Craft and Concept: Kanitta Meechubot

For some students the demands to experiment and explore new media possibilities can be a challenge. The images we see daily, created by illustrators for use across graphic contexts: the pages of books and magazines, for advertising posters and within packaging, reflect stylistic diversity and increasingly reveal playful, individual and sometimes unique approaches to media and materials. An example of the latter is paper-cut illustration, a craft inspired approach which has been gaining popularity over the last few years. No-one does this as lyrically and sensitively as Kanitta Meechubot. This talented illustrator creates intricate, handcrafted pictures, often taking inspiration from nature and (inside) the human body.
Her distinctive approach made her an appealing choice to commission for one of the chapter headings for the book I was writing, “Becoming A Successful Illustrator”. My co-author, Derek Brazell was sold on her work both as artefacts with their inherent aesthetic appeal and as images with undoubted illustrative power. “I’d seen her solo show ‘The landscape of a mind’ at The Book Club in London ,” he recalls, “which included her beautiful and edgy work for Granta Magazine’s “Medicine” issue.” Her work is photographed for reproduction, but this exhibition displayed her delicate, thoughtful artworks in three dimensional, glittering glory.
We both really looked forward to what she’d make for us!
Here Kanitta tells us about the process behind her artwork for Becoming A Successful Illustrator.
The open brief was a chapter number and the chapter information – how much inspiration did you take from the subjects in your chapter?
I was inspired from the challenge of combining numbers with organic shapes and forms. Similar to the theme of theatre, I wanted to create something glamorous and readable at the same time. Inside of the number four, there is a man holding his portfolio, and the girl climbs the ladder. I put these figures in as everything we do to get our works published, to be seen, is like a goal on the top. We have to climb to get there step by step.
How did you approach creation of the artwork?
I started with a draft overall image in my mind. I then thought about how it would fit in the context of the brief and began to construct the image by cutting out papers into shapes. Later on, I played around with individual elements and spontaneously collage them together. I love collage because it always surprises me with an unexpected composition. Finally, the work was photographed into a printable format. Lighting was also crucial in order to create the shadow and see the depth and 3D quality of the work.

What do you consider ‘success’ as an illustrator?
For me being a ‘successful illustrator’ begins from when you start having fun when you make an image. It’s about how you can integrate your personality into the work, and still have fun while doing any kind of the brief you get.
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Maybe the message for OCA students is that sometimes you have to resist the temptation to pick up a pencil or brush, real or virtual to create an image. It doesn’t have to be scissors or a scalpel but it’s worth considering the place that crafts can have in the creation of imagery.
Kanitta’s work is on show in London at the RK Burt Gallery as part of the group show Inverse – Evoke: Art and Text from 20 to 28 November, Monday to Friday 12.00 noon to 17.00 and she will be giving a lunch time paper-cutting demonstration on Thursday 21 November at 13.30. If you can’t make it here is a short video.