I'm Sophie Heywood, a freelance illustrator based near Stockport, working with publishers, magazines and brands across the UK. My work ranges from traditional ink and paint to digitally produced pieces using Procreate on iPad; I’ve been published by Walker Books, The Guardian, Arts Council England, and more, and have exhibited at Secret 7”s at Somerset House and No Homers Club in Liverpool. I also run an Etsy shop selling greeting cards, prints, and stationery, and I regularly showcase at comic conventions and markets. Beyond creating art, I manage a busy small business: handling orders, stock, social media promotion, and customer service; I’ve collaborated with stockists and wholesalers, and I’ve streamed my art process on Twitch, which helped me connect with a community and gain commissions. I’ve volunteered in The Big Draw at Alder Hey and assisted with workshops at The Festival of Making. …

Sophie Heywood

I'm Sophie Heywood, a freelance illustrator based near Stockport, working with publishers, magazines and brands across the UK. My work ranges from traditional ink and paint to digitally produced pieces using Procreate on iPad; I’ve been published by Walker Books, The Guardian, Arts Council England, and more, and have exhibited at Secret 7”s at Somerset House and No Homers Club in Liverpool. I also run an Etsy shop selling greeting cards, prints, and stationery, and I regularly showcase at comic conventions and markets. Beyond creating art, I manage a busy small business: handling orders, stock, social media promotion, and customer service; I’ve collaborated with stockists and wholesalers, and I’ve streamed my art process on Twitch, which helped me connect with a community and gain commissions. I’ve volunteered in The Big Draw at Alder Hey and assisted with workshops at The Festival of Making. …

Available to hire

I’m Sophie Heywood, a freelance illustrator based near Stockport, working with publishers, magazines and brands across the UK. My work ranges from traditional ink and paint to digitally produced pieces using Procreate on iPad; I’ve been published by Walker Books, The Guardian, Arts Council England, and more, and have exhibited at Secret 7”s at Somerset House and No Homers Club in Liverpool. I also run an Etsy shop selling greeting cards, prints, and stationery, and I regularly showcase at comic conventions and markets.

Beyond creating art, I manage a busy small business: handling orders, stock, social media promotion, and customer service; I’ve collaborated with stockists and wholesalers, and I’ve streamed my art process on Twitch, which helped me connect with a community and gain commissions. I’ve volunteered in The Big Draw at Alder Hey and assisted with workshops at The Festival of Making.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Freelance Illustrator at Self-employed / Freelance
January 1, 2013 - Present
Freelance illustrator published in book and magazine formats; clients include Walker Books, The Guardian, Arts Council England, Dan Clancy, Caboodle Magazine, Tusk Journal, and The Skinny Northwest. Exhibited nationally at events such as Secret 7”s at Somerset House and No Homers Club at Constellations, Liverpool. Produces traditional ink/paint work and digital art via Procreate on iPad; uses Photoshop and InDesign for print preparation. Runs an Etsy shop selling greeting cards, limited edition prints, and stationery; manages e-commerce, stock, and customer relations. Promotes work on social media and participates in conventions and Twitch streams. Coordinates wholesale relationships with stockists and ships orders from home studio. Volunteers in community art projects and workshops.
Sales Assistant / Bookseller at Rare Mags
January 31, 2025 - September 11, 2025
Processed sales, managed deliveries, photographed listing photos, and uploaded to website. Handled social media content, packaging and shipping of online orders, stock replenishment, and visual merchandising. Assisted with in-store events and served customers, including using an espresso machine.
Sales Assistant at Magma Manchester
February 28, 2021 - September 11, 2025
Processed transactions, opened/closed the shop as a key holder, managed cashing up. Unpacked and processed large deliveries from publishers; ensured stock was replenished and the shop floor remained presentable. Assisted customers with recommendations.
Management Support at Office Shoes
November 30, 2017 - September 11, 2025
Supported management with daily tasks, supervised shop floor, mentored new staff, and conducted monthly reviews. Handled customer queries in person and over the phone; till trained and responsible for cashing up. Worked well under pressure, on stockroom duties, deliveries, stock takes, and ensuring stockroom standards.
Sales Assistant at JJB Sports
June 30, 2011 - September 11, 2025
Customer service, team communication, stockroom duties, handling customer complaints, product knowledge training, upselling, and maintaining store standards.

Education

Bachelor's Degree with honours at University of Central Lancashire
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2014
National Diploma at Stockport College
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2011
BTEC at Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College
January 11, 2030 - January 1, 2008
GCSEs at Marple Hall High School
January 11, 2030 - September 11, 2025

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Retail, Wholesale & Distribution, Education, Professional Services
    paper Baley Finds The Way

    Client work for WGSF prep school. The brief was to design a prospectus for new students and their parents in the style of a children’s picture book. The tale follows Baley, a young barn owl who. with the advice of his grandpa, finds the way to his new path of learning. Starting a new school can be daunting, so we wanted to make this world look as welcoming, whimsical and colourful as possible. I illustrated the book with gouache, pencil and ink.

    paper Twitch Assets For CEO Dan Clancy

    Commission for Twitch CEO Dan Clancy. He wanted a starting soon screen for his “streamer stories” on his own personal Twitch channel. The brief was for something with a storybook style with a warm colour palette and three characters to represent each guest.

    paper Editorial For Counterpoint Magazine

    Editorial illustration for Counterpoint, a risograph printed magazine based in Edinburgh. This was for their 25th issue in December 2024, and the theme was pets. I was asked to illustrate a full page risograpgh piece to coincide with an article about virtual pets and online games. I had to prep the illustration for 3 riso inks; pink, yellow and blue. I also experimented with colour mixing the inks and managed to achieve orange and some green tones too. For the concept I was inspired by retro gaming and collecting from my childhood that revolved around little pets and companions, ie Nintendogs, Tamagochi and Pokemon cards. (Cover illustration featured in the photo by Max Machen.)

    paper Book Covers For Walker Books

    Shortly after graduating from UCLan in 2013, I was approached by Walker Books to illustrate the cover for Jandy Nelson’s LGBTQ+ young adult fiction novel, I’ll Give You The Sun. I also created various illustrations and textures for the pages inside. The book was released in 2014 and became an international best seller.