Why I Keep Returning to Certain Motifs in My Illustration Work

If you’ve looked through my illustrations, you might have noticed a few things that keep popping up. Moons. Birds. Tiny figures navigating giant spaces. Things that feel slightly oversized or just… a little bit weird.

This isn’t an accident. I come back to the same motifs again and again on purpose. Not because they’re trendy or cute but because they help me think. They help me tell stories. They help the work feel like it’s part of the same little world, even when it’s a completely different illustration.

Take a read of my blog post How I Build Worlds Through Illustration

What I mean by “motif”

A motif isn’t just a repeated image. It’s a visual idea that carries meaning. Something that comes back in different ways, slowly gathering weight. Every time you see it, it starts to feel familiar.

For me, motifs act like little anchors. They keep ideas in place across different artworks, even when the style or subject shifts.

The moon might hint at cycles or emotions. A bird could signal freedom, curiosity, or a touch of mischief. A small figure might make the scene feel vast, or lonely, or full of possibility.

I don’t usually spell this out in the work itself. I like the viewer to find their own meaning. That’s part of the magic.

If you want a clear explanation of motifs in visual art, this page from Fiveable breaks it down really nicely.

How motifs connect my collections

Each illustration collection stands on its own, but motifs create conversation between them.

In Kindred Creatures, animals appear as companions, observers, or silent storytellers. They aren’t just decorations—they carry mood and personality across pieces.

In Full Moon, the moon keeps showing up, sometimes subtly, sometimes boldly. It affects the scene, the figures, the mood. The same visual element repeats, but each time it feels a little different from the last appearance.

When motifs return, viewers start to recognize them. There’s a small thrill in noticing. It’s a quiet “hello, remember me?” across the work.

Motifs help me think, not just decorate

I don’t pick motifs to be consistent or “on-brand.” I pick them because they give me a starting point when I’m stuck.

Instead of staring at a blank page and panicking, I ask: “What happens if this little bird appears here?” or “How does the moon feel in this corner?”

It turns my creative process into a conversation. The motif asks a question and I respond. The work grows from there.

Letting motifs stay open

I avoid over-explaining what a motif means. A moon doesn’t have to stand for the same thing to everyone. A bird can be freedom to one person, curiosity to another.

If I explained it all, there would be no space left for the viewer to play, to interpret, to imagine. I want them to feel the work, not just read about it.

Motifs in Imaginarium

The same way of thinking shows up in Emily B. Studio’s Imaginarium. Monthly prompts, challenges, and colouring pages sometimes repeat ideas, compositions, or playful experiments.

You might spot motifs from my illustration collections showing up in a tiny, sneaky way in a zine prompt. That’s intentional. It’s part of a slow, gentle conversation across the studio.

Why I’ll keep returning to motifs

Returning to familiar visual ideas isn’t boring. It’s grounding and it helps me see how an idea evolves over time. It builds depth in my work and gives me joy.

And honestly? I think (or hope!) it gives the viewer joy too. There’s a little thrill in recognizing a shape, a moon, a bird, or a figure returning. It’s a tiny secret between the illustration and the person looking at it.

And that, for me, is worth returning to again and again.