Angharad Lewis, co-editor of Grafik magazine and Cass School of Design tutor, said
she’d always thought “graphic novels weren’t my ‘thing’” until she saw Square Eyes,
illustrated by Anna Mill and written with her partner Luke Jones. “Anna’s illustrations
might be printed on paper, but they seem lit from within. I have no idea how she does it,
but I love it,” Angharad says.
Anna studied architecture at The Bartlett, part of University College London, which “particularly
encourages drawing skills and the use of narrative in developing design ideas,” says the artist. This
is what led to her becoming an illustrator “almost accidentally,” when she and Luke entered the
Comica Graphic Short Story Prize “on a whim.” They came second in the competition, and was
approached by a literary agent to turn the short into what became Square Eyes.
Anna still uses “very traditional perspective draughting techniques, beginning first with small
thumbnail sketches to work out the balance of the overall composition before setting out horizon
line and vanishing points for the final image.” She’ll spend anywhere from one day to two weeks
detailing a pencil line drawing before using a Wacom Cintiq 21UX to colour. Her ideas draw on
everything from sci-fi comics to medieval illuminated manuscripts, ancient pottery and works by
manga artist Taiyō Matsumoto and cartoonist Chris Ware.
annamill.com
Anna Mill
STORYTELLING THROUGH TRADITIONAL AND DIGITAL MEDIA
2020 ILLUSTRATOR HOTLIST