Iam very happy to be able to share a new coffee talk with you. This week I had the wonderful and creative Nadja as a guest. I saw Nadja's wonderful illustrations on Instagram and immediately wanted to know more about them.

Now get your coffee, tea or hot chocolate and dive into the world of drawing with me.

DW: Dear Nadja, thank you for finding the time today to answer a few of my questions. I assume the readers don't know you yet. Would you like to tell a little more about yourself so that the reader can get to know you and learn more about you?

Nadia: I'd love to. I'm Nadja König, illustrator and designer from Munich. I create handmade, emotional illustrations with great attention to detail.

Before starting my own business, I worked as a fashion designer for many years. Fashion has always fascinated me and becoming a fashion designer has always been my dream. That's how my journey through training to learn the craft from scratch began. After working at the theater and doing various internships, I began studying fashion design in Vienna and Munich.

During my studies I worked in different companies and with different designers and was able to gain a lot of practical experience. After my studies, I started at Hugo Boss as a designer for the Boss Black Women line.

Because of love, however, I wanted to return to Munich from Swabia and was then able to gain a foothold in design at Escada Sport for a few years.

Then came a new phase and I had children, and with the birth of my first daughter everything didn't go as planned. I originally wanted to go back to Escada after my maternity leave, but the universe had other plans for me. During my maternity leave I started to draw more and more freely. PR agencies and clients became aware of me and my work as an illustrator grew more and more. Because of this great success, I then decided to devote myself fully to my creative work and to become self-employed.

To be honest, I didn't think I could make a living from my drawings "only". It is all the more beautiful what has emerged from it in recent years. It's a great privilege for me to have been able to do this!

DW: You have an exciting CV, especially a very creative one. I think it's wonderful to see how you've followed your heart, be it making the transition from theater to fashion or finally taking the step into self-employment. Have you always been good at drawing, did you inherit this talent?

Nadja: I would say YES. I come from a creative family and I definitely inherited the talent.

My parents always encouraged this talent. As a child, I attended watercolor courses and painting schools. My creativity was also shaped by ballet and music lessons.

DW: How may I imagine your everyday life? You are a mother of two children and work from home, how do you find the time for your work here, do you plan it in advance or how do you do it?

Nadja: My older daughter now goes to school and the younger one to kindergarten. So I can devote myself fully to my work in the morning and then spend time with the children in the afternoon. It is very important for me to structure my day in order to get the maximum effectiveness.

DW: I know your social media profile and your website and therefore some of your wonderful drawings and illustrations. What are these illustrations mostly used for? Is it newsletters or advertising campaigns or what kind of orders are included in your job?

Nadja: My illustrations can be used in many different ways. This can be anything from the classic card and illustration to the overall concept for a customer. However, the most exciting thing for me is when I can create a whole "world of illustration". For example a shop window, and then there are mailings, cards, wrapping paper, etc. I've also been able to implement very special projects with a Munich pastry chef, Alexa von Harder. Here, for example, there were gingerbread houses with my illustrations or biscuit jars with illustrated stickers, matching the illustrated shop window world. Of course, this also shows other brands how diverse the possibilities are with illustrations.

DW: How do you find time for yourself besides the children, the household and your work? Do you specifically plan time for yourself and take it?

Nadja: To be honest, over the years this time has gotten a bit too short for me. Because my work feels more like a hobby to me than work, my creative time is also very beneficial and nurturing in a way. However, because I work from home, I find that sometimes it's hard to switch off. That's why I've been planning a morning for myself for some time, where I go out to do sports. This morning routine gives me a lot and feels really good. It is not only a physical but also a mental balance.

DW: Do you sometimes miss contact with the others since you have been working from home or do you need rest for your work anyway?

Nadja: I actually really like working in a team, but I have no problem working towards it alone. I've noticed that I also need the quiet for my illustrations. Too much "team" would certainly distract me. Due to the many different projects with different customers, there is definitely an exchange that effectively replaces my team. I also love talking to my husband. He is my biggest critic and I always value his opinion on my work. So I have a mini small personal team 😉

DW: Where do you find inspiration for your work? Do you sometimes have a blockage, if so, how do you deal with it?

Nadja: Basically from everywhere. I get my inspiration from things I experience, from my travels, but also from visiting museums or when I go to town.

Of course there are also days when it doesn't flow and I lack inspiration. On days like this I sometimes leave drawing alone and postpone it to another time of the day or even to the next day. Most of the time, however, it is the case that as soon as I accept an order, the ideas come to me immediately and I always feel relatively quickly whether I feel comfortable with the brand and the project i can identify.

DW: Do you also get requests that you feel don't really fit the brand to your work?

Nadja: That happens sometimes. However, it is usually the case that the inquiries I receive really do match my work. And so, as already mentioned, the first idea usually flows with the request.

DW: Are you also very creative outside of your work or is drawing your creative source?

Nadja: I like to bake and I love being creative with the children. I've already started sewing with my older daughter and if she enjoys it, I'm happy to support it. However, I would never force the girls to do it. Everyone should be able to develop as they wish. That is very very important to me!

DW: Dear Nadja, thank you so much for taking the time today. Where do readers find you if they are interested in learning more about you and seeing your illustrations?

Nadja:  The best way to find me is on Instagram @nadjakoenig.offical or on my website

Here you can see and read a lot: https://nadjakoenig.com/

You are of course very welcome to send me an email if you have any questions about my work!