Drawing hijabi characters — with style: A Q&A with artist Areeba Siddique — Assembly

“I hope to tell the world that Pakistani women, despite their many struggles, are as passionate about education as anybody else in the world.” (Photos courtesy of Areeba Siddique)

25-year-old Pakistani artist Areeba Siddique shares her art inspirations and advice for other young women artists.

With every art piece, 25-year-old Pakistani artist Areeba Siddique draws hijabi characters — in style.

Bright and bold, Areeba’s work showcases everything from her outfits of the day to statements on feminist issues in Pakistan and around the globe. “Women all around me inspire me to create art,” she says. “I hope to tell the world that the Pakistani women, despite their many struggles, are as passionate about education as anybody else in the world.”

Assembly commissioned Areeba to illustrate the story of Pakistani student Sundus, who wrote an article about her experience attending college with her mom. Along the way, we spoke with Areeba about her experience illustrating Sundus’ piece, her art inspirations and advice for other young women artists.

MM: What is your first memory of making art? Did you feel encouraged as a young woman to pursue art as a career?

AS: I have been interested in art ever since I was a child. I can’t pinpoint the very first memory but I definitely remember my mother taking my sister and I to stationery shops during our summer vacations to get art supplies. We always got lots of sheets and paint so that we could spend our free time by drawing and painting. She was the one who helped me realize that art was my true calling. She kept encouraging me to do more of it, and later this hobby bloomed into a career.

"I have been interested in art ever since I was a child...[my mother] was the one who helped me realize that art was my true calling." (Photos courtesy of Areeba Siddique)

MM: What inspires you to create art? Are there any women artists you draw inspiration from?

AS: The central theme of my art has always been the women of my family. And not just them, women all around me inspire me to create art. Their voices and stories are so powerful, it is very inspiring for me as an artist. My personal favorite illustrators are definitely Shehzil Malik, Laura Callaghan and Pollynor.

Left: Art by Shehzil Malik | Right: Art by Laura Callaghan

MM: What role has education played in your life, and why do you think it’s so important to continue fighting for the education rights of girls and women in Pakistan?

AS: Education helped me take control of my life and enabled me to stand up for myself. When I started my art school journey years ago, I moved from one city to another to be able to attend my dream school. The whole journey of managing everything on my own as a young girl taught me so much. Educating our young girls is really important, especially for a society like Pakistan’s, where women are mostly left to solely depend on their families/husbands and it puts them in great danger of abuse. If we have more educated women who can earn and take care of themselves, they will be able to live a better life with freedom.

MM: Is there a moment in Sundus’ story that especially resonated with you, or that you were most excited to illustrate? Tell us about it.

AS: The most wholesome part of the story was when Sundus explained how having her mother at the university felt like it was her second home and how she could go to her mother whenever she was sad. Since I have a very close bond with my own mother, I realized how comforting it must have been for her. Drawing that bit made me really happy.

Areeba and her mom. (Photo courtesy of Areeba Siddique)

MM: How do illustration, animation and visual art help communicate messages in a different way than writing does? What message do you hope to share by illustrating Sundus’ story?

AS: Visual representation has its own charms. I have always wanted to see more hijabi women in comics/illustrations and this is how I ended up choosing it as a niche. Visual arts also help in grabbing your audience’s attention much faster and sends the message across in a much quicker and better way. With Sundus’ story, I hope to tell the world that Pakistani women, despite their many struggles, are as passionate about education as anybody else in the world.

MM: Do you have any advice for other young women who want to pursue art?

AS: Please do not ever be discouraged by what other people say about your passion. It is going to be difficult in the start, but you have to stay persistent and fight for it. Stay true to what you believe in and let your art reflect it. It will all be worth it in the end. 💗