✦ Did you go to art school?

Yes, I did - I visited two, actually! Right after graduating from high school I took a year to work on my portfolio and attend independent local art classes to strengthen my artistic skills, applying to different universities - even internationally. Eventually I was accepted into Münster School of Design in Germany as a design student with focus on illustration. After a few semesters I moved up north to Hamburg and got to continue and finish my illustration degree with a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Europe for Applied Sciences.

✦ Do you need a degree to be an illustrator?

It can be helpful, but it’s absolutely no neccessity. Of course this is a decision you need to make. My degree certainly let me have access to facilities I otherwise wouldn’t have been able to enter and explore (printmaking studios, ateliers, a bindery, photography rooms equipped with gear etc.) and taught me a great deal not only in terms of drawing approach but on the history of art & design as well. It was inspiring and encouraging having teachers and fellow students around me sharing the same talent, dream and passion… a community. BUT: Education is becoming more expensive every day and there are other ways to teach yourself about illustration out there, valid ones. A degree won’t guarantee you a job in this field, employers or clients care more about your skillset as shown in your portfolio of work. You could take online classes on sites like Skillshare or do internships at art studios etc. It’s all about practice, and learning to (re)present yourself.

✦ How & when was your art style born?

I’ve been told I have a recognizable style (thanks!), but it seems to me that I have at least a dozen different ways to visually express myself, all different from one another. They say finding your voice is not so much about reaching a destination but rather being on a life-long journey of exploration. That does sound endearing - I mean, who wants to stay the same forever, truly?

Even though my style will constantly be evolving and changing, just like the art techniques I use: If you do want to nail it down to something, I think it has to do a lot with the subject matter you choose and making it reappear in your work, choosing color palettes to represent you and perhaps a certain way you depict facial features. For me, these elements from my own work where influenced by 90s comic books featuring animal heroines, animated movie (concept) art, mainly 2D, and my beloved pets! They’re entirely comical and always give me many ideas.

If you want to know more about what shaped my art, I talk about it in this YouTube video.

✦ How long have you been drawing?

Like most people I have been drawing since I was a child. However, I only began actively drawing and sharing my work on the internet at the age of 14 - that’s when I discovered and joined the infamous deviantART, giving me the community of like-minded individuals supporting each other that I was lacking at school. Many professional artists don’t like to admit that’s how things started for them, but I’m not ashamed - even though the platform isn’t what it used to be, I hold the memories of my time on it dear! (I’m 26 now.)

✦ Where are you based?

I’m currently based in the city of Potsdam, Germany.