Being awarded national runner up for painting an acrylic picture of myself as a "Busy Bee" for an art competition with the brief, "How you see yourself" was a huge achievement for me. Because of this, I was lucky enough to have my painting displayed in the Royal Academy of Arts next to the influential illustrator Quentin Blake's self-portrait; this I believe was when my love for artwork and illustration began.

I have always felt that creative subjects have allowed me to express myself through different means other than words, and as a child when reading books I was naturally drawn to the illustrations of artists such as Axel Scheffler, Beatrix Potter and Nick Sherratt, as they all helped me shape and create the fantastic stories in my mind. Illustration continues to capture my attention and sparks my interest, and Illustrators such as; Budi Kwan, Peony Yip and Iain Macarthur all inspire me for different reasons; Kwan's illustrations often tell a story within one picture, Yip's works are all incredibly realistic and detailed and Macarthur's use of black and white alongside dramatic patterns create an eye catching illustration. I believe illustration is a universal language which is accessible to everyone; this fascinates me and drives me when creating my own artwork.

Through Fine Art A-level, I have learnt many different techniques and styles, and I have developed my understanding of how to use different media. In addition I have studied other artists and their motivation when creating art. This has helped me realise that art can be presented in many ways, for example; through photography, fashion, textiles, film as well as through drawing and painting. Currently I am studying the topic, "Colour", and within this topic I am focusing on portraiture. One of my favourite art pieces I have completed with this brief is my acrylic portrait of my own photograph and also my digital portraits I completed using Adobe Draw. Through these pieces I went out of my comfort zone, using media I was not confident with, and also using mixed media by drawing patterns over my acrylic drawing to create a more dramatic effect. I believe these pieces were successful as I matched the colours well to my photographs and created an almost 3D effect.

Through my other A-levels I have also developed other skills which have supported my artwork. For example, In English Literature I have enjoyed learning about how language can shape how the individual perceives narratives, in the same sense that illustration can shape and have an impact on how the viewer perceives children's books or films. Health and Social Care has helped me improve my extended writing skills, time management and has given me the experience to complete significant projects and stick to strict deadlines.

An achievement I am particularly proud of is completing both my bronze and silver Duke of Edinburgh awards. For these awards I had to complete two expeditions, take part in modern and ballet dance classes, develop my photography and cake baking skills, volunteer at a residential home to build the residents a rockery and teach children ballet. These awards helped me build team work skills, overcome many fears and really helped me build on my resilience.

While completing work experience in a primary school I had the opportunity of helping the children with their artwork and read storybooks aloud to them. Helping to teach these children made my confidence levels grow dramatically, and this confidence has transferred into my artwork, giving me greater confidence to express my ideas and then to create them.

Through studying illustration, I am looking forward to developing my creative skills further. As well as this I will relish the opportunity to receive feedback on my work so I can grow, learn and really discover what direction I want to pursue as an illustrator.