Ella Tjader is a Scotland-based Illustrator who specializes in fashion and decorative illustration. Her work consists of highly stylized, vividly colored line-drawings of gorgeous creatures: women, nature, flowers, or other creatures elegant enough to capture her imagination.
Ella completed her Sessions Graphic Design Certificate in July 2003, establishing a personal style that fused hand-drawing with digital illustration and marking a transition from an eleven-year corporate career into the pursuit of her passion as a full-time illustrator. Her work has been published by such clients as NYLON, Penguin Books, Die Gestalten Verlag, and Sunday Times Style. Her illustrations were recently featured in Taschen’s “Illustration Now!,” “Illusive Contemporary Illustration,” and “1001 Nights: Illustrated Fairy Tales,” and produced on exclusive T-shirts at both Urban Outfitters and Target. We spoke to Ella about her creative process, working with clients, and building her booming career as a freelance illustrator.
Q: When you started your Sessions program, did you have a clear-cut goal for your career and what you wanted out of your studies?
Ella: To answer the first part of your question: No, not at all. I decided to study graphic design because it involved things I liked: The opportunity to be creative and the opportunity to work with a computer. I spent over 11 years working in a very corporate environment—long office hours, business meetings, lunches and trips. At some point, I decided I wanted a career change and I was lucky that I had the opportunity to study at my own speed without worrying much about anything else. At the time I did not have a clear-cut career goal, I was just reading books and magazines about digital art and graphic design.
I remember I was very impressed with computer animation and Photoshop digital art, but that was before I discovered Illustrator. Once I started my digital illustration course, I was hooked. Mind you, I still have very clear memories how much I hated Illustrator for the first two weeks. Those Bezier curves… hated them! Now I love them. Once I started playing around with Illustrator, I realized that I enjoyed it immensely.
I did not fancy designing corporate identity, business cards or websites at all. I just wanted to doodle beautiful, carefree, pretty things. I bought myself a Wacom pen and started researching the internet on the topic of illustration. It all started making sense to me: I could still work with computers, be creative, work with color, and set my own hours working with a variety of interesting jobs and projects.
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“Vintage bird” illustration for a line of printed T-shirts coming soon |
Q: When you first entered the freelance market, how did you promote yourself and go about getting clients?
Ella: I was basically participating in all Illustration projects/contests/competitions I could find online. I am a very lazy person in that respect: I did not travel anywhere and I researched everything from the comfort of my own studio. I think the most important thing is to get your work out there, which means creating an online portfolio.
I spent hours and hours at forums reading about the illustration business and how to deal with clients, how to promote yourself, how to sign contracts, and how to negotiate. I became a member of the AOI (British Association of Illustrators) and I also bought their clients directories. In the beginning, I also ordered promo cards and bright colored envelopes and sent them off everywhere.
I was very keen to get into editorial and was tearing out Contacts pages from all magazines that would come my way. The scariest thing was making that first phone call.
One should understand that art directors are normal people who are genuinely interested in discovering new work. They really are. After chatting up the AD, I would send my portfolio to them and then do a follow-up call 7-10 days later.
Friendly tip: Do not call them on Monday or Friday. Monday is usually very hectic with busy meetings; Friday is almost weekend and no one wants to deal with any last minute requests. In an ideal world, you should get commission at this point, but most likely you will not. That’s life. But three months later you repeat the same process over again. And then again…
Q: Your illustrations all have a consistent look that can immediately be identified as, “Ella Tjader’s work.” How did you arrive at that style and aesthetic? How do you think this distinctive style has affected your path getting work as an illustrator?
Ella: Oh, I don’t know about that. If you look at my earlier work it is simpler, less brave in color. I feel that it was just a natural progression from where I was to where I am now— style-wise, I mean. I absolutely love Art Deco and Art Nouveau; I love retro fabrics; I love wallpaper designs, and all things ornamental or patterned.
Even from my very early childhood, I very clearly remember patterns on my Grandad’s shirt or curtains in my parent’s bedroom. I just like things to be beautiful and pretty and I hope people like my designs. I suppose my habit of doodling while on the phone is partially responsible for my style, too.
