Emma Erickson: The science behind her art

Our new interview series is the perfect excuse for us to get in touch with some of our favorite artists, designers & creators in order to chat a bit with them, get to know more about their process and background, and share it with the world.This time we talked with Emma Erickson, a talented illustrator based in Austin, TX with a very distinctive, colorful, fun & trippy aesthetic.

HER ROOTS

Why illustration?

I learned to use Illustrator during the tail end of my PhD in order to make graphics for my dissertation and defense. Once I had a handle on the program, I was hooked. I remember being so excited about finding something that I actually liked doing. I went from drawing diagrams of my experimental protocols to creating art just for fun. I’d see other people’s illustrations and think, maybe I could make something like that. I spent hours and hours experimenting with different techniques, trying to see if I could emulate certain styles, and trying to develop my own style. To a certain extent, I was using it to avoid writing my dissertation, but it was more than just procrastination. I’d realized that over the last six years of my PhD program, the most I enjoyed myself was when I had to make visuals – graphical abstracts, figures, illustrations for posters, infographics, even designing slides for talks. After my defense, I was still thoroughly preoccupied with illustration. It was just a breath of fresh air to obsessively work on something I truly enjoyed.

What made you shift from science to art?

The shift occurred once I started getting editorial illustration jobs. I noticed that completing an illustration project was fulfilling to me in a way that I’d never experienced before. At the same time, my duties as a scientist were filling me with gloom. I decided to focus on what made me happy.

Animals are your main subject, is there a particular reason for that?

I’m not sure how it ended up this way. If I was more skilled at depicting humans, you’d probably see more of those in my work. But I think animals can be very visually interesting. There’s a huge number of animal species in the world, which provides endless subject matter. I’m always learning about different animal behaviors that I think would be fun to illustrate – like how raccoons dip their cotton candy in water and then are confused when it disappears. I also think it can be really entertaining to portray animals in human situations.

HER CRAFT

What do you want others to take away from your art?

I think it depends on the work, but in general I hope people see an image that’s engaging, evokes curiosity or a new perspective, and is pleasant to look at. I’m usually aiming to generate a little smile or a chuckle. If it makes them think about something in a different way, that’d be enough for me.

We can describe your aesthetic as colorful, cheerful, vibrant, psychedelic… how would you describe it?

I agree with those descriptors. My own description would be: playful, bright colors, bold lines, surrealistic, simplistic, cartoonish, grainy, fuzzy.

Who/what inspires you?

My wiener dog Mikey is the perfect muse. He’s always getting into hijinks and making himself look like an idiot, so he’s an incessant source of inspiration. Seeing other people’s illustrations is often inspiring, but sometimes demotivating. Daily life provides a lot of ideas. A weird-looking house, the packaging on a can of soup, or the lyrics in a song I’m listening to can all spark the urge to go draw something. One of my illustrations is based on a dumb standup bit from Seinfeld about how his wall paint is so thick that the power outlet looks like a pig is trying to push its nose through from the other side. I just keep a running list of ideas on the Notes app on my phone in case I see or hear anything remotely inspiring.

Do you have any particular habits when illustrating? How’s your routine as a creator?

I’ve got a pretty set workflow, although the sketch phase can vary. Sometimes I’ll sketch things out with paper and pencil or Procreate, other times I’ll go right into building the composition in Illustrator on my computer. I’ll do linework and color as vector art, then move over to Procreate to add finishing touches and texture.

HER

Any hidden talents we still haven’t seen from Emma?

I’ve been hiding my talent as a seamstress, probably because I’m not that talented. But I did learn to sew during the pandemic and made myself a whole wardrobe of ill-fitting clothes.

Top 3 favorite illustrators of all time.

Charley Harper, George Wylesol, Dr. Seuss

What’s Emma doing this 2024?

I started a new position in the fall of 2023 as an editor at a scientific journal, which took a toll on my time spent illustrating. Now that I’m more settled in with that, I’m looking forward to pushing myself creatively again. I want to experiment a little bit more, refine my style, and ideally delve into animation. I think my style lends itself well to animation, I just don’t have the skills to make it happen. I also want to broaden my portfolio, subject-wise. Maybe in 2024 I’ll face my fears and draw more people.