Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexander Vidal.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Originally from New Mexico, I’ve been working as an illustrator in Los Angeles for about ten years. I had previously studied Anthropology and Fine Art at Occidental College, and had gotten my Master’s at the University of Cape Town. I was living in South Africa when I decided I wanted to pursue becoming an illustrator. I moved to Taiwan, got a job teaching kindergarten, and used all my free time to develop a portfolio so I could apply to Art School. I studied illustration at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, occasionally taking classes in Graphic Design. I started taking on projects while I was still in school, and after a few months working in-house at a software company post graduation, was able to switch entirely to freelance illustration work. I now work mainly in nature and wildlife illustration, illustrating books, and working with a variety of nature and science organizations.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not surprisingly, freelance illustration can be very challenging. When I was younger I had this idea that my career would have sort of an upward trajectory. I think ultimately it sort of has, but that “upward” movement is routinely broken with downs, pauses, and periods of struggle. Months of amazing projects can be followed by periods of silence where I’ve definitely had the thought “I may never get a paying job again.” I’ve really had to get accustomed to looking at things in the long term, taking advantage of quiet periods to rest and recharge, and not panicking every time I’m between work.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
In a way I think that nature and wildlife are the real passion of my life, and illustration is just my means to express that. I’ve been obsessed with animals since I was a kid, and I’ve been lucky enough to craft a career that allows me to make use of that obsession. I’ve created a niche for myself as an illustrator of wildlife with a strong interest in Modern design. I like to simplify and stylize nature, but still I strive to accurately depict the anatomy and personality of the creatures I illustrate. This has allowed me to work in Children’s books, but also for museums, aquariums, and other wildlife organizations, who often want illustrations of nature that have charm, but don’t feel too overtly targeted to children.
Any big plans?
I’ve recently been making the shift from illustrator to author-illustrator, and I hope to continue writing more books in the future. My author-illustrator debut, Wilds of the United States, came out in 2022 from Chronicle Books. I’m currently working on the illustrations for a book I wrote about the wildlife of the US-Mexico borderlands with Beachlane Books, and at the start of writing and illustrating a book with the Getty that I can’t quite discuss yet. There are so many different topics I’m interested in— taking on the role of author means I really get to pursue more of my own interests, and really dive into these stories or ideas that call to me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alexandervidal.com
- Instagram: alexander.vidal
Image Credits
(all images by me, Alexander Vidal)