If you look at them, they are all curls and twirls, round and floaty shapes, flowers, leafs, faces, eyes, lips, all intertwined together—a complete fantasy world; not a single, straight line. I think my current style attracts a certain type of client. It could be surface design, fashion illustration, advertising jobs promoting beauty products, girly book jackets. That being said, I just finished a job for a very corporate client who requested very simple line work for in-house use.
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Ella’s fashion illustrations are often Art Deco-inspired. |
Q: When you do freelance illustration assignments, does the work—the style, the subject matter, for example—differ from the kind of illustrations you might do for pure creative expression in your own time?
Ella: Not really. I might try new things, create new brushes or try drawing differently somehow, but mainly my personal work is going to be in my current style. As for subject, the good thing about clients is that sometimes you will be commissioned to do something you would not even consider drawing yourself. For example, I really love the Madame Zebra image, but if it wasn’t for my client, I don’t think I would be interested in drawing a zebra.
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“Madame Zebra” was the happy result of a client commission. |
Q: You recently had a series of your illustrations produced on zodiac-themed T-shirts that sold at Urban Outfitters. Each one has a recognizable identity. I think the end result uses the illustrations really well in terms of the sizing and placement of the image on the shirt—the illustrations and the lines of the T-shirt complement each other well. How much control did you have over the outcome? What was the entire process from getting that gig to seeing the final piece produced and sold in stores?
Ella: These illustrations were a series of 12 females, representing the 12 Zodiac signs. Actually, they are all personal work which I created after a holiday trip to Florence. There was something in the air, in Uffizi galleries perhaps.
I just licensed the artwork for my client and they were kind enough to send me Tee samples. I think they are gorgeous! I did not have any control over final outcome, but I trusted my client would do a brilliant job, and they did. Afterwards the same client commissioned me to do more designs, this time working on spec. Among them there was a series of vintage Disney black and white characters, and I was requested to draw my art around them. I was so excited!
My client gave me complete artistic freedom, requesting only that illustrations would be pretty and fit nicely style-wise with Disney art. I received Disney scans, was given an actual size of artwork and that was it. I really enjoyed this commission, I thought it was fun to do; my client let me do whatever I wanted to. I have not seen printed apparel yet, but I hope I will see them very soon. There are more printed Tees with birds, animals and florals coming in the future. Watch out for them!
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Ella was asked to create her illustrations around the original Disney artworks. |
Q: The market for illustrators seems to be growing, especially for fashion illustration—there was a period after the 80s when fashion industry seemed to be using photography almost exclusively. Did you always have confidence that you would build a thriving career within that niche?
Ella: I agree with that. However, I think it varies from country to country as well. Here in Great Britain, fashion illustration is very en vogue now. You see windows, posters, magazine covers, drawn ads, packaging, TV ads, prints on clothes and accessories. When I started out, I did not plan to be a fashion illustrator, but I guess my personal desire to draw beautiful women, clothes, jewelry, florals…brought me to fashion. I did not have much confidence at all that I would succeed as an illustrator.
I just worked hard, stayed focused and constantly created new illustrations. In the beginning my portfolio primarily consisted of my personal work. Then slowly I started getting jobs that were not fashion -related. I did educational illustration, editorial, book covers. Little by little I started discovering my style and one job led to another and to another. It is important to stay tuned and focused on what you want to do, be original and innovative.
Q: I recently received a gorgeous pack of postcards featuring your illustrations. These undoubtedly helped spread your name and a visual association with your work. Do you have any self-promotion tips for illustrators looking to get their name and work out there?
Ella: I had great response from this mailing shot. I am glad to hear you liked them. In my opinion, sending cards and illustration samples work, but you should make them stand out.
Be original and unique. Pack them nicely, wrapped in tissue paper or tied with ribbon. Add a personal touch with handwriting client’s name. Of course you shouldn’t forget to find out client’s name and spelling before hand. Choose colored envelopes or embellish envelope with your drawings. The more attention your samples attract, the better for you. I think there should be an element of surprise, a bit of a treat too. Doing that means they will remember you. There is chance that potential client will stick your card somewhere on their desk and when the right commission comes along, they will get in touch with you. And lastly, do not forget to include your contact details!
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