Interview with Kenyan Illustrator Lynn Atieno

Take time to perfect your craft. The more you work at it and stay consistent, the more it comes easily to you and illustration becomes like second nature. Always be open to learn from other artists because that is how you grow.

Lynn Atieno is a Digital Illustrator based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has been illustrating traditionally for over ten years and recently found her passion for digital art.

Let us begin by getting to know you Lynn, can you please tell us more about yourself, where are you from and how did you begin your journey into art.

My name is Lynn Atieno. I am a Digital Illustrator from Nairobi, Kenya. I began drawing from a young age and have always had an interest and passion for art. My love for digital art came about when I invested in my first digital drawing tablet in campus and began exploring various digital art software. I began illustrating digitally six years ago and haven’t stopped since. Occasionally, I explore animation to convey my artwork, and am always open to exploring new and emerging avenues for artistic expression.

Lynn, Can you tell us about the process of making your work?

I come up with an idea, do some research in order to have a solid mental picture of what I want to create, then sit down to actually begin the creative process and eventually come up with a final art piece. I currently use a Samsung tablet with a stylus pen to create my art pieces and my main software of choice for a while has been Sketchbook.

What has been one hurdle you’ve overcome as a creative and how did you navigate that problem?

Navigating the digital art space has been challenging in terms of learning how to use the many options of design software at my disposal and figuring out which one works best for me. I am mostly self taught and can attribute most of what I know to the internet, because it is through observing what other people do and how they do it that I learnt how to do it on my own.

What are important strategies or choices you make that help support your creative process?

I always ensure to plan and do a lot of research before executing an art piece. It helps to streamline the workflow once all the different ideas are aligned.

Can you describe the evolution of your artistic style?

Before I settled on my current art style I experimented a lot with different styles. I draw a lot of inspiration from both local and international artists. I would say my art style is a mix of foreign influence with a touch of African elements.

What is one creative resource you can’t live without?

The internet. It has a vast collection of resources of all kinds and in all mediums. It helps to spark creativity especially when it’s running low.

Who/what inspires you?

While creating my pieces, I draw inspiration from a lot of things such as day to day lived experiences, music I listen to or even the shows I watch.

 What piece of advice would you give to young aspiring African digital artists?

Take time to perfect your craft. The more you work at it and stay consistent, the more it comes easily to you and illustration becomes like second nature. Always be open to learn from other artists because that is how you grow.

Any current projects you can talk about? What is your ultimate dream project that you canʼt wait to work on, or be a part of someday?

I recently got into NFTs and crypto and i’m currently working on an exciting collaborative project with a fellow Kenyan artist, Ed Wainaina. I would love to one day work on a project with South African digital artist, Karabo Poppy.