Carl Batterbee Illustration
Meet Carl – the Norwich-based illustrator bringing big laughs (and plenty of groans) to walls, cards and mugs across the land. After years spent in teaching and web design, Carl rediscovered his love of drawing through sharing doodles and storybooks with his children – and he hasn’t stopped since. His Folksy shop is now packed with colourful, pun-packed illustrations featuring everything from dinosaurs and robots to biscuits and puppies. With his quirky sense of humour and playful cartoon style, Carl’s work is all about spreading smiles, one pun at a time.
Tell us a bit about your background and why you started your creative business.
I’m Carl, a freelance illustrator living and working in Norwich, UK.
Since leaving Art School in the 90’s, circumstances lead me away from art and towards a career in teaching, and later Web Design. However, since becoming a family man, and spending a lot of time drawing and reading picture books with my two children, I became inspired to pick up the (apple) pencil and start making a living from my illustration.
I opened my Folksy shop last year, and began to sell prints and greeting cards that feature my quirky style of cartoon illustration and which tackle hard hitting topics such as biscuits, puppies, robots and dinosaurs ;)
I also accept portrait commissions – couples, families, pets and anything else (within reason).
My ultimate goal is to illustrate children’s books, but for now I’m happy to be doing what I enjoy and to be giving people a giggle (or a groan) at a time when a bit of light hearted relief seems quite important.
What do you make and how would you describe your style?
I make prints, greetings cards, mugs and stickers that mostly feature excruciating puns. I would describe my style as quirky cartoon illustration.
What inspires your work?
I think watching cartoons as a kid has inspired the style and comic nature of my work, especially old Looney Tunes, but also music, tv/films and a love of animals.
Tell us about your creative process
I used to hand draw with pencil, scan the sketches and ink and colour in Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, but these days I use Procreate on the iPad, using an Apple pencil to draw. It took a bit of getting used to but I couldn’t do without it now. I produce prints myself at home, but get cards, mugs etc made by a third party printer.
What’s your workspace or studio like?
I have an office space out in the garden where I work. It’s a nice quiet place to escape to – at least it was until lockdown hit and other family members decided they would continue to work from home ;)
What’s your favourite thing to make – and why?
More than anything I enjoy making artwork that makes people smile.
What’s something people might not know about your craft or the skills involved?
You wouldn’t know, or maybe you would…but I’m colour blind.
What does creativity mean to you?
It’s my happy place – a chance to skip off into the rainbows and unicorns of my imagination and escape the responsibilities of adulthood and the crushing negativity of 24 hour world news.
What does Christmas look like for you?
I sell a lot of Christmas card designs, so the festive period is always pretty busy. By the time Santa arrives it’s nice to have a break and spend time with the family over a nut roast and half a stout – followed by Wallace and Gromit, a Monopoly marathon and my own weight in quality street.
Do you have any festive products you’d like us to highlight?
Which three Folksy things are you buying for, or Folksy shops are you buying from, this Christmas – or would love to receive?
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone thinking about starting a creative business?
Try not to compare yourself to other sellers and don’t worry about what other people think – Just do it and stick with it, you will grow and improve with time.
What is a quote you live by?
“If at first you don’t succeed, then skydiving definitely isn’t for you.”
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