Gemma Correll certainly doesn’t need a lot of introduction. Her doodles pop up everywhere from newspapers to greetings cards, and everything in between. But her drawings also raise lots of interesting talking points. So let’s draw inspiration (pun intended) from Gemma Correll…

Hey Gemma, welcome to Thunder Chunky. How do we find you today?

Hello! I am very well, thanks. I just got home after a week in New York (for Brooklyn Book fest) and Washington D.C. (for SPX comics fest) so I’m pretty tired. I’m spending today working in my husband Anthony’s studio (ie. the upstairs room of our apartment) sitting on the floor with my pugs, instead of at a desk like a normal person.

You’re famous for doodling (no point denying it!)… how did you start out in the creative world?

I’ve always doodled – when I was a kid, I spent all of my time either reading, writing or drawing – I made little comics and entire novels in old notebooks. I ended up going to art school (although my path there was not straightforward – I also applied to – and was accepted to – study english, sociology, psychology, cultural studies, drama and education, changing my mind several times along the way).

I studied graphic design and illustration at art school in Norwich and started getting work after I graduated from there in 2007. I did also work in other jobs (including as a special needs TA in a school, which was great, and as a sales assistant in Topshop, which was not) for a few years until I was able to go full-time as a freelance illustrator.

For those that weren’t aware, you injured your right hand so haven’t been able to draw recently. How are the left-handed drawings going?

I’m back drawing with my right hand again now (although I’m still a bit slow) but I had a couple of months drawing with my left. It was kind of fun to attempt to draw with my non-dominant hand but the drawings I produced were by no means good, so I did have to take some time off from client projects.

A little while ago you re-located to California. Do you think being State-side has helped creatively? Have you found new inspirations over there?

I do think that a change of scene can be helpful creatively – and California is pretty inspiring in terms of colours, architecture and landscape. I probably could have found new inspiration in any new place, but the sunshine here helps a lot!

You’re pretty self-critical and self-deprecating sometimes. Does that confuse Californians? ;-)

There have been a few occasions where I think I’ve confused people – but I think they just assume I’m a weird Brit (which, to be fair, I am).

I see your work in all sorts of places now – where were you most excited to see your work appear?

I’m still pretty excited to see my comics in The Observer magazine (I have one in there every week, although I never get to see them).

Your puns always bring a smile. Do you have a secret stash that you dive in to when required, or do you just doodle in your sketchbook and they come to you organically?

I do have a bit of a pun stash in my sketchbook, but they also come to me organically a lot of the time.

Is there a pun that you’re particularly proud of?

“Complex carbohydrates” seems to be particularly popular, which is funny because when I came up with it, I thought it was pretty bad. The things I think are the stupidest and usually the things that end up being the most popular though (see also : “Made it with my bum”).

You always manage to capture tonnes of personality in your doodles, particularly with animals. Do you have any tips for getting personality into drawings?

I think using simple linework allows personality to shine through. Most of my drawings are doodle-y and quick – I prefer not to make too many preliminary sketches and I don’t do pencil roughs – in order to retain a sense of freedom and spontaneity.

A lot of your drawings are so popular that they have become a target for companies ripping off your designs. How difficult is it to protect your work?

It is quite difficult – and I’m still learning about how copyright works in the USA, as the laws are a little different here. My main problems are – Companies using my images in online advertising – removing my signature and adding their logos. These are easier to deal with.

I find it incredible that companies don’t understand that you can’t do that, that images found online are not free to use in advertisements, but the amount of replies to my emails that go something along the lines of “Oh, we found the image on Pinterest and we didn’t know who made it” suggests that they really are that naive.

The other issue I deal with often is my images being traced and printed on products like T-shirts and phone cases. A lot of the time, these products are being made in China so it’s nearly impossible to do anything about it as the copyright laws there are close to non-existent. These products are being sold all over ebay, amazon, etsy etc. You can submit copyright violation notices, but as soon as one gets taken down, another pops up in its place so it feels like a losing battle. It’s frustrating.

You also tend to touch on topics that people feel a connection with, as they have the same feelings too. Are your doodles sometimes cathartic?

Yes – a lot of what I share online is personal work about mental illness or health stuff (ie. lots of comics about periods) – I make that work as a form of therapy for myself and the fact that other people respond to it and find it relatable is just a bonus. It’s work that I would make whether I had an audience for it or not.

What helps you stay creative throughout the day? Music? Coffee? Fresh air?

Coffee or tea in the morning, walks with my pugs, frequent trips to the library, bookstores and thrift stores, yoga and taking time out to read books and magazines. I also try to stay away from the internet unless I’m actively posting something or answering emails.

Do you have a favourite thing that you’ve bought in the last few months?

I bought some really awesome Mexican folk art in San Diego – a couple of little figurines and a starfish painted to look like Spongebob Squarepants. I love folk and outsider art.

Finally, what’s the one thing everyone should do today?

Go to your local library! Read some books instead of internet nonsense.

You can check out more of Gemma’s work on her website, tweet her @gemmacorrell, catch her over on Instagram, and buy all sorts of her stuff over at Ohh Dear. Anything more? Probably, just try Google!