dsmith2904
ONE love, blood, life
[SIMG]http://bonovox.interference.com/interview/niallwpainting-thmb.jpg[/SIMG]
By Katie A. McGrath
2004.02
In his early 20s Niall O?Loughlin was living out what to many of my male friends back in the college days would have been the ?Life of Riley?working for Guinness along with some other lads, drawing caricatures in pubs located in small towns around Ireland, drinking all night for free, meeting lots of women creating their own bit of small-town celebrity along the way. Too bad, though, my friends, not unlike myself, could barely draw a stick figure, give them a beer and it would probably come out more look like one of those ink blobs. Fortunately O?Loughlin had the talent to back it up, he was always know as (insert Dublin accent), ?The fella who did de drawinz,? claiming he was pretty hopeless at anything else.
Now in his early 30s, O?Loughlin has since left those Guinness days behind (surely with some fine memories) and has gone on to work on animations such as ?All Dogs go to Heaven? and, more recently, as chief animator at Brown Bag Films. Basing his studio out of Dublin, O?Loughlin divides his time these days between animation, illustration, teaching, painting and, of course, drawing caricatures. His celebrity caricatures have included the likes of U2, Colin Farrell and David Beckham. O?Loughlin recently had the opportunity to present caricatures of Westlife to the boys in the band, gaining the artist much attention.
A self-proclaimed U2 fan, perhaps the attention will catch the eye of one of our favourite lads from Dublin. There was at one point a rumour circulating that Bono had thought of purchasing one of O?Loughlin?s paintings, but the artist is quick to clear that up stating that was something fabricated by the press. O?Loughlin has captured both Bono and the Edge on paper, and they are extremely good, if I were a member of U2 I wouldn?t hesitate to snap up his work. You can check out O?Loughlin?s work, including the Bono portrait, on his Web site.
I had the opportunity to interview O?Loughlin via e-mail and got to know a little more about his work, including what influences him and how he started out.
You started out as caricaturist for Guinness going around to different bars. How do feel that experience affected your work today?
It was a brilliant job, but by the end we were nearly all alcoholics from working in bars with free drink all night, every night. One of the lads actually started to believe he was some kind of celebrity because we went into small towns everyone knew us by the end of the weekend. It was a brilliant way of meeting women, why no one ever copped it to me ten times longer to draw the good looking girls I will never know.
You have worked in variety of different mediaillustrating, painting, caricatures, animation. What do you enjoy doing most and what do you feel to be most rewarding?
Definitely painting the most, I have been doing it the shortest time but it is the most rewarding in that you have no one to answer to but yourself. It is extremely relaxing when it is going well and frustrating in equal moments when it?s not.
How long does it take you to complete a project, from concept to bringing it to the canvas?
Two weeks thinking about it, two weeks drawing, three weeks painting. But there is a fair bit of messing with it in between. I tend to get distracted very easy and might start another project while I am in the middle of one.
How do you feel about your work personally and what you create as an artist?
I am definitely my own worst critic and can look at a painting I did a month ago and think, Jesus, I could have done much better than that. I know the standard I want to be at and won?t be happy until I get there, which might be when I am about 90, but that?s what keeps me going, I am never happy.
What inspires you to draw someone?
I can?t really explain it, it might be someone I admire because of what they do or because they have an interesting face and sometimes it?s just because someone would love to see how I would make a certain person look. At the moment I am drawing Martin Johnston, the English rugby captain, ugly man but what a face for a caricature. I don?t even like rugby.
In your opinion, is artistic talent an innate ability or does it take practice and persistence?
It?s a bit of both?but the talent needs to be there first. Having said that, there were guys in college that were 10 times better then me who don?t even draw anymore, that?s where practice and persistence comes in, there is always some better then you
What is the difference process you for through from say drawing a caricature to a portrait on canvas? Which do you prefer to do?
I?d have to say caricatures. By far I only really do portraits just to prove I can. Portraits to me are how the world in general perceives someone, caricatures are how I see them which makes them much more personal.
