Artist Spotlight: Chloe Evans
Last month, we launched our new Artist Spotlight blog series where we speak to our wonderful creators in our Artist community. To kick off the series, we interviewed Abi Ruddock and found out what drives her creative process (catch up on her blog post here).
This month we are speaking with the amazingly talented Chloe Evans – a freelance illustrator and designer. Keep on reading to find out more about her creative process and what keeps her inspired
Hello Chloe! First of all, thank you for being a part of our Artist Community. Tell us a little bit about yourself…
My name is Chloe and I illustrate under the name Chloe Fae Designs. My full time job is an in-house designer for kids denim wear which is really fun and an exciting industry to be a part of. On the side I am a freelance illustrator specialising in illustrations for children’s books, greeting cards and surface pattern design. I also run my own Etsy shop where I sell greeting cards, prints and other paper goods.
Can you tell us a little bit about your creative journey so far? Have you always aspired to do what you do now?
I have always been into art since I was a little kid. My creative journey probably started in high school as I loved my art classes and I pretty much pursued art ever since – taking it for my A-Levels, going to art college and then onto a degree in illustration. There hasn’t really been another career path for me, I just always knew that to enjoy my job I would need to do something creative!
What are your thoughts on Greetings Cards in our world today?
I think greeting cards are super important and are a great way to stay connected with friends and family. I think sending a card on a special occasion or even just to say hi and catch up is so much more meaningful than just a text. Buying the right card with a cute or funny message shows that you have really thought and made the time for that special person in your life.
What inspires you to keep creating? Do you ever get stuck with a creative block?
Seeing other illustrators work on in instagram or in stores (such as on cards, stationary etc) inspires me to keep creating. When I see a cute illustrated character or a positive illustrated message it makes me feel happy and I would love to spread that joy to people who may view my work. I still struggle with creative block from time to time. What helps me is usually starting a new project that I feel passionate about or experimenting with a different medium.
Who are some of your favourite creators at the moment?
This is such a hard question as their are so many great illustrators out there! A few of my favourite artists at the moment are Katie Abey, Holly Exley (if you are a creative I definitely recommend watching her Youtube videos!), Amy Lesko and Amber Davenport.
Can you tell us a little bit about your process?
All of my illustrations are pretty much created digitally on my iPad on the Procreate app. I like to sketch out initial ideas and compositions in my sketchbook. I also love adding different textures to my work so often my digital work is layered with pencil and paint markings from my sketchbook.
If there was one piece of advice you could give to a creator just starting out, what would it be?
Create what makes you happy and have confidence in yourself and your work! Being a creative is not easy but if you are passionate about creating, step out of your comfort zone and work really hard you will achieve amazing things!
Finally, do you have any projects in the works or exciting things you would like to plug?
I have recently started a personal project over on my Instagram @chloefaedesigns where I am illustrating an A-Z endangered animal series. Make sure to check it out if you want to see some super cute animals! I might eventually turn this into a poster/print at the end of the project which you will be able to purchase from my Etsy store.
Thank you so much to Chloe for giving us some fantastic insight into the hard work and skill that goes into designing our cards. Check out her amazing collection of cards and be sure to sign up for your first month free!
We love your feedback – if you have an artist suggestion or any ideas for how we could improve our service, let us know below!
