Behind the Scenes: Madam Glam x Illustrator Caroline Angiulo Collaboration

by Maria MG on July 31, 2020

Colorful, joyful and poetic.

Three words that perfectly describe Caroline Angiulo's work of art. In honor of our Anniversary month, we teamed up with the talented illustrator and textile designer to create the perfect reinterpretation of what Madam Glam, 6th Lust and our products truly mean. Just like she already mentioned in this interview, it was very exciting and challenging to work together for our special July collection and the results were beyond amazing and very much appreciated among our community as well! Caroline is a true inspiration and we invite you to read and share this exciting article!

MG: Caroline, could you tell us a little bit about your background and what made you want to become an illustrator or artist?

I have always been passionate about drawing, painting and colors! Since I was very young, I enjoyed working on creative projects which led me to study Art & Design, more specifically a BA “Textile, Material and Surface Design” in Paris, at the School of Art & Design ENSAAMA Olivier de Serres, and after that a MA called “MA Material Futures” at the University of the Arts London - Central Saint Martins, in London. I chose to study textile design, as I love textiles and I knew that I would be able to use my passion for drawing & colors by combining them in textiles through print & patterns, as well as with embroidery… I always had illustration on my mind. Today, I work in the textile design sector along also freelancing on some graphic design and illustration projects. I also sell my artwork in craft markets in London and online, on Etsy.

MG: You mention your drawing inspiration comes from the love of colors and nature. What is it exactly that inspires you? And how?

My inspiration comes from a variety of things: from my travels, discovering different cultures and landscapes, to scenes of people, and each person’s distinct character and features; But my inspiration sometimes comes from a story or a song, or purely by the richness that Nature offers…Whether my inspiration comes from friends, flowers or from my cultural background, through my work I celebrate a sense of playfulness with a poetic character.

MG: How would you describe your illustrations in three words?

Colorful, joyful and poetic.

MG: Color seems to have such a special place in your drawings. How do you choose the colors for each illustration?

Yes, I am in love with colors! I choose the color palette and the organization of the colors on the illustration depending on the theme of the project, the concept and story I want to tell through the illustrations, and of course I also trust a lot my intuition.

When I paint a portrait based on a photo, then I usually choose the colors according to it. When I work on a live portrait then I choose colors, which I feel, reflect best the person at that precise moment, and which reflect best their personality or their aura. More practically speaking, in general I try out a few mini color palettes and choose the color combination that suits best the project.

MG: Which illustrators or artists working today do you admire the most?

From the past, I admire the designer and architect Joseph Frank and his vividly colored textile designs, and today I really admire the artist David Hockney and his bright, colorful and bold Artwork!

MG: What was the most challenging project you ever did?

Actually not because it is you asking, but I would say that it was the illustration project I did for Madam Glam’s 6th Anniversary, the « 6th Lust » Collection!

MG: How was the partnership with Madam Glam for you? What did you like the most?

The partnership with Madam Glam was very exciting and challenging! I really enjoyed working on it as I had a lot of creative freedom for the illustrations. I loved working with the design & marketing team, as I found it was very interesting to exchange ideas with them and have their feedback. I had so much fun working on the project as the main theme: « 6th Lust » was very inspiring, and made reference itself to a lot of other subjects: cities, nature, celebrities, food & drinks…

More specifically, I really liked making the two illustrations for the social media and the logo for this collection, as those ones really had to encompass the whole collection ‘all in one’!

MG: How much attention do you pay to the feedback of others on your work?

I think it is very important to hear the feedback of people in general, and especially if I am working on a client project, in order to make sure the illustration I am working on telling the right story and answers to their needs.

If I am working more freely on a personal artwork, or artwork that I intend to sell, I also think it is important to listen to other people’s point of views, but I also believe that more importantly, as an artist it is important to trust our own gut instinct, go with our own flow and do what makes one happy creatively! I believe that if an artist truly enjoys what he/she is making then the joy will emanate from the artwork!

MG: Is that important, for artists, to reserve some time to draw for themselves?

It is very important indeed for artists to reserve some time to draw and make some time just for themselves, even if it is 30 minutes per day.

What matters, I would say is to spend that time making for the pleasure of making. I think it is a great way to improve techniques that I already know, or to try out new techniques; it can help to discover new ways of working, and help to develop one’s visual style too…

MG: What would your advice be to aspiring illustrators?

Get some paper and some mark making tools that attract you, start to doodle and draw what you love and practice regularly in order to improve! Also, more generally, it is important to get out of your comfort zone in order to discover what else you can do, and surprise yourself!