I embarked on an illustration project to create a clothing brand that aims to produce British-made garments designed to fit all body shapes. This venture has reached the conceptual stage, and I plan to advance my ambitions further in my master's degree starting in September 2024. My initial collection is inspired by the elegant and beautiful stork, a bird symbolizing birth. This motif represents the birth of my brand and my commitment to elegance, aiming to position my collection in the high-end fashion market.
Unlike many designer companies that exploit workers, my brand is dedicated to ethical production. The price of my garments will reflect their British craftsmanship and the fair wages paid to the manufacturers. This first drop sets the foundation for a brand that combines luxury with integrity, ensuring every piece is as justly made as it is beautifully designed.
The name BRAKIURA stems from the scientific term "brachyura," which refers to crabs, phonetically reimagined to create a distinctive brand identity. The inspiration for this name comes from my birth month, July, where Cancer, represented by the crab, is my astrological sign. Crabs symbolize resilience and strength, qualities that are integral to my vision for BRAKIURA. These traits resonate with my commitment to producing long-lasting garments, standing in stark contrast to the ephemeral nature of fast fashion. The name BRAKIURA encapsulates both the personal significance and the brand's dedication to durability and enduring quality.
Hanoi’s Train Street is a unique and bustling thoroughfare nestled in the heart of Vietnam’s capital city. What makes it truly remarkable is its proximity to the railway tracks, where trains pass though mere inches away from the surrounding buildings. This narrow street is lined with charming cafes, shops, and residential homes, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
Within the pages of my magazine, I endeavoured to encapsulate a glimpse of Hanoi, through my sketches. My hope is that the reader will immerse themselves in the charm of these buildings as they explore my illustrations.
Utilising Google Maps for a virtual exploration, I studied and sketched a series of charming buildings that line this iconic street. Each structure, with its unique and eclectic design, stands out, contributing to the street's overall architectural diversity.
To capture the essence of this narrow, vibrant thoroughfare, I opted for monochromatic illustrations. This stylistic choice allows the varied shapes and sizes of the buildings to take centre stage, highlighting their individual charm and character. Through these detailed drawings, my magazine offers a visually engaging portrayal of Train Street, celebrating the distinctiveness found within this small yet bustling slice of Hanoi.
I produced a small collection of illustrations to be sold at the Sheffield Hallam Zoo stall during a print fair. This collection featured prints of a Tiger, Wolf, Giraffe, and Panda. Participating in the print fair was a valuable experience that provided insights into the unpredictable nature of art sales.
The Tiger and Wolf illustrations garnered significant interest, resulting in £51 in sales. In contrast, the monochromatic Giraffe and Panda prints, which I personally favored for their cohesive aesthetic, did not achieve any sales. This experience underscored the subjective nature of art appreciation and the varied tastes of potential buyers.
The creation of my illustration collection for the Sheffield Hallam Zoo stall at the print fair involved several meticulous steps. Initially, I sought out reference images to inspire and guide my digital sketches of the Tiger, Wolf, Giraffe, and Panda.
For the Tiger and Wolf illustrations, I chose vibrant colours to bring these dynamic animals to life. In contrast, I opted for a monochromatic colour scheme for the Panda and Giraffe, emphasizing their unique forms and features through shades of a single colour.
Once the digital sketches were complete, I proceeded to print them on high-quality paper. Each print was then carefully cut and singed by hand to ensure a polished and professional finish.
I had the fortunate opportunity to compete with other illustrators in a contest to create a new can design for Triple Point Brewery's first beer, "Debut," which was set to be sold across Europe—a significant milestone for the small brewery.
For my design, I chose to depict a Peregrine Falcon ensnared by a chain at its foot. The falcon was encircled by a wreath made of barley and hops; ingredients essential to the brewing process. This design aimed to be sophisticated and classy, setting it apart from typical IPA designs on the market.
My artwork advanced to the semi-finals, securing a place in the top four designs. Despite the public vote not swinging in my Favor, making it to the semi-finals was a gratifying achievement and an invaluable experience.
For the design brief, we were tasked with creating artwork that encapsulated the essence of "Debut" while linking back to Triple Point Brewery and Sheffield, the city where the brewery is based.
In brainstorming ideas, I initially focused on the concept of "Debut" as something new, leading me to themes of rebirth and the phoenix. Exploring the idea of flight, symbolizing the brewery's expansion into Europe, I researched birds native to Sheffield. I discovered an intriguing story about two peregrine falcons nesting at St George's Church in Sheffield since 2012. The University of Sheffield even features a live feed of their nest on their website.
