Rosi Tooth’s Illustrations Are Genuinely Genuine

Illustrator, graphic designer, and ceramicist Rosi Tooth promotes female body positivity through her work, as well as tackles topics surrounding mental health and self-awareness. Based in Bristol, Tooth studied Fine Art at Oxford Brookes University but found her illustrative style of pink ladies with blue body hair after graduating and spending a year in the creative industry as a graphic designer.

“I did study at degree level but my degree doesn’t really have much to do skill-wise with what I do now,” she admitted in an interview with Lecture in Progress. “I was never taught to use any of the programs I use in my jobs. However, I was taught to properly research and develop an idea. We always used to joke that fine art was a degree in conceptual thinking.”

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According to Tooth, her best ideas come from observing other people. “Observing how people go about their days inspires me and ideas come to me when I’m reflecting,” she explains. “I do think it’s important to have a style – it makes your work memorable and professional,” she notes. “People like consistency, and if you have a style then a client is more likely to be able to visualise what sort of thing you can produce for them. Having said that – your style should always be developing and evolving, but these changes should happen slowly.”

Her tips for other creative: “Don’t work so hard that you burn out.” That and “Experiment a lot before honing in on a style, and have fun whilst doing it!” According to Tooth, once you’ve got a style, keep developing it and never stop. “Make work about things you love – it will feel so much more genuine.”