Rosanna Tasker, Editorial and Book Illustrator

Working from her Bristol studio, surrounded by all kinds of potted plants, Rosanna Tasker creates elegant illustrations full of elongated forms, natural settings, fascinating characters and subtle colour schemes. Her artwork is alive with lines and textures, and has a naturally creative feel to it. It’s no wonder she’s so popular with editorial, publishing and advertising clients. Like many illustrators, she began drawing at a young age. While her parents read to her as a child, she’d illustrate the stories. “I still have a picture of Gollum I drew when I was six while listening to my dad read The Hobbit. It's strangely similar to what he looks like in the film, apart from the fact he's wearing a pink and yellow tie!” As well as drawing and painting, Rosanna loves trees and plants. “When I'm out and about I'll make a note of anything that catches my eye for sketching later. Most recently I fell in love with tropical Araucaria trees and Dragon Blood trees while in Gran Canaria,” she says. Her other great passions are music and dance. She plays classical piano and bass guitar, and is currently learning Charleston and Burlesque dancing.

Training

Rosanna received First Class Honours when she studied Illustration at the University of the West of England, in Bristol.

Approach

There are two main elements to Rosanna’s approach. The first stages of her work are created using natural media – pencils for the line work, and gouache paints, applied to separate layers using a light box. This, and the rich papers she uses, gives her work its unique, handcrafted feel. Images are completed digitally, using Photoshop to clean them up and add the finishing touches.

Key Software

Photoshop

Style

Delicate lines and gentle textures are woven together to depict elegant, elongated figures and forms. She loves to experiment with scale, and nature usually plays a big role in her art. Rosanna chooses a limited palette for each piece, sometimes punchy, sometimes subtle, but always in keeping with the brief.