This theme felt ideal, as St George's Church shares its name with one of Triple Point Brewery's owners, and the falcons are significant to Sheffield, with their own metal statue in the city. I sketched a preliminary design featuring a falcon encircled by hops and barley, symbolizing the core ingredients of beer.
Additionally, I incorporated three chains connected to the falcon's leg, strategically positioned to form the graph shape of the triple point of water. This graph not only inspired the brewery's name, "Triple Point Brewery," but also subtly paid homage to their brand.
My Ghost in the Shell poster is a tribute to the extraordinary work of Masamune Shirow. To truly capture the essence of this iconic series, I immersed myself in the entire Ghost in the Shell universe—reading the manga, watching the anime, and viewing the live-action adaptation. Through this comprehensive exploration, I aimed to create a piece that reflects the profound themes and unique aesthetic of Ghost in the Shell.
One prominent observation I made was the recurring use of aquatic imagery throughout the series. Many scenes are imbued with elements of water or feature fish, which to me symbolizes the overwhelming magnitude of the cybernetic world that the Major almost seems to be drowning in. Inspired by this, I crafted a design that centres on a mechanical fish connected to numerous cables and wires. This imagery serves as a metaphor for the fusion of organic life and advanced technology, a core theme of Ghost in the Shell.
To further embody the essence of the series, I decided to animate the poster. In this animated version, the mechanical fish manoeuvres gracefully around the title text, bringing an additional layer of dynamism and life to the design.
I'm honoured to share that my final poster has been submitted to the World Illustration Awards, where it has currently been longlisted.
Creating my Ghost in the Shell poster was a meticulous and rewarding journey. It all began with a rough sketch to capture the general idea, followed by a colour rough to visualize the overall aesthetic. This initial phase helped me set the foundation for the piece and solidify the concept.
With the basic idea in place, I moved on to sculpting the overall fish shape using Nomad Sculpt, an iPad sculpting software. This provided a solid base that I could further refine. I then imported the base sculpture into Blender, where I meticulously added more details and textures, enhancing the mechanical and aquatic elements that are central to the design.
The animation process was particularly educational and challenging, as it was one of my first attempts at animating an organic subject. In Blender, I created a rig for the fish, allowing it to manoeuvre around the title text dynamically. The final composition was also assembled in Blender, where I organized various elements, including numerous physics-based cables and realistic underwater caustics to create a cohesive and immersive scene.
Throughout this process, I learned a great deal, particularly in the realm of organic animation. The project was a valuable experience that pushed my skills and expanded my creative horizons.
My LAMEBOY project was an exciting endeavour where I created my own Nintendo-inspired game concept, complete with cartridge art and a fully decorated box. The game, titled 魂 の 聖 域 (Sanctuary of the Soul), aimed to capture a cosy, character-based experience reminiscent of Animal Crossing, but with a unique twist involving ghosts.
Game Concept
In Sanctuary of the Soul, players find themselves living a normal daily life until they are suddenly possessed by a demon. This possession grants them the ability to see spirits and tasks them with designing cute and cosy homes for these spectral inhabitants. Much like villagers in Animal Crossing, the ghosts each have their own personalities and preferences.
Gameplay
The main gameplay involves creating lovely homes tailored to each spirit's taste, ensuring they feel comfortable and happy. Players can redecorate various rooms, including gardens, guest rooms, living rooms, and kitchens.
Art and Packaging
To bring Sanctuary of the Soul to life, I designed cartridge art and a fully decorated game box. The artwork captures the whimsical and cosy essence of the game, featuring charming ghost characters and cute and cosy homes.
I started by brainstorming ideas for a game I would love to play, envisioning a cute and cosy home decorating game set in a world of ghosts and spirits. This led to the creation of 魂 の 聖 域 (Sanctuary of the Soul), featuring a main character with adorable ghosts and quirky birds. To capture a classic Japanese Nintendo feel, I translated all the box text into Japanese, adding authenticity and nostalgia.
I produced the cover and box art digitally using Procreate. This allowed me to work with precision and flexibility, layering details and refining the characters and backgrounds.
After completing the artwork, I imported it into Blender. In Blender, I mapped the art onto a box and a game cartridge, creating a realistic 3D model of the final product. This step was crucial for visualizing how the artwork would look in physical form and ensuring that every detail was perfectly aligned.
