Lorna Robey is an illustrator and print designer based in Leeds. Her practice is process led, driven by a love of colour, collage, and screen print, while a fascination with narrative, character, and human behaviour informs her illustrative style. She incorporates handcraft processes and manual print techniques with digital illustration to create complex and textural imagery.
As a queer illustrator, Lorna creates work promoting equality in all forms as part of an inter-sectional feminist practice. Her pieces are informed by contemporary social and political issues that she cares about, including fast fashion, feminism, and sustainability. The printmaker works on self-directed and client-led illustration projects, a notable project being a commission from London-based jewellery and piercing brand, Astrid & Miyu, for International Women’s Day. For this project Lorna created four portrait prints alongside a shop window display for their four London stores. Lorna also runs a shop selling prints, cards, and screen printed fabric goods such as pouches, purses, and plant pot covers, and has recently ventured into making handprinted face coverings.
Whilst studying Printed Textiles and Surface Pattern Design at Leeds Arts University, she developed a love for transforming paper-cut collage into intricate screen prints. As a graduate, Lorna continued to grow her practice and business alongside working full time.
Lorna works with found, collected, and self-printed papers to create a mixture of textures and surfaces in her collages, often utilising mono-print and collograph techniques. Her illustrations are primarily created in paper collage, which she then digitises in Photoshop or Illustrator. To produce her prints, she uses screen printing or Risograph printing techniques, which she sources at a local Leeds printer, Footprint Workers’ Co-operative. Lorna uses only recycled card stock for her prints, and packages them using biodegradable or recyclable materials. For her fabric products, she favours linen or unbleached calico for their texture, drape, and relatively low environmental impact.
The printmaker takes inspiration from the everyday; capturing city scenes and human moments. Colour inspiration can come from anywhere, but Lorna takes most of her palette from her collection of collage papers, as well as finding inspiration when out and about, or on social media.
Going forward, Lorna plans to expand her online shop to include more printed fabric products, as well as to work on more freelance illustration and print design projects. While she is currently operating an at-home print setup due to the pandemic, she would love to join a communal studio or print workspace to allow her to work on larger scale print projects.
www.lornarobey.com
@lornarobey
You can apply to join our community of printmakers at www.members.peopleofprint.com.
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