Bring some wild style to your space or wardrobe with this eye-catching Z is for Zorilla pattern! Featuring a bold, graphic black and white illustration of the elusive Zorilla (striped polecat) in a hypnotic kaleidoscope layout on a soft purple background, this design is perfect for animal lovers and fans of the unique and unusual. Whether you’re dressing up your sofa with a statement pillow, rocking funky socks, or grabbing a standout tote, this repeating Zorilla wallpaper adds a playful yet sophisticated edge. Originally created as part of the Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet kids’ book series, this design celebrates rare wildlife with style.
What strategies do you use to increase comfort in your daily life?
One of my biggest comfort strategies is making art that excites me. Whether it’s turning the Zorilla from my kids’ book Uncommon Animals of the Alphabet into a funky wallpaper for socks and pillows, or sketching a dripping Hypno Bat for a t-shirt design, when the work feels playful and meaningful, it fills me up. I don’t just create to sell, I create to remember why I started this journey in the first place.
I like to think of my art and patterns like building a pillow fort, that cozy, imaginative world I used to create as a kid. Now I do it with illustrations, textures, and motifs. My ant wallpaper, for instance, started as background art in an aardvark piece and became a repeating design for socks. Wrapping myself, and others, in these designs feels like reclaiming joy.
Living in Caltowie, where the sky stretches forever and stars explode at night, is a big part of my comfort strategy. I look up at clouds, stars, birds and let nature recalibrate me. Whether I’m watching a mob of kangaroos in the backyard or our Pekin Ducks; Mr. Stringy, Steve and Lorraine creating a whirlpool in their clam pool.
I only have 1-2 hours a day to focus on creative work (depending on sleep), and that limited time is a blessing in disguise. It forces me to block out distractions and prioritise what truly matters — like finishing the Z is for Zorilla print or prepping for my next podcast interview with a thriving artist. A good to-do list (paired with strong coffee) is my secret weapon.
Comfort isn’t always soft blankets and perfect lighting. Sometimes, it’s laughing at the chaos. It’s writing a blog post about being an artist in a world that wants perfection from machines. It’s knowing that I might be covered in sheep poop one minute and designing interdimensional cat eyes the next. That contrast is strangely comforting.
In the end, comfort for me is found in the weird mix of the wild and the whimsical, a life filled with kids, creatures, clouds, coffee, and creative freedom (on a tight schedule). It’s a beautiful mess. And I’m here for it.
Kids Book Illustrator Andy C Marshall 