Graduate Show 2020
This year we celebrate not only the creative practice of our 2020 graduates but also the commitment, tenacity and professionalism that enabled them to respond with such positivity to the global pandemic and the challenges it brought. The course encourages students to consider the role and responsibility of an illustrator, with reference to authorial practice and social issues; the emphasis on research informs the content and specialism of their visual practice. The work of our graduates employs a range of media including paint, pencil and digital, across platforms such as editorial illustration, zines, artists book, moving illustration and children’s books. @pompey_illlustration
Graduate shocase identity designed by Kitty Turner
Kitty Turner
@kturnerillustration
https://www.kittyturner.com/
"Drawn to Light is a stop motion animated short film that follows a small moth who is unhappy with the chaotic and dangerous life of being addicted to artificial light. After an intriguing discovery, the moth sets off on a journey to break away from the crowd and find happiness.
This project combined a variety of my skills and was inspired by my interest in nature. The film has multiple underlying themes including artificiality, society and human impact. My aim was to give people who are feeling like a ‘trapped moth’ in this overwhelmingly fast and dangerous world hope".
Max Hillbourne
@redmaxie
https://maxhilbourne.wixsite.com/portfolio
"The theme of my project is Deforestation and it’s negative effects on wildlife and the environment. Our planet faces great hardship primarily due to human interference and development. My project’s aim is to teach my audience about these issues from the wildlife’s point of view, which have no say in our manipulation of the environment. My target audience is everyone, these issues are something we all must learn about. The animation depicts a fox and pigeon holding a radio show called ‘Radio Kingdom’ in a treehouse, taking calls from animal listeners who’ve lost their homes and habitats due to deforestation".
Phoebe Hoare
@phobeeg
https://www.phoebeevelyngrace.com/
"Biotopia is a leporello-style book which presently depicts the rainforest biome, additionally comprising of a typographic wrap-around cover featuring an array of hand-lettered plant and animal species. Whilst this is currently only a 5-panel example of the main leporello, Biotopia is a venture that I will be continuing to develop into a series of biomes. Whilst Biotopia can be displayed alone, the typographic inside cover engages the viewer, becoming an educational piece of artwork. It conjures an awareness and deeper consciousness for what is becoming an increasingly fragile yet ethereal environment. Biotopia has been digitally illustrated in Adobe Illustrator".
Ahmed Idries (Haruki)
@haruki.design
www.haruki.design.com
"There is a message I wanted to convey from the start of this project. It is that regardless of how graffiti writers are, often negatively, portrayed in the media or by public opinion when confronted with such bold and confusing graphics around the city, they are not weird, bad or alien. I hope to break the barrier between audience and artist and build some understanding, some closer feeling or connection with the writers. The graffiti world is very much an underground activity and for that reason to most it seems like a foreign concept. Graffiti art often gets labeled as nothing more than vandalism and petty crime. Through the use of animation, I intend for my audience to connect with the character. It is my hope that they will gain some insight and maybe even compassion through the deliberately muffled and very personal account in the narration".
Aimee Lee
@allustration
www.allusration.co.uk
"My Self Directed Project ‘The Arctic Decline’ looks at the diminishing Arctic region, in relation to the animals that live there. I have explored different ways in which I could represent and raise awareness of the effect that climate change has on this specific habitat. My main outcome has become an arctic themed alphabet cloth book, aimed at toddlers to help them understand the different letters in the alphabet, in relation to different animals and objects found in the Arctic".
Amy Hodges
@cuddlepuddleart
www.cuddlepuddle.com
"I created a book titled ‘Billy and Tilly Go into Space’. It highlights the importance of wearing a seatbelt and having an appropriate car seat. It’s aimed at 4-8 year olds, and revolves around siblings Billy and Tilly who dislike their car seats and seatbelts. After a mission with Spaceman Tom, they realise the importance of being safe in a moving vehicle. I have broadened the books appeal with the addition of Braille. I feel every story, especially educational ones, should be accessible to as many children as possible. The book is designed for parents and children to learn from together – both sighted and non-sighted".
Amy Middleton
@amy_illustrates99
www.amyillustrates99.com
"This project is based on how dogs can improve our mental wellbeing. In this project, I created two pieces, which give information about the positive effect these animals have on us. The outcomes created in this topic include an illustrated booklet for ages 20+ which informs people on the effects therapy dogs have on our mental health, and an animation showing the positive effects a puppy can have on its owner, the animation is for people aged for 10+".
Dan Leonidas
@leonidas_design
www.leonidasdesign.com
"I decided to take a step into the history of Art by going back to some of the earliest moments such as when humans first decided to record their world on the walls of caves; the Egyptians using the visual language of hieroglyphics to record information the Greeks capturing the essence of physical beauty
within their sculptures and the Romans adopting the various elements of art across the globe to create new meanings in adopting and owning art. The project was inspired by my passion for the subject and the knowledge that I have secured a place on a PGCE course, which will lead me into teaching, which is ultimately my final goal".
