Over the past decade or so, Julia Rothman has become a household name amongst illustrators. An illustrator and an author, her work is manifold and includes an illustrated column, Scratch, in The New York Times, more than 10 illustrated books, and co-founding the Women Who Draw project (a directory of female-identifying artists). She’s also a seasoned pattern designer with her designs printed on products for brands as big as Urban Outfitters, The Land of Nod, and Garnet Hill.
Based in Brooklyn, New York, her work is rooted in her background and creative upbringing. A colorful documentation of the people she meets and talks to, her illustrations are a celebration of the power of community and togetherness. “I always feel strange about the fact that I haven’t really lived anywhere else besides New York City,” she admitted once in an interview with Grain Edit. “I feel like maybe I haven’t experienced enough. But every time I visit anywhere else, I’m always happy to come home at the end of the trip.”
Like most creatives, she traces back her passion for creativity to when she was but an infant. “I always liked to draw since I as far back as I can remember,” admits Rothman. “I used to win a lot of drawing contests in elementary school. It was never the thing I was going to do with my life, but it was always something I was good at.”
These days, her schedule is filled with creative endeavors. Aside from illustrating, she also has her own line of letterpress stationery with Hello Lucky, office products through Galison, and a wallpaper line through Hygge & West. And if that’s not enough, she also teaches at the School of Visual Arts and runs Ladies Drawing Night, a female-only drink and draw, with Leah Goren and Rachael Cole.
Her illustrations can be found in the New York Times, Cosmopolitan magazine and on a poster displayed throughout the New York City’s subway system as part of the MTA Arts for Transit program. But you can also follow her online, on Instagram for instance. Scroll down to see some recent highlights:
