UCLan student from Barrow makes dream come true with iPad

Sarah Jane Docker, 25 from Barrow has secured children's illustration work after going self-employed two years ago

This was after her grandad died leaving her some money with which she decided to purchase an iPad and make her dream become a reality.

The freelance illustrator, who gained her degree at UCLan, said being creative has been natural since she was a child.

She said: “I remember finding out the word illustrator from a Jacqueline Wilson book and I already knew I wanted to draw books from the age of seven.

“I had probably been drawing before I could read.

“Learning that illustration could be a job was incredible to me, illustrators were celebrities to me as a kid.”

After Sarah found her real passion from having a really good teacher at her secondary school she went on to study art and design at college and later completed a degree in illustration at UCLan.

Having worked in a few hospitality jobs and in a graft store she put her foot in the door and worked at in a studio apartment for a business in Blackpool designing kids toys and books for a year and a half until she went fully self employed.

Sarah said she has never looked back since.

Despite the challenges of Covid Sarah has completed work for American publishers and Glossy box and said one of her proudest moments was seeing her book illustration front cover in the Trafford centre window in Waterstones

Sarah said: “I’m from a family who never had a lot of money but they’ve always been supportive." wanting me to pursue art.

“When my grandad passed away he left me a small amount of money and I bought my iPad with that money and I wouldn’t have bought it if he hadn’t left that and it changed my entire path.

“If I was to give some advice to aspiring illustrators I would say put yourself out there, keep making art and enjoy what you're doing. And don’t lose sight of the reason you enjoy doing it.”

You can see Sarah’s work at: sarahjanedocker.com or on her Instagram at: @sarahjdocker