LOCKED IN
This collection of observational illustrations is called 'Locked In' which was done during lockdown of a few rooms belonging to various people. I used reference photos sent to me as I wasn't able to visit, and the purpose of the collection was to capture their personalities, but without people. This was done by including all the personal details found within their homes and using this alongside colour and cropping to suggest their character. I wanted to help people appreciate the beauty of their homes; despite the fact the pandemic made us all feel pretty isolated at times, we were locked in some amazing spaces that hold so many important memories with the people we share them with.
Ella and Sophia's home was the first I drew. I've known Ella from the age of 11 and we've watched each other grow, she now lives in South London with an amazing flatmate called Sophia. They both made me feel very welcome when I came to stay and the way in which they presented their home gave me so much inspiration.
The second was my dad and stepmum's home, again one with a lotttt of history and so much to capture in their little trinkets.
For my next drawing, I wanted to think outside the box and challenge myself to not only a home I had never personally visited but also belonging to someone I didn’t know. So, I sent out a request to my Instagram followers, to send in reference photos, for me to choose from to create my next illustration within the collection. The photo I happened to choose was from a complete stranger, and also international! I felt so special to gain this insight into a stranger’s life, seeing the place in which they spend 90% of their time.
The fourth illustration to the series was done of my best friend’s home. Unlike all the others that capture a shared space, this belonged to one person. Elsie had moved 4 times in the space of a year, and this image captures everything in the world that is hers. Knowing her personally, I knew and felt the importance of this.
This project allowed me to enter the worlds of different people and to gain an insight to their perspectives. And just to make it things even better, it has led to a few amazing commissions where I’ve been requested to capture peoples homes or even work spaces! Below highlights some of these, often I’ve used multiple photos from different angles to condense as much of the room and its character into a smaller corner, creating full and exciting adaptations of their space!