FEATURED ILLUSTRATOR Enni Heikura
Enni Heikura lives in Finland and is currently illustrating her first picture book.
I’ve come to illustration through a bit of a winding path, so it may not be the most traditional one.
I was born in the 1990s in Finland – I loved drawing as a kid and coming up with all kinds of creative and even weird plays. But I also loved sports, especially figure skating, which I did competitively from age 6 to 19 — basically, I grew up in an ice rink. Skating took almost all my free time, but whenever I had time, I loved to draw – especially cards for birthdays and Christmas for my family, filled with fun little details. Just like I still do now.
Creating art, of course, with her favorite Moomin t-shirt on.
Even though art was my favorite subject in school, and I considered pursuing it, I ended up studying exercise physiology and earned a master’s degree. Over time, however, I realized that physiology wasn't the right path for me. So, in 2021, I started a PhD focusing on athletes’ psychological well-being – partly because I was interested in psychology, and partly because it gave me four years to figure out my next steps. During those years between high school and 2021, I probably drew a card for birthdays or Christmas once or twice a year because most of my time and focus were on studies. Still, somewhere deep down, it always felt like something was missing.
The turning point came in 2021, when life led me back to drawing just when I needed it, and I quickly realized it was that missing piece. Before long, I was drawing in the evenings after working on my dissertation, constantly challenging myself with things I couldn’t yet draw. My first drawings were just a few centimeters in size, but little by little, I started drawing bigger. I learned by doing, through practice and reflection. While I had dreams and goals, I knew there was still so much to improve and learn. So, I concentrated on doing my thing, developing skills, and enjoying the process.
Enni's illustration.
Toward the end of 2023, after drawing on my own for a few years, I felt uncertain about what to focus on next and wanted some feedback. I found the School of Visual Storytelling (SVS) and their 'How to Fix Your Art' session, where you can submit your work for critique. In January 2024, I finally gathered the courage to submit my work and received encouraging, constructive feedback that gave me more confidence, and I’m so grateful for that.
Soon after, in the spring of 2024, I applied and was selected as a runner-up in the Picture Book Rising Stars mentorship program, where I met with my mentor twice over the summer for valuable advice. I also joined SCBWI around the same time, and a self-publishing author offered me my first illustration job – an 11-image rhyming picture book, which was a great learning experience. In autumn 2024, I received an exciting offer from Little Press Publishing to illustrate a book, and I’ve already started working on that project. It was also an honor to be one of the winners in the SCBWI DrawThis challenge in November 2024.
At this point, I’m continuously developing my illustration and drawing skills, and I love challenging myself in the process. I’m especially drawn to capturing movement and emotion in my characters — I believe my figure skating background helps with that. I also love drawing details and trying to make the images something unexpected. Whenever I draw, I aim to create something that feels interesting, meaningful, and tells a story, even in a simple way. I usually sense quite quickly if something doesn’t feel engaging.
Enni's illustration.
My ideas and inspiration come from many different places. Often, they’re sparked by a feeling or a picture that pops into my mind. Sometimes, I just start drawing, and the idea develops from there. Most often, inspiration strikes during my daily outdoor activities like running, skiing, or cycling, and they also help solve problems. Music is also a big source of inspiration, especially because of the emotions it brings out.
As for my style, I’ve never consciously thought about it — it’s always come naturally to me, though it’s always evolving. I love drawing in a way that shows my handprint.
For my favorite children’s books, I love heartfelt stories like My Big, Dumb, Invisible Dragon by Angie Lucas and Birgitta Sif, as well as Trudy Ludwig’s stories and many more. But I also really like all kinds of insightful and innovative stories. I’d love to illustrate something like that someday, and perhaps even write my own when I have the skills for it. Creating a wordless picture book is also something I’d love to do one day.
Enni's illustration.
My tools are simple, but they work perfectly for me: a basic pencil, a scanner, and an XP-Pen 12 tablet. I always draw traditionally – I need that feel of pencil and paper. And I color digitally – I enjoy being able to experiment freely. I use Sketchbook, and I like how simple it is – it may not have all the fancy features, but for me, it’s more than enough.
If I had to give one piece of advice from my (still pretty short) experience — especially for those who are just starting — it’d be this: do your own thing, in your style, trust it, keep building on it — and then seek feedback, especially from professionals in the field you want to be in. Those insights can guide you in the right direction.
*All Images: Enni Heikura
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You can follow and see Enni's work here:
Website: https://eeh.pb.gallery/
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Ell Rose is the Illustration Features Editor of Words & Pictures.
Find their work at fourfooteleven.com
Contact them at illustrators@britishscbwi.org
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