Favourites

Movie: The Godfather

Book: To Kill A Mocking Bird

Food: Chicken and Dumplings

TV: Project Runway

In her fine art and illustrations for children’s books and kids’ fabrics, ceramics and paper goods, and unique designs for nonprofits, businesses and publications nationwide, Ceci combines wit and whimsy. Her fanciful illustrations are printed on wrapping paper and greeting cards sold in boutiques nationwide.

Ceci Bowman’s designs blend her lifelong love of hand-drawn and paper-cut images with computer-generated designs and patterns. “Growing up I always loved to draw, and cut out paper dolls. As a teenager I would often come up with my best drawings and ideas when I was supposed to be paying attention to something else. I still find myself drawing in the margins of my notebooks.” And Ceci’s designs still reflect the spontaneity of her teenage doodles. “My goal is that the final art file that I deliver to a client has the spontaneity and spur-of-the-moment quality of my original sketch. I love using the computer to expand my drawings and paper cuts into colorful illustrations and repeats that can be used on a wide range of products.”

See Ceci's Gallery

Favourites

Colour: Pear Green

Book: Island by Aldous Huxley

Quote: “In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.” Coco Chanel

Movie: Dead Poet’s Society

Food: Heirloom Tomato Salad, Tim Tams

Song: Little Fluffy Clouds by The Orb

Melissa Crowley is an Australian graphic designer and illustrator whose work seeks to inspire a sense of the extraordinary within the everyday.

She creates highly stylized compositions characterized by rich illustrative detail, ornate lettering and dreamy, almost surreal, color.

Melissa is inspired by art nouveau, nature, geometry, vintage textile design and architectural ornament.

Her work has been featured in over one dozen design books and may be found in the form of stationery and paper goods, wall coverings, pillows, tote bags, surface graphics and wall art.

Melissa is currently based in San Francisco, California.

See Melissa's Gallery

Favourites

Movie: Shrek 2

Book: Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

Food: Chocolate & Cakes!

TV: Pride & Prejudice... while eating chocolates! :-)

Things: Patterns, mazes, traveling, the environment and good design.

I was brought up in Lincolnshire and I have always loved drawing, when I was little I was always happy with some paper and a pencil. I thought of art and design as something that I love but I never thought I would be lucky enough to be able to work in the same field, with hard work it is wonderful to have achieved it. I have had supportive parents who encouraged me to do what I enjoyed and I come from an artistic family too so art has always been encouraged.

I went to Lincoln University and graduated with first class honours in Illustration and, as you have probably seen in Wayne's biography, a husband too. When I left University I won two awards at New Designers and this started me on the path as an Illustrator. Wayne and I now work from home together as illustrators in Lincoln (and I wouldn't have it any other way too).

See Becky's Gallery

Favourites

Sound: Blackbird singing at dusk

Quote: As one door closes another one opens

Place : Italy

Food: Anything spicey!

Things : Light, Colour, Nature, Spring Time, Vintage Wallpapers and Fabrics

See Cara's Gallery

Favourites

Film: Funny Face (Audrey hepburn)

Song: Tiny Dancer: Elton John
Day in verona: Tom Baxter (all of Tom Baxters songs!)
Elbow: Coming home
Midlakeanything by One eskimo and too many more to list

Beach: South Beach, Studland

Food: Cake & tea! Pasties & tea!

T.V: Madmen

Claire graduated from the University of Central Lancashire, with a BA in surface pattern design with textiles

After spending 4 years with a major greeting card publisher, Claire moved back to her childhood home in Dorset with her Husband. and now enjoys designing as a freelance artist.

Growing up in Cornwall. Devon and Dorset Claires personal style is heavily inspired by the beautifulcoastline of the South West. Using stitch, collage and paint to produce her abstract paintings.

As a freelance designer Claire uses a mix of handmade, collage and digital design.In her spare time she enjoys the inspiring coast and countryside on her doorstep, baking, collecting vintage books and postcards, watching old films and catching up with friends over cake and tea!

See Claire's Gallery

Favourites

Movie: Se7en or The Incredibles

I have enjoyed a varied 20 year career split between Teaching and Illustration. One feeds the other as they say. I have always drawn and used sketchbooks. Manchester Uni inspired my love of all things Illustration, I’ve not looked back since.

See Jane's Gallery

Favourites

Colour: Duck Egg Blue

Book: Boating for Beginners

Movie: My Life as a Dog

Quote: “This is a world for action, not for moping and droning on”

Food: Mango smoothie

Songs: Vampire, Something so Right, Hallelujah

Jean lives in Cheshire with her husband and two children. Since graduating from Manchester Metropolitan University with a BA (Hons) in Graphic Design, she has worked on many types of illustration projects.

