For some artists, inspiration begins with a particular image, a place, or a moment that changes how they see the world. For Asta Barrington, it began with a childhood book and the simple magic of watching colours transform before her eyes.

A British illustrator and surface pattern designer based in Bath, UK, Asta creates colourful, hand-drawn artwork filled with rich textures, playful details, and layered colour. Inspired by printed ephemera, global textiles, nature, and everyday objects, her work brings together contemporary design, retro influences, and a touch of Scandinavian sensibility.

Her creative journey hasn't been a straight line from one discipline to another. It has involved learning new skills, recognising when a chapter has run its course, and finding new ways to make room for ideas. From discovering the possibilities of colour as a child to embracing digital illustration and exploring new product collaborations, Asta's story is a reminder that an artist's creative identity can continue to evolve.

In this conversation, Asta shares the childhood book that first captured her imagination, the lessons her years in textiles taught her, how she navigates creative blocks, and why staying curious and true to yourself matters throughout an artistic career.

Meet Asta Barrington

1. Is there one moment you realized you were (or wanted to be) an artist? Describe that moment.

My all-time favourite childhood book was The Adventures of the Three Colours by Annette Tison and Talus Taylor. I absolutely adored it, as you can probably tell from the broken pages! The book had transparent sheets that you could layer to create new colours, like watching a pink shape slide over a blue one to instantly create a purple animal. This colour mixing blew my little mind and kick-started a lifelong love of colour.

2. What has driven you to be an artist?

I was never going to do anything other than pursue a creative career, as I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and turning raw materials into something new. There’s nothing better than becoming completely absorbed in a project and reaching that ‘flow state’, when you’re not entirely sure what the end result will be, but you trust the process and enjoy seeing it take shape.

I started with an art foundation course in Bournemouth, Dorset, where I explored a range of disciplines, including textiles, fine art, graphic design and ceramics. I went on to study Textile Design at Nottingham Trent University for three years, followed by a Master of Arts postgraduate degree in Embroidered Textiles at the Royal College of Art in London.

After graduating, I was commissioned to create hand-dyed, machine-embroidered blankets and scarves for shops including Barneys New York and Designers Guild. I embroidered fabrics for Matthew Williamson and Marni’s first catwalk collections. I also sold my scarves at the Chelsea Crafts Fair in London for around 15 years, before eventually moving into printed surface pattern design and illustration.

My background in textiles continues to shape the way I approach illustration today. Studying colour, texture and composition, and spending years working with dyed and embroidered fabrics, taught me how to combine colours and build intricate designs. It also gave me a lasting appreciation for the small irregularities that make handmade work interesting.

3. What is your favourite medium to work with?

I currently like to draw digitally using the Procreate app on my iPad Pro because it’s practical. I can draw anywhere, anytime, and transfer my files easily to my iMac for further editing. I’m quite messy and hate tidying up, so it suits me perfectly. It’s clean, intuitive and means I can work without worrying about dwindling daylight. Sometimes I’m drawing in the car while parked up waiting for my daughter; other times I’m in the garden at 6am with a cup of tea and my cat on my lap. It works with my current lifestyle.

Having studied colour theory at college, then gone on to mix hundreds of colours from base dyes for my scarves and blankets, I developed a good understanding of how colours interact. My interest in printed ephemera, where colours are often built up in separate layers, led me to explore mixing colour visually across multiple layers in my illustrations. I like using transparent colours to create new shades and depth, and often work with a set palette of colours that I know work well together.

I think Procreate brushes are a bit like analogue paintbrushes and pens. Some feel compatible with your hand and flow beautifully, like a lovely fountain pen, while others are more like a scratchy biro. I find that it’s a case of experimenting until you find the right brush for your own hand.

4. What are you currently working on or excited about?

I usually have several projects on the go at once. At the moment, I’m designing colourful artwork for one of my clients to be made into umbrellas. This involves some technical challenges, from working to a specific template to achieving the right colours on a new substrate. I’m also about to start drawing a new 1,000-piece puzzle featuring lots of cats, which should be a fun but fairly intensive project!

5. How do you get through a creative block?

I find that learning new skills and looking for inspiration in different places is a good way to get through a creative block. I hit a massive creative block about 17 years ago when I was making scarves and blankets, as I realised I didn’t want to be a micro factory anymore. I wanted to design all sorts of other things, rather than manufacture them or oversee the manufacturing process. It took me quite a long time to pivot. I learned Photoshop, started drawing in Procreate and did some excellent online courses, including Make Art That Sells, Victoria Johnson’s Create Collections and Shannon McNab’s Artful Pricing course.

These days, I have so many ideas that I’m more likely to struggle with focusing and burn out than with a creative blockage. I like working to a loose brief, which is why Instagram drawing challenges have always been really useful. They give me a time constraint, stop me overthinking (I am an excellent procrastinator) and push me into uncharted territory.

Este McCloud’s Flower Month Instagram Challenge

Drawing sets of things is another way I get the ideas flowing. I love drawing postage stamps, lettering and series of objects, because one drawing will inevitably lead to another, and before I know it, I’m off on a whole new creative tangent.

I have also learnt during my career not to feel guilty about taking time off or having a day that doesn’t fit the usual 9–5, as creativity naturally ebbs and flows with your energy levels.

6. Is there one person in your life that particularly inspired or encouraged you as an artist?

My parents always encouraged my creativity. My dad was an original thinker who was constantly making, fixing and inventing things. He was a psychiatrist, analytical by nature but also sweetly eccentric. My Danish mum was extremely practical too. She had a potter’s wheel and kiln when I was young, and taught me to sew and knit, so I spent much of my free time making things, crafting and drawing.

They bought me my first sewing machine when I was six, and I spent all my pocket money in the local art shop. I always looked forward to receiving craft kits for Christmas, so I’ve probably had a go at most art mediums over the years.

7. What’s one piece of advice that’s shaped your creative journey? Is there one piece of advice you’d give to new or aspiring artists?

Be original and true to yourself. It’s natural to be inspired by the world around us, but we’re all different, and our artwork should reflect our individuality. Experiment with different art mediums to find what works for you. Make art inspired by your own particular interests, put the hours in, and your personal style will eventually emerge. And don’t stop learning.

I also find it helps to sleep on a piece of work and look at it again the next day. Areas that need resolving often become very obvious with fresh eyes!

It’s certainly not an easy career path. It helps to be self-motivated, analytical and able to appreciate and learn from constructive criticism. But ultimately it’s incredibly exciting to see your artwork come to life on products, and I’m particularly excited to be collaborating with Denik, whose gorgeous notebooks and notecards are a lovely home for my artwork.

8. Where is the best place to view your art?

Website: https://www.astabarrington.com
Links: https://www.astabarrington.com/links
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/astabarrington/
Spoonflower: https://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/asta_barrington
Happywall: https://www.happywall.com/designers/asta-barrington
Tantau Studio, licensing artwork to brands: https://www.tantaustudio.com/artist-profile/asta-barrington