Interview: Dale Crosby Close

(May 2022).

I love the fun, the mass of activity and the characters you can find in Dale's images – they're like dioramas.

I've been working on an AOI WIA entry (attached) which has been an enjoyable challenge. I've never entered in the past, and always say that this year I'll actually make something, turns out this was that year! I decided to make a piece based on the many different ways I attempt to organise my work life, from lists in sketchbooks, bits of paper with notes on, calendars with deadlines everywhere and fully fledged schedules, both digital and printed out – none of which have worked – so the image is a room full of lists and notes and bits of paper, just like the inside of my mind. 

Are there any skills or techniques you'd like to develop? 
Ooft there are many! I got pretty into making games a few years back, which I keep meaning to pick up again. I just really enjoyed having control of everything from start to finish, from the illustration and animation, to the coding and audio. I guess it scratched an itch for problem solving, as that's what coding feels like, and it's pretty cool when it finally does what you wanted it to, which admittedly was rare. 

I've struggled with the last couple of years with figuring out which work I genuinely enjoy making, and want to take forward, that has a mix of commercial viability without being too commercial. After many hours, days, weeks (years?) of reflection, I came to the conclusion that what I like making usually consists of people interacting in an imagined space, sometimes static but occasionally animated, with a sense of playfulness and fun when appropriate. I often worry about things like "can I use line in this piece? My previous work doesn't have line, is it okay?" and any number of things like that, but I think as long as it feels right, it's right, and you can just do whatever you want. I think the main aim of my work is to make myself and others smile, and generally create some interesting images with things to look at. Summed up in a word? Fun. Hopefully. 

Is there a particular tool you like to work with a lot?
Nothing strange or mysterious here I'm afraid, my go to tools for sketching and ideas are a sketchbook (small, I can't handle anything bigger than A5) and mechanical pencils, for the continuity, then once I've decided it's time to move onto the final piece, I'll go into Procreate if I'm on the go, or Photoshop if it's something a little larger in scope. I'll generally make a grid at the start of each drawing, so all the lines do as they're told, and build the image up gradually.

If you could have a magical power, what would it be?
The power to summon ducks at a moment's notice. How useful would it be?  Not very. But at least it wouldn't come with too much of a responsibility, apart from the rogue ducks that would be roaming the land and havoc they would cause...