Since March is #MarchMeettheMaker over on Insta, we thought it would be nice to share more about who we are by sharing a few "Host Spotlights". First up, is the very talented Jen Jamieson aka @jen_jamieson !
Please can you give us a brief little introduction about yourself?
Hello! I am Jen, a designer and illustrator living in Bedfordshire, UK, with my husband and two young kids. I am an aspiring children's illustrator and enjoy creating quirky, diverse characters and bringing them to life with vibrant colour and detailed scenes.
What inspires you?
My children provide me with constant inspiration, which is good considering we have been stuck in a house together for the last year! I love to look out for interesting workshops and courses and have done a few #makeartthatsells courses, where I have met some amazing artists with similar dreams and passions. Myself, along with fellow #mats alumni @yaomacha, @creativebrenda and @sandralynneide started #FridayDoodleClub to encourage ourselves and others to push our creativity and improve our portfolios with fun, inspiring prompts that could lead to interesting characters.
What is your favourite thing to draw?
As mentioned, I love drawing cute, quirky characters, usually people. I am a strong advocate for positive representation of people of all backgrounds and all abilities. As a mother of a son with a physical difference, and volunteer branch coordinator for @ReachCharity1, I love to include characters with limb differences, as you will see if you have a little scroll through my grid. My son Beau makes an appearance every now and then!
What art goals do you have for this year?
This year I am working on strengthening my portfolio and finishing some exciting book projects with the hope of becoming a published children's illustrator. Friday Doodle Club is proving to be an integral part of that and feel like my character design skills are improving each week. It's so great to have the record of previous drawings on Instagram so you can see the development and the gradual improvement. So if you're thinking about starting a drawing Instagram but don't feel ready, honestly just go for it! I started mine last year and love scrolling back to see how much I have grown as an artist.
What techniques/supplies do you use?
I plan and sketch in my sketch book and then take a photo of that and import it into procreate on my iPad where I redraw my rough sketch and add colour and texture. I love to create book covers which often involve working on typography designs, in which case I may start that in Adobe Illustrator on my MacBook.
What advice would you give to another doodler/artist?
Draw everyday! Don't stop! Don't be disheartened if you feel like you're shouting into the void on Instagram. I felt like I was when I participated in the 100 day project last year, little did I know that an amazing agent had spotted my work and offered me representation.
Where can people go to learn more about you or see more of your work?
www.instagram.com/jen_jamieson
And website coming soon, so watch this space!!