Name: Lynn Priestley Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
My illustration style is whimsical, botanical, diverse and ever evolving.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
My essential items include my iMac, iPad, music, paper, pencil, ink, watercolours, a burning candle, incense or essential oil diffusing. And my little dog at my feet.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
Definitely watercolour. But I also love sketching in pencil and inking.
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Jane Newland, Maja Lindberg, Anna Walker
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I’d time travel back to the times of William Morris. I love his botanicals, symmetric design, and layering. He was a creative genius.
I have two big desks in a beautiful light filled room with a large door that opens to a deck. Great for catching the sea breeze. The space where I create is so important to me, surrounding myself with my favourite things that inspire me. I am so grateful to have settled here.
My first desk is set up for digital work for patterns and design. I also work as a creative life coach, so my space incorporates what I need to support my coaching world, also.
My second desk is utilised for sketching, painting, inking, and writing by hand. Writing is an extremely important part of my creative process. Whether it be the storytelling side behind designing a collection, writing fiction or daily journaling. I am an avid goal setter, and set creative goals every week, committing them to paper to keep me on track. I schedule a creative meeting with myself every Saturday. It’s essential for progress.
What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
The moment when I notice that first spark of an idea and I pluck it from the ethers and spend time letting it marinate in my head to see if we are a good match for each other.
'Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.'
― Lao Tzu
I love this quote. It sums up how important mindset is. In applying this to illustrating, our habits become instrumental in setting us up to succeed.
Setting creative goals and challenging yourself every day, even for five minutes will strengthen that action and transform it into a strong creative habit. In this space, you see improvement and growth which influences your creative future.
Lynn is a surface designer, writer, illustrator, and creative life coach. She is living her best creative life on one of the islands of Moreton Bay, with her favourite canine companion.
I’d time travel back to the times of William Morris. I love his botanicals, symmetric design, and layering. He was a creative genius.
Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I studied graphic design many years ago, but I never really enjoyed it. I found surface pattern design, and my whole world changed. I began illustrating to make repeat patterns. It wasn’t until I joined Folktale Week last year that my interest in illustration really deepened. I fell in love with the whole process. Creating a single illustration that tells an entire story. It’s magical.
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
I have just moved house and settled on a beautiful little island, so my space and I are still getting to know each other.I have two big desks in a beautiful light filled room with a large door that opens to a deck. Great for catching the sea breeze. The space where I create is so important to me, surrounding myself with my favourite things that inspire me. I am so grateful to have settled here.
My first desk is set up for digital work for patterns and design. I also work as a creative life coach, so my space incorporates what I need to support my coaching world, also.
My second desk is utilised for sketching, painting, inking, and writing by hand. Writing is an extremely important part of my creative process. Whether it be the storytelling side behind designing a collection, writing fiction or daily journaling. I am an avid goal setter, and set creative goals every week, committing them to paper to keep me on track. I schedule a creative meeting with myself every Saturday. It’s essential for progress.
What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
The moment when I notice that first spark of an idea and I pluck it from the ethers and spend time letting it marinate in my head to see if we are a good match for each other.
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
I’d start with this quote... 'Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.'
― Lao Tzu
I love this quote. It sums up how important mindset is. In applying this to illustrating, our habits become instrumental in setting us up to succeed.
Setting creative goals and challenging yourself every day, even for five minutes will strengthen that action and transform it into a strong creative habit. In this space, you see improvement and growth which influences your creative future.
Lynn is a surface designer, writer, illustrator, and creative life coach. She is living her best creative life on one of the islands of Moreton Bay, with her favourite canine companion.
