In conversation with award-winning illustrator and designer, Naomi Ann Clarke

Why did you decide to take up illustration?

I decided to take up the creative trade as I really do get lost in drawing and creating and I believe if you can you should try and do something you love! I really enjoy being able to communicate via illustrations as I think it can evoke happiness and creativity within others more than other forms of media can do. Illustration can be such a powerful tool to make people understand the topics they’re looking at and most of the time is more engaging.

How do you get past creative blocks?

To get past my creative block, I like to go outside in nature and explore new places I haven’t visited before. This could be as simple as getting lost in my hometown and coming across some idyllic locations and places I find interesting. Or it could be something more like going somewhere completely new and exploring. I tend to find having a break makes me able to think clearly and means I can have more creative ideas!

Talking to my friends, and meeting new people helps me get past creative blocks, hearing their stories, background and culture.

I also find looking at other creatives’ work gives me inspiration for my own practice, especially their thought process and ideas.

What is your creative process?

For my creative process, I like to work from a sketch or a photo and start making shapes on Adobe Illustrator and really making it up as I go along, I don’t like to plan my pieces out too much. When I’m happy with the colour and composition, I add the detail and texture ( which I’ve created from printing, painting and various materials and found objects).

I do also enjoy to sketch with coloured pencils on paper and I treat this as a different outcome to my digital work and I don’t like to overlay the two as I feel they communicate different moods.

Where do you look for inspiration?

For inspiration, I find it in the normal and everyday and sometimes what people may find mundane things. I find interesting architecture, hidden places, random objects that could form a story and a whole range of things!

What are you reading or listening to right now?

I am reading the President’s Hat by Antoine Laurain, it’s about the journey of meeting different characters who in turn end up with the missing hat. I’m really enjoying it at the moment, the writing style is lovely.

How do you switch off?

I like to switch off my going on hikes and I find a lot of enjoyment in cooking from scratch for my friends and family.

A big thank you to Naomi Ann Clarke for contributing to our series of creative conversations with industry experts.