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Soccer butterfly

This character began with a moment I noticed during a football training session in Sydney: a very young girl jumping at the centre of a circle, trying again and again to reach the ball as it passed between children much taller than her.

Working from memory rather than a photograph, I explored her gestures, expressions and small details to capture what had stayed with me from that moment, her determination, scale and complete focus on the game above her.

Watercolour, colour pencils and ink on 300g Arches paper

I worked loosely with pencil and ink, using warm tones to echo the heavy summer air. The expressive pose brought the drawing to life: a character that’s both weary and full of heart.
This piece captures what drives my work as both an illustrator and branding designer: finding stories in everyday moments, and giving them a face, a feeling, and a voice.

I tested a softer pencil line alongside watercolour before returning to ink. The ink gave the character the clarity and presence I wanted while keeping the looseness of the watercolour.

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I specialise in expressive, story-driven character designs for children’s books, from early sketches to final illustrations.