Overview
Graduated with a BA (Hons) Illustration after a successful career in civil engineering, finally making my childhood dream career as a professional illustrator and designer, a reality and gaining confidence in the engineering industry has given me the confidence to embrace all types of challenges.
I enjoy reading and discovering weird and wonderful short stories that have yet to be illustrated. I love illustrating the narrative, from children's books, to adult fiction, to educational booklets for tourist attractions.
My recent commissions include:
1. Design & illustrate historical characters, locations and objects - to be animated to create a TV commercial and social media campaign for Lolly Agency’s client.
2. Fully illustrating and designing an educational booklet for SS Great Britain Trust for 50th Homecoming celebration in 2020; a world map and character designs including a fully illustrated booklet, in 2021/22; a fully illustrated booklet to celebrate the ship's 180th birthday launch in 2023.
3. Fully illustrating and designing a family trail booklet for National Portrait Gallery and National Trust (Montacute House in Somerset) in 2018 - to commemorate 'Women's Suffrage' and 'Votes for Women'.
I am always very proud to be asked to design and illustrate for clients commemorating prominent historical events.
My focus is on meeting the client's brief, the target audience and creating a professional book cover design or interior illustration that my client will be proud of. It is important to me that the client is happy throughout the design process.
If my client gives me free rein to design a cover, I'll design it so that it's eye-catching but also, will invoke the right emotion for that particular book genre and subject. I work predominantly in pen and ink, but also, watercolour, oil pastels and digital illustration. Trained in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and In-Design; this has also helped with my freelance technical work in web design.
Self-taught in Web Design and eMarketing. I have volunteered my spare time and design skills to local non-funded charities and organisations, including Black Swan Arts, Fair Frome, The Little Victory Ball and The Frome Tunnels Team Project in Frome, Somerset.
I pride myself on a friendly and professional approach to my client's needs and I am fully committed to ensuring my client gets the best service, whilst having a good working relationship with me. I am passionate about illustration and always happy to help my client turn their dreams into reality.
Services
Fiction
Non-Fiction
Languages
Awards
- BA (Hons) Illustration
- Tarmac Trophy 2008
Certifications
- Foundation Design, Photography and Illustration
- Professional Diploma Civil Engineering
- ONC BTEC Civil Engineering
Work experience
Self-employed
Nemesis by Sam Bell, a financial thriller.
Self-employed
To design and illustrate characters, locations and objects in pen and ink, to be made into an animation, to be viewed on social media and TV commercial for agency’s client.
Self-employed
In 2020, I was commissioned to design and illustrate an 8 page booklet for 50th Anniversary of the Homecoming of SS Great Britain, from the Falkland Islands. In 2021/22 I designed and illustrated an 8 page booklet that focused on the historical characters who sailed on the ship and this involved illustrating a very detailed A3 fold-out world map. In 2022, I designed an edited world map and food illustrations, to support a food event on the ship. In 2023 I designed and illustrated a third booklet which focused on a historical event on the ship to commemorate the ship's 180th birthday. These booklets are designed for families, for them to explore this tourist attraction and be educated about its history.
Self-employed
Freelance commissions throughout the period, to design and illustrate a children's book and branding designs for HAE UK merchandise, to promote the book.
Self-employed
Design and illustrate an educational booklet to accompany National Portrait Gallery's new portrait exhibition at Montacute House in Somerset. Target audience - families, children 3yrs and upwards, adults. Liaise with National Trust Senior Experience Officer, for further details required. Booklet to include fun and challenging activities as well as educational content.
Self-employed
2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020. Organisation, curation and administration of the Young Open children's art competition and exhibition. Design literature, as well as Design poster design and content. Design logo for social media and posters. Organise and administrate online, verbal and written contact with over 220 schools and clubs, in order to encourage them to submit artwork for the competition. 2016 saw over 300 entries (twice as many as the previous year); 2018 saw over 350 entries and 2019 saw 420 entries. In 2020, during Lockdown, we took the physical art exhibition online and arranged for family showings of the physical exhibition later in the year. Over the years, we have received entries from many schools and numerous individual entrants in the Wessex region, but now accepting artwork from artists as far as London and Cornwall.
Self-employed
Graduated with a BA (Hons) Illustration through University of Hertfordshire. I began freelancing for illustration, graphic design and web design, after leaving my last permanent role as Highways Engineer for a local Authority in 2013. I have worked for clients by creating book illustrations, designing book covers, educational booklets and providing a web design service, both in South West England and internationally.
Portfolio
