Geoff Waring

As a child

As a child, I worried about the big, bad world (Vietnam, the Cold War), but found escape in bird-watching and messing about in ponds. My parents bought me a pre-formed plastic pond for the garden, where I used to feed my pet tench (called Jaws) with woodlice. My parents were actors, so I spent a lot of time in theatres. I always found the models for the sets more exciting than the plays (though not any more!). I drew and painted birds and insects, but then along came girls and punk rock...

As an adult

I left my childhood in Barnet, north London, to study Graphics at Manchester Polytechnic. I graduated in 1984 and fell into magazines, where I’ve been ever since. Over the years I have been art director of Elle, Red, Vogue Australia and design director of Vogue UK. I am currently creative director of Glamour magazine. As an illustrator, I have always illustrated ideas, and have hundreds of sketchbooks to prove it. My first books are based on my own cat, Oskar, who I missed when we went to live in Sydney for two years, so I created him as a cartoon. But it’ll be almost ten years before he makes it to print.

As an artist

Although I draw a lot with pen and pencil, my books are created solely on the computer in Adobe InDesign, a relatively simple design program (Glamour is designed on it too!), which keeps my pictures bold and simple – almost like having scissors and coloured paper to make a collage. I’m not a computer whiz, so to have to learn only one program is fine by me.

Things you didn't know about Geoff Waring

1. Oskar is a real cat, and looks just like Oscar (with a slight name change!) in the books.
2. The logo of Red magazine is my handwriting.
3. My favourite view of London is from the front seat of the top deck of a number 19 bus.
4. I used to be a punk and had stripy hair!
5. I now have very little hair!
6. I take lots and lots of photographs.
7. I like to relax by playing my guitar very loudly (through headphones).
8. I’m deaf in my right ear.
9. The praying mantis is my favourite insect.
10. I’m saving up for a telescope, to marvel at the universe.