This project required me to produce an eight-page picture book aimed at a young audience that visually describes an aspect of the real world. I settled upon the idea of ‘growing up’ and how as children we spend our time doing the things that make us happy, however as we grow up we are sometimes asked to put those dreams aside and put away the creative and imaginative part of ourselves. This can often result in adults losing their spark and forgetting to do things they used to love as children. I believe that telling a true story and drawing from my own experience about ‘growing up’ can be inspiring for such a young audience as it is a message/reminder to not lose that spark that lives in them now, or how to live as they grow up. Mental health plays a massive part in daily life for everyone, and making sure to spend our time doing the things that give us joy plays a huge role in maintaining a healthy lifestyle and good state of wellbeing. This project allowed me to bring attention to these issues and I thought it was a great opportunity to be able to discuss a more mature theme to a younger audience.

Each page has been illustrated in gouache and ink on paper - A5 size.