Here you can find the Italian translation of the interview: www.fantasymagazine.it/rubriche/5775

Qui potete trovare la versione italiana dell'intervista: www.fantasymagazine.it/rubriche/5775

- How did you become an illustrator?

Well, I wanted to do comics, and somehow, I wound up doing illustrations. It was the best way to get paid to paint, more or less. Most recently I have seemed to want to diverge into more "fine art" type work and film design. I always loved movies. I grew up on them.

- Your work cover a wide range of styles and subjects: is there a style or an area of your work that you like the most?

Oddly enough, I like pencil the best. It is the most expressive medium around. Alan Lee is an inspiration here. Second to this would be oil paints. Just a sensuous medium.

- Between fantasy and science-fiction, do you have a favourite area of work?

Hard to say. I like it all, but, I like painting landscapes the best. I can appreciate the works of Constable and Turner, for instance, as much as I can some SF and Fantasy work. I think the best artists are the ones who try lots of ideas and areas.

- What inspire you when you start a new illustration?

Depends upon what I am doing. Sometimes I come up with ideas all by myself inside. Those are often the best ideas. Recently I have done drawings for concept designs for motion pictures, animated ones to be specific. I worked on Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius in 2000 and in 2003-2004 I worked on The Ant Bully which is released in the US on August 4th of this year. I like film design alot. It forces you to come up with alot of visual ideas and gags that are intended for entertainment.

- What techniques do you prefer to use?

Well, I really like using pencil and I like using a brush with oils usually on canvas.

- From a personal and/or professional point of view, what is the most satisfying work that you have done so far?

That's really hard to pin down. As a whole, perhaps the book Dragonhenge. Other than that, some self commissioned works.

- Is there any author or story that you would like to illustrate and haven't done yet?

Oddly, no, not really.

- What do you think about present-day fantasy illustration in general?

I think I like more of the experimental work. I love Yoshitaka Amano for instance, and of course, Alan Lee. Bookcovers are frighteningly digital. The problem with this is there is no finished painting. You have pixels of light and printed on paper suddenly it is a poster.

- Do you usually like what you see on fantasy book-covers?

Lately, no. At least in the US there is alot of digital illustration, and while I can name some great digital artists, I am sure, there is also about 90% of it that looks terrible.

On the other hand, there are some fine painters doing work.

Now a couple of questions for your italian fans of FantasyMagazine:
- Is there any italian artist that you know better and like?

Leonardo Da Vinci. The original renaissance man himself. Let's face it, he was the thinker. The original. How higher can one go than him? Your country has the great honor of him having lived and created there there. How wonderful that is.

- Have you ever been to Italy? Would you like to come and visit us?

I have never been to Italy and yes, I would *love* to come and see your great country one day. All the art, the history and, warm people – and especially the food!!!!

Visit the Gallery with a few examples of Bob Eggleton artworks: www.fantasymagazine.it/gallerie/140