How long have you been illustrating and what made you start?
I've been passionately drawing, doodling and sketching since a very young age, but drawing became more serious when I realized I wanted to become a professional illustrator. My very first colouring book started as an illustration project at the University of Arts back in 2014. Now I'm working as a freelance graphic designer but I'm also creating and publishing books along with single illustrations for colouring.
Where do you get your inspiration?
I find inspiration in new places, architecture, nature, basically in everything that surrounds me. Everyday life inspires me - whether it's taking a walk, going on a trip or simply allowing my imagination to go crazy. I love to invent and reinvent things in my artwork, using everyday objects and giving them a new purpose and functionality. It's fascinating, because everything is possible in an imaginative world. It's a really fun process, because it actually feels like playing around with cute creatures, their habitation and constructions they've build while creating a new scene. It's the little things, a hint of humour and the beauty of imperfection that I try to capture in my illustrations.
Where is your favourite place to illustrate?
A lot of my artwork is done in my studio as it's equipped with everything I'd need to finish big and small projects. But I'm sketching a lot wherever I am, while on a train, in a hotel or in my favourite café having a cuppa for example. So most of my ideas for illustrations are really born on the go and start as quick sketches far away from my comfortable studio life.
What are your illustrating/colouring material essentials?
When I'm working on an illustration for a colouring book, I mostly use fine liners and an iPad Pro. I also use a graphic tablet and Adobe Photoshop for drawing.
What’s the piece of work that you’re most proud of or enjoyed doing the most?
I think the piece of work I'm most proud of is The Infinite Colouring Book Series called "Über Salatsonaten & Mondscheinkatzen" that I started publishing in 2017. The whole seamless illustration is about 22 meters (72.18 ft) long so far. So it's a really loooong colouring adventure that I also hope to continue expanding one day. The piece of work that I enjoyed working on the most is definitely "Autumn Is My Favorite Color". I love everything about autumn, you know - comfy sweater weather, warm drinks, pumpkins, cosy homes and lots of mushrooms... It's been so much fun to work on this book and I'm already looking forward to what's next.
