How did you get into the industry?
It was actually by accident! Many years ago I was diagnosed with ME/CFS and found that I went from being an energetic person to one who was effectively ‘marooned’ at home.
As I had always been artistic and creative, a relative who was working in the card craft industry offered me design work which I was able to do from home. Over the years, I developed my own style, taught myself new skills, attended online courses, and ended up turning it into a successful and rewarding career.
Where are you based now and who do you work for?
I am based in Norwich UK, and am currently freelance, working remotely for clients all over the world.
If you weren’t in your current industry, what would you be doing?
I’ve given this a lot of thought recently, and I’ve decided that if I wasn’t in my current industry, and as I am coffee hobbyist, I would likely be a barista at a small independent coffee shop… still drawing on my iPad during my lunchbreak of course ;)
Can you explain your creative process? What makes it unique?
My creative process is mostly a balance of achieving the most meaning from the least amount of detail. That way, I find that I can get the point across with the least amount of visual clutter. I also work 100% digitally. I’ve tried drawing and painting on paper, but it feels unnatural to me. My little son now owns my vast pencil collection!
How would you describe your style?
My style is playful and fun with a bold and bright aesthetic. I do however like to try out new styles and methods, many of which I share on social media and on my site.
Which individuals do you gain inspiration from? Do you have any heroes in the industry?
Ok, so my biggest hero and something of a source of inspiration is Dick Bruna (most well known for his Miffy character and stories). There is so much emotion conveyed through so few lines and a limited colour pallette.
Everything works perfectly. There is nothing extraneous in his work that doesn’t need to be there to tell the story. I also enjoy Molang (especially the cute animations), Pusheen and Hello Kitty.
What tips would you give to aspiring creatives looking for work?
The first thing I would suggest is to build a solid online portfolio that you can show to people. If you’re just starting out, you might not have many projects under your belt, so showcase your own personal projects featuring the type of work that you want to do.
As for looking for work, by all means use amazing platforms like Creativepool, but primarily, I find that talking with people and building relationships is the best way to discover exciting opportunities.
Get involved in communities that you’re interested in, not with the purpose of selling, but of connecting with and helping others. Most of my work still comes from word of mouth and the connections I’ve built over the years.
What kind of tools/kit/software could you not do without?
My espresso machine haha! Seriously, I’m useless without that first cup in the morning! Aside from that, I LOVE my Mac mini, and couldn’t do without it. I could say Adobe CC, but I think most people reading this would already take that for granted.
One thing that has made my workflow so much better is my Elgato Streamdeck. I’ve added shortcuts on there for commands and text expanders that I use all the time. It’s such a time saver!
What’s your secret to staying inspired and motivated?
Simply put… Variety. I’m not the kind of person to sit there and carry out repetitive tasks over and over. Some days I will be working on a Prototype for a website, another might be a logo or some icons, and another I might be drawing a Dinosaur sticking it’s tongue out (those are my favourite jobs!)
What’s the work achievement you’re most proud of?
As someone who tries to live an eco lifestyle, the work I’m most proud of are sustainability, and waste and plastics reduction projects.
I enjoy the challenge of finding a balance between making the material aproachable while getting across the importance of the subject. It’s also rewarding to think that my work may have even a small impact on attitudes towards sustainability and the environment.
What is the one thing that you would change about the industry?
Currently, I’m most concerned about the introduction of Generative AI tools throughout the industry. It’s a difficult industry to navigate at the best of times, and the prospect of these tools being trained on the work that artists, designers and illustrators have produced is concerning. I feel that there needs to be better protections in place to protect creators.
Any websites, books or resources you would recommend?
I must of course mention Creativepool here because I have worked on some incredible projects with contacts I’ve met through this platform. Thank you!
As for books, there’s a series called “The Illustrators”, which cover the life and works of Judith Kerr, Ludwig Bemelmans, Dick Bruna and many others. The books detail the illustrators path, showing photos, early drawings and sketches, and the work for which they were most well known. They are well worth picking up, especially if one of your favourite illustrators is featured!
