Interview: Alé Mercado

Preferred Pronoun?
he/him

Why did you choose to enter this work?
I did this work for the Folio Society Illustration Competition as well as for my own self. I wanted to remind myself what it was that I loved about illustration: visually retelling classic stories.

What’s your favourite thing about your shortlisted project?
It is such a personal project in which I was challenging myself to dare and be more free than I would usually be. It came from the heart and from the love to the source text.

What excites you most about being shortlisted?
It reassures me, this is the path my work has to follow. I've done a lot of second guessing the market over the years, only to find that it doesn't necessarily make me happy or my work any better.

Where do you usually work?
I normally work at my studio at home. I am lucky to have a good bit of space but most of my work is done in a small dark room with no natural light. I like to curl in there and surround myself by musi

How long did it take to complete your project?
It was done on-and-off over a couple of weeks. I first did a lost of loose drawings as first reactions to the story. Those first reactions evolved and then consolidated into simpler but bigger ideas.

What is your dream commission?
I would love to work on something like illustrating the complete works of Sheridan le Fanu.

What’s your favourite thing to draw?
I love medieval art. Anything that can be found in an illuminated book, I love to draw too.

What is your best tip for other illustrators?
I can only think of persevering. And, sometimes, be brave enough to stop and accept you are not on the right track so you can refocus.

What are your plans for the future?
What about illustrating the complete works of Sheridan le Fanu?


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