Ulrike Mieke | Childrens book Illustrator

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South African Children's Book Illustrator Ulrike Mieke working at her desk in Brighton. Represented by Bright Agency

Children's book illustrator
& author

Hi - I'm Ulrike Mieke, a South African Children's book Illustrator who loves drawing little humans, and capturing moments of childhood.

Let's work together!

A class of swimmers by Children's Book Illustrator Ulrike Mieke

Bus Scene copy 2.jpg

View my Portfolio

Is it too soon for Christmas? No! Never, I was very tempted to put up my Christmas tree and lights, it just feels festive, and I love this time of the time! Festivities, yummy food, and of course - finding special treasures for loved ones. As a family, we usually do secret santa, which means you get to hunt down one special present for someone! And what better way to do it than to support local creatives and makers as well! Annddd...

My prints and cards are now stocked at @lintandlabel - yay! in Lewes, it's right on the high street, in the most beautifully curated store, stocked with incredible goods from local creatives and makers.

We have a saying back in South Africa - 'Local is Lekker' - basically local is nice, local is great, local is a vibe - support local!

I also have a small online store! Link in bio!🐞

Is it too soon for Christmas? No! Never, I was very tempted to put up my Christmas tree and lights, it just feels festive, and I love this time of the time! Festivities, yummy food, and of course - finding special treasures for loved ones. As a family, we usually do secret santa, which means you get to hunt down one special present for someone! And what better way to do it than to support local creatives and makers as well! Annddd...

My prints and cards are now stocked at @lintandlabel - yay! in Lewes, it's right on the high street, in the most beautifully curated store, stocked with incredible goods from local creatives and makers.

We have a saying back in South Africa - 'Local is Lekker' - basically local is nice, local is great, local is a vibe - support local!

I also have a small online store! Link in bio!🐞

Hi - little one...Bored?
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#kidlit#kidlitartist#childrensillustration

Hi - little one...Bored?
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#kidlit#kidlitartist#childrensillustration

Last week, I had the opportunity to share bits of my professional practice with students, and I was really encouraged to be brave, to share all the up's and down's of this thing we call our 'careers'.

It's definitely not linear and perfect, so here's to being more brave! We are in such a weird and difficult time in the creative industry, I see how concerned my students are, and that gap from being in a art school to real life is huge! So who knows, maybe this helps someone, I still haven't got all my ducks in a row (who does!?) but we keep waddling and keep making the work. 🦆🦆🦆

Last week, I had the opportunity to share bits of my professional practice with students, and I was really encouraged to be brave, to share all the up's and down's of this thing we call our 'careers'.

It's definitely not linear and perfect, so here's to being more brave! We are in such a weird and difficult time in the creative industry, I see how concerned my students are, and that gap from being in a art school to real life is huge! So who knows, maybe this helps someone, I still haven't got all my ducks in a row (who does!?) but we keep waddling and keep making the work. 🦆🦆🦆

I’ve been thinking about my sketchbooks, and realised just how much learning I’ve done in them. Made so many “ugly” drawings, flops flops and flops! Even glued pages together! But they are gold to me, like a mini library of ideas, moments and colours swatches!

I’ll be sharing some simple, useful exercises on my Walk and Draw for next week Saturday! Would love to see you there! 🍁🍁🍁

We’ll be walking in Stanmer Park, Brighton - so many beautiful colours, easy gentle walk and good coffee spot at the halfway point! Grab your ticket, link in bio!

#kidlitillustration #kidlit #drawing #sketchbooks #walkanddraw

I’ve been thinking about my sketchbooks, and realised just how much learning I’ve done in them. Made so many “ugly” drawings, flops flops and flops! Even glued pages together! But they are gold to me, like a mini library of ideas, moments and colours swatches!

I’ll be sharing some simple, useful exercises on my Walk and Draw for next week Saturday! Would love to see you there! 🍁🍁🍁

We’ll be walking in Stanmer Park, Brighton - so many beautiful colours, easy gentle walk and good coffee spot at the halfway point! Grab your ticket, link in bio!

