Illustrated in Time
Pinion founder Piers speaks with British illustrator Keisha Karlsen about illustration, watch case backs, and creating work made to last.
Keisha Karlsen is a British illustrator who has created several caseback artworks for Pinion, including recent Pure Chance special edition.
I first worked with Keisha in 2020, when we were both working in UX design. Her illustration work, rooted in flowing linework and tattoo-inspired influences, has since become part of the Pinion story.
This interview explores her creative process, her influences, and what it’s like translating illustration onto the small, circular canvas of a watch — something designed to be worn, handled, and kept for decades.
Drawing with Intent
How would you describe your illustration style to someone seeing your work for the first time?
Keisha:
My work centres around detailed, flowing linework and organic patterns. I’m drawn to symmetry and repetition, often without consciously intending to, and I like creating pieces that feel balanced and immersive. I usually base my illustrations around animals and mythical creatures, drawing inspiration from traditional tattoos, neo-traditional and Japanese tattoos as well as traditional Japanese art.
Images © Keisha Karlsen
You balance illustration alongside a full-time UX role. How do those two disciplines influence each other?
Keisha:
Yes, working as a UX designer alongside being an illustrator means I have to be quite intentional with my time and energy. The problem-solving mindset of UX encourages me to design with intention and structure for end users, while illustration gives me space to be more intuitive and expressive. Having both keeps things feeling balanced and creatively fulfilling in my day-to-day life.
What first pulled you toward illustration, and how has your style evolved over time?
Keisha:
I studied Graphic Design at Arts University Bournemouth, where I completed my Bachelor’s degree, but drawing has always been something I’ve gravitated towards. I’ve been creating and sketching from a young age, not because I was especially great at it, but because I loved being imaginative and creative. That enjoyment is what kept me practicing and experimenting over the years, and gradually developing my own style.
If I was to look back at the work I made as a teenager compared to now, it’s really clear how much consistency and time has shaped my approach to illustration.
Images © Keisha Karlsen
A Circular Canvas
How do you work technically today, and what still draws you back to pen and paper?
Keisha:
These days, I mostly illustrate digitally, using Procreate on my iPad and sometimes Photoshop. For commission work, I usually prefer to work digitally, since it allows me to work efficiently and make adjustments easily. That said, I still love returning to traditional methods when I’m creating for myself or making a piece as a gift for someone special — using fine line pens or biro on paper. Pen on paper will always hold a special place for me because it’s where I started and where my love for illustration grew.
What changes when illustration is created for a watch caseback rather than a flat canvas?
Keisha:
Yes, I’ve had the pleasure of working on six caseback designs so far, and each one has been a lot of fun to create. What makes illustrating for a watch different from other commissions is that you’re working with a circular canvas rather than a usual rectangular canvas. You also have to be very mindful of how the design will translate onto such a small surface — you want detail, but not so much that it gets lost or doesn’t translate well when it’s lasered onto the caseback.
A good example of this was the Neutron special edition watch design. I originally drew a moth for the design, but it didn’t translate well onto the circular canvas. Piers and I later developed the spider design, which worked beautifully and captured the detail in a way that suited the watch perfectly. Challenges like this make illustrating for watches really rewarding, because you have to think carefully about composition, scale, and detail in a way you don’t always have to consider for other projects.
Early concepts for the Neutron special edition
Designed to Last
Looking back, is there a caseback or commission that stands out as especially meaningful?
Keisha:
My favourite project so far is the dragon serpent illustration for the Axis II 38 watch. Twisting the dragons into the shape of an infinity symbol to interpret the “Infinity on the wrist” theme was a fun challenge, and I loved drawing inspiration from the Aztec Double-Headed Serpent.
Outside of watches, I’m especially proud of a pair of matching Oni mask tattoo designs I created for two friends. I enjoyed making them feel like a connected pair while giving each subtle differences, so they were unique to each person.
Does creating work meant to last (on watches or skin) change how you approach your illustrations?
Keisha:
Working on watches and tattoos, both essentially permanent forms of art, changes how I carefully approach my work as every detail matters.
One tattoo commission I worked on in particular was a robin bird design, requested as a homage to the client’s nan since it was her favourite bird. There was pressure to get it just right, which reinforced how important it is to be thoughtful and intentional when creating something meant to last — whether on skin or on a watch.
From Screen to Steel
What’s it like seeing your illustrations translated into metal and glass for the first time?
Keisha:
Seeing my work translated into metal and glass is genuinely quite surreal. I’m so used to working digitally or on paper, so holding something physical that’s been carefully crafted around my illustrations feels really special and rewarding.
Which artists or traditions continue to shape your visual language today?
Keisha:
My work is heavily influenced by traditional and neo-traditional tattoo art, as well as traditional Japanese tattoos and art. I’m especially inspired by the flowing sense of movement found in ukiyo-e woodblock prints by artists such as Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige, which continue to shape how I approach linework and patterns in my own illustrations.
What Comes Next
What are you enjoying working on at the moment, even if it’s just for yourself?
Keisha:
At the moment, I haven’t been creating much purely for myself, but it’s something I’m really keen to kickstart again, especially after recently moving into a new home and wanting to create artwork for my own space. That said, I did recently complete a blue biro illustration as a Christmas gift for my partner, inspired by a game he loves called Shenmue. I’ve also been working on a painted mirror piece as a birthday gift for a close friend, which I still need to give to her. I haven’t shared images of this one just yet, but I’ll share a mirror design I worked on previously, which was a birthday gift for another friend, designed mainly because he didn’t have a mirror in his room, which I thought needed to change!
