We’re excited to announce the winners of and launch our first limited edition UAL jigsaw range. With support from University of the Arts Creative team, UAL‘s Jigsaw competition offered the opportunity to commercialise student’s art and illustrations into a sellable product.
This years winning entries are “Something Borrowed” by Ana Andriuskina and “The Creative Outbreak” by Julia Marolt. Read on to learn more about the artists’ and their designs.
Congratulations Julia and Ana on your winning designs. This product has been something we’ve been looking forward to launching for a while now, and we are thrilled to do so with your two illustrations.
What was the inspiration behind your jigsaw design?
Ana: “A big part of my inspiration for this painting came from charity shops and flea markets! I love the spontaneity of stumbling upon random knick-knacks, there’s always that element of surprise…you never know what you might find. Many of the patterns, teacups, lamps, and watches in the illustration were directly inspired by objects I found while browsing in second-hand shops.
I am also a big fan of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an artist and architect known for his imaginative, free-flowing buildings. These are very whimsical and full of colour.
All these elements came together to create a design that’s busy, playful and characterful.”
Julia: “The main inspiration behind my illustration was the diverse and lively student community at UAL. I wanted to capture the bold, creative energy that we, as students, use not only in our work but also in our approach to the world around us. My goal was to create a design that celebrates our uniqueness and the collective spirit of UAL students, using bright colours and a variety of characters to reflect this. I also took a lot of inspiration from the colours, shapes, and textures I noticed every day in London. Those little details really influenced the characters I created, each one is based on different emotions, forms, and colours I picked up from the city.”
Something Borrowed by Ana Andriuskina
The Creative Outbreak by Julia Marolt
How would you describe your artistic style?
Julia: “If I had to choose one word to describe my artistic style, it would be ‘playful’. My work is constantly evolving, shaped by experimentation and my love for storytelling. My artistic style leans into more whimsical concepts and characters. Whether I’m illustrating a scene or developing a longer narrative, I aim to create art that feels lively, curious and intricate.”
Ana: Whimsical and a bit quirky, it’s definitely on the cluttered side! I like painting and filling up a page with as many details as possible, making it feel livelier and active. I also prefer a more handmade way of working, in both the process and the quality of my final outcomes. I find that it looks and feels more cozier.
What does it mean to you to have your design turned into a final product?
Ana: “Surreal in the best way possible. It gives the artwork a whole new dimension and it is very exciting to know that my work can also now be interacted with. Discovering all the little details as you piece it together. This is a really thrilling opportunity, thank you!”
Julia: Having my design turned into a final product means a lot to me as a designer, as I constantly see my work in a hypothetical setting. It’s incredibly rewarding to see my ideas come to life in a real-world setting and to know that something I created might bring joy or happiness to someone else. For me, that connection between art and people is what makes the whole creative process meaningful and makes me forget about all the obstacles I faced during the design process.
What are your aspirations as a maker?
Julia: My biggest aspiration as a maker is to keep creating and exploring the world through my illustrations and curious characters, with the hope that it leads me to a place where I can consistently produce work that resonates with people, no matter what form it takes. Ultimately, my goal is for my work to spark genuine emotions and feelings in those who experience it.
Ana: Would love to be a children’s book illustrator one day. More than anything, I would like to keep painting, making and exploring.
Limited edition run, available exclusively in-store and online at not just a shop.