BA (Hons) Illustration for Commercial Application Graduate Imogen Clarke has collaborated with Solfest Music Festival 2021 in conjunction with her mentor, Andy Morley from Creative Ginger to create a stage mural based on their theme “in to the deep”. In a collaborative setting Imogen worked within a group of artists to determine the creative direction and visuals for the festival.

“I loved being part of a group of artists that held such an important role in the visuals of the festival. I got to see new styles and methods of working as I networked with more experienced mural artists. I gained a sense of community and a hunger to broaden my horizons with more festival projects and collaborations with artists outside of my work with Creative Ginger.”

We caught up with Imogen to find out more about the festival,  her commission with Porky’s Bebside and what it’s like to start out in the illustration industry after graduating The Northern School of Art:

Can you tell us more about the work you made for Solfest 2021?

I based my design on their theme ‘into the deep’ and the type of music that would be played on the stage. Using various different reference images, and feedback from the client, I tried to create a design that was as unique as possible which fit the dimensions of the space but also following the brief that it had to be bold, colourful and large enough to be seen by the audience standing at the back. I produced the design using procreate but created the piece using spray paint on wooden boards. It was so surreal seeing my sketch come to life and become such a big part of an event seen by a massive audience! It was also an amazing feeling to be able to interact with the audience and say I DID THAT!!! I would love to work on more projects of this scale and I hope that this is the first stepping stone into more work like this in the future.

We noticed you also make astrology prints/ candles and a mural for Porkys Bebside can you tell us more about it?

The Porky’s cowboy mural was a job that I got through Creative Ginger. I’ve worked for him since July 2015 after a week’s work experience I had to do for school. Ever since, I have frequently worked on a wide variety of mural projects for businesses and private commissions using spray paint. Through Creative Ginger I’ve gained so much confidence as an artist and as a person but I have also loved watching his skills and his client list grow more impressive over the years. Now that I’ve graduated, I also want to build my own name and gain impressive clients as my skills improve.

For the zodiac prints and candles, I reached out to a girl I used to go to school with who runs a small business called ‘Cosmic Kisses UK’. She creates gorgeous, handmade earrings, jewellery and candles. As I would love to create illustrations for the packaging for large brands, I thought this would be a perfect starting point. I love collaborating with different creatives because you can bounce ideas that you might not have thought of alone. The project turned out so beautiful and we are aiming to try and get them stocked in larger stores in the future.

What did you study and when?

I studied Illustration for Commercial Application. I’ve just graduated from the 3 year course with a First Class Honours!!

Tell us about what you are doing now in your creative field

Right now, I’m trying to find my own feet and build my own brand as a freelance Illustrator. I’m finding my own clients by reaching out for projects and advertising my work through social media. I’m planning on moving to Canada to live with my parents for a while. As the town they live in is so remote, I’m currently coming up with projects to do within the community using the skills I’ve learnt throughout Uni and working with Creative Ginger to build my portfolio of work. During University, I developed a digital style of working using Procreate. The beauty of working digitally is that you can work anywhere in the world as long as you have an internet connection. I’m currently working on a really exciting project with a fashion designer based in America and I’m looking forward to seeing what opportunities this job leads to in the future!

How was The Northern School of Art special for you?

The Northern School of art was special to me because it gave me a taste of the studio environment and being surrounded by like minded people. It also taught me the importance of receiving constructive criticism but also giving it in order to push your practice further. Through multiple live briefs, I gained an insight into the industry standards of an illustrator which I integrate into my own practice. I chose the Northern School of Art because of their focus on the industry within their courses but also the studio culture that’s encouraged and celebrated within each of their departments.

Any advice for future creatives?

The advice I would give to future creatives is to keep doing what you love and to always believe in yourself! Try new things, ask for work experience, ask questions, ask for feedback. Feedback can feel brutal but other people may have advice, skills or ideas to push your work further that you may not have thought of by yourself. Be your own biggest fan and put your own work out there because no one else is going to do it for you. One thing that I learnt through my studies was to reach out to successful artists online for advice and research! Most of the time, they are more than happy to talk. Overall, do the graft and reach out, shy bairn’s get NOWT! haha

You can see more of Imogens illustration work on her instagram @immyzillustrationz  or visit her website www.immyzillustrationz.uk   If you are interested in working with Imogen you can email: immyzillustrationz@gmail.com

Our  BA (Hons) Illustration for Commercial Application degree is an inspiring art course that will help you create and develop your own illustrative voice and gain the skills, knowledge and industry links to forge a career in a number or career pathways in the illustration industry. Visit our course page to find out more!