#kidlitillustration #kidlit #drawing #sketchbooks #walkanddraw

Shopping with little humans.

We always went with my mama to the shops, sometimes it was chaos, sometimes it was great and of course plenty of moments of boredom! When adults talk, it felt like the world slowed down. But, I'm glad my mama took us along, I remember how she made shopping lists, starting with vegetables and fruit and then dry goods, exactly how the shop was arranged, how fresh stuff had to go in one bag, and never squash the bread or lettuce! I still do these little things today.
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. #kitlit#kidlitart#childrensbookillustrator

Shopping with little humans.

We always went with my mama to the shops, sometimes it was chaos, sometimes it was great and of course plenty of moments of boredom! When adults talk, it felt like the world slowed down. But, I'm glad my mama took us along, I remember how she made shopping lists, starting with vegetables and fruit and then dry goods, exactly how the shop was arranged, how fresh stuff had to go in one bag, and never squash the bread or lettuce! I still do these little things today.
.
.
. #kitlit#kidlitart#childrensbookillustrator

A little recap of my September…6 days into October. The month of September has flown by I have no idea where it went! Time, please slow down.

This month, I have played around with colour, sketched, sketched some more and made countless storyboards while eating crackers and cheese (basically the best snack! So salty!), Harvested my pumpkins which I’m super proud of! Recipes anyone? Picked flowers every evening, made tomato sauce from my own grown tomatoes and drawn some little humans getting ready for bath and bedtime🌞

It’s been a month, and I’m looking forward to October. Autumn is one of my absolute favourite seasons! All the best things! 🍂

A little recap of my September…6 days into October. The month of September has flown by I have no idea where it went! Time, please slow down.

This month, I have played around with colour, sketched, sketched some more and made countless storyboards while eating crackers and cheese (basically the best snack! So salty!), Harvested my pumpkins which I’m super proud of! Recipes anyone? Picked flowers every evening, made tomato sauce from my own grown tomatoes and drawn some little humans getting ready for bath and bedtime🌞

It’s been a month, and I’m looking forward to October. Autumn is one of my absolute favourite seasons! All the best things! 🍂

What is this amazing weather? Summer round 2, I’m ready! 🌞🌞

What is this amazing weather? Summer round 2, I’m ready! 🌞🌞

Hallo - I'm Ulrike Mieke, a Children's book Illustrator and designer.

I'm a small fish, with big fish dreams and plans! 🐠 Just keep going going!

I took a 'big' step recently, and decided to get some proper photo's of me working in my little studio. After working for a couple of years now, I thought it was time to upgrade, the selfie had it's moment but there comes a time, right? A big thank you to @katiehipkisscreative for visiting my little studio and capturing me, my work and all my nervous talking!

I'm not a natural in the front of the camera, but Katie was great! If you're a small business owner or creative - check out @katiehipkisscreative work!

I feel all fancy now! Should I share more?

Hallo - I'm Ulrike Mieke, a Children's book Illustrator and designer.

I'm a small fish, with big fish dreams and plans! 🐠 Just keep going going!

I took a 'big' step recently, and decided to get some proper photo's of me working in my little studio. After working for a couple of years now, I thought it was time to upgrade, the selfie had it's moment but there comes a time, right? A big thank you to @katiehipkisscreative for visiting my little studio and capturing me, my work and all my nervous talking!

I'm not a natural in the front of the camera, but Katie was great! If you're a small business owner or creative - check out @katiehipkisscreative work!

I feel all fancy now! Should I share more?

Enough is enough.

Over the last few days or week or so, I’ve been absorbed in the news that’s coming from home🇿🇦woman after woman, girl after girl. Story after story. They aren’t new stories, we’ve heard them all before. We have heard them far too much.

It makes me so angry, the injustice, the uselessness of the police and government for real action. The fear, anger and hurt in the families as they grieve for mothers, daughters, sisters and friends.

