My name is Nikkie Lees. I am currently working as a freelance designer, illustrator and artist, but I’ll come to how that came about in a short few moments. I have been interested in art from a very young age. Always doodling, asking people if I could draw them, making birthday, Christmas and Easter cards for my family. In fact, I found an autobiography written in my last year of primary school in 1992 the other day. In the ‘what I want to be when I grow up’ section, I said I wanted to be an artist, so, I guess I have ticked that box!
Here comes the education part… I did French, Spanish and Art at college, then went on to do a Btec in art and design. I started a degree in fine art but, for some reason, disliked every waking second of my days there, so I took a rather long ‘assessment’ break, working as an administrator in one of the most awful portacabins known to man. A few brain numbing jobs later, my Mom got re married. I was to be the chief bridesmaid along with my adorable 2 year old sister. Following a few debates with mommy dearest about shape and colour of bridesmaid dress ( HELL NO I AM NOT WEARING PEACH!!!), we decided that I would make my dress, thus choosing my own shape, fabric and colour. This compromise turned out beautifully, and steered me towards a new life path. After slaving away in secret for one evening a week, for a few weeks, the dress looked beautiful, and not a soul believed that I had made it.
I got a portfolio together, and got myself on an HND in Fashion and Textiles. This lead to enrolling on a degree in Fashion, where I majored in Illustration. Always one to go against the grain, I illustrated a post-apocalyptic novel about vampires. Pretty sure I took the wrong course again there! Stood out like a sore thumb in the look book…
The degree did, however lead to a job within the fashion industry. For roughly three years, I designed socks for the high street. I had designs in New Look, Internacionale, River Island, Republic, Topman, Claire’s, House of Fraser, Matalan, and so on and so forth. You never know, you may even own a pair of Nikkie’s..
In short, although I gained an absolute wealth of technical knowledge, skills, invaluable experience, contacts, and a very special friendship. Unfortunately, I also gained a twitchy eye, because, yes, I did, in fact work for a man who I liken to Satan himself. We parted ways early this year, and here I am now, doing it for myself, following my true path, no twitches unless I have been sitting in the design pod for far too long. I love what I do, and I put my full effort into every task I take on.
I still design for fashion, but I also illustrate books, create album art, design band logos, tattoos, draw portraits, you name it, if I can draw or create, I am happy. Recent projects include illustrating a book called What We Never See, by Jasmin Graham, a young talented writer. I am currently working on album art for iKaros, a new and incredibly exciting electronic vocal collaboration, I recently produced album art for Devil Red, a talented local rock band, and I am working on some top secret projects I cannot yet announce, but watch this space, and of course, contact me if I can help you! 
by Nikkie Lees
The Illustration Machine 