Stacie Swift is an illustrator that Bedfordshire has stolen away from London. She runs her own business selling cards and prints of her gorgeous work. We have managed to hear her away from googling cute pictures of animals to answer a few questions.

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I’m a 26 year old London girl now living and working in beautiful Bedfordshire. My time is mostly spend drawing and daydreaming though I do enjoy baking cakes, too.

I have been mostly working on items for my etsy shop, where I sell a range of greeting cards and art prints, and private commissions so usually have a good idea of size and format etc. before I get to the real drawing work.

 
I tend to start each project with thumbnails and very rough sketchbook work…and often will begin an illustration by researching suitably cute or ridiculous animals online. Once the pencil drawings are in place I then create a version in fineliner pen which is scanned and coloured digitally.

I think this happens to every creative person now and then. If I am stuck for ideas I find it really helpful reading through my favourite blogs and being inspired by the great projects other people are working on. That and googling cute animals usually does the trick!

One of the most valuable things is if you don’t ask, you don’t get! A lot of opportunities I have created by approaching people directly and being persistent. Also social media is a really great way of keeping in touch with people in what can be quite a solitary and challenging career choice.

It would be great to have some kind of guide to the creative resources and events in the area. And I’d also quite like to be able to create a network of like-minded people nearby who understand the trials and tribulations of wanting to live life drawing dogs in hats for money!
 
Make sure you visit Stacie’s gorgeous blog.
Check out her website to find information on her stockists and how to commission her.
If you like what you’ve seen then visit her etsy shop!