Meet three Falmouth graduates recognised at this year’s World Illustration Awards
21 September 2026
For MA Illustration (Online) graduate Berna Eyuboglu, hearing that her art had been Highly Commended at this year’s World Illustration Awards came as a “shock” that she thinks of as a “milestone in my career”. Two of Falmouth’s BA(Hons) Illustration graduates, Poppy Freeman and Amber Niner, also had their work recognised and shortlisted, showcasing the strong standard of artistry that comes out of Falmouth’s illustration courses.
We chatted with our recent graduate illustrators to learn more about what inspires them, the pieces they submitted and how they felt seeing their work celebrated out of over 4,000 entries.
Berna Eyuboglu – MA Illustration (Online)
Berna’s illustration manifested after she was approached by the Italian coffee machine producer, La Marzocco, who asked Berna to create a series of illustrations for their grand opening in Dubai. “I found my inspiration for the work in Firenze, which is where their production facility is located”, Berna told us. “I was inspired by their annual parade, Cavalcade of the Magi, where people dress in historical costume and parade from Ponte Vecchio to Duomo. The colourful costumes, musicians and flag throwers all inspired my illustration. While creating, I imagined someone in the parade walking from Firenze to Burj Khalifa — the most significant building in Dubai — whilst carrying one of La Marzocco’s coffee machines. It tells the story of a new beginning; an Italian company opening a showroom on foreign land. The illustration merges both country's tastes.”
Reflecting on being Highly Commended, Berna added: “When I attended the ceremony and heard that I had received a Highly Commended award, it came to me as a shock. As soon as the jury said they selected my project based on clean, clever and simple lines, I was very happy to be recognised. I’m still thinking of this as a milestone in my career; it gives me extra strength to continue.”
Poppy Freeman – BA(Hons) Illustration
Poppy told us she was “over the moon” to see her submission Coral Wreath recognised. Originally created for the Marine Biological Association’s (MBA) ocean card competition, Poppy’s design was named the winner from over 800 entries.
The brief, to create a festive illustration that also showcases the wonders of marine science, inspired Poppy to create a piece that alludes to the dangers of coral bleaching while celebrating the beauty of the ocean.
“I was inspired by news that the first climate tipping point had been reached, with warm water coral reefs facing bleaching and widespread dieback,” Poppy told us. “These ‘rainforests of the sea’ are vital for biodiversity and climate regulation, with a quarter of all marine life depending on them. I illustrated the design digitally using Procreate, first as a detailed tonal drawing, then coloured meticulously, with the aim of capturing as many tiny details of the different types of coral as possible.”
Poppy says living by the ocean has been a core part of why she feels passionately about protecting the sea. “It’s inspired much of my creative work,” Poppy told us. “This setting combined with the support of amazing and experienced tutors has been brilliant. I honestly don’t know if I would’ve reached this career milestone without my time studying at Falmouth.”
Amber Niner – BA(Hons) Illustration
For Amber, her artwork was initially submitted as part of a brief for The Edge, a published book for this year’s BA(Hons) Illustration graduates. “I wanted to explore the common phrase ‘taking the edge off’, because as a deaf person myself with processors (cochlear implants), I wanted to showcase how some deaf people who use hearing aids or processors can find busy environments and noisy backgrounds overwhelming. I wanted to show how taking or turning them off for a while can reduce or mute sound, offering moments of quiet, relief and sensory ease.”
To create this through illustration, Amber used acrylic inks to create a noisy background, with characters drawn in ultramarine blue pencil before being refined on Photoshop.
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