wITh whAT Do I dOOdle?

witH ThE wondERFul JAne pORter

Hello, hope you’re well.

It’s interview number seventeen of ‘With What Do I dOOdle?’ and, this time it’s with the extremely wonderful author/illustrator Jane Porter.

I love using all sorts of things to draw with and I’m always up for a favourite tools chat, SO I’ve been asking some fellow creatives what they like to use.

I’d known of Jane as a children author for many years, having been in awe of her books, children’s workshops and brilliant YouTube channel where she interviews other author/illustrators (the Jarvis episode is particularly brill), but we had never met.

It was at a private view at Dulwich Picture Gallery a couple of years ago where I spotted her IN REAL LIFE for the first time, but I was having a ridiculously shy day that day and just couldn't pluck up the courage to say hello until it was too late. I did, however, send a message to her asking if it really had been her and that I’d have loved to say hello if nerves had allowed! Suffice to say, we’ve now met a few times (IRL) and she is, simply, the kindest and most wonderful person EVER.

Jane Porter is an award-winning picture book maker, and she also teaches an online comics class. She loves rivers and the sea, is learning to play the fiddle and making her own violin too, very slowly. You can read more in her free monthly newsletter here: 

Without further ado, here’s Jane’s

What’s your favourite thing to draw?

Birds! This really does seem to be where my subconcious goes whenever I have a pencil in my hand and no particular agenda. I always start with the beak, and a bird with a flower in its beak always seems to be my go-to doodle.

Where is your favourite place to draw?

Outdoors for sure… city farms are a great combo of animals, nature and people so I’ve been loitering in a lot of those lately.

What’s your favourite thing to draw on?

I’ve seen people raving about Pith Supply sketchbooks lately, so I thought I should try one – and I love it! There’s no spine, so the spreads lie beautifully flat, and the paper is nice too. But I also like drawing on offcuts and cheap paper – that’s the most liberating.

The vast majority of my drawing though is from memory and goes in my daily comic diary, which I’ve been doing for almost ten years. A great way to process life, and to practice storytelling and drawing based on everyday experiences. Can’t recommend it highly enough – and it helps me remember so much too!

What’s your top favourite tool to draw with?

If I could only take ONE thing – it would have to be an Inktense watercolour pencil in something darkish and neutral. Lovely to draw with, and you can lick your finger and smudge it too!

Do you have a favourite COMBO of tools you use?

I’ve recently discovered Panpastels, which look like 70s eyeshadows but when you smudge them on a page with an old rag or use a stencil you can do so much with them! So maybe a couple of those, a very mini watercolour set, some waterbrushes and Inktense pencils and maybe a fountain pen with interesting ink in would be a good sketching kit.

Is there a tool you always avoid?

I am very allergic to fineliners – they have their uses, but I don’t find them at all fun to draw with.

Is there a drawing tool you’d LOVE to try?

I always love trying new things so I’m constantly on the alert. Maybe this is cheating because I have tried it now, but my latest discovery is a tiny tin of Artgraf watercolour graphite – so portable and versatile combined with a waterbrush.

And finally

What’s your TOP favourite drawing snack?

Not just for drawing, but my favourite snack is ALWAYS going to be crisps.

Not quite perfect, but these almost belong to you Jane! Vintage AD, Jane Parker Potato Chips

Thank you so much! It’s been very nice indeed to have a sneak peek into your pencil case. SO many fab tools recommended too! I’m heading to the art shop.

Jane and I are off to have a peek in the shiny NEW Paper Cat bookshop in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait. I’ll bring crisps Jane!

You can find and follow Jane on Instagram here and visit her website here.

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For more With What Do I Doodle? interviews have a scroll through the archives on my Substack home page where you can find lots more…

LOTS more to come too, so stay tuned!