Laura Hughes’ Illustrations Cater to a Younger Audience

Judging by her playful portfolio, award-winning illustrator, Laura Hughes, is in direct dialogue with her inner child. Having studied at Kingston University, her illustrations lean on traditional as well as digital tools, using inks, gouache paint, and crayons.

Her artwork can be found on greetings cards, gift-wrap, packaging, and stationery all over the world. But Hughes is really in her element when illustrating children’s books. These books include There’s a Pig Up My Nose, written by John Dougherty; Daddy’s Sandwich by Pip Jones; and The Birthday Invitation by Lucy Rowland.

“Children’s books are an endless source of inspiration and wonder for me,” she told Love Print Studio. “Though my work is very ‘illustrative’, I often look to painters and fine artists for inspiration,” she says. “I think it’s good for illustrators to look beyond their peers in order to keep their work looking fresh. Some of my current favorites include Emil Nolde, Anselm Kiefer, and Peter Doig.”

“Most of the illustrations start with an urge to draw a particular thing,” she went on to explain. “I’ll make a few drawings of the subject, sometimes 2 or 3, sometimes even more! Then I scan the drawing or painting and clean it up on the computer.”

Below you’ll find some samples of her work.

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A couple of tortoises. #tortoise #illustration #ink

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