We’re really excited to showcase our new window display. A happy collaboration between Anorak magazine and Illustration and Visual Media students at London College of Communication.
70 students took part in the project from which two students were selected and commissioned to work on illustrations for two different issues of the magazine.
As well as creating beautiful illustrations, the two students, Ruobing Li and Lorna Higham were tasked with creating a story to accompany the illustrations. Ruobing worked on a piece about Ants, which you can read in the current issue of Anorak and Lorna’s illustration will be available in a future issue. For now our lips are sealed on the theme so you’ll just have to wait and see!
Together Ruobing and Lorna imagined the magical scenes for our window display, drawing from the issue themes and individual illustration styles to create a magical world.
We caught up with Ruobing and Lorna to find out more about their experience creating the project.
We’d love you to introduce yourself and your work, how would you describe your artistic style?
Lorna: To sum it up in three words, I would say my style is playful, whimsical and joyful. I’ve recently been focusing on line and texture, and how these elements come together to evoke different atmospheres.
Ruobing: My artistic style is characterised by bright and intense colours, combining both flat and three-dimensional lighting effects. The use of line and shape is quite strict and precise. I aim to create warm, detailed, and joyful imagery.
Have you ever worked on a project like this before?
Lorna: I have never done a project like this before, but it has always been a dream to do a window display. I was always so in awe of the window displays in shops like Selfridges as a child – I never could have imagined being able to do something like this as an adult!
Ruobing: This was my first time working on a project of this kind, as well as my first attempt at creating illustrations specifically for children audience. The entire process—from magazine publication to the collaborative window display, significantly strengthened my ability to develop commercial designs that respond to various factors, such as audience, purpose, partnership dynamics, and material constraints.
What was the inspiration behind your illustrations?
Lorna: My initial inspiration came from my fascination with space, which led me to creating the star-like character. From there, the nature elements were bold, exaggerated versions of things I noticed in my surroundings. I loved experimenting with unusual natural shapes and textures, and then simplifying them to echo back into the characters themselves.
Ruobing: My initial inspiration was drawn from observing the forms, characteristics, and general behaviour of ants in real life. I began by researching their common portrayal in well-known stories, such as Aesop’s Fables. Given that the target audience was children, I opted to depict the ants using bright colours, simple shapes, and an anthropomorphic style.
What was your process for designing and installing the window display? Did passers-by take an interest?
Lorna: The passers-by were definitely intrigued and it definitely felt like I was doing a bit of live performance art at times. The process itself was surprisingly physical – the cardboard cut-outs were huge – but I really enjoyed that tactile, hands-on side of it. There’s something so energising about working at a large scale; it forces you to think differently, and you really feel the work taking up space in the world.
You collaborated on the window, how did you find the process of working with another student and combining two styles?
Lorna: Ruobing and I were a great team! From the start, we realised we had a similar vision, so decisions felt natural and collaborative. We both had overlapping themes of nature and journeys, and our colour palettes worked really well together, which gave us a strong starting point.
Ruobing: Our similar styles resulted in a relaxing and harmonious overall atmosphere. In the final design, I would say my key contribution lay in compositional ideas, while Lorna excelled at enriching them with intricate details and reinforcing that characteristically simple yet beautiful aesthetic. Essentially, we found a common language within our different approaches, which in turn generated a unique creative spark.
How was your overall experience and did you have a favourite process throughout this project?
Ruobing: My overall experience was extremely positive. The project was challenging yet manageable, and I particularly enjoyed the iterative process of refining the visuals until we reached a result we were happy with. My favourite part was creating the designs in Procreate and then turning them into physical mock-ups. This stage was essential, as it allowed us to test whether the materials worked harmoniously together and to fine-tune the proportions of the different elements.
What did you find most challenging?
Lorna: The most challenging part was definitely visualising how all the separate elements – the painted windows, the cardboard cut-outs, and the acrylic hangings – would come together. We went through so many iterations: sometimes the design leaned heavier on painting, other times on cut-outs, before we finally landed on a balance that felt right. Even on installation day, there was still that nerve-wracking moment of “Will this actually work together?” Luckily, it all came together in the end.
Ruobing: Since both of us tended to include quite rich details in our individual work, we had to ensure the overall installation remained clear, cohesive, and within budget. That meant combining our designs in a way that felt unified, and carefully selecting which key elements would best communicate the concept to customers.
How can people commission you? And is there a dream project or client you’d like to work for?
Lorna: The easiest way to get in touch is through Instagram (@illusbylor). I’m open to commissions across illustration, ceramics or design, and I’d especially love to do more mural and window display projects. I wouldn’t say I have one specific dream client, I get most excited by projects that allow me to play with scale, colour and texture, and that let me see my work out in the world rather than just on a screen. I’m still exploring lots of different areas of design and illustration, and I really enjoy a challenge, so I’m open to pretty much anything!
Ruobing: I’m certainly open to commission work in a style similar to this project. If you’re interested, feel free to message me on Instagram @robinnnn13.
I don’t have one particular client in mind—rather, I’d love to continue working in illustration aimed at children, whether that’s picture books, interactive books, magazines, and so on. I’m especially drawn to themes related to people, nature, and animals, and would be very interested in collaborating on projects within those areas.
You’ve graduated now, congrats! What’s next for you and your illustrations?
Lorna: Thank you! My plan is to keep developing my illustration practice while also delving deeper into ceramics. I’d love to land more freelance projects or a role within a creative team where I can contribute to more commercial work.
Ruobing: I plan to apply for an MA course to deepen my knowledge of illustration and broaden my creative experience. In the future, I’d like to further explore storytelling, picture books, and hands-on craft techniques such as clay modelling.
Follow Lorna (@illusbylor) and Ruobing (@robinnnn13) to keep up to date with their work.