How this young designer took her hobby to a successful career. In the space of just three years, Saskia Robertson has created a thriving design and illustration empire.
I: In less than fifty words, describe your work to us.
S: I would describe my work as minimalist, clean and fresh – nothing too fussy or overly colourful! Everything is created digitally which lets my inner perfectionist come out, making every line straight and every colour exactly how imagined.
I: What's your background?
S: I come from the Isle of Wight (think nature, rain and gossip) and although I loved living there, I knew that I needed to move somewhere busier for inspiration and ambition. I’ve always loved being creative – I spent my summers as a kid drawing in and painting in the garden with my Grandma, an artist herself. I studied graphic design at college but moved to London during my second year and became a remote student, so I could start my career whilst also finishing my studies.
I always knew I wanted to do something creative, but also needed the variety of projects that freelance work brings. Going freelance was the obvious option – I had contacts from an internship I undertook in college so that was the starting point.
I: Working as a freelancer, how easy do you find it to strike the ‘perfect’ work-life balance?
S: Because it’s not a standard job, it can be hard to shut the laptop and chill out in the evenings. In the beginning, it felt like every minute I wasn’t working, I wasn’t making money so I got wrapped up in my work and before I knew it, it was 2am and I hadn’t eaten lunch or dinner. I recently moved house and now have a dedicated home office, which has made my life 100% better.
I now treat going into my office as going into work – I start at 9am and finish at 6/7pm, and once my office door is shut I use all my willpower not to open it again until the next day. I also try and leave the house once a day to remind myself that other people do exist, and sit down for dinner with my boyfriend every night.
Freelance life can be lonely – it’s very different from working a normal 9-5! Having a good group of friends that are also freelancers is great because they know the ups and downs that come with this lifestyle, and the best ways to cheer you up after an especially long day (*cough* wine).
I: What has been your favourite piece so far?
S: My collections of illustrations ‘Body Talk’ and ‘Undress’ are probably my favourite – I love creating movement in illustrations with just a few lines, and the female form is one of my favourite things to draw. I used to be a dancer, so many of the drawings have been inspired by dancers and the dance routines, and also from attending catwalk shows at London Fashion Week.
I: Do you have a go-to software you use? What would you recommend?
S: Adobe is like the freelancers best friend – none of what I do would be possible without using at least one of the Adobe programmes. I mainly use Adobe Illustrator for my illustrations and typography, and Adobe Photoshop for editing photos and creating patterns/effects. I would absolutely recommend investing in Adobe Creative Cloud.
I: What kind of effect do you think the internet has had on our creative culture and arts?
S: The internet is great in some ways and damaging in others. Pinterest is vital for me to create moodboards and find inspiration, and I also use various websites to find the perfect font for a project. On the other hand, I do feel that the internet has sort of taken away authenticity in designs, as there are so many websites to find inspiration from that it can be hard to create your own truly unique style. Saying that, without the internet and social media, my job would be ten times harder as the majority of my clients find me through my website or Instagram page.
This piece was first published in the pilot issue of WHISPER Magazine
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