Interview :: Ellie Curtis

posted by Emma Fisher August 26, 2014

Illustrator, printmaker and printed textile designer, Ellie Curtis has been building a name for herself through her unique character based designs. She seamlessly translates paper print illustration to textile designs with her own stylistic flair. We were grateful to talk to Ellie to find out a little bit more about her practice and what inspires her magical designs.

How best would you describe yourself and what you do?
I’m an illustrator and fabric print designer and I’m currently mainly working with printmaking.

2. What was your inspiration to get into printmaking?
In 2001 was living in South London in Peckham and Brixton for a while and I became fascinated in West African printed fabrics, particularly ones that featured and celebrated random everyday objects. I thought it was really fun to see a toothbrush in repeat or a chicken. I saw a lot of these types of loud beautiful patterns and colours in the markets and I wanted to try printing textiles too. From then on I got very involved.

3. What does your average work day consist of?
I’m most often between the studio I make my drawings in and the printmaking studio. They’re both about 10 minutes walk apart in London Fields in East London, so it’s easy going to and fro. I enjoy the methodology of screen printing and also that it feels dynamic and quite aerobic at times!

4. What reasons make your work best to be produced in print?
My work has probably evolved as such partly because I work with print. But I think it works well for my illustrations as they’re usually very bold and graphic in their style and I like the flatness of screen print.

5. What would be your dream commission?
I’d really love to work with an architect and design a repeat pattern for the (possibly tiled) outside of a building! Apart from this I’d love to do a stage set one day.

http://www.elliecurtis.com