What is your earliest memory of creating art? (or drawing as a child)
My sister and me always did Christmas decorations together with our mum. I can remember being around 5 and painting pine cones and gluing them together with felt to create some Christmas ornament.

What type of environment do you prefer to work in? At home or in a studio? Listening to music?
I work in a studio, but I used to work at home. I don’t really mind where I work, as long as it is quiet. When I get into my studio, I put my headphones on and I get into my own world. I don’t like people watching me while I work, I like to just be “alone amongst all the people”. I listen to audio books and crime stories from the radio.

When you are creating commissioned work, how do you take yourself out of the project and focus on the idea that needs to be conveyed?
I keep going back to the brief and rereading it over and over. I start to do sketches, and then go back again.
Am I being clear enough or can I put in some more details to emphasise the “plot”? Even when I am finished with the final image, I go back and read the article/brief.

What type of artwork do you have hanging in your home?
Posters from museums all over the world. My favourite museum is “Louisiana”, Denmark. I have artwork from shows there, a favourite being William Eggleston.
I also frame the pictures we get from my boyfriend’s cousin, aged 5. There is a new arrival at the moment where she has written ” poo, wee, bum”. I like that one a lot.

What is your favorite way to get out of a creative block?
Go out. Get some air and look at people. Or if I am lazy, just look on Google images.

If you had to describe your body of work in one word, what would that word be?
Fun.

Hanna Melin embroided the cover for Guardian Weekend Magazine, a story about “designer vaginas”.

Hanna Melin illustrated a piece about “modern etiquette” for the British newspaper, Independent.
Etiquette for the beach: Don’t use lotion-spreading as a pick-up line. That’s so 1970s.

Hanna Melin has illustrated a number of book reviews for Swiss magazine Work Style during the year. Here are a selection.

Hanna Melin’s “Cassette” design was taken on by American kid’s furniture and bedding company “Land of Nod” for their new bedding range.

Hanna Melin illustrated 3 pages in Swedish based magazine “Form”. The article was based on the Top 5 amusement parks you wouldn’t want to go to…

Hanna Melin was invited to create a print for online shop Rockett St. George exclusive range. She wanted to make something for a kids room (since everyone she knows seems to have babies at the moment..), and made this ABC of Childhood.

Hanna Melin has been doing some work with Swiss-based Work Style magazine throughout the year. They have asked her to hold a workshop for them during the Milan Furniture Fair in April. Exciting!

Hanna Melin created the home page illustration for massage and reflexology company, WeloveMe, London.

Hanna Melin was asked to create her own T-shirt range at Teelocker, Hong Kong. The range consists of 7 T-shirt designs in total.
She also collaborated with Chinese pop star Kary, and together they created her range of clothing.