Now firmly established with Rafale she works both by hand and digitally, but always with drawing as the basis of her designs. Subjects range from characters to graphic and delicate handmade.

See Jean's Gallery

Favourites

Helen has worked with Rafale since it was first established in 1992, after graduating with a

BA (hons) on the Fashion textiles degree course at Leicester Polytechnic, specialising in

Printed Surface Decoration.

Still living in Leicester, Helen works from a city centre studio with great views across

the heart of the city.

See Helen's Gallery

Favourites

Places: Lake district, the beach, Greece, Venice, my bed.

Having studied surface pattern Hilary graduated from Staffordshire University in 1989 and after holding various positions such as ceramic designer, interior designer and greetings designer she has now returned to her roots in Cumbria. She lives with her husband and 2 young sons.

Hilary is influenced by current interior trends and is passionate about colour and pattern. She loves thai food, exploring new places and lots of sleep as well as spending precious time with her family.

Hilary hails from the beautiful Lake District where she comes from a family of generations of traditional painters and sculptors

As well as using traditional methods of painting and illustration herself, she also increasingly enjoys using digital methods to produce deigns for greetings, wrap and kitchenware items.

See Hilary's Gallery

Favourites

Colour: Octarine (the colour of magic, Terry Pratchett)

Book: Lester at the Seaside, Quintin Blake 1975

Movie: Bionical: Mask of Light

Quote: “Snotta chocklush snik-snak, issa cack-cack” from how to train your Viking by toothless the dragon.

Food: Tatters & Onions

Song: No Alarms, Radiohead.

Linzi McGivern studied Fashion and Textiles at Demontfort university, majoring in Surface Decoration. She graduated in 1991 with a BA (hons) degree.

After initially working in textiles, she began designing for the greetings industry, producing hand painted artwork. More recently she has been using photoshop in her work. Drawing inspiration from trends in fashion and textiles, nature and books.

She now lives in Shropshire with her son,working from a home studio. When not working she can be found doing all the usual activities that will entertain a five year old, walking, cycling, swimming, you name it, the list is endless!

See Linzi's Gallery

Favourites

Film: The Station Agent

Book: Mr Vertigo by Paul Auster

Singer: P J Harvey

Song: Rock Lobster by The B-52’s

Season: Autumn

Drink: Tea

Game: Scattergories

Footwear: Slippers

Smell: Sweetpeas

Michelle graduated from De Montfort University, Leicester with a BA (Honours) in Fashion and Textiles, specialising in Surface Decoration.

Since graduating in 1994, Michelle has been working freelance in the greeting card and giftware industry. Her work is continuously developing and influenced by trends in fashion and interiors.

Michelle has a studio at home in London, where she lives with her husband Stuart and their very spoilt Greyhound ‘Vegas’!

In her spare time, Michelle likes to shop until she drops, adding to her collection of vintage handbags and shoes! When Michelle’s not indulging in a spot of retail therapy, you can find her going on walks with Vegas, gardening, celebrity spotting and practising Yoga.

See Michelle's Gallery

Favourites

Movie: A New Hope

Book: Moby Dick by Herman Melville (As deep, dark and immersive as the ocean itself)

Song: Depending on my mood either 'Don't stop me now' by Queen or 'Halleujah' by Jeff Buckley. You can see my dilemma.

Food: Instant Noodle sandwiches are the best.

TV: Spaced - the only TV that ever needs seeing.

Thing's: Movies, Music, Travel, The Environment, Board Games, Comics.

As far back as I can remember I always wanted to be a graphic artist, and anyone who spots the reference will already know I like movies too. My life's always revolved around my imagination and ability to put it down on paper (or, currently, paint it in pixels) even through the dark aimless days when I was chained to a company computer and periodically allowed out to see the sunlight.

Things changed when I decided to retake my art A-level and my tutor (a printmaker by trade) introduced me to the odd concept of illustration. From there on I saved every penny I could so I could go to uni. In fact I saved so much I also decided to travel for a year before entering an illustration course at Lincoln University.

So I set off overland across the States, flew to New Zealand and Australia, somehow made it through Bali and Java and ended up in India before returning home.

Then it was back to school for three years from which I graduated with a first class honours in Illustration and a wife! Becky and I were married in 2006 and work together as illustrators under the title of Ping Creative. And I've got to say I wouldn't have it any other way (you'd have to ask Becky if she feels the same way).

See Wayne's Gallery