Tess Hadoke

My work is largely inspired by the personality and humour in the things I see, and I strive to capture a sense of these elements in my drawing. Some main themes in my illustrations include animals, nature, and history, particularly in pursuit of narrative and educational purposes.

I enjoy using drawings for storytelling and find that I can create lively pictures which suit children’s book illustration. Creating imagery which stimulates interest and active engagement is important to me, which is why I have enjoyed making interactive illustrative material. I enjoy the idea that one of my illustrations can make someone smile before they engage in an educational activity which could, therefore, make their learning more enjoyable. This idea was the stimulus for creating a children’s interactive activity book (which can be drawn on with whiteboard pen) for a personal project. 

My fascination with creating engaging interactive material has motivated me to experiment with a variety of different materials in my picture-making during my time at DJCAD. I’ve found that a mixture of traditional and digital techniques suits my work, with the looseness and textures of my mark-making pairing well with bold digital colours. I’ve also enjoyed experimenting with the processes of laser-cutting and dye-sublimation for 3D outcomes. 

I think my characterful illustrative style has the flexibility to fit many a brief, as my interest in creating engaging and lively imagery could suit many purposes.