Getting to know the Bees! Claudio Cerri
25 March 2024
We are very proud to have represented Claudio Cerri for the last 4 years. His vibrant, inspiring style lights up the page. Claudio is fantastic at showing a characters humour and emotion. We are always excited to see how Claudio answers a brief.
Hear what Sarah Bennett from Capstone Publishing and Sally Spray from OUP have to say about their experience with working with Claudio:
"I so enjoy working with Claudio! He brings such positive energy and enthusiasm to his work, and that spirit shines through in the characters and illustrations he creates. I always look forward to receiving artwork from Claudio as I know I'll be delighted by what I see."
Sarah Bennett - Capstone Publishing
"It's been an absolute pleasure working with Claudio. He's a dream for any commissioner, checking the briefing, questioning inconsistencies, sending artwork ahead of time and never grumbling about our comments. His artwork is gorgeous, fun, inspiring and the characters he created brought our project to life."
Sally Spray - OUP
Let's take a look at what studio life is like for Claudio and what inspires him.
Please can you tell us where you are from and where do you currently live and work? Has this effected your work?
I am Italian and live and work in Stradella, near Milan. I live surrounded by greenery which inspires me a lot in my work, I love drawing nature.
Who or what inspired you to be an illustrator?
Everything around me is a constant source of inspiration: a book, a comic, a film, a picture book. I really like to observe and try to be as curious as possible. Drawing makes me feel good and it's my way of expressing myself.
What is a typical day in the studio like for you?
I draw from morning to night for about 8-10 hours a day. While drawing I love listening to music. Every now and then I take a break and cuddle my cats.
Do you have a favourite piece in your portfolio or particular Beehive project that you enjoyed, if so could you share it and talk about it?
I love all my projects, but my favourite is a big Beehive project for Oxford University Press that I recently finished illustrating. It was a long and complex project that gave me a lot of satisfaction. I became very attached to the characters.
Do you have any 'dream projects' that you'd like to work on?
I would like to work on a Fantasy book series full of magic, swords and dragons :)
If you would like to work with Claudio, click here to get in touch.
