Dena Cooper

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Black & White

Food & Drink

People

Photorealistic

Portrait of Maya Angelou looking thoughtfully to the side

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Green chair, potted plant, sculptural lamp, and red chair by Dena Cooper

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Fashion and watercolor goes very well

Fashion in all nuances and shades.

Training

Starting off in fine arts, Dena moved onto a fashion design course with a strong emphasis on fashion illustration while at Radford University in Virginia.

Approach

One of Dena’s images begins with a pencil study based on references, complete with in-depth shading and detail. That will become the basis for her watercolour, enhancing shading and value in the composition. Dena also enjoys using gouache, ink and coloured pencils along the way, as needed. Then it’s into Photoshop to clean up the image, adding splashes of watercolour and backgrounds, before delivering it digitally to the client.

Style

Dena describes her style as a softer version of the truth, with bursts of realism and flares or blooms of paint to convey an element of artistry that the camera just can’t capture. Photorealism, with washes of colour and splatter add to the fun and character of a piece.

Impressions

Interview

Website

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Interview

What led you to become an illustrator? While working as a designer in the fashion industry, I met an illustrator who was freelancing with our team to create graphics and prints. I was feeling creatively stifled by my work as a womenswear designer, so meeting a creative with the freedom to manage their own projects felt expanding and exciting. After asking lots of questions, I was off to build my portfolio and only a few months later I was taking on my first client work. Did you study illustration in college? I have always loved to draw, and had the opportunity from a young age to take drawing classes focused on still life and figure drawing. In college, I studied fashion design at Radford University, where I learned the basic principals and elements of design. My illustration style has been shaped by my varied education in drawing, graphic design, and fashion design. Where did you grow up? I grew up in a split home. I spent my school years with my mom in Michigan, and my summers with my dad in Virginia. The split-life dynamic was challenging to navigate, especially with such distance between the two places, but I had a lot of opportunities to foster my own independence, which had a big impact on the person I am today. Do you have a childhood memory relating to art that you hold dear? I was always drawing and creating as a kid. I made all kinds of self-directed projects like portraits, maps, menus, paper dolls with outfits, and artwork that I gave as gifts. My artwork always had a purpose, and I loved designing my own “products” with personalized drawings on them. Where do you live now and what drew you there? I spent 10 years living in Brooklyn, NY and have recently relocated to Charleston, SC a few years ago. I miss the chaotic creative energy of New York, and still love going back to visit. For now, I’m really loving the slower pace and the peaceful quality of Charleston, surrounded by beautiful live oaks and spanish moss. Describe your studio for us My studio is an open room at the front of our house with big windows for lots of natural light. I keep plants, crystals, and books organized by color on a huge plywood bookshelf that takes up a whole wall. My desk sits in the middle of the space and is surrounded by all my tools of the trade. I have a vintage drafting table for long drawing projects, and a cute little closet that I’ve turned into a tech station with my printer, scanner, and all my paints, papers, and materials. Coming from a tiny space in my Brooklyn apartment living room, this new studio is big, bright, and full of possibility. Do you have a studio pet? I live with an adorable cat named Millie. She’s a calico Maine Coon and such a sweet little studio distraction. Who or What is your biggest inspiration? Lately, I’ve been more interested in how I can create a bigger impact with my work, weaving in messages about equality and accountability. I’ve been inspired by the world changing and shifting to allow more authentic voices to shine through, and I love to draw portraits of women who have a unique perspective. What causes are you passionate about? The causes I’m most passionate about encourage a world where all humans are seen and treated as equal autonomous individuals. Themes of bodily autonomy, gender equality, racial equality, and environmental responsibility are all issues I explore in my work. How do you separate your work life from your home life? Keeping my work and home life separated has been made easier through having a dedicated studio space. Keeping the two physically separated has made a huge difference in turning off my “work brain” when it’s time to make dinner and wind down for the