Slinga is Swedish for loop, as in the kind of loop you create when knitting. “Slinga illustration” ties clichés about women in a knot and untangles them again.
“Slinga” – the nickname of this Leipzig illustrator – talks about her projects, motivation and goals.
We hear you’re writing a book about panic. Are you dreading its release?
(laughs) I often find myself fighting fear and panic. At first, I thought it was just me and these feelings were super strange. And that scared me even more! But Instagram showed me how normal it is for people to deal with panic. This awareness of not being alone in this helped me a lot.
Then I thought it would be cool to collect, curate and illustrate tips from people affected. With my tips and cartoons I illustrate anxiety-inducing situations and demystify them. Humour is a good tool here, because laughter always makes things easier. To sum it up, the book will be a collection of self-help advice and personal anecdotes.
You studied illustration. How did you develop your style?
I graduated here in Leipzig last year. I never consciously developed my style, but I draw every day. My personal taste changes over time, and so does my drawing style or the colours and materials I use. I don’t consider myself a finished product, so I never draw the same thing twice :-D. That would be boring. I hope to stay hungry and keep improving my work.
Pussy! A cat, a vulva or an insult?
(laughs) A bit of everything? We’re all conditioned! I try to counteract insults by digesting them with my pictures.
Who are your customers? Do you get positive feedback about your Spreadshop?
I think I have a very mixed audience. But apparently everyone is united by a love of bright colours, jokes and honest human feelings. The feedback is mostly positive. 🙂
And how did you come across Spreadshop?
In fact, somebody who works at Spreadshirt saw my booth at a flea market and recommended I open my own Spreadshop. I tried it out and liked it 😀
Where do you exhibit your artwork?
It’s funny how having exhibitions and making ends meet are connected. Because I don’t think they necessarily go hand in hand. I see myself more as an illustrator and less as an artist. I enjoy drawing and designing small things, utensils, postcards and books. Or working on commissioned illustrations for customers.
What is the nicest thing you’ve experienced with customers or fans?
I’ve met a lot of great friends through my work. People who are simply interested in the same things.
Of course, there are always people who see themselves in my illustrations, which makes them feel empowered. That makes me happy and sometimes gives me the incentive to continue when I feel discouraged, which happens a lot to freelancers like myself.
One of your illustrations is called “cooler on the internet”. Is that you in the picture? What do you mean by that saying?
(laughs) I think I am every person I draw anyway. At least a little bit. With the “Cooler on the Internet”, I expressed that no matter how authentic and versatile you present yourself on the Internet, only facets of yourself are ever shown. How people see you depends on what you show.
Many people think that I am a super self-confident person without ‘problems’. They think I don’t care about what others think and that I always feel 100% comfortable in my skin. In fact, I draw my pictures for myself in order to encourage myself. Social media often makes us think that other people’s lives are perfect and you’re the only one whose life is a mess. But it’s also okay to feel like crap.
You have already been featured in Missy magazine. And ze.tt has also reported about you. How do you do it?
So far all this has always happened by chance, which makes me really happy! I wouldn’t really know how to do it myself 😀
Any tips that you would like to leave to other Shop owners?
Hmmmm… never give up? Okay, without question mark! Never give up! 🙂
Thanks for the interview Hendrick! We are looking forward to the next designs and wish you a lot of success with them. Exciting updates from Slinga can be found in her Spreadshop and on Instagram.
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