End of year Degree Shows come around so quickly, and it feels like only yesterday we were welcoming these talented undergraduates to our course. Throughout their time here, we’ve encouraged them to engage with the broader world, develop informed opinions, work diligently, and discover their unique voices as visual communicators.
We believe that the creative journeys started with us here at the University of Cumbria will continue to bring a lifetime of fulfilment and reward.
Illustration at Cumbria celebrates diversity, with no ‘house style’ to constrain creativity. Once again, we proudly present a wide range of approaches and styles created by a unique group of practitioners: from editorial and children’s book illustrators to comic book geeks, concept artists, pattern designers, and animators — a true smorgasbord of creative expression.
We are confident that we have provided a solid foundation for creative careers, instilled a passion for illustration, and fostered an enthusiasm to embrace future challenges. We eagerly anticipate following the journeys of this year’s graduating illustrators.
Dwayne Bell | Course Leader
Zoe Alexander
I am an illustrator at the University of Cumbria. I would like to create concept art for film, tv and video games. My future plans are to study further into my style until I’m a skilled enough level to send my portfolio to company’s who focus on creating concept art and hopefully attend conventions to sell my artwork. I have an orange cat called Mango who loves hair ties.
Moira Bichard
I am a half Icelandic half English student. I was born and raised in a tiny village in Iceland called Eyrarbakki.
My spark for art traces back to the drawings my grandmother would doodle on birthday and Christmas cards that I always thought were so beautiful. This I believe started my interest in taking art classes.
I got introduced to the University of Cumbria illustration course from my former head teacher at my previous art school, the Reykjavík school of visual arts (MÍR) in Iceland.
I gravitate towards simple, cute and stylized art. Even more so if a cute and simple style is paired with a story that explores relatively serious topics. I enjoy comics and graphic novels and would like to publish my own in the future.
Lately I have started exploring 3d modelling and would like to start making figures.
Cariad Bowen
I am a 3rd year illustration student who likes working with acrylic paint or watercolour pencils. I like to direct my work at primary school ages as it links in with my future of teaching.
Fun fact: I have a pet bunny that I like to paint.
Sarina Camm
I’m a student of illustration. I’ve studied for two years in the university of Edinburgh and two more in the University of Cumbria. I’m currently in my last year studies. however, I will constantly be learning new things and although been studying illustration I also love other different formats of art.
I love working with my hands whether that’s drawing painting printmaking or creating objects out of recyclable material.
Storytelling is one of the main things I love to create or demonstrate with my art.
I hope to be a board and card game designer who also creates their own animations. I’m also interested in developing original book bindings for existing stories. Lastly, I love making large paintings and murals, but I don’t know how I will incorporate this into future plans just yet. However, no matter which direction I go in I want to start my own business.
I’m half South African. I’ve lived the majority of my life in and around Cumbria. I’m one out of five daughters. Most importantly, I love being a Christian who can attempt to show God’s glory through my artwork.
Oscar Roberts Clementson
Hi, I’m Oscar, AKA Retrosymmetry, a comic artist, illustrator and designer with a passion for visual storytelling.
Drawing inspiration from the classic cartoons and Japanese comics I grew up with, I create my own comics and artwork that blend retro aesthetics with modern techniques. My approach to illustration is a special blend of classic traditional techniques put together with new digital processes, be it digital painting, 3d sculpting or animation.
After university, I plan to continue sharing my illustrations and comics at events like the Lakes International Comic Art Festival and Thought Bubble, as well as through freelance projects with local businesses and charities. I’m also committed to staying involved with the university makers group, which I helped co-found in my first year.
One day I hope to run my own publishing studio, that will give creatives like myself the chance to tell their own stories and connect to others who enjoy escaping into the pages of unknown worlds.
Alexander Máni Eiríksson (Manny)
Born in Iceland in 2000, I relocated to Carlisle, UK, in 2024. My passion for art and creativity emerged at 18 after an unexpected turn of events—I broke my arm and found myself with ample time to explore drawing. Since then, I have cultivated my artistic skills while working as a salesman for over five years, often sketching during breaks.
My artwork has been described as a blend of underground comics, Matt Groening’s signature style, and classic cartoon influences. I also enjoy painting Warhammer figurines as a hobby, alongside my interests in video games, comic books, and figure collecting.
I draw inspiration from artists such as Matt Groening, Zdzisław Beksiński, Erró, and WIL (SHRIKE) Stevens. My ultimate goal is to work in the creative industry, particularly with Games Workshop, Image Comics, or a video game company, where I can contribute my artistic vision and storytelling skills.
