1. How long have you been an illustrator for?
I started selling my own products and doing commissions in my final year of uni back in 2013. So I guess officially…seven years now? Woah! But like many artists, I’ve been drawing since I was little. I think it was in college when I realised illustration was the path for me.
2. Your work often features animals and nature is there any particular animals that inspire you?
I love highlighting underappreciated and unusual animals, which I do with my zine Weird Animal Club. I started it back in 2016 when I noticed most animals featured within illustration tended to be foxes, cats, dogs etc. Some of my faves that have featured in the zine are Pangolins, Bumblebee Bats, Dumbo Octopus and Tapirs
3. What mediums do you use to create your illustrations?
I use quite a mixture of materials. I use ink a lot; I like the mark making and textures it produces, also it’s hand when creating layers for risograph prints. I have also got really into painting again over the past few years, using gouache and watercolour.
Posca pens are great for vibrant colours, sketchbook work and window art. I also have been doing digital art a lot more lately; when I got my ipad it was a real game changer. It’s really handy when you want to create art on the go and create lettering. Basically, I love using a big combination of all of this!
4. What designers/makers inspire you?
There are so many! I’ve been a fan of Kristyna Baczynski for years and she definitely motivated me to get into zine making. Fran Menses is a big inspiration; her illustrations and her YouTube channel is super inspiring, plus she’s so lovely. I adore the work of a lot of children’s book illustrators too, such as Tove Jansson, (the creator of the moomins) and Judith Kerr the author behind famous books such as A Tiger came to tea.
5. What are you listening to at the moment? Do you have a playlist you can share?
Honestly, I’ve just been listening to none stop KPOP at the moment aha. With times like this I need uplifting music and often find myself dancing round the studio…
Click here to listen to Sophie Kpop playlist
Sophie has also kindly designed some downloadable colouring sheets. The perfect distraction for self isolating
See some of Sophie's work on our website too.