Name: Mirka Hokkanen
Describe your illustration style in ten words or less.
Happy, positive, cute, soft, nature centric and colourful.
What items are an essential part of your creative space?
No interruptions, quiet, writing/drawing tool and something to write on. It could be digital, or it could be pencil and paper. Lastly, some items of inspiration for a jumping off point. That could be an illustration I like, a book, a photo or a memory.
Do you have a favourite artistic medium?
I don't. I like variety and bouncing around from one media to another.
It keeps things exciting for me. What I tend to use most though, is digital (Procreate), because I usually need to have the final piece in a digital format, and it saves time from scanning and editing work on paper/canvas. And I usually always have my iPad around, so if I’m in the middle of something, then I can easily continue working wherever I left off previously.
Name three artists whose work inspires you.
Leuyen Pham, she does a great job drawing characters and I can always tell her style. Lydia Nichols, I like the way she is able to simplify shapes and her mid century modern inspired designs. Kate Hindley, she also has great characters, and I also like her colour palettes and linework.
Which artistic period would you most like to visit and why?
I’d love to visit the Victorian era in England in the late 1860’s-70’s. That is when wood engraving, another illustration medium that I work in, was having its hey-day and the arts and crafts movement was starting. I’d love to visit print, and engraving workshops and see into the lives of the artists in the arts and crafts movement. I think in some ways with the industrial revolution, illustrators must have felt somewhat similar to how we are feeling now, with the rise of AI. I think that’s an interesting parallel.
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Who or what inspired you to become an illustrator?
I was inspired to be an illustrator all my life, but what pushed me to finally give it a go were our kids and the constant military moves. We read a lot of books when our kids were small, and I got so much inspiration from them, and at the same time I needed a job that was not tied to a location.
I was inspired to be an illustrator all my life, but what pushed me to finally give it a go were our kids and the constant military moves. We read a lot of books when our kids were small, and I got so much inspiration from them, and at the same time I needed a job that was not tied to a location.
Can you share a photo of your creative work space or part of the area where you work most often? Talk us through it.
I don’t take a lot of photos in my current studio, because it’s in the basement, and it is messy and dark there. I have a few work stations, and this is a photo of my work table where I’ll do all the “manual” work, like painting, engraving etc. I have a separate table next to this where I have my computer, printer, scanner etc. set up. In the photo I’m working on the final illustrations for “How the Forest Feels”- picture book. I’ve got some finished pieces hung on the wall for reference, and then my paints, brushes etc around me at arms reach.
What is your favourite part of the illustration process?
My favorite part is working on final illustrations. That’s when all the thinking has already been done and it’s just time to paint and enjoy the process. I either listen to books, or have movies going on in the background, and it’s usually always relaxing and enjoyable (unless I’m running behind deadlines).
What advice would you give to an aspiring illustrator?
Do your research. Research the industry, learn how publishing works (SCBWI webinars and handbook are a great resource). Second research already published books. Visit the library often, read voraciously in the genre you want to illustrate, and study what illustrators who have already been published have done. What level is their work at and compare how far your illustrations are from that level.
Mirka Hokkanen is a neurodivergent author-illustrator who likes quirky animal characters and stories that make kids laugh. She’s created the graphic novel series Mossy & Tweed, and the Little Seasons and Kitty & Cat picture book series. She lives by Washington DC, MD and is represented by Laurel Symonds at KT Literary.
For more information, please visit Mirka's website or follow her on instagram.