I know you are a fan of U2, is it important when drawing or painting someone like Edge or Bono that you capture their spirit and personality in what you create?
To be honest I don?t really feel I?ve captured either of them yet. As my work develops and I become more confident as a painter I think you?ll start to see a lot deeper drawings. Everyone says I have a natural ability to capture people?s personalities but this is people I meet. Anything from shaking hands to your first eye contact can tell you so much about a person. Obviously I would love to meet U2 and spend a few minutes chatting, I am sure it would give me a huge insight into them as people, not pop stars. We live in hope I guess.
You have created a brilliant painting of Bono. Did you try to capture the musician and the humanitarian? How do you combine all of these aspects and have that come through in your work?
This year I will combine both, not sure how yet, but I will.
I heard that Bono was interested in your painting. What was it like to have the subject of your art review it? What did he have to say about it?
That?s the media saying Bono saw my work, I am not sure he ever did. I am sure he gets art from hundreds of people everyday. I can?t imagine I am at a standard yet where he?d even comment on it. If the day ever comes that I meet him, I?ll ask him but I will never believe what anyone else says. One thing I have learned the hard way is anyone who thinks they?re anyone in Dublin thinks they?re a friend of Bonothey?re not.
What do you think the biggest difference is in how the people in Ireland see U2 and how the rest of the world might see them?
Irish people are well known as a bunch of begrudgers, I think that worked to the advantage of the band. People here tend to leave them be. To recognize them would almost me admitting they?ve made it. That goes for most celebrities in Ireland
How would you compare the artistic vision of a visual artist to that of a musician?
It seems a lot of musicians are very artistic, so I guess there are just different forms of expression. I?d really love to be able to write a song but the talent is just not there.
Your work is receiving huge recognition. As an artist what is the difference between receiving that recognition and being happy enough personally with your final product?
Recognition is great, it means people get to see what you do, whether they like it or not. As for the final product I think you will see a big difference in my work this year for the better, I hope.
Many thanks to Niall O?Loughlin for taking time out of his schedule for this interview!
By Katie A. McGrath
2004.02
In his early 20s Niall O?Loughlin was living out what to many of my male friends back in the college days would have been the ?Life of Riley?working for Guinness along with some other lads, drawing caricatures in pubs located in small towns around Ireland, drinking all night for free, meeting lots of women creating their own bit of small-town celebrity along the way. Too bad, though, my friends, not unlike myself, could barely draw a stick figure, give them a beer and it would probably come out more look like one of those ink blobs. Fortunately O?Loughlin had the talent to back it up, he was always know as (insert Dublin accent), ?The fella who did de drawinz,? claiming he was pretty hopeless at anything else.
Now in his early 30s, O?Loughlin has since left those Guinness days behind (surely with some fine memories) and has gone on to work on animations such as ?All Dogs go to Heaven? and, more recently, as chief animator at Brown Bag Films. Basing his studio out of Dublin, O?Loughlin divides his time these days between animation, illustration, teaching, painting and, of course, drawing caricatures. His celebrity caricatures have included the likes of U2, Colin Farrell and David Beckham. O?Loughlin recently had the opportunity to present caricatures of Westlife to the boys in the band, gaining the artist much attention.
A self-proclaimed U2 fan, perhaps the attention will catch the eye of one of our favourite lads from Dublin. There was at one point a rumour circulating that Bono had thought of purchasing one of O?Loughlin?s paintings, but the artist is quick to clear that up stating that was something fabricated by the press. O?Loughlin has captured both Bono and the Edge on paper, and they are extremely good, if I were a member of U2 I wouldn?t hesitate to snap up his work. You can check out O?Loughlin?s work, including the Bono portrait, on his Web site.
I had the opportunity to interview O?Loughlin via e-mail and got to know a little more about his work, including what influences him and how he started out.
You started out as caricaturist for Guinness going around to different bars. How do feel that experience affected your work today?
