Katie Waite
I am an illustrator and artist based in Bristol, UK. I work primarily with drawing, painting and collage, both analogue and digital. Through my illustrations, I like to explore the small joys of everyday life and create odd little worlds using playful colour palettes and textures.
During my final year at UWE, I focused particularly on the theme of folklore. I am creating an ongoing body of work based on old stories, characters and traditions as a way to understand the natural world around us and explore rural history.
After graduation, I aspire to become a freelance illustrator, with
Krampus
This digital collage is based on Krampus, a half-goat half-demon character from folklore. He appears during the Christmas period to scare children who have misbehaved.
Bouquet
Acrylic ink painting, experimenting with colour palettes and the use of strong lines.
Folklore Costumes
Pencil drawings of folklore costumes originating from various European customs throughout the year. From left to right: Straw Man, Bear of Twigs, Goat. Based on the photography of Charles Fréger.
Green Man
Gouache and pencil piece of the Green Man character, a prominent component of British folklore celebrations.
Red Cottage
Digital collage for a print concept: experimenting with simplified shapes evoking a more naïve aesthetic. Inspired by traditional folktale illustrations.
Apple Orchard
An extract from my final project, a picture book about the folk tradition of 'wassailing'. The book follows the growth of an apple orchard through the seasons, from the wassailing celebration in the winter up to the autumn harvest.