Hello, my name is Leigh, I am an illustrator who focuses on stipplism and hatch work, inspired mostly by human faces and animal forms, I aim to use my work to showcase the lesser known details of these figures.

My interest in art began when I was about seven years old. I was and still am an avid reader, who loved not just the contents of the books, but also the covers. The covers became an excuse to create and keep creating for years to come, anything from the most innocent of pets to the disturbed creations of my own mind as horror films and games took root in my preferences. I began to get inspired by the physical form, first by the creatures from the films and books I found myself watching, and then by those around me and the animals I encountered over my life.

My process always begins with a simply taking pictures, from a multitude of angles and lightings, before deciding the process, for dots, the piece gets turned black and white to help show off the shadows and highlights, whereas the hatches get brightened and sharpened, helping bring out the colour more. Once this is done, I can then begin to sketch and begin the long task of dotting and hatching the entire piece. With my dot portraits, I aim for dramatics and deep emotion, but for my hatching projects, I am to portray the beautify of life with vivid colour.

I can often be found on my Instagram @pen.and.penfold rewatching horror movies or listening to dramatic music that fits the vibe of my latest piece.