Final year project
Skye and The Wild City Search / Maura, The Baby Elephant… [Read more]
Skye and the Wild City Search
Double page spread from my picture book project, 'Skye and the Wild City Search', created for submission to the Macmillan Prize 2021. It is an original story, with the main theme of exploring urban wildlife. My aim for this project is to highlight the diversity of nature found in urban areas and to encourage wildlife conservation in city environments.
Maura, the Baby Elephant
Illustration from 'Maura, the Baby Elephant', a picture book for children which aims to celebrate the life of Maureen O’Hara, an Irish actress and an important figure in Irish history. Through an original character and visual narrative, I aim to share a positive message about emigration by using an influential individual that has been forgotten over time. The ‘baby elephant’ character is inspired by the nickname given to O’Hara as a child.
Fast Fashion and Sustainability
Illustrated poster as part of a campaign to raise awareness of the detrimental impacts of the fast fashion industry, to inspire changed consumer behaviour in girls aged 14-17. The aim of this project is to promote the benefits of buying second-hand clothing and to highlight the positive impact shopping for clothes sustainably can have. I want to inform young people about the impact fast fashion has environmentally and socially, and remove the stigma around sustainable clothing consumption, particularly from second-hand sources.
Skye and the Wild City Search
Double-page spread from my picture book project, 'Skye and the Wild City Search'. The story follows Skye, a young girl living in a city who wishes to see some animals. She journeys through several areas with her mum but discovers that urban wildlife is often closer than it seems. The story is depicted through a variety of formats, such as double-page spreads and spot illustrations. Using a medley of compositions allowed me to create a captivating visual narrative that will engage both young readers and their parents.
Maura the Baby Elephant
Through this project, I aim to highlight the influence that Irish emigrants have had on society. I want to depict the significance of emigration and its positive aspects, as well as inspire gratitude for our homes and families. The story follows Maura, the baby elephant, as she travels to Hollywood to explore, before realising her home in the rural forest is where she belongs.
Skye and the Wild City Search
Designed for children aged 5-6 years, I created an engaging story with a strong message based on an important social topic. Using a narrative focused on an urban area establishes a connection between the story and young readers living in cities. I aim to encourage consideration and conservation of the rich biodiversity living within metropolitan environments.
Maura, the Baby Elephant
The project is aimed at children aged 4 - 5 years. The book uses mostly illustration as the narrative, with accompanying text interweaved within the visuals to allow children of different reading abilities to understand the story. The illustrations would form an accordion-style picture book. This format allows the reader to read page-by-page as a traditional book, or extend the book fully and view the story as one complete image.
Fast Fashion and Sustainability
Through general research and a survey I ran with my target audience, I found there is a lack of awareness about the fast fashion industry and how it affects the environment, as well as a reluctance to shop for clothes sustainably due to factors such as price, convenience and brand loyalty. The illustrations form a positive campaign for social media and advertising with a significant message. The use of illustration addresses the subject in a pleasant manner, making it more appealing for the target audience to engage with.
Ria Robinson
I'm an illustrator who's work explores nature, society and culture using enchanting colours and a variety of mixed media.
My illustrations are playful and expressive using an assortment of textures, colours, marks and shapes. I enjoy creating engaging narratives inspired by the natural world and everyday life that reflect my love for nature. I love to use animals and wildlife as focal themes in my illustrations, hoping to inspire an appreciation for the earth in younger generations. I also aim to promote important ideas like conservation, sustainability and cultural awareness. My final projects have explored my areas of interest in various formats, including picture books, a social media campaign and zines. My work is mainly aimed at children and young people.
I work mostly with traditional mixed media, such as coloured pencil, marker, acrylic and gouache, and combine this with digital techniques, using both Procreate and Photoshop. This has allowed me to develop a distinct visual language and experiment with an array of creative methods.
Alongside children's and picture book illustration, I would like to work in areas such as editorial and commercial illustration after graduating.
Final year project
Skye and The Wild City Search / Maura, The Baby Elephant / Fast Fashion and Sustainability / Exploring Europe.