This process combined creativity and technical skills to capture the essence of a cosy, ghostly adventure
This poster captures the essence of Billie Eilish's youthful energy and distinctive style through the unexpected scenario of her changing a car tire in the high-octane world of Formula 1 racing. The project required depicting a celebrity in an uncharacteristic role, tasks like this are often seen in editorial segments that encourage stepping beyond the norm. Given a tight deadline of just five days, the choice of Billie Eilish was immediate, inspired by her powerful and stylish persona.
In the poster, Billie is seen in the midst of a Ferrari pit stop dressed in the classic Ferrari jacket. The iconic colours can be seen throughout the piece, symbolizing speed, elegance, and innovation—qualities that align perfectly with Billie's own dynamic presence in the music industry. Her bold fashion sense is mirrored in the sharp lines and vibrant colours of the piece, creating a seamless blend of music and motorsport.
The creation of this Billie Eilish F1 poster began with drafting several rough initial sketches. These early concepts depicted Billie either standing or crouching next to a Ferrari, holding a wheel gun during a pit stop. To ensure the depiction was accurate and stylized, I conducted a quick study on both Billie Eilish’s distinctive features and the classic F1 jacket. This step was crucial to capture Billie’s unique look and convey it effectively in the artwork.
Given the short turnaround time of five days, I utilized a 3D posing software to accurately create a scene I was satisfied with. I placed a vehicle model in the background and posed a character crouched by the wheel in the foreground. At the character's feet, I placed a model resembling a wheel gun to loosely establish its position and angle.
For the final artwork, I opted for bright and vibrant colours in a sharp and crisp style to embody Billie’s energetic and lively nature. For accuracy, I used a Sketchfab model of a Ferrari, rotating it to the desired angle. This ensured the vehicle's portrayal was as precise as possible.
To complete the piece, I placed the text "BILLIE" at the top in the Ferrari font, tying the elements together and creating a cohesive and dynamic poster that celebrates the fusion of Billie's vibrant energy and the stylish world of Formula 1 racing.
For the Coffee Pup packaging project, I had the exciting opportunity to develop a "Snoopy-inspired" character-led mascot for this friendly and cool brand. Coffee Pup sought a "vintage-but-new" style, a concept I was immediately drawn to, as I have a deep appreciation for the classic Peanuts comics.
To start, I explored what makes vintage characters so distinctive, delving into iconic styles such as Steamboat Willie and Betty Boop. These characters often feature clear, decisive lines and convey a lot of information through minimal yet expressive details. Steamboat Willie, for instance, employs the "Rubber Hose" style, characterized by smooth, curving motions resembling the flexibility of a rubber hose. Additionally, vintage characters typically have big, dark eyes with small details that enhance their personality.
Interpreting "pup" to mean dog, I chose to create a dog mascot with a distinctive and iconic shape. To achieve a soft and playful look, I primarily used spheres in my design. While I drew inspiration from the vintage Rubber Hose style, I decided to innovate by detaching the limbs, giving the pup circular hands and stylish trainers, thereby aligning with the "new" aspect of the "vintage-but-new" style.
For the text, I paired a bold and minimalistic font with a playful handwritten font. This two-font theme captured the essence of the "vintage-but-new" vision and complemented the mascot perfectly. I extended this theme into the packaging design, using the dual fonts to creatively and informatively display the necessary information.
The creation of the Coffee Pup mascot began with a clear design vision centred around simplicity and charm. The character was primarily composed of circles: two large circles for the head, one for the body, and one for each hand. The ears, eyes, and nose were crafted from ovals. This circular design approach was chosen to give the character a fun and friendly demeanour, aligning perfectly with the brand's style.
The choice of the word "Pup" rather than "Puppy" in the brand name "Coffee Pup" was intentional. "Pup" conveys a cool and youthful image, contrasting with the cute and soft energy that "Puppy" might suggest. To reinforce this cool and youthful aesthetic, I equipped the character with trainers, an accessory often associated with contemporary and youthful styles.
To draw the character, I used a custom brush with increased stabilization to achieve the vintage rubber hose style characterized by strong and distinctive lines. This custom brush helped finalize the character’s look. Once the drawing was complete, I exported it to Adobe Illustrator. There, I vectorized the image, converting it into a scalable vector graphic. This process ensured that the design could be resized to any dimension without any loss of quality.
For the typography, I explored Adobe Fonts and selected two final fonts: a bold sans-serif font and a handwritten calligraphy font. The bold sans-serif font provided a modern, clean look, while the handwritten calligraphy font added a playful and vintage touch. Together, these fonts captured the "vintage-but-new" style requested by the brand.