Serena Toovey
@serenart_equine
https://serena2v.wixsite.com/portfolio
"A Celebration of the Horse is a project directed towards the equestrian industry, with a focus on photography, design and illustration. Certain elements of my project have been tailored towards a professional company looking to raise their profile by updating their online image, whilst other elements included digital portraits of horses owned by friends, family and online influencers. In hindsight, these have become much more meaningful with the introduction of lockdown as people have not been able to see their horses. I am honoured to have been able to brighten peoples days with an illustration of their equine best friend".
Prithy Parsomony
@prithandpen
https://prithandpen.format.com/
"I have always had an interest in Britain, especially in its subcultures, fashion and music so initially I thought this project would just be a celebration of everything I loved about Great Britain. A few weeks into the project I realised I couldn’t do this project without tackling some issues, e.g. fitting in. Growing up as a second-generation immigrant has its difficulties especially with trying to deal with identity and there being lack of representation in the media. I wanted my project to take a positive spin on all these feelings. By crossing out the rule in ‘Rule Britannia’, it’s me saying I don’t like the Empire, but I do love Britain. I’m hoping my project is a celebration of Britain and Britishness but also shines a light on the positive affect immigration has on our country".
Ellis Brown
@ellisbrown.art
www.ellisbrown.art
"The focus for my self-directed project was ‘Ancient Civilisations’. My final outcome, ‘The Ancient Civilisations Collection’ was curated to act as a simulacrum to many museum exhibitions. An assortment of creative works or ‘artefacts’, the collection resembles some of the most-regarded historical art forms from ancient Egyptian, Roman, and Greek civilisations. The collection consists of found objects such as ceramic tiles, slate, terracotta pottery, and wood. These objects have then been painted with gouache and acrylic, to resemble a likeness of the artefacts found in museums, such as Roman mosaics and Egyptian Fayum portraits".
Gavlyn Ess
"This project is a ten paged short comic with a title of “Eat with Kaopun in Osaka”. A Siamese cat named Kaopun is the main character in this story. She is from Thailand and it was her first time traveling to Japan on her own, and the main goal of her trip to Osaka is to try out fresh seafood in one of the most famous market in Osaka, Kuromon market".
James Williams
@jd_zigns
www.jdzigns.com
"As a child I created comics to express my creativity and interest in eccentric characters. Reviving this childhood hobby, my project has taken the form of a graphic novel. It has been a personal indulgence in nostalgia, a theme my novel explores. Set on an island which mirrors a by-gone Britain, the protagonist Gerald detests the new, seeing it as a malicious force seeking to destroy the past. To create my imagery I used coloured pencils as I find their traditional aesthetic coherent with the retrospective world of my story".
Thomas Pippard
@tommysillustration
www.tomsillustration.com
"I decided to modify my brief to be about what people are missing out on as a consequence of lockdown and social distancing. I chose to create a zine aimed at teenagers and young adults because I planned on using social media as a way of gathering research and advertising the final product of my assignment. I think this audience is best suited for my project because they can relate well to what I plan on illustrating and will be able to easily interpret and understand the message I am trying to get across".
Tara Magrun
www.taramagrun.com
"Sense and Perception is a project that explores the basis of how our perception is shaped from our surrounding environmental inputs. Each sensory organ reads different parts of reality and functions together to create the perception we have. The outcome of my project is to communicate the idea of individual perception, our umwelt, through the metaphorically scientific (not accurate though) visualisation of how each of the senses function".
Issac Salvage
@tsy_illustration
www.thesalvageyardstudios.co.uk
"For the self-directed module I explored elements that encapsulate the term ‘The Unknown’, and as my project developed I followed the theme of dystopian futures resulting in a short graphic novel called ‘Renacentia’. It follows the journey of three teenagers leaving an oppressive city on a dystopian Earth in the year 2096. My target audience is those of 10+ that have an interest in graphic novels and the fantasy topic of dystopian worlds. This outcome has led me to the possibility of continuing this narrative as a series of graphic novels as I further my career".
Katherine Duckworth
@kathyduck
https://kathyduck.wixsite.com/home
https://akerco.wordpress.com/
"‘Mapmaking and Mythology’ is an exploration of the myths, legends and traditions of the indigenous peoples of North and Central America. The project explores storytelling through printmaking, artist books and typography. The outcome intends to unite the early work exploring cartography with illustrative pieces in an accessible display. The aim of ‘Mapmaking and Mythology’ was to produce a museum-style exhibition, which displayed a variety of work in an installation with clear and engaging labeling. The display is intended to be accessible and interesting to the general public of all ages through interactive elements and appealing display".
Melanie Townsend
@melanietown
https://sites.google.com/view/melanietownsend/home
"From the start of my project, I wanted to create a comic inspired by narrative illustrations and sequential arts that are embedded with strong meanings and relatable subject matter. Through my comic, I explore themes such as escapism and addiction. I have observed that many people engage in activities like gaming, drug/alcohol use and excessive media consumption in order to avoid facing real-life problems. Because of this, I wanted to create a piece that addresses issues such as these and conveys the importance of being content with one's own reality".
