Pigs in blankets! Why illustrator Emma Erickson loves to put animals in human situations

The Texas-based creative tells us about switching from science to art and why her dog Mikey is her greatest inspiration.

In her illustrations, Emma Erickson loves nothing more than anthropomorphising animals. Throughout her works you’ll discover pigs in blankets, bison on diving boards and ants on escalators. What draws Emma to such themes is her dog Mikey (her "favourite subject") and how thinking of animals as humans provides "an interesting way to examine our own behaviours and interactions". Emma ties all these strands together with her somewhat psychedelic style. Primarily using vector illustration, finished off in Procreate to add texture, Emma prioritises bold outlines with lots of clashing colours, creating something instantly eye-catching.

Interestingly enough, Emma was originally destined to be a scientist. While she was a very creative child, she dedicated her adult life to science, moving to Texas to study for a PhD in Molecular Biology. It was when the pandemic hit and Emma was left writing her dissertation in lockdown that she rediscovered her love of illustration. Quite naturally, many of Emma's current influences now come from her childhood, like the children's book illustrators Clement Hurd and Shel Silverstein, alongside contemporary artists like George Wylesol, Hunter French and Kate Dehler.

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Olivia Hingley

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Olivia (she/her) joined the It's Nice That team as an editorial assistant in November 2021 and soon became staff writer. A graduate of the University of Edinburgh with a degree in English literature and history, she's particularly interested in photography, publications and type design.

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