Hi my name is Becky McCartney and I am a creative designer based in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. My experience working at a variety of design companies has exposed me to the illustration field and made me passionate about it. About four years ago, I took the plunge to accept freelance work designing for independent companies and small start ups — and here I am!

I am inspired by lots of things, from everyday life, tattoo art, anything alternative, creepy, strange and wonderful! I tend to be expressive and quirky, and I like my illustrations to have something unique about them. I follow many illustrators and creators on social media, and I am constantly learning how to push myself and try new ways of working.

I find that following my gut instinct and being a little spontaneous is a good way to work. I trust myself to know what looks and feels right. Every project I work on is different and I love researching the different ways I can approach a brief or specific theme. 

I usually begin my process with a mind map, scribbling down any random thoughts, then sketch out potential ideas. When the rough sketches are looking good and agreed, I make a start on the final artwork. 

I create most of my work in Adobe Illustrator, forming the base structure and core elements, then building upon the designs layer by layer. Eventually I start to experiment with colours, shapes and any additional elements that I feel will add that little something extra. 

One of my favourite things about collaborating with Punky Pins is not knowing what the next theme is going to be! The initial brief is always very open and fun. My main focus is that I retain creative control and can basically do what I want within the client’s guidelines. Overall I treat guidelines as an artistic reference, rather than a solid rule book. By throwing away the 'rule book’ I have the green light to become more creatively spontaneous.

So far I’ve had the opportunity to design three collections for Punky Pins. Including Valentines, Old School Tattoo and Crafty.  Keep your eyes peeled on social media for something extra special coming soon! 👀

You can view some of my design work via Instagram (@designbybeks) https://instagram.com/designbybeks