Mariah Cleall
@mariacillustration
https://mariahcillustration.wixsite.com/home
"My project is about the Salem witch trials. I chose to do the Salem witch trials. When I looked at witches I looked at the stereotype of witches which then led to the Salem witch Trials. The reason why I chose the Salem witch trials was because of the fear that consumed Salem at the time which led to loads of innocent people being hanged. I also found it interesting that back then that witches were a symbol of evil and killed. Whilst today they are portrayed in tv shows like the chilling adventures of Sabrina as powerful and independent women".
D'Arcy Joy
@darcy.joy.illustration
"For my final year project, I have chosen to create my own comic based around the theme of serial killers and murder mystery- comic crime".
Ashleigh Nicole
@mashmato
https://www.behance.net/ashleighnicole
I am an LGBT illustrator whose work focuses on people and narrative illustration in the form of posters, portraits and concept art. In my work I seek to share people's stories through my art and do this in traditional and digital mediums.
For my graduate project, I created an illustrated timeline on the history of drag- sharing the brief story of how we got to today where drag has become mainstream and shows like Ru Paul's Drag Race are household names. I also created a colouring book featuring drag queens from the 1800s until present day; complete with information about them to educate and entertain the reader. I have previously done an exhibition for the university on LGBT History Month which was a series of posters, so my goal for this project was to make a more interactive exhibit celebrating drag for both the LGBT community and the wider public.
Joel Spiers
@parchedpinemarten
https://parchedpinemarten.webs.com/
Having started off looking at the concept of Love, then looking into Japanese culture, my self-directed project gradually evolved into focusing on the phenomenon of the Hikikomori; a demographic of mainly young Japanese adults who isolate themselves in their homes, away from society. A significant portion of my work output had been asking the question: “Why?”. Why are there so many young adults in Japan - mainly men - who have become disconnected from society?
Elizabeth Oakley
@elizabethoakley_illustration
https://elizabethoakleyill.wixsite.com/illustration
"Tales from the British Isles is an illustrative exploration of British folklore, with the intended purpose of encouraging the growth of young children’s imaginations. The project culminates in a picture book, The Prince and The Dragon, a retelling of The Laidly Worm of Spindlestone Heugh, a northern folktale. It tells the story of a Prince whose sister is turned into a dragon and is hopefully stimulating, engaging and able to instil important morals in children. The book is designed to be part of a larger collection, comprising of a picture book series, where each book is based on a British folktale, and an accompanying map".
Loic Beguinot
@tagranoir
"I wanted to approach the many key moments in my life as tattoo motifs similar to the underlying meaning behind Polynesian tattoos. Such as the marlin which has been a hugely influential item in my family life, the brotherly bond with my sibling that started from a specific cartoon we used to watch together and a motto the younger generation of my family created and lived by".
Amy Tanish
@amytanishillustration
https://amytainsh.wixsite.com/amytillustration
"For my self-directed project I chose to explore the theme of individuality. I started by exploring the different ways we express our individuality as humans. I wanted to choose a subject that opened-up a variety of directions"
Louise Cheatle
@louisezus
https://www.louisezus.com/
My project investigates Idolatry within religion and questions ‘For those who do not have religious idols, to whom do they look up to as role models?’ In the modern world, we see the emergence of celebrity culture now more than ever and I wanted to take these ‘caricatures’ and appropriate them in my own work. Some of the pages in the book are nods to famous religious artworks. The social and historical impact of exploring religion also speaks for itself - it is arguably one of the most important and well documented subjects in the history of the world.
Katherine Swanson
@redsquiggleillustrations
https://kdswans.portfoliobox.net/
"My project explores the negative impact humans have on the planet and how this affects the inhabitants we share it with, focusing on deforestation and its prevention. It is a book aimed towards children aged 3-8 and their parents that aims to inspire a change in behaviour preventing damage to the earth. ‘There’s No Place Like Home!’ demonstrates the effects of deforestation in a child-friendly manner. This would be for sale in bookshops for parents to buy, read and discuss with their children.
I developed imagery using gouache, acrylic, and pen, creating textures and tone, child-friendly bright colours and ‘realistic’ settings to explore the environment and characters. Photoshop and InDesign allowed more flexibility in composition for perspective changes, space for text and enabled more variety in my images".
Amy Brimmer
@amybri_art
https://amybrimmer.wixsite.com/illustration
"My project is mainly based around the theme of colours and how each colour has associations with different emotions and meanings; Red with its meaning of power, love or anger, green linking to nature and growth or sometimes envy and greed. The pieces I have made are a selection of six miniature books, for six different colours intended for a wide age range, including children and adults apeealing to those interested in learning some basic colour theory and psychology. They may also be of interest to collectors of artist’s books and could possibly be seen as part of an exhibition".
Project Tags
Companies
University of Portsmouth
- Education & Research