Introducing: Madi

Tell us a little bit about you?

My name is Madi, and I'm an illustrator living in Dorset. I like to cut and stick and collage and draw and colour-in. My illustrations are mainly created using a combination of collage and mixed media, incorporating a mix of found papers and fabric with hand-drawn elements and typography. I collect paper; brightly-coloured magazines, wallpaper samples, catalogues, envelopes, pretty fragments of paper; basically everything that I might be able to use in a future illustration (so if you have any unwanted paper lying around, then i will happily take it off your hands!)

Where do you find inspiration?

I am inspired by everything; the everyday, the unusual, and the things in my head. Paper is a massive inspiration to me – different colours or patterns or textures create images in my head, which are often the starting point of an illustration. I also find the work of other illustrators very inspiring, especially those who use collage and mixed media in their work. Sara Fanelli and Lauren Child are two illustrators I really admire - I love the use of paper and textures in their work, and also find the way they incorporate illustrations and typography together very inspiring. 

Finally, I will always be inspired by my Mum. She always encouraged me to work hard, and to pursue a career in whatever made me happy. Her strength and bravery taught me to never give up, and knowing that I would be making her proud is sometimes the motivation I need to keep going. ♥

Where would we have seen your work before?

I have created illustrations for Amelia's Magazine, Flamingo Mag, Lionheart Magazine (coming soon!) and The Young Creatives and I've also designed a t-shirt for All Tropical. My work has been featured in Burst Magazine, Pocketful Magazine and Illustration Rally. One of my most recent illustrations - a Northern Spotted Owl - was included in Creature Mag's Endangered Creature ebook.

I have also created a children's picture book called I'm A Little Bit Scared Of... - the storyline of which explores a range of the different fears that children experience when they are young. This was perfect for me as an illustrator, because it meant that I got to create lots of characters including some monsters, which are my favourite. You can find out more about the book here.

Where would you like to be in 5 years time?

My ambitions are to have a children's book published, and to be successful enough that my illustration career can support me financially - it would be amazing to make a career out doing something I love.

If you'd like to find out more about me and my artwork, then have a little peek at these links; 
My Website.
My Blog.
My Shop.
My Twitter.