Maria Stuart

I am Course Leader for BA (Hons) Illustration and MA Children’s Book Illustration at University of Lancashire in Preston. I have lectured in Illustration since 2015, teaching undergraduates, I have a wide ranging knowledge in a variety of Illustration contexts, publishing, editorial, packaging, advertising, greetings cards, surface pattern with particular expertise in Children's Book Illustration. I also lecture on the MA Children's Book Illustration programme making use of my specialist knowledge as an illustrator, in particular sequential narrative, character design, process of book development, communication craft skills, historical and contemporary picture book illustration. In my role as lecturer I work closely with Industry, particularly Children's Book Publishers, Illustration Agencies, a wide network of illustrators and authors and I regularly attend Bologna Children's Book Fair.

As an illustrator current projects include an illustrated book with an international publisher and author; using image making to connect students and lecturers from different institutions celebrating historical figures, the book is due for publication early 2026. Other projects are a children's picture in development with an Illustration agent and a series self published zines using imagery to explore a collection of song lyrics.

As an early stage researcher I am using drawing as a research tool, extensive sketchbook practice has developed in to a research project which askes questions about Observational Drawing and Reliable Narratives. I am in the process of documenting a visit to a small museum, a collection of observational studies will be published examining the effectiveness of representation, materials and experience.