited to accompany it with my pictures, trying to leave much space as possible to the words.
Les Arbres Pleurent Aussi, Ed. Rouergue
- Progetti futuri? Il prossimo anno illustrerò Pinocchio per Milan, un progetto che mi attira moltissimo. Poi ci sono varie altre idee nell'aria, un albo senza testo, un nuovo testo di Irène e, forse, un libro tutto mio che però, per ora, è solo un progetto.
Poi mi piacerebbe illustrare "L'isola del tesoro" o "Dottor Jekyll e Mister Hyde" di Stevenson o "Il cavaliere senza testa" di Irving magari per qualche editore americano. Ultima cosa vorrei provare a lavorare su un graphic novel.
Il Pivot Questionnaire di Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast : 7-Imp: What is your favorite word? I really like the scientific names of insects because they sound good, for example: Saldula jumper, Valucella bombylans, etc Laccophilus minutus.
7-Imp: Which one you love less? hate to hear "human resources" rather than "human beings"
7-Imp: What turns on your creativity, spirituality or emotion? challenge.
7-Imp: What was your 'off'? The banality and politically correct.
7-Imp: What is your favorite curse word? Fuck!
7-Imp: What sound or noise do you love? The flow of a river.
7-Imp: What do you hate? The cell phone ringtones.
7-Imp: What profession, as well as yours, would you try? The Cook.
7-Imp: What you would not want to do? miner.
7-Imp: If Heaven exists, what would you tell God when you arrive? "At dinner, lunch is served!"
A heartfelt thanks goes to editors:
Milan Presse, Editions du Rouergue
and
Ear Acerbo , for allowing me to reproduce the images of this post. A
Maurizio Quarello a special thanks to the courtesy, availability and sympathy, and for allowing me to post the storyboard beards Bleue.
* The Tree of Anna (Italian title
Aussi Les Arbres Pleurent ), edited by Ear Acerbo, has won several awards for artistic merit and for the important message he brings. The boards of Mauritius were on display at the Holocaust
Mueso Venice from mid December to mid January.
Copyright © text and pictures as well as reported on them. The images have been published with the permission of the Publishers, their reproduction is prohibited.
