Introduction
Congratulations to all our graduating MA Illustration students! This publication presents and celebrates their amazing variety of projects, including an exploration of non-binary creatives, a trip to Ukraine, graphic recording, children’s books for readers with autism, reimagining Shakespeare, fantasy character development, and walking in nature through printmaking. We are delighted to introduce you to these talented new creatives.
About the Course
The MA in Illustration offers students the opportunity to question, develop, and reflect on their practice by exploring both traditional and innovative techniques. Through a negotiated project, students are encouraged to define their role as creative practitioners within broad social, political, and historical contexts. This program is designed for graduates from arts-based courses as well as professionals returning to education to complete their “unfinished creative business.”
A strong ethos of social awareness underpins the course, empowering students to develop a unique voice within the broader creative industries.
Dr Jac Batey (Course Leader) & Ros Simms
.We’re ranked sixth in the UK for student satisfaction in creative arts and design in the 2024 Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey (PTES)
Cover art: Mark Jones www.markhowardjones.art
MA Illustration Course
www.port.ac.uk/study/courses/ma-illustration
@Pompey_Illustration
Instagram feed for BA, MA and Practice-based PhD
Xue WEN
www.wenxue-art.com @wenxueart
I graduated in 2023 specializing in illustration, brand design, and art therapy. I believe that sincere art has the power to reveal the human subconscious, inspire personal growth and foster connections with others and the natural world. I’m currently enrolled in a three-year Transpersonal Arts in Therapy training program, where I explore how art can facilitate personal, cultural, and spiritual transformation. Through my work, I guide individuals and groups toward healing and self-discovery. I also work with brands so they can ultimately build meaningful connections with their audiences.
Abs Ishola
@abs_makes_art
Sonder
A folding newspaper zine exploring nonbinary representation and lived experiences and their places in Art. I’ve used quotes and photographs gathered from genderqueer volunteers to create likenesses of non-binary bodies. Through the balance of text and image I aim to give voices to nonbinary people. The zine folds out to a larger poster, that contextually frames the zine by including the questions that were originally posed. Based on my lived experience as a black and male presenting artist on the gender averse spectrum, my work explores self-identity or more specifically the idea of positionality.
Bio
I am proficient in mixed media artwork; from small scale freehand drawings with pen and pencil to large scale canvas paintings in acrylic, with outline based linework. I am currently expanding my skills in digital artwork through Procreate. I create artwork that serves as a mirror for the lives of those not always represented in the mainstream art world, those of minorities and anyone identifying as gender queer. I am looking to design for the skateboarding industry, such as T-shirt and skateboard deck designs, working as a merch artist for a company.
Mark Jones www.markhowardjones.art
A Walk in the Park - Drawings inspired from the vibrant tapestry of my home in Hampshire, I make colourful linocut prints and paintings often depicting suburban scenes featuring dogs and their owners enjoying moments of exercise and connection in the park.
Bio
Mark is a full-time artist based in Hampshire. He has always been driven to express a personal visua response to his local environment, people, places and objects through drawing, painting and printmaking, inspired by exploring colour, composition, materials and processes.
He specialises in relief printmaking and painting. His work combines the process of making with capturing the social and cultural memories associated with walking. His main goal as an artist is to produce artwork with a strong sense of place and walking is the biggest influence on his work.
Julia KNYUPA
www.drawattention.today
Trip to Ukraine
My visual diary spans 28 pages and reflects a real sketchbook I used during my visit to my hometown in Ukraine in the spring of 2024. Through this project, I aimed to capture the essence of daily life amidst the wartime struggles faced by many Ukrainians, including power outages, shelling, displacement, and more. While my records do not explicitly delve into tragic tales or depict bloodshed, the narrative and illustrations convey the emotions and anxieties that resonated with me and my fellow Ukrainians.
Bio
Julia is a Ukrainian professional graphic recorder, visual facilitator and illustrator, now based in the UK. With a background in journalism, workshop facilitation, coaching, and visual communication, Julia has dedicated the last seven years to transforming complex ideas into visually engaging stories that capture and captivate audiences. Her company Draw Attention specialises in creating visual summaries for global companies including, the World Health Organisation, the Parliament of Ukraine and the United Nations.
Sean Sesbreno www.seansatelier.co.uk
Mobile Fortress
A visualised narrative designed by myself to showcase my skills as a character designer and storyteller. The designs depict large, humanoid warriors accompanied by their king assisting a human civilisation in a fantasy medieval background. The project is separated into digitally painted panoramas in a 21:9 aspect ratio.
Bio
A UK based illustrator and model painter, Sean specialises in character and creature design in fantasy settings. He has collaborated with many creatives in an array of projects, such as creating artwork for songs and selling painted models online. Sean is confident in using digital software for creating his pieces, such as Adobe Photoshop, but he is also capable of using multiple mediums, like acrylics and charcoal.
