Emily Collyer
Hi! My name’s Emily and I’m a sex positive Illustration student from Norwich, currently studying at the University of Lincoln. My art revolves around all things sex positive, from masturbating and sex to self-love, self-care and body positivity. Using bright colours and cute characters, my aim is to break the stigma around sex and masturbating (especially among people with vulvas) and reframe it in a healthier and more positive light!
Instagram: @hairypitsntits
Where would you like your work to take you?
My work involves a lot of sex positivity, focusing predominantly on the pleasure of people who aren’t men – I’d love to sell prints and designs with sex positive imagery and messaging on them, as well as work with sex positive companies and brands in order to spread the message that sex isn’t such a male dominated activity and that it doesn’t have to be this massive oversexualised thing we’ve been conditioned to believe it is (and that it’s a hell of a lot of fun!)
Which part of your creative process do you enjoy most?
Honestly, I make up most of my finished pieces as I go along, so my favourite part of creating is letting my ideas flow freely into whatever I’m making, whether that be a painting or a digital drawing. It’s fun to experiment with different poses for the characters, background settings or even just the colour palette and I feel so much happier with the outcomes when I’m allowed to experiment freely on the spot.
Where do you draw inspiration from?
I draw inspiration from so many different places, the main places being other artists/illustrators and reality! I’ve recently been listening to sex audios from apps like Dipsea which have really helped me to experiment with images of couples and groups – the best thing about this is that the audios are so well written and leaning away from the male gaze that it’s made so much easier (and so much more fun) to make more of the art that I want to!
What piece of music would you say compliments your work the most?
It’s difficult to think of just one piece of music because I’m inspired by so many! I think the main genre that fits into my style the most is pop / indie pop. A track that comes to mind is Colours by Josie Man – I think the lovely carefree whistling throughout the song, as well as the general upbeat and positive energy fits really well into my style.
Can you list a couple other creatives/friends/people you look to for inspiration?
@beeillustrates – they are main inspiration for my style and all the bright colour palettes you see in my work!
@lillithnoah – she has wonderful poetry focusing on lgbtq+ relationships and mental health which is positively beautiful
@eyrabydesign – one of my very close friends who makes stunning art based off of music she listens to!
@doddleoddle / dodie – probably my favourite artist, her music resonates with me in a way no other artist has done. Her creativity is one of my biggest drives to constantly keep making art.
