SI-Blog-LA: The Illustrators' Blog.

Name:
Karyn Raz

Website, Blog:
www.karynraz.com

Describe your illustration style.
colorful, whimsical, graphic, naive

How did you get started in the illustration field?
I studied film production at Brown, and it wasn’t until my senior year that I took my first studio art class. Our final assignment was to make a book, and I wrote and illustrated a kid’s story. That lit the fire. After college I worked as an animation production coordinator, and was surrounded by artists. I got very itchy to make my own work, and would sneak in sketches at lunch, at night, and on weekends. I started taking night classes in studio art, including a class at Art Center College of Design, and eventually enrolled full-time in the illustration program there. I graduated in 2005, and have been on the art journey ever since.

When I was younger I wanted to be…
A ballerina, fashion designer, filmmaker, and rock star, in that order. My mom is an artist, and drawing was one of many forms of expression I was encouraged to explore as a kid.

What’s your favorite medium? Least Favorite?
I love acrylic for its versatility– the way it can be sanded, stomped on, and scratched, or smooth and shiny. I also love gouache for the brilliancy of the colors, though it’s a challenge to work with. I am not a fan of working with oils.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I love the idea-generating phase. That’s when I get to daydream. I also love putting on that final coat of gloss, when the piece is done and gets to be all shiny and pretty.

Describe your typical workday.
I wake up at around 8:00ish, check e-mails, read the paper, eat breakfast with my husband, and go down to the garage to start painting. I work for several hours, then grab some lunch. I teach art in the afternoons at New Roads High School, and then I head back to the studio until dinner. After that, depending how busy I am, I’ll either go back in the studio, get some exercise, read, or relax.

What was your favorite project?
I did a Hanukkah series for Mazon, a hunger-relief organization. They gave me a series of poems about the holiday, and pretty much gave me free reign, with only a few fixes, to do what I liked. I really had fun with it, and am working on a book dummy inspired by that project.

What advice do you wish you had at the beginning of your illustration career?
Well, I feel like I still am at the beginning of my career. But the advice I have for others and for myself is to become exposed to lots of culture…get out of the studio! Go to an opening. Go on a bike ride. Dance. Try new things. When I do this I’m usually reenergized.

Also, right out of school I joined a small workshop composed of other recent Art Center grads, and we met weekly. It was a bit of a shock for me to leave behind the rigors and structure of school, and it was great to have continued support from a group of people whose opinions I respect. Some of the artists in the group have moved away from Los Angeles, but we have maintained a blog and it continues to be an invaluable way to get and give feedback.

How do you balance work and play?
I like to reward myself for hard work with yoga, dance class, and Gossip Girl.
I’ve made several zines, one of which is called “Liz Taylor’s Husbands” and is a visual chronicle of the star’s seven loves. (It can be seen in the Society of Illustrators 50th annual.)

What are some of your inspirations?
Artists I love include Maira Kalman, Modigliani, Picasso, Frida Kahlo, Mose Toliver. At Art Center I had some amazing teachers who inspired me, including the Clayton Brothers, Jason Holley, Jeff Smith, Esther Watson, Mark Todd, Martha Rich, and Alex Gross. My artist friends never cease to inspire me. Some of them include Jaime Zollars, Yoko Tanaka, Andrea Offermann, Tiffany Liu, Wilson Swain, Catia Chien, and the list goes on…

Outside of assignments, do you have creative side projects or hobbies?

Another hobby of mine is Afro-Brazilian dance. Through it I’ve become introduced to the concept of “axe”, which literally translates as “go with the power of the gods and goddesses”, and basically means energy. To me, a life well-lived is filled with axe.

If you weren’t an illustrator, what would you be?
Curator, art director, filmmaker, musician, world traveler.

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