Books are my business: Illustrator, designer, and director Mel Carroll

Mr Carroll acts as an agent in UsFolk, managing the commissions for all the other artists — and sometimes himself — 'so I have my business head and then my creative head'

Mel Carroll's picture book, 'A Belfast Fairytale', published by O’Brien Press, is out now.

Mel Carroll is an illustrator, designer, and director of UsFolk illustration agency in Belfast. 

He is ambassador for Irish Book Week, which takes place from October 18 to 25, and has also designed the artwork for this year’s campaign. 

His picture book, A Belfast Fairytale, published by O’Brien Press, is out now.

How did you become an illustrator?

When I finished my A-levels, I did a foundation course in art and design, and then I was going to do a graphic design course in Wales.

But when the lecturer looked at my portfolio, he said I was more suited to illustration.

So I did illustration as my degree, and as part of that, I created a picture book.

The course was very practical in terms of publishing and commercial illustration as well.

What does your work involve?

I have a few different hats. Part of me would love to have been a full-time illustrator, and have an agent that does all the quoting and that kind of stuff.

But I act as an agent in UsFolk, managing the commissions for all the other artists — and sometimes myself — and so I have my business head and then my creative head.

I’ve come to love both sides of it, because you see how other illustrators work, and how the project unfolds. It’s nice to be part of that.

I also love creating — drawing, painting, making things out of clay.

What do you like most about what you do?

Creating your own visual language and your own visual world is the part that I enjoy the most.

I also enjoy when I’m sketching out ideas, you don’t know where you’re going, but then something clicks.

It starts to make sense, then everything else flows. You figure it all out in black and white sketching, and then you get to colour it all in, which is the fun part.

What do you like least?

It can be a very tough career. When you’re working in any kind of creative profession, you’re putting yourself out there and you’re very exposed.

Illustration is seen as like a luxury, in a sense. There’s no job security — you finish one project, and it could be great, but you’re waiting for the next one, or if you’re very lucky, you will have a few things lined up.

Being a freelance creative or running your own business, you feel like you’re hoping for the best all the time.

We will be going 10 years next year. So the more years we are in the business, the more I feel like things will work out.

Three desert island books

My first one would be Perfume: The Story of a Murderer, by Patrick Süsskind. It’s captivating and disturbing, but it’s also beautiful, and there’s something amazing about that.

The next one is The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle, which I’m obsessed with. It was recommended to me a few years ago and it resonated with me so much.

I read it all the time and every so often I’ll have it on my headphones when I’m walking the dog. 

I love that whole thing of slowing down, appreciating the moment, and seeing the world in a different way. When I read it, it feels like a reset.

My third one would be The Beach by Alex Garland, which was published in the mid-90s. It was a toss-up between this and Trainspotting, because they both remind me of when I was a teenager/early 20s. 

They made a movie of The Beach; it had a great soundtrack but the book was so much better.

BOOKS & MORE

Check out our Books Hub where you will find the latest news, reviews, features, opinions and analysis on all things books from the Irish Examiner's team of specialist writers, columnists and contributors.