Hello!
Hello there! My name is Leanne Daphne, I'm an illustrator and world builder.
I graduated from Gray's School of Art (Robert Gordon University) Aberdeen with a BA(hons) in Communication Design: illustration in 2021, and I've been fortunate enough to have my work published in various titles since then, including children's books, and magazines such as The Phoenix Comic Magazine.
As an artist, I draw inspiration from the natural world, as well as the fantastical realms of fantasy and science fiction. I specialise in creating highly-detailed landscapes, unique characters, and fascinating creatures, flora, and fauna that capture the imagination and tell a compelling story.
One of my proudest achievements was winning the Kelpies Prize for Illustration in 2020. This recognition inspired me to continue to push my craft and to create new and exciting worlds.
My ultimate goal is to collaborate with publishers, video game companies, and animation studios to bring these immersive worlds to a wider audience.
I'm passionate about world building because I believe it's an important art form that stimulates the imagination and enriches our lives. Through storytelling, I hope to promote empathy and understanding and create shared experiences that bring people together.
If you're a fellow creative, publisher, video game company, or animation studio looking for a new world to bring to life, I'd love to work with you! I'm confident in my ability to create unforgettable worlds that captivate and inspire audiences of all ages. Don't hesitate to drop me a message, let's collaborate to make something truly special.
CLIENTS:
- The Pheonix Comic, UK
- Auzou, Switzerland
- Great Star Media, Shanghai
- I am bookworm, UK
- Floris Books, UK
- Happy Yak, UK
PUBLISHED WORK
The Piccard Family : Auzou
Fates & Fortunes : The Pheonix Comic
LA SUISSE EN 100 PERSONNALITÉS : Auzou
100 Things to Know About Architecture Book : Happy Yak
COLLABORATION WORK
Taynulit Primary School : Creative Quest
In 2022, I had the incredible opportunity to work with the talented students at Taynuilt Primary School in Argyll, Scotland. My mission was to teach these young minds the magic of digital painting using the innovative software 'Procreate.' Together with the illustrator Andy Ekelton, we mentored each student in creating their very own characters and stories from scratch. It was inspiring to see their confidence grow as they developed their digital painting skills. Once all the artwork and stories were ready, I compiled them into a book that the children could take away and cherish, we even raised funds for the school. This project was more than just about digital painting; it was about inspiring young creatives, no matter where they are, that they too can achieve their dream career.
EDUCATION
Below are some projects and competitions I was involved in during my time at Gray's School of Art, featuring the Kelpies Prize for illustration 2020, the Penguin Student Design Awards 2021 and my personal degree show project 'Hollow'.
Article By Robert Gordan University 2021
Leanne Daphne Goodall - Communication Design: Illustration
Scottish Kelpie Prize Illustration winner, Leanne Daphne Goodall, looks at climate change in her fantasy adventure story, Hollow, using a world of illustration to explore the problems facing the environment.
Within her book, Hollow, 26-year-old Leanne Daphne considers the concept of re-wilding urban environments and giving back to nature. She looks at uncontacted tribes or hidden communities, who continue to live as they would have done thousands of years ago to provide inspiration for the characters and narrative of her story.
Leanne Daphne, who is from Argyll said; “The story for ‘Hollow’ was heavily influenced by the current global issues we face today such as global warming, pollution and over consumption. The project had to appeal and educate young audiences aged in a fun and engaging way. The aim was to create a plot that could be translated into a story for a game or animation and then presented to potential clients who might want to produce the content on a larger scale.
“Hollow embodies the concept of a living planet and plays with the question of how would we treat our own Earth if we could see it as a living creature instead of a resource? I want people to see the world in a way where we can empathise with it instead of just seeing it as a resource to harvest.
“I’ve always been fascinated with idea of creating worlds and characters that help to stimulate the imagination. My work is heavily inspired by nature, history and mythology and I enjoy finding ways to teach life lessons through these themes and inspire audiences of all types.”
At Grays, Leanne Daphne has worked with real clients both locally as well as internationally, even Illustrating a series of ‘Peter Pan’ book covers for the Chinese market. The Communication Design course also encouraged Leanne Daphne to work to live briefs, enabling useful insight to work as a professional.
Leanne Daphne has a bright future ahead having just been shortlisted for the Penguin Books Student Design Award 2021 and recently won the Scottish Kelpie Illustrator Award 2020 for a children’s book ‘My Scotland’.
After graduation, Leanne is being mentored by Floris Books publishers. Her ambition is to work as an illustrator, creating work for agencies as well as producing her own story books that help inspire and educate young audiences in a fun and engaging way.
Leanne Daphne adds; “For anyone looking to follow a career in Graphics, Illustration or Photography, Robert Gordon University is an amazing place to build your skills, gain confidence in your work and be guided by experienced tutors. The campus is beautiful and surrounded by nature which is perfect for inspiring creativity. The staff at RGU are always there to support you through your journey which gives you the best start to reach your goals and aspirations."
AWARDS
Penguin Random House Children’s Art Director Anna Billson's Feedback:
A really fun cover. The bright colour scheme works really well, pulling all the elements of the design together. The front, back and spine all work individually, but you have also successfully created an overall package that combines seamlessly. It’s a well-considered design and extremely worth of its place on the shortlist – congratulations!
It’s an incredible achievement to have been selected as one of the 30 shortlisted students from a total of over 2,000 entries and the judges were bowled over by the quality of all of the designs on this year’s shortlist.
OBAN TIMES: Newspaper Article
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