It was a brilliant job, but by the end we were nearly all alcoholics from working in bars with free drink all night, every night. One of the lads actually started to believe he was some kind of celebrity because we went into small towns everyone knew us by the end of the weekend. It was a brilliant way of meeting women, why no one ever copped it to me ten times longer to draw the good looking girls I will never know.
You have worked in variety of different mediaillustrating, painting, caricatures, animation. What do you enjoy doing most and what do you feel to be most rewarding?
Definitely painting the most, I have been doing it the shortest time but it is the most rewarding in that you have no one to answer to but yourself. It is extremely relaxing when it is going well and frustrating in equal moments when it?s not.
How long does it take you to complete a project, from concept to bringing it to the canvas?
Two weeks thinking about it, two weeks drawing, three weeks painting. But there is a fair bit of messing with it in between. I tend to get distracted very easy and might start another project while I am in the middle of one.
How do you feel about your work personally and what you create as an artist?
I am definitely my own worst critic and can look at a painting I did a month ago and think, Jesus, I could have done much better than that. I know the standard I want to be at and won?t be happy until I get there, which might be when I am about 90, but that?s what keeps me going, I am never happy.
What inspires you to draw someone?
I can?t really explain it, it might be someone I admire because of what they do or because they have an interesting face and sometimes it?s just because someone would love to see how I would make a certain person look. At the moment I am drawing Martin Johnston, the English rugby captain, ugly man but what a face for a caricature. I don?t even like rugby.
In your opinion, is artistic talent an innate ability or does it take practice and persistence?
It?s a bit of both?but the talent needs to be there first. Having said that, there were guys in college that were 10 times better then me who don?t even draw anymore, that?s where practice and persistence comes in, there is always some better then you
What is the difference process you for through from say drawing a caricature to a portrait on canvas? Which do you prefer to do?
I?d have to say caricatures. By far I only really do portraits just to prove I can. Portraits to me are how the world in general perceives someone, caricatures are how I see them which makes them much more personal.
I know you are a fan of U2, is it important when drawing or painting someone like Edge or Bono that you capture their spirit and personality in what you create?
To be honest I don?t really feel I?ve captured either of them yet. As my work develops and I become more confident as a painter I think you?ll start to see a lot deeper drawings. Everyone says I have a natural ability to capture people?s personalities but this is people I meet. Anything from shaking hands to your first eye contact can tell you so much about a person. Obviously I would love to meet U2 and spend a few minutes chatting, I am sure it would give me a huge insight into them as people, not pop stars. We live in hope I guess.
You have created a brilliant painting of Bono. Did you try to capture the musician and the humanitarian? How do you combine all of these aspects and have that come through in your work?
This year I will combine both, not sure how yet, but I will.
I heard that Bono was interested in your painting. What was it like to have the subject of your art review it? What did he have to say about it?
That?s the media saying Bono saw my work, I am not sure he ever did. I am sure he gets art from hundreds of people everyday. I can?t imagine I am at a standard yet where he?d even comment on it. If the day ever comes that I meet him, I?ll ask him but I will never believe what anyone else says. One thing I have learned the hard way is anyone who thinks they?re anyone in Dublin thinks they?re a friend of Bonothey?re not.
What do you think the biggest difference is in how the people in Ireland see U2 and how the rest of the world might see them?
Irish people are well known as a bunch of begrudgers, I think that worked to the advantage of the band. People here tend to leave them be. To recognize them would almost me admitting they?ve made it. That goes for most celebrities in Ireland
How would you compare the artistic vision of a visual artist to that of a musician?
It seems a lot of musicians are very artistic, so I guess there are just different forms of expression. I?d really love to be able to write a song but the talent is just not there.
Your work is receiving huge recognition. As an artist what is the difference between receiving that recognition and being happy enough personally with your final product?
Recognition is great, it means people get to see what you do, whether they like it or not. As for the final product I think you will see a big difference in my work this year for the better, I hope.
Many thanks to Niall O?Loughlin for taking time out of his schedule for this interview!
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