Tell a little about yourself
Hi, I'm Anja, originally from Austria, but I moved to Germany 8 years ago. I work for an advertising agency as a graphic designer. When I am not working or illustrating, I love to knit socks, play roleplaying games, and do yoga.
How did you first hear about us? I remember being very curious about SoulDoodles after finding the founder, Lili’s, profile a few days before the launch.
We noticed you are actively participating in the SoulDoodles calendar challenges.
What encouraged you to participate? I love doing illustration-challenges because it enables me to work on topics I would probably not have picked or thought of myself. There are tons of illustration-challenges on Instagram, but the SoulDoodles calendar themes have been unique and exciting so far.
We love your Alphabet Calendar. Tell us about the behind the scenes:
Is this the first time you created something like this? I made a few fonts back when I was in university, but this is the first time I illustrated an alphabet.
How did you come up with the color palette? I chose the color palette after finishing the outlines for the letter A. Back when I first started, I didn’t plan on showing up for the challenge the whole month, so I just picked what came to me that day. I love how the colors work together, but after 26 letters, I might not like them again soon :-D
What inspired you to use the form of people in the shape of each letter? When I started the alphabet-challenge, I was already six days in a yoga-challenge, which inspired me to do the people-alphabet. The yoga-theme is visible in many letters; there are loads of back bending postures like the R or F, and the V is shaped like an overly exaggerated locust pose.
How long did it take you to develop the concept?
Just a few minutes. After I came up with the idea, I scribbled the first five letters to see if it can be done. They were so much fun that I immediately had to turn on my computer again to get started.
Did you sketch? If so, could you show us the sketches?
I drew quite a lot to figure out the postures.
How do you feel after creating this fantastic project? I am proud of myself for showing up every day, and I had so much fun making the alphabet. I’d like to make another alphabet immediately, but I have some projects lined up I want to get started on first.
Which illustration tool do you use? I mainly use Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, and I am currently working with a Wacom graphic tablet.
Why would you recommend others to use the calendar?
It helps you to establish a drawing-routine. For a daily challenge, I would recommend choosing something that can be done in 10–30 minutes so you will continue to show up.
Where can others find your work?
You can follow me on my Instagram