Have you always been creative and what’s the earliest work you can remember creating?
Always. I drew my parents a lot when I was really young, and back then I used to draw people as a circle with lines for arms and legs coming straight out of the head. I have vivid memories of the first time I looked at someone and thought "wait a second, there's something between the head and the legs??"
I also remember meeting the teachers at my primary school and being told to draw a picture of my mum. I later found out that this was a test to see which colours I could name, and I think I aced it because I said "I'll have to use pink for the skin because you don't have any flesh colours!"
What's your studio like and how do you keep organised?
I haven't quite situated myself yet so I don't really have a studio. Thankfully, I do most of my work on the iPad, which means my studio is anywhere I can curl up with an iPad and a cup of tea! I do like to keep things tidy most of the time, but if I get swept up in a passion project things can get a bit chaotic.
Where do you look for inspiration?
I try to draw inspiration from the real world as much as possible before I turn to Google, but I also have to keep up with trends and sometimes that takes more internet research.
Whats in your pencil case / camera bag?
I tend to have three or four pencil cases on the go, each filled with pens or paints or brushes. Plus the usual pencil case contents.
Any tips for someone suffering from creative block?
Take a break. You do not have to buy into this "create something every single day otherwise you're a bad artist" mantra. Some days you're just not in the right head space, or lacking inspiration, and forcing it or feeling guilty for not drawing will only make that worse. Take a break, do something else, watch some TV, go for a walk, go to a gallery. It'll come back to you if you let it.
Do you do any other crafts and what are your hobbies?
I sew! My grandma taught me to sew simple things when I was a kid, and at school I was very ambitious in textiles lessons. When everyone else was making pyjama bottoms, I made a fully lined evening dress with a lace overlay and boning in the bodice. When I decided to concentrate on illustration, I kind of abandoned sewing for a while. I'm trying to pick it back up again, especially as I'm a pattern designer, so sewing things out of fabrics printed with my own designs is extra fun!
Is there anything else you'd like to add?
I'm most active on my Instagram, @artofabbilaura , and I also have an Etsy shop: abbilauradesigns.etsy.com
Drawing
Photography
