Eiko Ojala is probably the most famous Estonian illustrator—not that we like him just because of his fame. His layered, minimal works attract with their wit and clean lines, and there is always a deeper meaning lurking in the shadows. Here's what he has to say about his work and his art.
Your first drawings as a kid?
I grew up during the end of the Soviet era, and my earliest memories are from that anxious time. I remember drawing tanks and soldiers in a comic style to ease my anxiety and tension. I recall it as a therapeutic activity, practiced under the shadow of my father’s large architect table, while the rest of the family anxiously watched the news on TV.
Is illustration a tool or an art form and why?
If an illustration succeeds, it is both. When it fulfills its intended purpose, it also resonates and works as art. If it doesn’t succeed, then it’s either a tool or art, depending on the context. Which is also fine.
What do you think about when you draw?
It depends. When I’m working on ideas, I focus on my thoughts. When I’m doing more technical work or polishing, I listen to other people’s thoughts, like podcasts.
How did you find your style?
Quite by accident. After a long creative drought, working in various fruit farms in Australia and ending in a piggery (which was fun), I tried to return to creative work. This was the first idea or style that broke through. In short, my previous experiences needed time to settle and mature.
Color or line?
Color. I primarily work with colors and surfaces, trying to make them interact effectively.
Character or situation?
Character. I believe that from a character – their posture, mood, or color – you can infer the situation they are in or wish to be in. When a character creates or reflects a situation, it gives the viewer the freedom to fill in the blanks or imagine the situation themselves. I find the opposite approach more difficult and less interesting.
Your favourite artists/illustrators? Name at least 3.
Among artists, I’m always intrigued by how Ai Weiwei continues to surprise. I admire Alicja Kwade’s uncompromising precision, and among illustrators, Geoff McFetridge, who has created an incredibly warm world around himself.
Your favourite places in Estonia and the world?
Places are always tied to time. So, in Estonia, it’s Friday afternoons when I arrive with my family at our damp countryside home near Laulasmaa and have managed to get all the stoves and the fireplace lit. In the world, it’s probably Helsinki in the summer when I can go there alone with my spouse.
Advice for beginners?
I think any advice, apart from "trust yourself," is either useless or sometimes even harmful. People are just so different. One person assembles an IKEA cabinet by following the instructions, while another puts it together first and then checks the instructions to see if it’s the same.
What do you need to have a productive workday?
I'm not sure if I could have a productive day without a coffee. Or could I have a day at all without it.
Do you think of drawing as of work or as of fun?
Both. It’s a job like any other, where I can find a lot of joy. For instance, I get immense joy from finishing a very good idea and confirming that it actually works.
Have you ever been stuck creatively and how have you dealt with it?
Of course. Then you either find a solution or admit there isn’t one. Usually, there is a solution. You need to let the work sit, wait, and let it ripen on its own. Often, the first ideas are the dullest and most tedious, but you have to get through them to reach the more exciting ones.
How do you combine different skills - design and drawing - and professions of yours? Is it helpful or sometimes they become competitive with eachother?
I’ve managed to merge them. My minimalistic and precise style clearly comes from my graphic design background. With this, I also know exactly where my creative limits lie. I struggle when I have to draw something spontaneous or lush.
Please make a drawing of Trickster as a fantasy character!
