Speaking with Illustrator, Klara Hawkins

Klara Hawkins is a talented artist and illustrator who grew up in the North of England and now resides in Surrey. She recently collaborated with Azutura to create a collection of wall stickers featuring her beautiful images.

In our latest interview, we caught up with Klara to discuss illustrations, her move from in-house design to freelance, homeschooling during lockdown and more.

Keep reading to find out what she had to say and for a chance to see her wonderful illustrations.

Hi Klara, thanks for taking the time to speak with us. Can you start off by introducing yourself and telling us a little about your life?

Hi, I’m an illustrator and designer and have worked in the industry for over 20 years. I worked as an in-house designer for a top greetings card company and have been freelance for the last six years.

Originally from Lancashire, I now live just outside London, with my husband, daughter and a rescue cat who we’re currently fostering.

How’s lockdown life treating you? Has it affected your productivity?

I think, like everyone, some days are good and some are bad. It’s been such a strange time that it’s hard to absorb everything that has happened.

Homeschooling has hindered my work time and my energy! But, I’ve had to still be as productive as ever as I’ve agreed to certain projects and deadlines.

It’s really hard keeping all the plates spinning. I’m definitely ready for a break.

What’s a typical day like in the life of Klara Hawkins?

My working day usually starts early with packing orders, admin, replying to emails etc. I like to get all that out of the way so I’m ready to start drawing after I’ve taken my daughter to school.

Sometimes it can be hard to get going with a project and I find it really helps if I put my headphones on. It seems to shut out the rest of the world and makes me focus.

I do find the school day too short and it can be frustrating to stop my flow to do the school pick up. I have to remind myself that children grow so fast and I won’t get this time back, whereas illustration will always be there. I sometimes work in the evenings and at weekends but try and keep it limited as much as possible.

One thing I’ve found is, it’s too much working alone every single day. So, however busy I am, I make sure I go out for a walk, coffee with a friend etc. at least once a week. Making time for that actually makes me more productive - it’s a less is more kind of thing.

How and when did you first become interested in illustration?

I’ve always loved illustration. Growing up, I shared a bedroom with my sister and we had a horrible flowery wallpaper that my mum covered with beautifully illustrated posters - I loved them and wish they’d been saved as I would love to see them today.

All I remember are the colours - midnight blue, orange, red, olive and dusky pink. They definitely inspire the palettes I like to use.

How was the jump from working as an in-house designer to freelance?

Scary and exciting. I was ready for it and felt very determined to make it work.

Losing a regular, guaranteed income did bring a lot of feelings of insecurity. Also, I really missed having people around me. It felt quite isolating and lonely and took me a long time to adjust.

I’d worked in-house for 16 years so didn’t know what my identity/style was as a freelancer. It’s taken me several years to find but I think I’m getting there now. Overall, it’s been a wonderful journey so far and a dream come true.

Can you tell us about your creative process from coming up with the initial idea through to the finished piece?

If I’m working on a specific brief, then I’ll start researching ideas by using Pinterest and any sites that may be relevant to the project. I then do a few rough scribbles and notes with colour palettes and ideas as I have no patience for sketches. Then, I jump on my computer and start drawing. If something’s not working I’ll just scrap it and start afresh.

I often daydream and that’s when ideas for personal projects come into my head. If I’ve got time to draw it straight away, I will, otherwise I’ll make a quick sketch, get all excited and then lose it in my growing pile of things I want to do!

What creative mediums do you use?

Layout paper and good quality HB pencils for scribbles and ideas. I used to paint with acrylics but now all my work is digital drawn with a Wacom tablet using Adobe Illustrator.

A lot of your work features the natural world - what attracts you to this subject?

I just love our planet. It’s filled with such beauty - the sun, rain, wind, trees, animals, mountains, oceans, flowers etc. They all fill my heart.

A walk amongst trees or near water, listening to bird song or the wind, is so calming and helps us stay balanced. It gives you perspective on what’s really important.

Protecting natural habitats for future generations is of the utmost importance and something we all play a part in through the way we live our lives.

Where do you find inspiration for your ideas?

I obviously love drawing nature. There’s such diversity of flora and fauna that can’t fail to inspire. Often, I’ll see a bird, flower or hear a story, watch a film or documentary and that can spark an idea for something.

What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?

Follow your heart. Don’t copy others, make your own path and be your own trend. Just keep drawing until you find what you love and what gets you excited and you’ll find your own style.

If it’s what you really want, then keep going - do what you love and love what you do.

If you weren’t an illustrator, what career would you have pursued?

I‘ve never had a plan B but always fancied working in a library. I love books and reading - libraries are always so peaceful and calm places to be.

What’s the future looking like? Anything big on the horizon?

The future is looking exciting. Currently, I’m working on a few large projects which will be revealed later this year. There’s so much I want to do and my list of goals and dreams is growing as fast as I’m ticking things off.

I feel everything is evolving and in some ways takes its own path. I would definitely like to take some time out from commissioned work though to work on some personal projects. They help me grow more than anything and allow a more natural flow of creativity that I love.