Jes Hunt has chosen 2 people as her Favourites: Tove Jannson and Bjorn Rune Lie

JES HUNT: My work tends to be very character driven.  I usually start out sketching rough ideas on pieces of paper and then work them up into more finished drawings.  Once I’ve inked them (using a mixture of fineliner & brush pen) I scan and colour them in Illustrator & Photoshop.  At the moment I’m also producing and selling hand-painted wooden figurines called Hinterfolk, who are influenced by the dark, forested landscapes around me in Wales, and traditional folk costumes.  I like to keep a faintly dark, melancholy air to my work, as I find I’m drawn to those types of characters.

Tove Jansson has been a longstanding favourite of mine.  I own quite a few of her books, including some beautiful picture books.  I love the rich world she created which the Moomins inhabit – they retain that slight darkness that I try to keep in my own work.  I think it’s good to acknowledge the dark as well as the light.  And her illustrations, especially her watercolours, are wonderful – I love her use of colour. And her black & white line work is something that I could stare at for hours.

My other favourite artist is Bristol-based Swedish illustrator Bjorn Rune Lie – his illustrations are something else.  I aspire to produce work as accomplished as he does. I went to a tiny exhibition of his and was blown away by the attention to detail. His illustration has such character and style.