Ebony:  I’m currently studying a Diploma of Graphic Design focused in Illustration at the Design Centre in Enmore.

Ebony:  Somewhat, I am inspired by the nature and architecture of the country I live in, specifically its historical towns and neighborhoods. Most of my inspiration comes from the landscape and cities of Europe and the United Kingdom.

Ebony:  I’ve always loved drawing, but I remember my earliest ambition was to be a Historian or Archaeologist because I used to love reading about History, I also enjoyed writing stories so at one point I wanted to be an author.

Ebony:  Although History is still a significant source of inspiration in my art and overall enjoyment, by the time I was in my early teens I decided to pursue Art and Illustration and I hope to continue to learn and study in order whilst I work on my own personal projects.

Ebony:  I think all three are important to success at varying levels though I would say Talent is the least important and ambition is the most, but without hard work and persistence it's practically useless. Talent is sort of like a headstart but unless you continue to push yourself creatively you can eventually be surpassed by others, hard work and ambition provide the fuel to continue to persevere in the face of failure and adversity.

Ebony:  I’d like to work as an illustrator full time and eventually publish a graphic novel, though there are many different opportunities I want to always be open to.

Ebony:  I am both inspired by my classmates and teachers whose own ideas continue to provide new insight into my creative process. Additionally I am also inspired by comic artists like Juanjo Guarnido and Takehiko Inoue alongside artists within my own country.

Ebony:  I enjoy a lot of art and design movements, though I would say Realism, Art Nouveau and The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood are my favourites at this point in time. I like how they depict the world and their subjects, especially through their composition and linework that make the scenes they depict feel lived in.

Ebony:  Line art and inking is my favourite part of drawing. I don’t have to think very hard about what I'm doing since all the planning is done and can just enjoy putting lines on the page and watching a sketch transition into something more refined.

Ebony:  Through my course, one of my assessments was to submit something to the competition.

Ebony:  I was inspired by my own personal experiences with Neurodiversity, it’s not something I see often represented in stock photos or in general when it comes to representation. I was interested in using a botanical motif because I felt plants and flowers are something that translate well to people in that they can be very different from each other and require their own care and needs in order to thrive but are still beautiful in their own way.

Ebony:  Somewhat, I've always tried to create art and stories that felt authentic. I think being informed about different peoples experiences is important to understanding the world as it is now, and with information so accessible due to the internet and social media, doing research into these topics is much easier.

Ebony:  Absolutely! In the future I would like to create work that authentically reflects the diversity of the world around me. I believe that most successful forms of communication are able to impact people because they depict something that is real enough to resonate with different groups of people. In the future i’d like to do more research into authentic representation in order to incorporate it into my art.