Out of Chippenham, England, illustrator Sara Thielker’s work runs the gamut from magazines to books to prints. Inspired by nature, everyday life, and her artistic upbringing, she blends pencil, digital media, and watercolor to craft illustrations that evoke warmth and authenticity. Balancing her full-time creative career with motherhood and home education, she approaches her work with flexibility, creativity, and a commitment to staying true to her own voice.
Bits & Pieces
From as early as I can remember, I have been drawing. As a child, I would spend hours copying from books, creating my own books, and making birthday cards. I didn’t really enjoy school but always did well in my art classes and knew it was something I wanted to pursue. It’s always been art for me. I went on to do an art foundation and an illustration degree in Bristol. My grandpa Alan (on my father’s side) was an artist and restored artwork at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. My grandmother Olga (on my mother’s side) was a skilled painter, and my two sisters are incredibly talented artists. So, it’s in my blood. Establishing and maintaining a career in the art industry is tough, so even if you are a creative, it’s definitely not for everyone. However, I don’t think I could stop illustrating if I tried. Drawing is where I find my flow state, and illustration is my livelihood.
Just Begin
Pencil on paper is usually where I begin, however, with the fast pace and quick turnaround of editorial illustration, digital mediums have been really useful to me. I tend to illustrate the composition loosely before drawing a rough, yet more detailed version and then draw the final piece using the second version and chosen colour palette as my reference. I often paint with watercolours or ink because it just feels good to me, and these paintings often inspire future work.
Taking a step back can help when you lose momentum or feel stuck. Sometimes going outside, people watching, or being in nature can ease the pressure of coming up with the initial idea. I have “no pressure” sketchbooks for rough ideas and scribbles and ugly drawings you would never want to share but that help with finding the concept, tone, or subject and keep my drawing loose. These are where some of the best illustrations start.
Be True to Yourself
Be true to yourself. When you constantly compare yourself, tweaking and changing your style to be like the artists you feel are more successful, you will lose yourself in a sea of similarity within a brawl of illustrators all going for exactly the same jobs. You may find your work on trend for a moment in time but then you’ll be lost all over again. It’s definitely an important skill to adapt, but I try not to lose myself and my voice as an artist. By staying true, you will end up creating work that relates to the viewer in its own important, unique, and beautiful way.
Learn more about Sara Thielker at sarathielker.com, and follow her @sara.thielker.
Issue 04 • Cultivating Creativity
$12
This issue is all about tapping into your imagination and nurturing the creative spark within! Cultivating Creativity will encourage you to explore new ideas, embrace artistic play, and find inspiration in everyday life.
