Her passion for celebrating all that's unique helps her make colorful, whimsical art we can't get enough of. We asked Bea to share an inside look into her work process and routine - and it was truly fascinating!
Tell us a bit about yourself and your art
Most illustrators know they want to do something with art pretty early on, maybe even as a child. For me, that wasn't the case. I only started drawing in February 2020. as soon as I picked up my husband's iPad, I knew that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Sounds super cheesy, but this is how I felt. At that time, I was very unhappy with my career. I just hadn't found the one thing I enjoyed doing. I got bored with everything I tried before: Marketing, account management, and project/product management. So I decided to work on my mental health by picking up drawing. I'm a proper researcher, so I looked into what it takes to become an illustrator early on and thought up a style plan. Only 2 weeks later, I opened an Instagram account. It was such a blessing. I gained lots of followers over a very short period, and the commissions followed.
What inspired you when you made your designs for Lime & Lou?
My work is mainly inspired by our small mixed family and my daughter, specifically. So diversity is essential to me, and it's a recurring theme in my illustrations. Unfortunately, minorities are still not very well presented, especially in whimsical art. After my family, my second biggest inspiration is nature. I find plants and flowers wonderfully motivating. For the lime and Lou designs, I incorporated natural elements and colors into the work.
How would you define your style?
My work is very happy, colorful, and vibrant, with lots of florals and a pinch of quirkiness. If you see bright pink elements against a dark green background, the chances are high you landed on my work. It's hard to put a label on your own art, though. Maybe whimsical or naïve art?
What is your technique? How do you create your art?
I primarily create digital art on my iPad. As I mentioned, I am a proper researcher. I do lots of research in advance, especially when I have a commission for editorial or children's book illustrations. Depending on the size of the project, that can take me a couple of days. I only really start sketching once I know what to draw. That doesn't mean that I always know the outcome in advance, though, as it's not uncommon for me to make lots of changes as I go along. Timeline-wise, it really depends on the size of the illustration, the number of characters, level of detail, and even just creativity levels. I think some of my best works only took me a couple of hours. But every now and then, it takes me several days to perfect a single piece. Sometimes I'll also take a step back, leaving the work for a while to create distance. Revisiting the piece days - or even weeks - later can really help.
How does an average workday look like for you?
That's a tricky question for every freelancer, I think, as it can vary massively. I always do start my day with coffee around 7am, though. Then, when my daughter is out of the house, I either go running or start my "work" day with drawing. Sometimes I work on commissions straight away, especially after a run. Sometimes I make time for myself and start with some personal work. Around midday, I usually take a break from the screen to pack orders, take product pictures for my Instagram account and go to the post office. In the afternoon, I usually continue with commissions. Once a week, I'll do some admin: Sign contracts, fill out forms or answer interviews, etc.
What is your latest style obsession?
I don't know if it's a style obsession, but I do love looking at and buying picture books. Thankfully I can use my daughter as an excuse. For my walls, I usually like simple and minimal or abstract art. Outside of illustration, I love mid-century modern furniture and simple oversized clothes.
What are your favorite topics to illustrate?
My favorite projects are usually children's illustrations and anything around motherhood, female empowerment, diversity, or climate change. Florals are always lovely, too. Plus, I started off my illustration career with custom portraits. I don't do much of those anymore, but I try to squeeze one in every now and again. I really enjoy creating these personal pieces of art for family homes.
What is 'home' for you?
Home is where the people I love are. Ever since I was a child, I've been moving around a lot - and I mean A LOT. I'm originally German, but I spent some time growing up in the Netherlands, too. I moved at least 15/20 times in my life - so much that I nearly lost count. I slowed down when I started having my own family, and I've been in London for a while now. But lockdowns changed things. Many friends have moved away, and I'm not sure if I feel at home here anymore. My family is here, so for now, that makes it home from me - but it's definitely more about the people than it is about the geographical location.
How did you design your own home?
We're living in a rented property, so we're limited in terms of what we can do here. But of course, we have our own furniture (mid-century :)), and lots of plants and wall art. I've recently dared to paint a wall. That's a big step for me, as I like to design for the long haul, and I don't like to follow trends. I'm always concerned I'll get bored too quickly if I go for the funkier decor. But I guess painting a wall is not too big of a risk. You can always repaint it. My favorite part of the house is definitely "my" corner of our sofa in the living room. It's teal and the exact same color I use in my illustrations - plus, it's soooo comfy. I absolutely love my office, too, but you actually find me working on the couch pretty often.
What's your secret to a well-designed home?
Well, as I've said - design for the long run. Trends will come and go, and you might get bored very quickly. Plus, it's terrible for the environment and not sustainable to buy a new sofa, cushions, bed, or cupboards every couple of months.
What's your favorite art piece at home?
We have a huge golden-framed painting of a ship at sea hanging in our living room. I'm usually not a fan of romantic paintings, but the colors are just so vibrant and blue, I absolutely love it. It's like having a Turner hanging in your house. My husband and I bought it 5 years ago in an antique shop in Bristol. It's very meaningful to us - we've gone through a lot, too, so this ship almost represents our path.
What's it like working with Lime & Lou?
When I saw the Lime & Lou color palette, I thought they stole it from my iPad! They're a perfect match to my own personal esthetic. That's also why I chose to work with them, although I was in between thousands of projects, had never worked with vectors before, and hardly had any childcare. I'm very thankful for their never-ending patience with me and so proud of the results!
About Bea:
Bea Muller is an illustrator currently based in London. She creates whimsical, colorful designs like the Dancing Flowers Mural