When people ask me “should they visit South Africa?” I always say YES! Go! We have the best country and most friendly, welcoming people. They always follow up with what about safety? I tell them use common sense.

The more I think about this, the more I realize that 100% we as South Africans have buckets of common sense, and as woman we even go beyond that.

I should not have to worry about sisters safety in their homes, I should not have to worry about getting into a uber, or going for a run. But I do, it is ingrained in me.

Men do better, @cyrilramaphosa do better, @sapoliceservice_za do your job.
.
.
.
Thank you!
@womenforchangesa

Enough is enough.

Over the last few days or week or so, I’ve been absorbed in the news that’s coming from home🇿🇦woman after woman, girl after girl. Story after story. They aren’t new stories, we’ve heard them all before. We have heard them far too much.

It makes me so angry, the injustice, the uselessness of the police and government for real action. The fear, anger and hurt in the families as they grieve for mothers, daughters, sisters and friends.

When people ask me “should they visit South Africa?” I always say YES! Go! We have the best country and most friendly, welcoming people. They always follow up with what about safety? I tell them use common sense.

The more I think about this, the more I realize that 100% we as South Africans have buckets of common sense, and as woman we even go beyond that.

I should not have to worry about sisters safety in their homes, I should not have to worry about getting into a uber, or going for a run. But I do, it is ingrained in me.

Men do better, @cyrilramaphosa do better, @sapoliceservice_za do your job.
.
.
.
Thank you!
@womenforchangesa

I absolutely love autumn! It's my favourite time of the year, the sky is usually blue, it's crisp and fresh but not freezing, and the trees - all the best colours! So join me for a Walk and Draw before the grey of winter.

I'll be hosting a Walk and Draw at Stanmer Park on the 24th October at 11am. Link in Bio!

A little promotional 'discount' code if you're interested: StanmerParkWalk, this will run till the 24th September.

Really hope to see you there, I absolutely love hosting these Walk and Draws, small meaningful connections plus drawing = fun fun fun!🍁🍂🍄

I absolutely love autumn! It's my favourite time of the year, the sky is usually blue, it's crisp and fresh but not freezing, and the trees - all the best colours! So join me for a Walk and Draw before the grey of winter.

I'll be hosting a Walk and Draw at Stanmer Park on the 24th October at 11am. Link in Bio!

A little promotional 'discount' code if you're interested: StanmerParkWalk, this will run till the 24th September.

Really hope to see you there, I absolutely love hosting these Walk and Draws, small meaningful connections plus drawing = fun fun fun!🍁🍂🍄

Some of my sketchbooks pages from the last month,

Watching a lot of cricket ( rolling out the pitch and all that), spending time watching these naughty monkeys 🐒, catching up on art club @ellamorella and using random materials, playing padel - I’m addicted and love it! Exploring beautiful places back home 🇿🇦 and soaking up all my time as Aunt to the cutest little one, with fat chubby hands! Too cute!

Some of my sketchbooks pages from the last month,

Watching a lot of cricket ( rolling out the pitch and all that), spending time watching these naughty monkeys 🐒, catching up on art club @ellamorella and using random materials, playing padel - I’m addicted and love it! Exploring beautiful places back home 🇿🇦 and soaking up all my time as Aunt to the cutest little one, with fat chubby hands! Too cute!

Day 4 of waiting in interesting places and strange horse sculptures.

Drawing materials were super limited - black pen, art graf and one little blue colouring pencil.

#threematerialsdrawingchallenge hosted by @naomitippingillustrator @kathryn_boyt and @charlotte durance

Day 4 of waiting in interesting places and strange horse sculptures.

Drawing materials were super limited - black pen, art graf and one little blue colouring pencil.

#threematerialsdrawingchallenge hosted by @naomitippingillustrator @kathryn_boyt and @charlotte durance

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Follow me on instagram @ulrike_mieke

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