An artist who has sold millions of books worldwide has revealed how she discovered her “signature” style while studying in Dundee.
Johanna Basford, who graduated from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design in 2005, has been dubbed the “Queen of Colouring Books” after selling more than 20 million books worldwide.
Johanna, 36, returned to her alma mater last month to see how students’ preparations for this year’s Degree Show were going.
And she it was during her time at Dundee’s art school that she found her unique style of intricate, black and white hand-drawn florals.
Johanna said: “I discovered my style at Christmas time in my fourth year.
“I thought I was going to specialise in bold silhouettes but around that time I did one drawing in a studio in DJCAD that just suddenly changed everything. I had discovered a kind of work that just lit my soul on fire.
“It became all I could think about and it became what I was drawn to. I developed it here at DJCAD and honed my craft to become better at what I do.”
Originally from Auchnagatt in Aberdeenshire, Johanna has also created illustrations for companies including V&A, DKNY, Channel 4 and H&M.
In 2011, she helped create the Degree Show Artwork, inviting students to help join in the creative project.
Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design and Architecture Degree Show is always a highlight of the city’s cultural calendar but with this year’s exhibition being the first to take place since the opening of V&A Dundee, May 18 to 26 represents Dundee’s biggest week of art and design to date.
Last year’s exhibition attracted a record attendance of 16,000, generating in excess of £1.5 million for the local economy.
Around 300 students will once again be showcasing visually stunning art and design that seeks to solve some of society’s biggest problems.
