Artist and designer Elena Naylor talks about the Circus Cats font created for a Spoonflower design challenge, and using Procreate…

READERSVOICE.COM: Would you pretty much create a new picture every day and what will trigger an idea for a picture, like the Countryside seamless pattern picture for example?

ELENA NAYLOR: In the past, I used to create a new picture every day or every other day. Now that I have a 1-year-old child I only can draw when he is asleep, so I don’t have time to create as much. Sometimes I am very prolific, but sometimes I just need to stop and think if I am moving in the right direction, and if what I am doing is fulfilling my potential. Sometimes my ideas are triggered by my experience or something I see. Sometimes there are outer factors such as creating custom designs for other people. Some of my artworks, in particular, Countryside seamless pattern, were created for Spoonflower’s weekly design challenges. That design was created for the modern farmhouse style theme.

RV:  I liked the Circus Cats Font. How did that idea come about?

EN: This was another example of creating a picture for Spoonflower’s weekly challenge. That time they partnered with Operation Shower for the Animal Alphabet circus-inspired challenge. I like drawing cats, they are whimsical, funny and adorable. So I decided to create a typeface where performers are cats.

RV: I saw that you had a paper journal with paintings and drawings. Do you create using these mediums or by using computers more often?

EN: Most of my designs and illustrations are created using the Procreate app on my Ipad. I like the convenience and comfort of creating art on my lap. But drawing digitally resembles reading ebooks. It lacks the tactile experience and it doesn’t seem as real as using paints and paper. So my medium choice depends on many factors.

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