As a kid who wasn't into sports at school I felt almost alienated at times whereas in the theatre community there was this amazing sense of camaraderie. Early on we would go to rehearsals with my dad and I was like the mascot for the backstage crew. That was a big part of my childhood so I dreamed of one day doing a play in London.
Information and inspiration are everywhere... history art architecture everything an illustrator needs. Europe is after all the land that has generated most of the enduring myths and legends of Western culture.