Hannah-Lucy Flinn
Hi! My name is Hannah-Lucy but just Hannah or Flea is absolutely fine, my family thinks so anyway! I am a local artist from a small town called Egremont here in The Lake District and I have always been described as pretty peculiar and strange.
I have always had a fascination with monsters and mythical creatures from their mythos to their designs and I have always felt different from those around me so I too at times felt like a little monster from the legends and fables. Now, after a library’s worth of stories and a potential autism diagnosis later, I strive to make children stories of my own with my own monsters to boot using collage and a plethora of different mediums to help others out there know that there are plenty of other little monsters like them and that they’re not alone.
Laurel Fulton
Hey, I’m Lori! I’m an aspiring author-illustrator based in Scotland. I have a passion for visual storytelling and concept art, and my work is mainly digital or ink-based; influenced by all things nature and fantasy!
When I’m not writing or sketching, I love exploring with my camera and gardening. I survive on caffeine, and take great joy in the horror of passers-by when they notice my plague children (rats) chilling on the windowsill.
Clarissa Graham
I am a digital illustrator who comes from Carlisle.
My preferred type of illustration is illustrating picture books. As to why I prefer this I enjoy conveying emotion and atmosphere through, composition, body language and colour.
I aspire to become a book illustrator for either my own stories or someone else’s
Guðmundur Örn Hafliðason
Who am I? Hello, my name is Guðmundur Örn Hafliðason.
I’m an Icelandic comics artist and writer interested in making horror and fantasy comics for mature readers. Of course, I’m interested in making many more types of comics than that; I’m always bursting full of ideas. It’s just that those are the types of stories I’ve told so far. Comics are, in my opinion, one of the best artistic mediums, and I’m itching to add to its oeuvre of incredible stories. I take heavy inspiration from horror and horror aesthetics. I’ve always been drawn to such things ever since I was a child. Because of that, it may come as no surprise that my favourite superhero is Batman. But I do take broad inspiration from horror, and I’m sure you’ll find echoes of Lucio Fulci, H.P. Lovecraft, H.R. Giger, Mario Bava, Guillermo Del Toro, Francis Bacon, Silent Hill, Alan Moore, Bernie Wrightson, John Totleben, Gojira (1954), etc. all over my work. However, I’m not just interested in horror; it’s just what I’ve mostly dabbled in for the moment. I’m also interested in making fantasy stories for adults and children, historical dramas, superhero stories, etc. Although I do want to make serious art that I’m proud of, I do think it’s important not to take yourself too seriously and to allow yourself to be a bit silly sometimes.
Abbie Hodges
I’m a UK based illustrator with a love for all things bright, bold and silly.
I enjoy blending analogue materials with a contemporary, digital process to create illustrations that are a little bit mad. After graduation I’m hoping to break into the children’s publishing market and specialise in illustrations aimed towards children.
Morgan Mizen
I’m an aspiring artist from the Centre of Britain, I like to create a variety of drawings from characters, character designs, to landscapes here and there.
In the future, my main goal is to be a concept artist – to create fully rendered artwork of environments, creatures, clothing, tools, buildings, etc. Although, I wouldn’t like to limit myself to any kind of illustration type, as I want to be flexible with what I can put out, and be as capable as possible with any project put in front of me.
Claire Murray-Davidson
I am Claire Murray-Davidson, I am an illustration student who comes from the middle of no wear.
I love love LOVE character design and want it to be my focus as an illustrator in the future. My main influence comes from fantasy media like dungeons and dragons or animated shows. I love anything with vampires and magic, which mainly shows through in my final project… Impetuous.
Impetuous will be my first comic book project but hopefully I will create many more in the future. I created Impetuous, originally, to vent off my frustrations from work but slowly over time l developed a plot and built the characters to what they are today.
In the future I hope to go onto an MA course where l can further define my skills and Visual language towards a larger crowd. I believe this will help me grow my reputation as an artist and find more fulfilling jobs within the industry.
Kirsten Pretswell
Hi there, I’m Kirsten Pretswell. I’m a Scottish third-year illustration student that’s work commonly uses a mix of digital and analogue elements with a vibrant colour palate.
My upcoming final project illustrates a collection of Child Ballads. Most of these ballads are in Scots and derive from Scotland and Nothern England. These ballads will be collated into a children’s book which will highlight these understated stories through engaging mixed media illustration.
After graduation I am studying further to become a teacher in Art & Design at secondary school level, however I intend to continue to take illustration opportunities and build my portfolio.
