Rachel Elizabeth Ward BA (Hons) Illustration with Animation
My work is inspired by place, nature, and natural environments. Every landscape, man-made or natural, is bustling with energy that I want to bring to light and recreate. Working intuitively with colour, texture, and collage, I see patterns that form shapes and figures, which I build up step by step, creating a final result that offers the viewer an infinitely detailed world to explore and experience.
I am fascinated with techniques that combine a hand drawn and digital process. My most recent work is based on imagination and the idea of traveling through space to unworldly places and what these worlds could look like.
I was particularly influenced by promotional travel posters, especially vintage rail travel, which celebrated an event or landscape by presenting them in a surreal and idealistic scenario.
Going forward into the illustration industry, I want to work on commercial, and narrative based projects, that are not only immersive to the audience, but provoke feeling and curiosity.
My personal practice focuses on creating fun characters and bringing recognisable creatures to life; they tend to have an innocent spirit and humorous tone, as well as being decorative. Developing my personal and professional practice works hand in hand. My techniques cross over and my characters populate landscapes, creating atmospheric and unique worlds, with the potential for story. I am keen to develop my animation skills and add a new degree of interactivity to my work, as well set up my own business selling artwork and merchandise.