For his miniature model painting, he paints from a wide range of manufacturers, from Games Workshop, Kingdom Death and BigChild Creatives. He carefully paints models of all scales, from 28mm to full busts.
Riley Stratton www.rileygstratton.com
Jamie’s Doctor Appointment
Bio
I’ve designed and illustrated a children’s book that is aimed towards young people with autism and cognitive impairments to allow them to not only read but learn essential life tasks, that for some, do not seem as easy as it is for others. The book consists of 36 pages in a 20x20cm format. Written in collaboration with a Special Needs teacher the book is Ideally designed for publication so it can be widely available in schools.
Riley is an illustrator and graphic designer from Michigan but now lives in the United Kingdom/Italy. She has a playful, childish, and ironic illustration style, except for children’s books. She likes to make people question their emotions and their feelings when viewing her work. She loves to get involved with projects that involve anything environmental, running or mountains, and helping the neurodivergent people of this world. This stemmed from her lack of help when she was growing up with a learning disorder and ADHD. From this, she developed an interest in color psychology and learned that it has many benefits when used correctly. With a degree in graphic design and another in illustration, Riley will go on to help others communicate their needs through visual communication.
Yuting Zhou
https://fugo2gio.wixsite.com/yutingzhou
Dream Theatre
My project aimed to design an interactive game that incorporates elements of drama and history. The foundation of the game is rooted in two theatrical works: Shakespeare’s Richard III and Hamlet. The interactive aspect of the game allows players to make choices, with Hamlet serving as the protagonist and enabling players to take control of his character. In the demo version, three locations are designed to give players the freedom to exercise their autonomy in decisionmaking. This project offers an unorthodox exploration of history, theatre, and narrative..
Bio
Yuting Zhou is an illustrator and practicing game maker based in China. She uses a variety of applications to create digital artworks, including Clip Studio Paint, MediBang Paint, and Procreate. Her work is often inspired by historical events as well as current social issues. Through her art, she aims to spark debate and expand her viewers’ perspectives. Yuting enjoys combining different genres, such as live theatre, illustration, and game design, to explore new experimental possibilities within these professional fields.
Jonathan Scott
jscottillustration.co.uk
@jjscottillustration
I graduated in 2017 and since then I’ve worked as an illustrator for such clients as Act Against Abduction, the International Federation of the Red Cross and many of the best UK independent comics publishers. I continue to produce sequential artwork and interactive projects that blend traditional illustrative techniques and engaging technology. I now work as an independent creative coordinator focused on connecting artists between Europe and Asia culminating in multiple international projects for Portsmouth comic con bridging the gap between the UK, Japan, Thailand and the Philippines.
Since completing my MA in 2017: I found a job in the film industry in 2019, in Bulgaria. I was responsible for 2D animation and storyboarding. Simultaneously I started my own small business - Clementine Draws - in 2020, where I would sell my art prints and stickers online. Behind the scenes, I have also been working on making my name known in publishing, more specifically kids literature. People started reaching out, interested in me illustrating their books. So I’ve now illustrated more than ten children’s books. I left my industry job in 2023, and I am now only working on my small business and as a freelance artist! I run my online shop, pick my freelance illustrator jobs, and go to artist markets. It has been a tough journey working on many jobs at once, but now I am so happy to have accomplished those things and so grateful to be working on my own!
Clementine Petrova
www.clementinedraws.com
@clementinedraws
Ellis Brown
www.ellisbrown.art
@ellisbrown.art
Since graduating in 2022, I have worked on multiple illustration commissions for organisations including The Girlfriend Letter, AARP Ethel, Print Social, Cog Design, FOYER Magazine, A Creative Coffee, Community Bridges, SJC and Harbour Church Gunwharf.
I also spent some time collaborating with Radim Malinic during the initial illustration phase for his most recent books ‘Creativity for Sale’ and ‘Mindful Creative’. Most recently, I have worked as a teaching assistant in a local secondary school, where my experience has led me to take an interest in mental health in young people. I am currently working towards qualifications within this area, and I hope to explore this subject through future illustration projects.
Connor Clements @ cut_up_club
I graduated in 2021 and I’m now and an arts teacher in Portsmouth, teaching A-levels whilst undergoing my DET training. I continue to design posters, branding and visuals for my band Hallan however, I also spend a lot of time making artwork for my newly founded art collective-duo Cut Up Club.
Cut Up Club is run alongside Lara Kester with the intention of making the art form of collage more accessible to all who are interested, regardless of previous experience. By running intuitive collage workshops and hosting fun collage based events, the art form is broken down and made approachable, engaging and fun.
Me and Lara can also be found at art markets in Portsmouth selling their Prints, Badges, Cards and more.
