Tell us a bit about who you are and what kind of creative work you make.
I'm a 24-year-old freelance children's book illustrator and 2D animator. I'm passionate about bringing stories to life and creating vibrant characters and whimsical worlds that capture childhood wonder and imagination. In 2021, I graduated with an Honours/Bachelors degree in animation at UTS.
Recently, I completed my fifth children's book project for Shawline Publishing and am currently developing my own original stories that I hope to publish one day! Alongside freelance work, I also enjoy teaching animation to primary school kids. It's incredibly rewarding to spark their creativity and share my passion with them!
Are there any special processes, techniques, or tools you use to make your creative work?
I love experimenting with different techniques and mediums to create a blend of traditional and digital elements in my work. I often incorporate lots of hand-drawn textures and assets into my digital illustrations and animations to emulate the tactile feel of traditional art. I also love to overlay 2D animation and illustration over handmade sets. The limitless creative possibilities of animation and illustration are really exciting to me, and I often love exploring new mediums and techniques.
When it comes to digital work, my go-to tools are my trusted XP Pen tablet and Photoshop, which I use for most projects. For traditional art, I enjoy working with Derwent coloured pencils and other mediums like ink, clay, paper, etc.
Whereabouts do you look for creative ideas? Who or what inspires you?
I like to look to my personal experiences or current fascinations for ideas. I'm also often inspired by other artists I meet or follow online. Ideas tend to strike really randomly for me, whether I'm daydreaming on the train, about to go to bed, or seeing something cool on my walk to work. I always try to keep a little notebook with me so I can quickly scribble down any ideas before they slip away.
Working with kids at my other job is also such a fun way to find inspiration. They have boundless creativity, vivid imaginations, and sometimes just say the funniest and most absurd things. It often triggers this lightbulb moment where I'll think, "That would make an amazing illustration or story". It's a reminder to tap into my inner child and to keep that natural curiosity and unique perception of the world alive.
What's your favourite part of working as an artist/creative?
Being able to have a small yet positive impact on children's lives through illustration and animation holds a deep sense of meaning to me. I love that my work can bring a smile to kids' faces (and also to those of us who are children at heart). I also enjoy being able to share my work at conventions and markets where I can see the impact my work has and connect with people in person.
