From a young age, illustration has always been a way for El to express herself, “growing up I was always encouraged to play, create and draw, attempting to be the next Picasso with my tubes of acrylic paint. This continued throughout my school years in art classes into sixth-form” she tells The Peep.
However when it came to applying for university, she was torn between illustration and graphic design, “while perhaps the most sensible option would have been to do a foundation, I was certain I didn’t want to spend another year putting off a degree. Falmouth illustration allowed me to explore and experiment due to its broad definition of the subject, this seemed like the perfect next step for me.”
During her time at Falmouth, her work has changed and developed considerably. “It wasn’t until my final year where my visual identity as an illustrator really started to come together to something I am really proud of. I learnt a lot along the way but most importantly to have fun doing so and set goals to maintain productivity” she says.
El’s work is heavily inspired by printing techniques. “I’ve always admired the aesthetics of printing such as layering effects and limited colour palettes. However working up sketches using pen and paper, then being able to work digitally on an iMac and Wacom Cintiq allows me to be more commercial whilst keeping the small qualities of print such as grains and halftones” she adds.
During her time at Falmouth, El produced a speculative editorial response to an article on the subject of procrastination; how students are hardwired to waste time whilst temptations surround them. Drawing on her own experiences as a student, El has illustrated that feeling of having work building up around you making you feel isolated, whilst distractions are constantly tempting you to just put it off until tomorrow.
El’s illustration on procrastination has been shortlisted for this years World Illustration Awards. “Being shortlisted for such a prestigious competition is so exciting. the work shortlisted each year is of such a high quality, it feels surreal that I am a part of that,” El tells The Peep.