Laura Barrett

Laura Barrett is an illustrator based in South London, specialising in intricate silhouette illustrations and decorative monochrome patterns. She is represented by The Artworks in the UK and Mendola Art in the US.

With 15 years of industry experience, Laura has worked with a variety of international clients within the fields of publishing, packaging & surface design, animation and large-scale illustrations for museums, graphic installations & exhibitions. She predominantly works in design and publishing; illustrating packaging, children’s picture books and book covers for all ages.

With an emphasis on storytelling, her work is inspired by the darker side of folk and fairy tales, as well as traditional Scherenschnitte (paper cutting). She likes to explore these themes using silhouettes, created by drawing with a graphics tablet straight in to Adobe Illustrator. Laura loves to work in striking black and white, though she’s just as comfortable using colour when a project calls for it.

Selected Client List: BBC / Marks & Spencer / Ted Baker / Marchesa / Toni & Guy / Yardley London / John Lewis & Waitrose / Cornish Orchards / Silent Pool Gin / Taschen / Andersen Press / Penguin Random House / Hachette / Little, Brown / Macmillan / Vintage Books / Scholastic / The Guardian / The Evening Standard / Radio Times / The Times / Science Museum / Brighton Festival / British Heart Foundation / Cath Tate Cards / The Maybourne Hotel Group and many more…

Links
Contact
By email or call 07989 685 637
Laura Barrett Radio Times: The Princess BrideLaura BarrettRadio Times: The Princess BrideA Princess Bride inspired illustration for the Christmas edition of the Radio Times. View FolioAnimalsChildren's BookPeoplePublishingDigitalChildren's IllustrationEditorialFilm PosterSilhouettesVector
Laura Barrett Fabian Review CoverLaura BarrettFabian Review CoverShining a Light: a cover for the December issue focusing on women’s safety. View Folio
Laura Barrett The Jungle BookLaura BarrettThe Jungle BookAfter working on some large scale Jungle Book-inspired illustrations for St George's Hospital, I wanted to create a more intricate, full spread illustration based on Rudyard Kipling's classic book. I used this as an opportunity to experiment with colour and texture. View Folio
Laura Barrett Swan LakeLaura BarrettSwan LakeThe white swan, Odette and Odile, the black swan from Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake View FolioAnimalsChildren's BookDecorativeLandscapesNaturePeoplePublishingDigitalBlack and WhiteChildren's IllustrationDigitalSilhouettesVector
Laura Barrett Silent Pool GinLaura BarrettSilent Pool GinA botanical-inspired label illustration for Silent Pool Distillers. Working with design agency SeymourPowell, the pattern was created from the ingredients used in the award-winning gin, as well as taking inspiration from the local mythology at Silent Pool in Surrey. View Folio
Laura Barrett Cornish Orchards Cider PackagingLaura BarrettCornish Orchards Cider PackagingI was commissioned by Outlaw design agency to create illustrations for Cornish Orchards’ new cider packaging. Design and art direction by Outlaw. The illustrations are inspired by the expansive canopy of trees at the Cornish Orchards apple farm in Duloe, Cornwall. View Folio
Laura Barrett M&S Christmas Gin Liqueur Snow GlobesLaura BarrettM&S Christmas Gin Liqueur Snow GlobesI was thrilled to be commissioned by Marks and Spencer to create two illustrated scenes to be printed around their Christmas gin liqueurs. The bottles themselves are snow globes- the gin contains edible gold leaf and feature an LED light in the base, so when you shake them up they become snowy landscapes. I was tasked with illustrating a winter wonderland of animals and trees, and a festive high street scene, including a little M&S shopfront!

