Illustrator and tutor Connie Noble on the power of collective creativity
15 October 2024
Connie Noble is an independent illustrator and animator who has honed a distinctive style combining hand-drawn textures with bold digital shapes.
She’s a busy creative, too; splitting her time between working for commercial clients, running creative workshops and creating printed goods for her shop, she also finds time to be part of Falmouth’s online community – supporting students to develop their own illustrative voices in her role as Online Tutor for Illustration BA (Online).
We caught up with Connie to discuss the importance of collaboration, her ‘obsession’ with drawing and how she sustains a creative career.
When did you first become interested in illustration?
Back when I was a teenager, I used a platform called Tumblr – some of you may remember it! I used to repost hundreds of images a week that inspired me, most of which were illustrations and playful sketchbook pages. A wide selection of the work I shared was from artists who had just graduated and were working out of the Pencil Factory in New York; artists like Josh Cochran and Ping Zhu were paving the way for illustration, they were my gateway into the industry and made me fall in love with drawing. I then studied illustration and animation at university, which made me become completely obsessed with the subject.
What inspires your practice the most, and why?
Being around other creatives. Alongside my personal practice, I work in a collective called Lucky Frog Studio. We host talks, exhibitions and events in Brighton that showcase contemporary illustration outside of London. We had a group portfolio review last week, and just hearing other practitioners' opinions on my art and getting to discuss our work so openly, and without fear, is just so freeing. I am truly inspired by them every day, and working alongside others and seeing how they develop as artists makes me want to push my practice even more!
What do you most enjoy about being creative for a living?
The fact no day is ever the same; I work on so many different projects at one time that it is impossible to repeat a working pattern. I also love being able to talk about my work and hearing ‘gosh that’s so cool’, because I do often forget that what I do is quite different and means I never finish work and say, ‘that was boring’.
As a successful independent illustrator, what advice would you give to aspiring creatives looking to build their practice into a sustainable and ethical career?
Be curious, ask tough questions, create a community, and put yourself out there! Success is all down to the time and passion you put into your practice. Also remember to support others, talk lots, and spend time figuring out who you are as an illustrator post-education.
You have worked with an impressive range of clients, including Sainsbury’s, Channel 4 and Beer52. Has there been a project which you’re particularly proud of?
I am most proud of the FOLKLORE exhibition I put on with my collective in 2023, our debut illustration exhibition celebrating the theme of Folklore. The amount of passion, care, and time we spent curating the space, gathering funding, creating work, and advertising the show meant it was one of the most valuable moments in my career. You can spend a lot of time as an illustrator working on your own, so working as a team was so exciting and taught me a lot of new skills. We displayed 35 Sussex-based artists and had an incredible turnout – I cannot wait for the next collaboration.
What do you most enjoy about being part of Falmouth’s online community of illustrators?
I love hearing about my students' design opinions and their working processes; they teach me about new developments in the industry and make me excited about the future of illustration!
What’s next for you?
I love drawing on objects other than paper, so I am currently thinking about how to expand my practice into ceramics. I have created a few small homeware collections but would like to take a research trip to Japan to visit some museums and ceramic districts. Maybe I’ll even put on a small personal show at some point in the future.
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