Illustration portfolio interview with Playbook HQ
Characterful illustration portfolio
My Characterful Illustration Portfolio was recently chosen as a top portfolio by Playbook. They invited me to do an illustration portfolio interview on an Instagram Live session to celebrate - and I’ve written it up to share with you!
Hi! Please introduce yourself!
Hey I'm Vicky, I'm a freelance illustrator based in Leeds, UK. My work is mostly made up of fun, cute, playful characters! I'm really inspired by anything to do with the outdoors, or going on adventures. My characters are always running around and doing stuff.
How did you get into drawing?
I was mostly doing it for my mental health; I didn't really know illustration was a job! Then I found the illustration community on Instagram and was super inspired - I thought "I want to do this too!". I didn't realise how many different ways there were to make a living through art. And how it is possible - if you work really, really hard at it.
How long have you been freelancing?
I quit my day job to go back to university in 2019. I started freelancing for my old employer. They are a tech company who wanted some branding illustrations and characters for their website. It was a really nice, friendly introduction to freelancing, since I knew the team already! Everything's basically grown from there.
Your portfolio is full of characters - are they all client work? How did you narrow down what to include?
I think everyone's got things they're more proud of and want to do more of - so all that's in there! Some of my tech client work is in there, among other client work. However, a lot of it is food illustration and recipes. I haven't done this for a client yet - but would love to work on branding for a restaurant e.g. menus, bags, murals. My mindset is to put it out in to the world, then hopefully someone will see it and ask to hire me for it!
Do you have a dream client?
I try not to think in terms of dream clients but I definitely have dream projects. A pizza restaurant would be great! Or any food brand with fun food to draw - like sushi or a greengrocers.
What's your creative process like?
I'm quite structured. That makes me less stressed when I start a project. I'll brainstorm all different words and ideas to do with a topic, and come up with a set of sketches for me (or the client) to choose from. If possible I take a few days away from it - so I can come back and refine the ideas with a clear mind. Then, a few more rounds of tidying up til I finish it. I try not to think too much about the final outcome at the start - otherwise that's too much pressure!
What advice would you give to young artists who want to start freelancing?
That's a big question! My main advice is to use the people you know - that's what worked for me. Lots of people have got previous careers, friends of friends, uncles, in-laws: someone who might hire you, if they hear what you're doing. I'm always posting on LinkedIn because that's where my professional network is. And, where the people with the budgets are!
Find what works for you and your mental health. I try to stay off Instagram except for scheduling posts, because I find it a stressful place to be, personally. Find any tricks that will help your work life balance!
Tell us more about your feelings towards Instagram!
I go through different moods with it. Personally, I've never got any work from it, but I do know people who have. If it works for you and getting clients, then go for it. But I find the effort doesn't match the reward, for me. When I open the app, I feel pressure, because I see what everyone else is doing.
Having said that, there is nice stuff about Instagram! There's people from all over the world that I never would have spoken to otherwise. Or people I've met on a trip, that I can keep in touch with. I think I'd miss it more than I'd admit, if it was gone!
How did you develop your style?
I started off by learning to draw technically well. I went to still life classes, and life drawing. When I went back to uni, my tutor told me off for doing too many realistic drawings! That's when I realised the difference between being a technically good artist, and being an illustrator. But my technical skills helped me abstract drawings and play around with style.
I also studied other illustrators work, examining what I like: colour, shape, patterns, textures. That's when I started using circular heads. Every drawing starts with a circle - because I find that fun!
For me, style comes in waves - it takes a while to become comfortable and happy with my work. Then, the comfort gets boring and it's time to push the style with some new experiments. I find those waves get less stressful, with time.
Character design is definitely a skill - to simplify and make them unique - and make a character that feels real!
Agreed - I just got back from the Pictoplasma Academy in Berlin, which is a character design course. We made our characters out of plasticine and drew them from all angles. That really made the character real for me! And it made me love my work more; having a 3D model of it.
What's next for you?
Since the Academy, I'm keen to just draw characters for fun and hang out in my sketchbook. It's waves again - I've been on a wave of client work and digital drawing, now I want to refill my creative bank with sketchbooking. I'm also going to be working on a set of spot illustrations for Playbook!
Who inspires you or keeps you going?
My dog definitely inspires my work - I put his endless energy into my characters! In terms of humans, my partner is very supportive. He's also self employed, and it's so helpful to live with someone who understands the freelance struggle. I also sometimes go to a creative co-working space. I find that community very inspiring and impressive; I love going in to see what everyone's working on.
