With her distinctive vintage crime noir stylings, Canadian illustrator Jennifer Dioniso’s images instantly transport the viewer into a world of mystery and intrigue.
Can you tell us a little bit about you?
I am from Canada originally, but I have been living in the UK for over 10 years now. I have been freelancing as a professional illustrator for about four years.
How do you describe your style of illustration?
My style is detailed and I guess a bit moody. I like to use restricted colour palettes and pattern. I like to work in pencil and hand-drawn textures. I also like to tell stories, albeit unfinished ones and all my work has a distinct vintage look and feel.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by film, I like to imagine each illustration as a film still, where something came before and something will come after. I have a vast collection of vintage imagery, old magazines and books; this is where I find most of my subjects and other details.
Tell us about your working space?
I work at home. I have a nice desk and everything I need at easy reach. This does make it hard to separate downtime from work time, but I work odd hours and enjoy napping so it’s pretty good for me.
What or who are your biggest influences?
One of my biggest influences is Edward Hopper; his control of space, light and perspective. His characters never give anything away; they reflect the viewer’s personal associations back at them. He was a master of composition. For similar reasons, I am also a big fan of Gregory Crewdson. I am always inspired by the simplicity and power of John Stezaker’s collages. He feels particularly relevant because we are both massive collectors and I go about my compositions in a similar way.
What would be a dream commission or client for you?
I would love to be commissioned by one of my favourite bands, like Ween or Menomena. I have yet to break into the music poster scene, but I would love to. Also, working for The New Yorker would be amazing!
How is being based in London important to you and your practice?
It’s been nice to be in an illustration collective here. We’ve put on shows and events and exhibited at illustration fairs. London is great for that. It’s also a great place to meet people; there are always inspiring openings and talks to go to.
What are your tools?
I usually draw in pencil, but sometimes ink or crayon or pastel. I use Adobe Photoshop for colouring and finishing along with my iPad and pencil.
