Todays etsy interview is with Bristol based illustrator Naomi Wilkinson.
You can buy her gorgeous illustrations in her etsy shop as art prints.
Sunbathers, tropical birds, jungle animals and mermaids are just a few of the things you can expect to find, so head on over and have a looksie.
But don't rush over there just yet...
Get to know the illustrator herself here first. Grab that cuppa!
1. Can you tell us a bit about you and your background...
I'm from a little Victorian seaside town just outside of Bristol which was very pretty but quite dull.
When I was 21 after a couple of years figuring out what area of art I wanted to work in whilst I worked in a pie shop I decided on studying illustration at UWE .
I've always been into illustration and it seemed like the area of art/design which wasn't too limited.
With Illustration you could work in any medium and illustration crosses paths with so many different areas of design ( fashion, animation, puppetry, comics, architectural, packaging design etc) which was really appealing to me.
I'm from a little Victorian seaside town just outside of Bristol which was very pretty but quite dull.
When I was 21 after a couple of years figuring out what area of art I wanted to work in whilst I worked in a pie shop I decided on studying illustration at UWE .
I've always been into illustration and it seemed like the area of art/design which wasn't too limited.
With Illustration you could work in any medium and illustration crosses paths with so many different areas of design ( fashion, animation, puppetry, comics, architectural, packaging design etc) which was really appealing to me.
2. Who are your design heroes and what inspires you?
I really love mid century designers and Illustrators like Alain Gree, Alexander Girard, Mary Blair and Nathalie Parain.
I'm always really drawn to vintage graphic design and packaging design too.
On a ''work day'' I get up early with my daughter and have breakfast and spend time with her till its time for her to go to my mums whilst I work.
Then I make coffee, make lists ( I'm well into bullet journalling) put on a podcast/audio book and work on which ever brief i have on the go, eat lunch at my desk till its time to stop and make dinner, then we eat as a family and put Polly to bed and we either carry on working if we have lots of jobs or me and my partner sit and drink a beer and watch documentaries or a tv series like mad men until we realise one of us will have to get up at 6am with our little scamp.
Well if i have time I like to let the brief stew a bit before getting stuck in as thats when you can have a eureka moment.
Then I make very very rough (like seriously rough) sketches which are then made into clearer roughs, those are sent off to the client and once I have feedback I play around with colour palettes and then get stuck into creating the final.
5. Where do you work? Describe your studio/work area...
I work at a little yellow formica table in our bedroom.
I did try having a studio but it was gloomy and I like being able to come back to my desk without leaving the house.
It also means I have instant access to our fridge for snacks and the dog for cuddles.
6. What art do you have on your wall?
I don't have much as we live in a rented house but I don't have any of my own work on the walls as I'm too self critical.
7. In three words, describe your work...
I would say its joyful, simple and fun.
8. What’s the most rewarding thing about being a designer/illustrator?
I love the variety of work that comes my way and I enjoy my job so much that 80% of the time it just doesn't feel like work.
There are down sides ( its quite solitary and not very steady) but I love most things about it.
9. What makes you laugh?
My dog, my partner, my daughter and the Adam Buxton podcast
(especially the most recent one with Louis Theroux)
10. What’s the most popular piece of artwork for sale in your etsy shop?
And your personal favourite?
And your personal favourite?
I think its the tiger and accordionist print which I actually did whilst I was in my final year at uni!
My favourite is probably my menagerie print.
11. Top 5 favourite things in life...
Aside from the humans in my life I would say it is
1. My dog Lenny
2. David Bowie's music
3. Hot coffee
4. Cold beer
5. Books
12. What are you working on currently?
And any big plans for the coming year?
And any big plans for the coming year?
I'm working on a couple of editorial pieces, a design which will be used in packaging and a very exciting project which I don't want to talk about for fear of jinxing it!
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A big thanks to Naomi for sharing her world with us.
You can follow her here...
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