Image © Marks and Spencer
View Folio
Laura Barrett The Beloved Girls Book CoverLaura BarrettThe Beloved Girls Book CoverPaperback cover illustration for Harriet Evans’ novel, The Beloved Girls, published by Headline books. View FolioAnimalsBotanicalNaturePublishingDigitalBook CoversDigitalSilhouettes
Laura Barrett LBarrett-TheAmazingMrBlunden_High-ResLaura BarrettLBarrett-TheAmazingMrBlunden_High-ResIllustrated cover commissioned by Little, Brown for the upcoming Sky TV Christmas adaptation of The Amazing Mr Blunden. Design by Charlotte Stroomer. View Folio
Laura Barrett Alice in WonderlandLaura BarrettAlice in Wonderlandalice, wonderland, falling, down the rabbit hole, books, marmalade, birdcage, literature, lewis carroll, children's, publishing, maps, victorian, View FolioCharacterChildren's BookDecorativePublishingDigitalBlack and WhiteChildren's IllustrationSilhouettesVector
Laura Barrett Autumnal FoxLaura BarrettAutumnal Foxcolourful, autumn, falling leaves, print, forest, fox, layered, View FolioAnimalsCharacterDecorativeNatureDigitalBlack and WhiteChildren's IllustrationDigitalSilhouettesVector
Laura Barrett Vintage Books: BookwormLaura BarrettVintage Books: BookwormArt direction: Julia Connolly at Vintage Books View FolioAnimalsBotanicalCharacterChildren's BookDecorativeEducationalHistoricalNaturePeoplePublishingDigitalBook CoversChildren's IllustrationDigitalSilhouettesVector
Laura Barrett Vintage Books: A Fairy Tale RevolutionLaura BarrettVintage Books: A Fairy Tale RevolutionOne of my favourite projects this year; I was commissioned by Vintage Books to illustrate 3 fairy tales that have been given a feminist spin by 3 bestselling authors; Malorie Blackman, Kamila Shamsie and Jeanette Winterson. The tales were Blueblood, Duckling and Hansel and Greta- modern takes on classic tales. View Folio
Laura Barrett The Beloved GirlsLaura BarrettThe Beloved GirlsCover illustration and endpapers for Harriet Evans’ new novel, The Beloved Girls, published on 19th August by Headline books. Art direction by Yeti Lambregts. View Folio
Laura Barrett Taschen HCA: The Brave Tin SoldierLaura BarrettTaschen HCA: The Brave Tin Soldierwaves, fish, soldier, paper boat, boat, swirls, fairy tale, classic, publishing, narrative, woodcut, silhouette, black white, lines View FolioAnimalsChildren's BookDecorativeNaturePublishingDigitalLinoCutBlack and WhiteChildren's IllustrationDigitalSilhouettesVector
Laura Barrett The Snow Queen, HachetteLaura BarrettThe Snow Queen, Hachette I'm thrilled to reveal my first illustrated gift book for Orchard Books. Taking inspiration from Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale The Snow Queen I worked with the wonderful team at Orchard to create a concertina format, featuring a laser cut pop up castle and stand up figures to play with, and comes complete with foiling and metallic inks.

Beautifully designed by Izzy Langridge and published by Sue Buswell.
View FolioAnimalsArchitectureCharacterChildren's BookDecorativeHistoricalPublishingDigitalArchitectural PlansBlack and WhiteBook CoversChildren's IllustrationDigitalSilhouettesVectorVictoriana
Laura Barrett Vintage Books: A Fairy Tale RevolutionLaura BarrettVintage Books: A Fairy Tale RevolutionOne of my favourite projects last year; I was commissioned by Vintage Books to illustrate 3 fairy tales that have been given a feminist spin by 3 bestselling authors; Malorie Blackman, Kamila Shamsie and Jeanette Winterson. The tales were Blueblood, Duckling and Hansel and Greta- modern takes on classic tales.

Covers designed by Anna Morrison, featuring my silhouette characters. Interior layout design by Friederike Huber. Edited by Charlotte Knight and in house design by Kris Potter.
View Folio
Laura Barrett The Toymakers, EburyLaura BarrettThe Toymakers, EburyI was delighted to be commissioned by Ebury Publishing to illustrate the cover for Robert Dinsdale's dark and magical novel The Toymakers, due out in February 2018.
View Folio
Laura Barrett Snow WhiteLaura BarrettSnow Whitesnow, white, witch, queen, mirror, castle, bird, trees, flower, holding, girl, beauty, turrets, fairy, tale, guardian, window, windows, flowerbed, chimney, vanity, fairy tale View FolioArchitectureChildren's BookDecorativeNaturePublishingDigitalBlack and WhiteChildren's IllustrationDigitalSilhouettesVector
Laura Barrett Orchard Books: The Story of the NativityLaura BarrettOrchard Books: The Story of the NativityNew picture book The Story of the Nativity, written by the wonderful Geraldine McCaughrean and published by Orchard Books. View FolioAnimalsCharacterChildren's BookChristmasDecorativeLandscapesNaturePublishingDigitalBlack and WhiteBook CoversChildren's IllustrationDigitalPixelSilhouettesVector