Leela Ide – Bringing Stories to Life Through Art
Featured Artist: Leela Ide – Capturing Emotions Through Art
We are excited to feature Leela Ide, a freelance illustrator and graphic designer from Lower Saxony, Germany. Her atmospheric and thoughtful illustrations bring stories to life, fostering empathy and connection. Inspired by nature, family, and emotions, Leela creates artwork that resonates deeply with viewers. Her latest project, "Chalkprint," explores minimalistic yet highly realistic designs. With a passion for storytelling through art, she continues to develop meaningful projects and dreams of publishing her own illustrated books. Join us as we explore Leela’s artistic world, her inspirations, and her creative journey!
Where are you based?
I live in Lower Saxony, Germany.
How would you describe your art style in a few words?
I create atmospheric, lighthearted, and thoughtful illustrations, which bring imaginative stories to life.
What inspired you to start creating art?
As a teenager, I struggled to express my feelings in words and therefore chose art as a medium to tell people about my thoughts. For me, art captures and expresses emotions and carries a message to those looking at it. I was lucky to meet inspiring people who saw my enthusiasm for art and supported me on my creative journey. Thanks to those lovely friends, I improved in painting, learned a lot about digital art, and started studying Illustration and Graphic Design at Muenster School of Design (MSD).
Can you share a bit about your creative journey so far?
I was happy to get one of the highly sought-after places at university. While working on my bachelor’s thesis, I created an illustrated book about “Hikikomori,” a mental illness related to social anxiety and depression. My project was exhibited, and I was thrilled to see so many people being interested in my art. After my undergrad degree at MSD, I started out as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. Besides my freelance work, I am studying for my master’s in cultural studies.
What themes or messages do you explore in your work?
Mainly, my art is about empathy, acceptance for oneself and others, and the appreciation of life. The importance of being loved, seen, heard, and understood are messages I want to get across.
Do you have any favorite mediums or tools?
I love to work with colored and graphite pencils. For me, creating traditionally is the purest form of art. Nevertheless, I work digitally on my commissions, since nowadays everything is digitalized.
What has been the biggest challenge in your art journey?
A challenge for me recently is the increasing use of AI. Even though I can understand the fascination with AI, it destroys many opportunities for artists. Unfortunately, people don’t see that most artists pour their heart into their work and try their best to meet the recipient's wishes. AI may be cheap and easy, but for me, it will never keep up with art that is created by a human being who puts their emotions into the artwork. Having to compete against AI is exhausting and frustrating these days.
What are you currently working on or experimenting with?
I’m currently working on illustrations for books for a variety of readers. One children’s book will be released in the upcoming months, and I’m looking forward to that.
How do you stay motivated and inspired?
My family is my biggest inspiration. We have a pretty strong bond, and I love that. Talking to my loved ones always makes me feel good and gives me energy. Getting insight into how they are thinking or feeling regarding specific topics always inspires me to create meaningful artwork.
Besides my family, I’m inspired by nature and outdoor adventures. Feeling the sun on my skin, the wind in my hair, or the fur of an animal beneath my fingers creates pictures and stories in my mind, which I just have to capture in an artwork.
Have you ever faced creative blocks? How do you overcome them?
Yes, I face creative blocks from time to time. I think every artist does, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. I noticed that I can overcome creative blocks by taking a break and trying to clear my mind. Sometimes, you just have to let go of old beliefs and habits or even ideas for artwork that don’t work out.
Talking to friends and family about what you are struggling with and why nothing seems to work the way you want can help clear your mind, and you will feel lighter. Sometimes, things just need to be said for the world to change. I often feel like once I’ve told someone about my thoughts, there is more room in my head for creativity.
What do you hope people feel when they see your work?
I hope to awaken empathy and raise awareness about others. My audience should identify with the feelings I’m trying to capture in my art.
Furthermore, I hope to take them on a journey to a different world in which they can immerse themselves and feel hopeful, understood, and loved. I want my art to let people dream and carry these dreams into reality to be more mindful toward themselves and others.
Have you connected with other artists or communities that have helped you?
I have a few really close friends who work in the art business as well. We support each other, talk about our projects and experiences, and learn a lot from each other. Sometimes, we just spend the night talking, but we also have creative sessions where we try out new art mediums.
In addition to that, I found a lovely and supportive community on Instagram, which I’m really thankful for since social media can be a tough place to show yourself.
How do you engage with your audience?
Social media is a great way to get in touch with artists and clients. Being open about what you are thinking and not being afraid to show yourself to the world frightened me at the beginning of my creative career.
I never wanted to be seen, but once you start to come out of your hiding place, you’ll notice how much you change. That was a huge step for me, but now I feel more confident when engaging with my audience, whether it’s through social media or during my exhibition of my Hikikomori project.
What’s one dream project or goal you’d love to achieve?
My dream project is to write and illustrate my own books. I have so many stories in my head that I would love to bring to paper. Some of those ideas can be seen on my website. I really hope one day I will be able to publish my own illustrated stories.
Where do you see your art journey going in the next year?
In the next year, I will probably be working on digital and interactive mediums. I already designed an interactive learning experience for children in a scientific context and an app for ankle injuries in cooperation with Muenster University. Interactive designs are really fun to create due to their gamification and playful nature.
Any upcoming projects or releases you’d like to share?
Yes! I’m currently working on a project called “Chalkprint.” My Chalkprint illustrations differ from my usual art style. A more minimalistic color palette and design but stunningly realistic drawings can be seen on my new website soon.
I aim to address a variety of people: from horse lovers to mountaineers, everybody will find an illustration that captures a memorable moment of their journey through life. I’m really excited about this new project!
Where to find you? Please share your links so people can follow and support you.
Website: https://leela-ide-illustration.de/ and https://chalkprint.de/
Instagram: @leela_la_illustration and @chalk.print
What’s one random fact about you?
I’m really passionate about climbing and bouldering. In my free time, one can find me at the climbing gym or at the local outdoor climbing spot with my friends. And at night, my cat demands my full attention. ;)
Favorite creative ritual or habit?
I don’t have a creative ritual or habit. I just take my pencils and paper whenever I feel like it. If it’s 8 a.m. or midnight – my creativity doesn’t care about the time of day (or night).
I also don’t have a specific place to draw. I can work everywhere: on my desk, my bed, a coffee shop, the beach, or somewhere in the mountains. When I have an idea and I’m thrilled about it, nothing can stop me from creating.
Any advice for other small artists starting out?
It isn’t easy to start out as a small artist, that’s for sure. My advice is: Hang in there!
A good tutor of mine had to remind me of that a thousand times, and I have to admit that it’s the only way to get better. Things will be difficult at the beginning. But when you’re dedicated, you’ll be able to get through the hard times.
Thank you, Leela, for sharing your journey and creative world with us! Your ability to capture emotions and tell meaningful stories through your art is truly inspiring. With your unique vision and passion, we have no doubt that your work will continue to touch hearts and spark imagination. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for you and the beautiful creations you’ll bring to life! ✨🎨