Lydia Christine

BA (Hons) Illustration

‘I Carry My House with Me Wherever I Go’

This is a children’s book looking at Foster care and the effects it can have on a child. It’s a story about her struggles, and mental health battle between emotions, and how she sees the positive through difficult situations. Although her situation will not change her attitude can. It is meant to shed light on a low-profile topic in a real and tangible way, and hopefully gain the understanding of others, whether child or adult.

As an illustrator, I often focus on social issues and a way to communicate these for people to understand and relate to in a more digestible way. My ethos is for my illustrations to do something and not simply just be. I have a love for storytelling and creating children’s books through this. I have also created an activity book for mental health purposes of a child. Using the medium of ink and gouache as my main tools and then creating more texture digitally is where I have found my expression. I think everyone has something to say, so I find a way to tell it through imagery.


Dyma lyfr i blant sy’n edrych ar ofal Maeth a’r effaith y mae’n ei chael ar blentyn. Mae’n stori am ei brwydrau o ran iechyd meddwl rhwng emosiynau, a sut mae hi’n gweld y pethau cadarnhaol trwy sefyllfaoedd anodd. Er na all ei sefyllfa newid, gall ei hagwedd newid. Bwriedir iddi daflu goleuni ar bwnc isel ei broffil mewn ffordd real a diriaethol a fydd, gobeithio, yn ennyn dealltwriaeth pobl eraill, boed plant neu oedolion.

Fel darlunydd, rwy’n canolbwyntio’n aml ar faterion cymdeithasol a ffordd o gyfathrebu’r rhain er mwyn i bobl eu deall ac uniaethu â nhw mewn ffordd all gael ei chymathu’n well. Fy ethos yw i fy narluniadau wneud rhywbeth yn hytrach na dim ond bodoli. Mae gennyf gariad at adrodd storïau a chreu llyfrau plant trwy’r hyn o beth. Rwyf hefyd wedi creu llyfr gweithgareddau at ddibenion iechyd meddwl plentyn. Defnyddio cyfrwng inc a gouache fel fy mhrif arfau ac yna creu mwy o weadedd yn ddigidol yw sut yr wyf wedi dod o hyd i fy mynegiad. Rwy’n credu bod gan bawb rywbeth i ddweud, felly rwy’n dod o hyd i ffordd o’i ddweud trwy ddelweddaeth.

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Katie Andrews

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