When did you first become interested in art?
I’ve always loved to draw and be creative. Art was always my favourite subject at school and if it wasn’t for my high school art teacher, I might have gone down a different route. He encouraged me to go to college and do a diploma in art, which then lead to me studying illustration at university. It was at university where I discovered I love to doodle and work with puns.
How would you describe your design style?
It’s quite difficult describing your own work! I’ve always struggled with that. I guess my work is quirky, funny and simple.
What inspires you?
Puns are my main inspiration, I love them! I like taking a well known pun and making it in my own style.
What is your favourite piece in your collection?
I think my favourite Art Rookie piece is my Cool Beans doodle. It amuses me!
Is there any artistic talent in your family?
Erm..not really! But each family member is creative in their own way, which is great.
What is the journey you take to produce your work?
Usually a random idea will pop into my head, I’ll then make a note of it on my phone or on some paper. I’ll draw the idea up in my sketchbook and then start developing it in Photoshop.
What made you want to be a part of Art Rookie?
I was contacted by Art Rookie and I just loved everything about the company, so I knew straight away I wanted to get involved! Art Rookie have helped me share my work with more people and it’s amazing to see my work on products like cushions and phone case s.
When you’re not creating masterpieces what do you enjoy doing?
Doodling has always been something that takes up most of my time, but when I’m not doing that I enjoy reading, walking the dog and listening to music.
Have you faced any struggles getting your work noticed?
When I first started posting my work on Tumblr it was definitely difficult getting noticed but using great blogs like Eat Sleep Draw to share my work really helped to get my illustrations out there and seen by a large audience. Twitter and Instagram are also platforms I enjoy sharing my work on. Instagram is probably my favourite, recently an account dedicated to puns shared a few pieces of my work. The number of likes I received was crazy!
Where would we find you hanging out in the UK?
I’m from Liverpool so you’ll find me wandering around the city centre shopping or at home doodling away!
What makes British talent different than elsewhere?
I think British talent is incredibly diverse, it’s quite quirky and eccentric. British artists tend to produce unique work that is filled with humour.
What are your plans for 2016?
I think for 2016, I’d like to expand my Art Rookie range! I love designing cards and I sell them on my Etsy store so I plan on adding more cards to it throughout the year. I just want to continue creating and sharing my work and bring a smile to people’s faces.
www.artrookie.co.uk/leeannjwalker
