Lisa Chicken Interview

What is your favourite card you’ve designed for Sunshine Llama and why?

Oh, it feels like choosing a favourite child!

I think it would have to be the patterned foral design. My patterns aren’t usually so dense and detailed so it took a bit of work to get all the spacing right but I really love how pretty the finished design looks.

Can you tell us a little bit more about your design process? What do you enjoy most?

I start with something that inspires me and from there I’ll start drawing – usually in colour – with my posca markers playing with shapes, colours and linework. Once I feel like I’ve gotten all the ideas out I’ll photograph the sketches and import them into procreate. From there I trace the elements and play with arranging them into patterns and compositions.

After procreate its into Illustrator to vectorise and create the finished artwork.

How did you get into illustration/design?

As a child I always loved drawing and making things. Fast forward a few years, a graphic design degree, several careers and two children later I rediscovered my love of drawing when my youngest started daycare. After discovering Bonnie Christine and the possibilities of surface design I started to commit regular time to drawing, developing my style and putting together my portfolio. 3 years later I’m now pitching my work and seeing it come to life on beautiful products!

Where do you find inspiration?

Literally everywhere – sometimes it will come in the form of a theme, shape or colour palette I like from a home decor magazine (I have an addiction). It could also be be a flower or leaf I’ve seen while walking my dog, a drawing one of my children has done or even just the shapes the drips make on my shower door. My daily life is my inspiration.

Who is your favourite designer/artist/creative person?

Oh, there are so many! I love Jen Sievers Art, Iris Apfel’s style and the happy, cheerful illustrations of Suzy Ultman, Vanja Kragulj, Elizabeth Olwen and Mable Tan.

Do you have any top tips for aspiring designers?

It takes time, dont give up! Be determined and keep chipping away at your dreams. Enjoy the process, slow progress is good progress and there’s room for you too. 🙂

What’s been the best part about working with Sunshine Llama? What have you enjoyed most?

Denitely the people 🙂 Lucy and the team have all been so lovely and fantastic to deal with. I’ve also really enjoyed working to a brief and evolving my designs with a team who have a wealth of industry experience.

Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself?

I once starred in a series of Mcdonalds commercials along with my family because of our surname. They flew us out to Australia, put us up in a fancy hotel and fed us chicken burgers for a week!

What’s your favourite film? Why?

I have to confess, I’m terrible at sitting through an entire movie – I always get sidetracked. The bad ones I get bored and the good ones make me want to draw! I do love Forest Gump and Fantastic Mr Fox though, and you can’t beat a cheesy repeat of Love Actually with the whole family at Christmas time.

What’s your star sign?

I’m an Aries which according to google makes me honest, ambitious, optimistic, passionate and creative. All of that sounds pretty true. Not afraid of anything and self assertive… not so much.