Illustrator Alysha Takoushian has built her artistic practice around observation, gratitude, and the quiet joy of drawing, from her childhood fascination with picture books to her current role teaching art workshops in Copenhagen. Her journey reflects a deep connection to nature and creativity that has shaped both her personal and professional approach to illustration.

Takoushian's earliest artistic memories stem from nights spent surrounded by children's books stacked high on her bed. According to her parents, she would fall asleep mid-page after hours of studying illustrations. "I was an imaginative child who didn't really fit in with the school system," she recalls. "My mom describes how she would take a sprightly fairy to school but pick up a sad and deflated creature at the end of the day. I'd often get told off for daydreaming or doodling on my schoolwork."

Fortunately, Takoushian's family fully supported her creativity. She fondly remembers afternoons in her uncle Daniel's art studio, where he would set her up in a corner with creative tasks while blasting music from his speakers. She also attended children's art workshops at local artist Sandra's home, describing her as incredibly inspiring. "I honestly don't think I would be an illustrator today if it weren't for her encouragement," Takoushian says.

Rather than being "drawn" to illustration, Takoushian considers it second nature. "I'm always doodling, often without fully taking it in: all over my to-do lists, while I'm on calls to help me think, or reaching for pen and paper when I'm overwhelmed," she explains. "I may not always do illustration as a career, but I'm certain drawing will always be part of my life."

Her work is often described by others as peaceful, gentle, and joyful – qualities that resonate deeply with her since they reflect the feelings she experiences while illustrating. Her practice spans both digital and analog techniques, though her heart belongs firmly to traditional methods. "There's something about the physicality of working with analog materials that is so special – nothing beats the scratch of a nib pen on paper!" she says.

Watercolors are her "first love," but she's equally comfortable experimenting with dip pens and ink, gouache, collage, and even gelli plate printing. In recent years, sketching on location has become integral to her process. Though she admits being "very hard" on herself about the results, that's not the primary purpose. "Observational drawing forces you to slow down and hone in on a small moment of everyday life. In slowing down, you begin to notice how special this seemingly mundane moment actually is – the beauty in the impermanence of shifting colors and changes each season brings," she explains. "It feels like an antidote to short-form video and the fast pace of modern life."

Like many creatives, Takoushian faced periods of uncertainty about her place in the industry. Between 2023 and early 2024, the rise of AI, pressure to produce constant content, and freelance work instability began taking a toll. "I still adored illustration," she says, "but I was beginning to wonder if pursuing it as my job was killing the magic for me. Every time I sat down to make art that didn't have a clear end goal or financial gain, I would feel guilty, which puts you in a difficult position as an illustrator."

The breakthrough came when she began teaching a Young Illustrators art club at a local children's bookshop. "It was a complete turning point," she admits. "Teaching that class of brilliant, quirky, energetic children aged 4-11 brought vibrancy and balance to solitary work at my desk. It gave me the permission I felt I really needed to experiment with new materials and techniques." Observing children's uninhibited approach to art reminded her why she fell in love with illustration initially. "It was exactly what I needed at a time when my practice had reached a stale point."

Now based in Copenhagen, Takoushian has expanded her workshops to adults, aiming to help people "reconnect with the childlike curiosity that exists in all of us" in a judgment-free space. "We all possess creativity," she says. "As we grow up, self-limiting beliefs can muddy our vision – part of my aim in teaching is to remove those barriers."

Takoushian describes herself as someone who's never been "the loudest voice in the room" – a quality she once viewed as a flaw but has since embraced as part of her creative strength. "There's a quiet stillness and patience that comes with being an illustrator, and you definitely have to be comfortable in the role of the observer."

Her connection to nature and observation deepened after losing her stepdad, whom she considered a parent, when she was 19. "Grief is a strange thing because through the heartache and deep loneliness, I remember so often being bowled over by how beautiful nature is," she recalls. "It was painful and a shock to watch life and the seasons rolling on as normal, but I found so much solace in nature and responding to it creatively." That experience continues to influence her work today. "Illustration isn't just a career for me – it's a gratitude practice. Life is so short and precious, so I hope to always take time to pay attention to the things I love through drawing them."

While much of Takoushian's personal work is detailed and analog, she also enjoys the stripped-back demands of minimal illustration. "It's super satisfying to puzzle together the challenge of bringing warmth, character, and readability to the most minimal of illustrations," she says of her work in Procreate and Adobe Illustrator, often for iconography and logo briefs.

Her most rewarding client commission came last year when Studio Morfar asked her to illustrate Forage Box's 2025 foraging calendar. It was her first entirely analog client project, painting edible plants and fungi in watercolor on large A3 sheets – a departure from her usual scale. "In order to get good reference photos, I had to go on a lot of walks to search for and get to know these plants myself, which, as a nature lover, was a very welcome element of the job," she says. "Watercolors are transparent and not very forgiving, so I was initially nervous. I even caught myself trying to zoom into my paper out of habit!" The outcome was joyful, and Takoushian hopes to take on more similar work in the future.

Takoushian's influences span picture books, animation, and literature. As a child, she was captivated by Sara Fanelli's energetic, often dark collage illustrations for Pinocchio, and she admires the ornate compositions of Tomm Moore's films, such as The Secret of Kells. She also draws inspiration from the tenderness of Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, the delicate watercolor animation of Isao Takahata's The Tale of Princess Kaguya, and the witty simplicity of Jon Klassen's picture books. Each embodies the balance of emotion and craft that Takoushian strives for in her own work.

Currently, Takoushian continues running her Copenhagen art workshops, often with a meditative focus. "I'm very passionate about the therapeutic benefits of art, and I'm always exploring ways to weave these elements into my workshops," she says. In her free time, she sketches the city's streets, plants, and daily life as a way of finding connection and feeling more at home. Looking forward, she hopes to write and illustrate her own children's picture book. "I have some ideas brewing," she says with the gentle optimism that runs through her work. For Takoushian, illustration has never been just about creating images; it's about paying attention to the natural world, fleeting moments, and the emotions we carry.