News
Monday 28th, January, 2013
Animator, comic artist and production designer Maeve Clancy on managing a varied career
NOISE Flicks 2011 was host to a number of incredible workshops.
First up was animator, illustrator and artist Maeve Clancy who demonstrated how to use the camera function on your mobile phone to make amazing animated films! Maeve’s extensive body of work ranges from animated short films to paintings, drawings and cut paper art. She writes and draws a weekly webcomic ‘Flatmates’ and is currently working on ‘Inheritance’, a graphic novel. She also works as a production designer for film, music video and television.
What made you want a career in animation/illustration and how did you go about pursuing it?
All I ever wanted to do was art: drawing, making, painting etc. I studied at NCAD (National College of Art and Design) and when I left I worked in an animation company in New Zealand. There I learned about all the technical parts of the process, resolution, compositing, editing etc. Then I started my first animated short film (’but I let it pass’ 2003) and in making that, I learned a lot about how to animate. From then on, it was a case of always making my own work in tandem with commercial work.
Which comics/cartoons do you admire? Can you think of anything that has had a strong influence on your art?
I read comics all the time. Some favourites are: Tintin by Hergé, The Sandman Series by Neil Gaiman, Powers by Bendis & Oeming, Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, Where the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs, Hicksville by Dylan Horrocks, Kane series by Paul Grist, Warchild by Matt Wagner, Daredevil by Frank Miller, Ronin by Frank Miller, Watchmen, V for Vendetta & Swamp Thing by Alan Moore, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen by Moore and Kevin O’Neill, Jar of Fools & Berlin by Jason Lutes, David Boring by Daniel Clowes, Jimmy Corrigan by Chris Ware, and many more, all of which have influenced my own work.
Are there any particular characteristics or a style that defines your work?
I don’t think so. Perhaps in terms of story: I’m very interested in friendships, family and the communities we build around ourselves which is probably about exploring identity and belonging, something I tend to wonder about a lot.
What’s the scene like in Dublin? Where’s the best place to meet other artists and check out their work?
The comic scene in Dublin is vibrant with lots of people creating new and interesting work right now. You can find artists listed on the Irish Comics Wika and articles about comics in Ireland. For young comic artists, check out the work of Luke Fallon, a 16 year old who has already published several comics. For animation, no such listing exists. The best place to meet animators is at short film screenings and by contacting them online. Many animators post work on Vimeo and are delighted to hear from anyone who has an opinion on their films.
Have you had the opportunity to meet any of your own personal heroes through your work?
I have to admit, I don’t really have any personal heroes. I’m a big fan of several people’s work, but am in no rush to meet them. The work I produce is how I express ideas and thoughts that I have. This is how I best put them across. In conversation they can seem convoluted and possibly confusing, but through the medium of film and comics I can say what I want as I want to. I imagine a lot of other animators and comic artists are similar so I’m happy to enjoy their work without meeting them.
You had some significant creative input on Lisa Hannigan’s music video ‘I Don’t Know’. Can you tell us about that experience?
That was (and remains) one of my all-time favourite jobs. We were told very late in the day that the project was going ahead, so I had a chat to Lisa, she outlined what she was looking for and I sketched it. Then went home and drew it up with a little more detail. The following day, we began cutting out all of the elements for the cut paper forest scene. My sister Sara helped me out, along with Lisa, her mum and brother Jamie. After a weekend of cutting paper, we brought the work to the location (an underground car park). Here we had to wallpaper concrete walls to create a white backdrop, build a support structure to hold up the set, assemble the scene with all of the layers, realise what parts were missing, make those, make the extra ‘prop’ sections of cut paper that Lisa could use, dis-assemble the scene, get 3 hours sleep and then film it being re-assembled over a 24 hour shoot! Exhausting, but fantastic in every way.
Can you tell us a bit about your work in progress, the graphic novel ‘Inheritance’?
Inheritance started as a short story on my first trip to Berlin in May of 2009. As I drew/wrote, I realised that there were lots of other elements that I wanted to build into the story. I added those and it just became a lot bigger. Eventually I realised that this was a long form comic book/graphic novel and started working on it as that. I spent most of June 2010-early Jan 2011 in Berlin working on the book as much as I could. I now have about two thirds written/drawn in rough. The plan is to finish the writing by the end of February and start working on the finished/cleanup artwork.
What else are you working on at the moment? Are there any future projects in the pipeline for us to look forward to?
I’m working on Inheritance a lot right now. I’m also applying for funding for a project that would involve giant drawings, comics and stories displayed on the streets of Dublin. It’s pretty ambitious, but would be something I’d love to see go ahead.
Sounds like a fun and challenging area to be involved in. What’s the best thing about your job?
The best thing about this job is that it’s work, but not a job. To make a living out of it, you have to work long hours, be an artist, but also an accountant and a diplomat in dealing with people. But the work you get to do over those long hours is what you love: I’m in the lucky position of creating characters, stories and imaginary places and I get paid for it. Nothing really beats that.
What advice would you offer to any aspiring animators/illustrators hoping to become involved in this industry?
Get drawing, making and animating. The more you make, the better you get at it. Look at the work of people you admire, but always trust your own judgment. Find other people who enjoy doing what you do, and get together to compare and critique each others’ work. It will improve your work tenfold.
Where can people find out more about you and what you do?
My website has everything on it and they can catch up on Flatmates, my weekly webcomic.