She might go by the name of Paper Beast, but we think illustrator Carla McCrae deserves something a bit more regal – Paper Queen? Paper Empress, perhaps? The talented lass from the Sunshine Coast has a way with pens and paper that has set our hearts all a-flutter, so we sat her down for some sketchy chit-chat.



What is your name and how old are you? I am Carla McRae. I am 22 years old.

Where were you born and where do you live now? I was born on the very quiet and beachy Sunshine Coast in Queensland. After growing up and studying there, I moved to Melbourne nearly two years ago to explore. It's been a huge change of pace but I've come to really love it here.

Please describe the space where you do most of your creation – whether it's your art studio or kitchen bench! My 'studio' is a small space in our apartment lounge room where I've made myself a mad little cubby adorned with books, zines, friends' artwork and messy piles of pens. Forever apologising to my housemates about paper piles and eraser shavings littering the floor!



What kind of mediums do you use? Why do you choose to use these mediums? It depends on what the project is, but lately for personal work I've developed a penchant for black fine liner pen and Copic Markers. I love blocky, opaque colour and they're perfect for this. For client or more illustrative design work I use digital mediums - Photoshop and Illustrator. It's just easier and less time-consuming to make changes. And changes are almost always guaranteed.

Are there any downsides to this medium? I always do this thing with markers where I haphazardly pick up the wrong shade of a colour and just start going at the drawing before I realise what I've done. Then the challenge becomes making it look like it wasn't a mistake. Sometimes I find digital work a bit 'cold', so my challenge there is to try to give it a human or hand-touched feel.

Is there a running theme to the work you create, or do you just make whatever comes to mind? I don't consciously go about creating themed work, but looking back I do find that they have a vague underlying feel of femininity and an element of the transient. The characters I draw are almost always female (sometimes I think of them as many different versions of myself); they are strong, independent and have a story. I like to give hints on that one but I try to let the viewers imagine it for themselves.



What kinds of ideas and things are you working on at the moment? I'm just drawing, drawing, drawing. Putting together ideas for some new hand-printed apparel / textile-y goodness. I'm also working as Creative Lady for a pal on his new super cute sock business, Odd Pears.

What do you wish you knew about being an artist before you got started? I wish I realised the potential of posting art on the internet and interacting with others in online communities earlier. Also should have listened to mum when she told me to stop hunching while I work. That's impossible though, right?!

Do you think people need to understand the artist's intention to appreciate the art? Not really. I like the idea of art being accessible and relatable for everyone. People make what they want of a piece and I think that's what is most special.

Are there any other mediums that you'd like to experiment with? I'm itching to start experimenting with gouache. I'm interested in animation too. My boyfriend is studying it so maybe there'll be some sweet collabs there in the future.



What's the coolest art tip you've ever received? I always think of this comforting Margaret Kilgallen quote: "Even though I do spend a lot of time trying to perfect my line work and my hand, my hand will always be imperfect because it's human ... And I think that's where the beauty is."

What other budding artists do you love? My pals Leona Fietz, Julia Trybala, Gemma Topliss, Susy Sykes, Kendra Yee and Aaron Billings are all making killer work at the moment.

What would you be doing if you weren't making art? Probably going insane. If I don't draw for a while, I can't get my head straight. Getting thoughts from brain to paper is like therapy.

Where can we see more of your work?
Website: thepaperbeast.com.au
Blog: thepaperbeast.tumblr.com
Insta: @thepaperbeast