Between her illustrations, witty captions, and snappy zines, you should keep your eyes peeled for Ashley Ronning’s work. A freelance illustrator and artist based in Melbourne, her selected clients include brands like Hop Nation, Frankie magazine, and ABC.
According to Ronning, she can usually be found in her studio drawing, risograph printing, or working on her next zine. “I’m constantly finding the best way to represent an idea through my work,” she shared in an interview with the Shillington Design Blog. “Whether it’s a commission or my own personal work.”
But it took Ronning some time to get to where she is today. In fact, there was a time, not long ago, when she ditched illustration in the hopes to become a designer.
“I had gone to uni in Canberra to study arts but soon found it wasn’t for me,” she admitted. “I moved to Melbourne in 2011 and studied part-time at Shillington. One of my teachers Steph nudged me towards pursuing graphic design and prop making in film and TV.”
Treating illustration as a hobby, she developed her skills during her downtime. But after getting some illustration commissions, she decided to return to her original passion.
“There are downsides of course, like trying to keep regular work going and boring business stuff, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything right now,” says Ronning.
Indeed, scrolling through her work, it’s clear Ronning wears her heart on her sleeve when it comes to her illustrations. We especially adore her short comics and candid observations, which often hit close at home.