evening. Having specific studio hours has also been helpful in creating work / life boundaries that feel balanced. Do you adopt any environmental practices to be more sustainable? I’m highly conscious of my environmental impact. I live by the three steps to minimizing waste: reduce, reuse, and recycle. My work is mostly digital now, which significantly reduces the materials used in my process, but when I do use physical materials, I repurpose as much as I can without sacrificing the quality of my work. Do you collect anything? I have a small collection of about 400 books displayed in my studio ranging from figure drawing to fantasy novels. I started by collecting every book I had ever read, and then going back and re-reading all the classics that I took for granted in high school. Favorites include 1984 by George Orwell, As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner, and The Grown Up by Gillian Flynn. What is the first record you bought? Plans by Death Cab for Cutie: for one of my all time favorite songs, Soul Meets Body. I was obsessed with this song the summer of 2010 when I met my husband, Zac. When we started collecting records a few years ago, this was the very first one we bought together at a record fair in Brooklyn. What was your favourite assignment ever? My all time favorite project was a series of 12 portraits for WWD’s annual honors awards. One of my daily responsibilities as a receptionist at my very first job in the fashion industry was to deliver a copy of WWD to my CEO’s desk every morning with his coffee. 7 years later, having my illustrated portraits printed in that publication has felt like a serendipitous nod of achievement. Who is your art hero? Andy Warhol. I’m endlessly inspired by his rebellious multi-media approach to art. He screen printed, drew, filmed, photographed, and combined techniques in a way no artist had ever done before. His open-minded vision about what art could be has informed my own idea of what bounds I’m willing to accept as an artist. We don’t often get to see our greatest potential when we play safely by the rules. Who is your design hero? David Carson: Another rebel in the art world. One of his mottos as a designer: “If everyone loves your work, you’re playing it much too safe. You need some people not liking it and then you’re probably on to something.” Who is your music hero? My dads. They both play guitar, and are incredibly talented in completely different ways. Observing what being a musician meant to them and how they cultivated their crafts so differently was fascinating for me to observe as a kid. When I asked to play violin at 9 years old, they were the most supportive and encouraging of my parents and family. If you were not an illustrator, what would you be? As a jack of all trades, I can never decide on what to actually call myself. My creative expression has taken the form of music, writing, drawing, designing, speaking, and many things in between. I recently started calling myself an “artist of many mediums” to encompass all of my multi-media pursuits, and it’s felt like a great way to give myself freedom from identifying with any one thing. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given? Keep it simple stupid. Have you any hidden talents? I’m a violinist, and was naturally musically inclined at a young age. In school I learned classical violin, and on my trips to Virginia for the summer, I would learn to “fiddle”. How would someone who knows you well describe you? Quick, funny, intense, passionate, and larger than life. What is your favourite quote? “If you’re going through Hell, keep going” — Winston Churchill What career advice would you give your younger self? Embrace making mistakes, especially in the early years of exploring a new medium or career. Mistakes are vehicles for learning, so trying to avoid them in favor of perfectionism, will rob you of valuable experience. Is there a work lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way? I’ve had plenty of projects that felt like failures, and others that felt like dream fulfillment. As time has gone on, I’ve become more discerning about the kinds of clients I want to work with, and that has helped me stay in my power as a professional creative. Not every job will feel like a success, and that’s not a reflection of my inherent worth as an artist. Do you have any tips/advice for other illustrators? Give yourself grace for the highs and lows of the creative experience. There will be high periods of production where ideas and jobs flow with abundance, and then low periods where things will feel a bit stagnant as they naturally recede. Embracing this cycle through surrender and acceptance is key to keeping your creative integrity and sanity intact. What do you listen to when you work? My working playlist is called, ‘Artists Only’, named after one of my favorite Talking Heads songs. It’s a mix of indie rock from the 80s till now. It’s chill and sophisticated at the same time, so perfect for studio vibes.

Favourites

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