Meet Children's Illustrator Rose Du Boulay
In this month’s Mimi’s Friends feature meet London based illustrator Rose. Her bespoke watercolours are the stuff of childhood; filled with adventure, fun and whimsical characters, including her best selling “mousies”.
Over the past few years Rose has grown an online following and prestigious client list, with bespoke commissions from name illustrations, to drawings. I recently chatted with Rose and asked her about her career change, from busy office life, to running a creative business from her home. Where her love of drawing began, and the family history attached to it. Finally, how she juggles it all, as a Mum of two. I hope you will read her founder story and feel inspired to follow a passion this year, you never know where it might take you.
xx Mimi
some background Rose, on how this all began…
At school I loved art and I ended up choosing to do A’Level Art in my final years. However, immediately after school I didn’t really do much drawing or painting, it is something I have come back to. I started to find drawing and illustrating a way to relax, at the end of the day. At the time I was working as a PA at Burberry and I would be working at a computer for long hours. Drawing in the evenings, progressed to personalised thank you cards, which I would send to people and then create for them. In 2016, I was asked to do a name illustration for a friend and thanks to word of mouth and Instagram I found myself getting more and more commissions. Being online has proved a platform to connect with clients and showcase my work. Today, I get enquiries from all over the world and I work on a variety of projects and private commissions.
what inspired you, to start drawing?
I’ve always loved drawing and painting and was encouraged by my father who would always take a sketch book and pencil on holidays when we were young. My paternal Grandfather used to paint and so we had lots of his pictures around the house growing up and a collection of wonderfully charming illustrated letters he wrote to his children during the Second World War (below).
I also take inspiration from my children, nieces and nephews, who range from 1 to 9 years old. They are so imaginative, they so often see extraordinary in the ordinary. I try to paint in a style that appeals to children, with lots of visual details and characters, they can let their imaginations run free.
How did the business begin?
Rose Du B Illustrations started after getting a variety of commissions, which I won through word of mouth. I built a website and started to collate a portfolio. I paint children’s names, children’s initials and house illustrations. Over the years I’ve done invitation borders, birth announcements, company logos, Christmas cards, maps and so on. I thrive on being given different briefs and then coming up with unique designs, I always want to create something fun and original. One of my favourite pieces to work on was a 90 year old’s name illustration, it made such an incredibly special gift.
& what do you love about your job? Something I think we are all asking ourselves more in 2020
Apart from the fact that I love to sit down in front of a piece of paper with my pencils and paints, I love bring able to choose my hours. I can paint at any time of day and anywhere, excluding my bigger commissions which I paint in the studio. The best part for me, is when I see where my illustrations end up!
Details from Rose’s much sought after name illustrations
other online businesses/ artists, you have discovered?
Social media has been such an important platform for my small business. I have been lucky to connect with other small and creative businesses owners, some favourites are: Handcrafted by Harriet, Mimosa Baby and Alice Peto.
During lockdown, I was really inspired by artists and illustrators who took part in the Artist Support Pledge campaign. Some I knew already such as Lucy Kent and Tom Hoar; others I have recently discovered Claire Bowen, Maria Rose, Claire Fletcher. I love the way they interpret what they see.
Dare i ask…
work/ life balance?
It is a constant balancing act! Especially, when I was starting out and the business was new. It is also tough to structure a work/life balance with two very young children, so their sleep times are my free time, to paint and create. I am very lucky to have my parents living in London and close by; they have been amazing at helping take the children off me, on the occasions when I have had a lot of work on.
a typical day?
A typical day starts at around 7am, weekend or weekday. It is a flurry of activity until lunch time as trying to keep two small toddlers busy, I need a lot of energy and coffee! Once my children have a lunchtime sleep, or at bedtime, I try to sit straight-down and work on my illustrations. Nursery starts again for my son Wilfred this September, so mornings will be taking him to nursery, entertaining my little girl Ottilie and getting errands done before collecting him again and getting everyone fed and to bed.
reading, Watching, Listening to?
I’m reading the much recommended Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, it’s so beautifully written, that I find hard to put down each evening. I love to read something before sleep even if only a chapter.
I often listen to podcasts whilst I draw and I have listened a lot to Giovanna Fletcher’s “Happy Mum Happy Baby” . There is something quite comforting about listening to it and knowing that whoever the guest is (however famous etc) we are all going through the same things as mothers.
I have also just finished watching ‘Little Fires Everywhere’, which both my husband and I loved.
How do you re-set?
Drawing helps me switch off and I find it very relaxing. However if I have lots of commissions on then I often find for the last few hours of the day it is nice to sit down with my husband and the dog and watch television with a glass of wine. I also get a lot of energy from being outside, so often I’ll invariably grab the dog lead and head out to clear my head.
favourite family meal, or signature dish?
I can almost hear my family laughing at this… as I’m not a natural cook. Easy and quick would be my motto! But, I love to cook orzo pasta with chorizo, tomato, spinach. The bonus being the children love having it too, the next day.
Plans for 2020?
My aim for the rest of 2020 is to start doing prints, so watch this space. I’ve also spent a while now looking into having my designs made into placemats for children, which will be an exciting new venture for the business.
