Jen Clare has illustrated the first Patreon short story.
Please introduce yourself to everyone!
Hello, I’m Jen Clare and I’m an illustrator based in Derby. I’ve recently drawn some artwork for Reynard City, and I’m very excited for you to all to see it.
How did you first get into illustration and artwork?
I’ve been drawing ever since I was small, and art and illustration have been a constant passion of mine all my life. Maybe I’d be better at maths now if I hadn’t spent all my classes doodling!
At school art class was my favourite time (taught by my all-time favourite teacher, Mr Housden) and I seemed to have a knack for drawing. Being a creative person is utterly brilliant and a massively stressful in equal measures, but I wouldn’t change it!
What are your influences?
My early influences all really stemmed from the comic strips in the papers. I loved Calvin and Hobbes, Peanuts, the Perishers and Garfield, and decided that when I grew up I wanted to be a cartoonist.
Since then I’ve taken inspiration from all sorts of sources. I have a fine art background, and enjoyed studying painters and illustrators from various eras. It’s only in the last few years that I’ve become interested in graphic novels, I read Garth Ennis’s Preacher and was hooked.
There aren’t enough hours in the day to get through all the comics I would like, but I’m certainly trying! There’s nothing better than a good story and some beautiful artwork to go with it.
What attracted you to working on Reynard City?
As a kid growing up in the nineties, I was hooked on my cartoons. Saturday mornings were for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Biker Mice From Mars and Bucky O’Hare (“mutants and aliens and toads beware!”).
I feel like Reynard City is really capturing the essence of these shows and the worlds in them, and I’m pleased to now be a part of it.
Who would you want on your superhero team?
Tough one. An all-girl team would be great. I’d have Wonderwoman and Black Widow, ’cause those ladies know how to get stuff done. I’d feel safe with Hit-Girl on my side too. And, although not strictly a superhero, I’m gonna want Michonne from the Walking Dead there too. I’ll be in the back trying not to get punched in the face or my head cut off.
Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Where every artist sees themselves, doing their creative thing for a living… in a massive, massive mansion.