Artist & Designer

Portfolio

Poppy Golder
I Am Not Afraid Green Orchids Medusa Painted Portrait Chrysanthemum The Curious Chicken
Illustration · Fine Art · Graphic Design · Mixed Media · Printmaking

A versatile visual artist with strong observational skills across painting, drawing, digital illustration, and mixed media. Experienced in botanical studies, figure work, character design, and commercial graphic design. Seeking opportunities in art technician, graphic design, and creative production roles.

Project 01

Botanical & Natural Forms

Exploring organic forms and natural textures through digital painting and traditional media. Working across multiple scales — from dense compositions to intimate close-up details — with a focus on colour accuracy, layering, and fine detail.

Digital painting Observational drawing Colour mixing Composition Botanical illustration
Green Orchids — Digital Painting
Green Orchids — Digital Painting (Full Composition)
Orchids — Selective Focus Study
Orchids — Selective Focus Study
Ivy — Observational Study
Ivy — Observational Study
Mixed Flowers — Acrylic Still Life
Mixed Flowers — Acrylic Still Life
New Work — Chrysanthemum Series
Chrysanthemum I
Chrysanthemum I — Pink
Chrysanthemum II
Chrysanthemum II — Autumn
Chrysanthemum III
Chrysanthemum III — Gold & Burgundy
Chrysanthemum IV
Chrysanthemum IV — Blue & Sage

Reflection

Through this series I developed stronger observational skills and a confident approach to colour mixing across both digital and traditional media. The lily piece shows my process — working from photographic reference to a faithful painted interpretation. The new chrysanthemum series explores the same flower rendered in four distinct colour palettes, demonstrating control of digital illustration and a strong sense of decorative composition. These skills translate directly to print production, educational resources, and design work where image quality and accuracy matter.

Project 02

Figure & Character Work

Exploring the human figure and character design across a range of media — from painted portraiture to pencil character sketches, digital illustration, and graphic print-style portraits. Each piece investigates expression, pose, and narrative.

Portraiture Character design Figure drawing Digital painting Narrative illustration Graphic print style
I Am Not Afraid — Painted Portrait
"I Am Not Afraid" — Painted Portrait with Typography
Painted Portrait
Painted Portrait — Colour, Expression & Character
Abstract Swirl
Abstract Swirl — Experimental Style
Medusa
Medusa — Detailed Ink Illustration
BoJack Horseman × Hockney
BoJack Horseman × Hockney — Pop Culture Reinterpretation
New Work — Graphic Portrait Prints
Tonya Harding
Tonya Harding — Two-Colour Graphic Print
Simone Biles
Simone Biles — Two-Colour Graphic Print
Alyssa Liu
Alyssa Liu — Two-Colour Graphic Print

Reflection

This body of work demonstrates range — from expressive painted portraiture to detailed ink illustration and pop culture reinterpretation. The Medusa drawing shows patience and intricate mark-making, while the BoJack/Hockney piece shows conceptual thinking and humour. The new graphic portrait prints add a further dimension: bold two-colour reduction, screen-print aesthetic, and confident simplification of a photographic source into flat graphic form. The variety of media shows adaptability — a strength for art technician roles where supporting diverse projects and students is essential.

Project 03

Experimental & Mixed Media

Pushing creative boundaries through abstract expression, large-scale installation, printmaking, and environmental themes. These pieces explore movement, texture, and form beyond literal representation — including a new series of abstract paintings and a developing body of print work.

Mixed media Large-scale work Abstract composition Installation Environmental themes Printmaking Digital print
Sea Change — Exhibited Painting
"Sea Change" — Exhibited Painting on the Effects of Pollution (Gallery Installation View)
Squid Studies
Squid Studies — Coloured Pencil
Fish Studies
Fish Studies — Environmental Illustration
Polar Bear
Polar Bear — Painted Study
Koi Carp Lino Print
Koi Carp — Lino Print
New Work — Abstract Paintings
Abstract Organic Painting
Abstract Organic — Acrylic on Canvas, Warm Tones
Abstract Organic Painting II
Abstract Organic — Acrylic on Canvas, Earth Tones
Abstract Botanical Painting
Abstract Botanical — Oil on Canvas, Blue-Green Tones
New Work — Print & Digital Print
Intricate Line Study
Intricate Line Study — Gold on White, Digital Print
Intricate Line Study II
Intricate Line Study — Pink & Gold, Mixed Media
Intricate Line Study III
Intricate Line Study — Green & Rose, Mixed Media

Reflection

These pieces show creative confidence and a willingness to work at every scale — from detailed pencil studies to full wall-sized installations. The environmental thread running through "Sea Change", the fish studies, and the polar bear demonstrates conceptual thinking and the ability to sustain a theme across a body of work. The new abstract paintings continue this exploration of organic form, moving further into pure abstraction and texture. The print series — from the koi lino print to the intricately layered digital work — demonstrates technical range and an interest in process. For art technician and production roles, this flexibility — working across styles, scales, and materials — is exactly what's needed.

Project 04

Graphic Design & Applied Work

Applying artistic skills to commercial briefs — creating designs for real clients that balance visual impact with clear communication. These projects demonstrate layout, typography, illustration for purpose, and the ability to work to a client's needs.

Layout design Typography Client briefs Illustration for print Brand identity
Business Card Design
Business Card Design — Dolgoch Mill House Annex
Flyer Design
Flyer Design — Same Client, Portrait Format

Reflection

These design pieces show I can apply my illustration skills to real-world briefs. The Dolgoch Mill House project required adapting a single visual concept — Welsh landscape with dragon motif — across two formats while maintaining brand consistency and clear information hierarchy. These pieces show the versatility and commercial awareness that design and artworker roles require.

Project 05

The Curious Chicken

A fully illustrated children's picture book following Clara — a caring, callous, courageous, cheeky, chaotic, and above all curious chicken. Each spread combines warm digital illustration with hand-drawn typography, creating a consistent visual world from cover to interior.

Children's illustration Sequential narrative Hand lettering Character consistency Digital painting Book design
The Curious Chicken — Cover
"The Curious Chicken" — Book Cover
Spread 1 — Caring Chicken
Spread 1 — Caring Chicken
Spread 2 — Callous Chicken
Spread 2 — Callous Chicken
Spread 3 — Courageous Chicken
Spread 3 — Courageous Chicken
Spread 4 — Cheeky Chicken
Spread 4 — Cheeky Chicken
Spread 5 — Chaotic Chicken
Spread 5 — Chaotic Chicken
Spread 6 — Curious Chicken
Spread 6 — Curious Chicken

Reflection

The Curious Chicken demonstrates my ability to sustain a character and visual world across a full picture book. From the cover through six interior spreads, Clara's personality is communicated through pose, expression, and setting — curious, chaotic, courageous by turns. The hand-drawn typography gives each page warmth and individuality, while the consistent palette and illustration style ties the whole book together. This project shows narrative illustration, sequential pacing, and the craft of making a story feel cohesive for a young audience.