AOI London Places and Spaces

This is my entry for the Association of Illustrators annual competition. This years theme 'London Places and Spaces' required me to capture either an iconic or lesser known part of London in an illustration celebrating a vibrant and multi layered, multicultural city. I wanted to depict a part of London that is open to everyone; a public space that can be enjoyed without having to pay a fee. As a result, I chose Chumleigh Gardens (situated in Burgess Park, South London) as my space. The garden itself is a celebration of multiculturalism, with a series of interlinking smaller 'world' gardens each featuring plants from a different part of the globe. The central Islamic garden features as the centre piece to my illustration. The gardens are also an important part of the local community, with raised beds for the use of school groups and community gardeners to grow their own produce. 

I created this entire piece digitally with a graphics tablet- a process which is still relatively new to me, and a departure from my usual screen printing. Through this change in media, I was able to add layers of detail I would usually have to avoid out of practicality. This is definitely a method of working with which I will continue to experiment.