Interview with Yusra binte Absar Kazmi, a 13-year-old homeschooler and budding illustrator

What was your childhood like?

I have been home-schooled ever since I was small. I was born in Karachi, Pakistan, and lived there until the age of five years. Afterwards I moved to Nairobi, Kenya, with my family and I spent the rest of my childhood growing up there.

When did you discover that you wanted to become an illustrator?

I have always loved drawing! I started off with sketching different pictures on paper and then learnt how to draw on Adobe Photoshop. I dreamed of writing my own book and drawing pictures for it as well. As I got older, I wanted to draw for other people, having watched my elder sisters and father do the same.

What kind of a talent and temperament does it take to become a good illustrator?

Talent wise you do not necessarily need to be great at drawing from the start, because once you keep drawing, then you will naturally improve. However, one’s temperament is a major factor. For example, if you are someone with very little patience, then it will be very difficult for you, as improvement requires a lot of practice.

This is an excerpt from the print issue.

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