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Words by Ash Sarkar
Art by Sabba Khan

Acerca de la artista

Sabba Khan nació y se crio en el Este de Londres. Originalmente formada como arquitecta en la Central Saint Martins y la Universidad de Westminster, Sabba encuadra sus cómics arquitectónicos minimalistas inspirándose en las experiencias vividas de su crianza como inmigrante de segunda generación en una familia de clase trabajadora. Su primera novela gráfica, The Roles We Play [Los roles que asumimos] ha ganado el Premio Jhalak 2022 y el Premio Broken Frontier’s Break Out Talent ’22 (Talento Emergente Traspasando Fronteras 2022). La nominaciones incluyen el Premio Ignatz, el premio Ondaatje de la Royal Society of Literature, el premio de la British Book Design Awards y el premio de la AOI’s World Illustrations Awards, así como la nominación a los mejores libros de 2021 de The Guardian. Los colaboradores en la obra gráfica de Khan incluyen el Consejo Británico, SOAS, NHS, London Borough de Newham, JCWI y la Biblioteca británica. The Roles We Play [Los roles que asumimos] se encuentra disponible en los EE. UU. con el título de What is Home, Mum? [¿Qué significa “casa”, mamá?]. Sabba Khan es codirectora de Khan Bonshek, un bufete arquitectónico establecido por ella misma y su pareja en Stratford, Londres, donde están por completar la etapa final de su casa autoconstruida. También es Profesora Asociada de la Chelsea School of Art (Escuela de Artes de Chelsea). 

About the artist

Sabba Khan is a born and bred East Londoner. Originally trained as an architect at Central Saint Martins and The University of Westminster, Sabba frames her minimal architectural comics through the lived experience of her working class, second generation immigrant upbringing.  Sabba’s debut graphic novel ‘The Roles We Play’ has won the Jhalak Prize ’22, and Broken Frontier’s Break Out Talent ’22. Nominations include the Ignatz prize, Royal Society of Literature’s Ondaatje Prize, British Book Design Awards and AOI’s World Illustrations Awards, as well as being nominated for best books of 2021 in the Guardian. Collaborators for Khan’s comics work include The British Council, SOAS, NHS, London Borough of Newham, JCWI and The British Library. The Roles We Play is available in the US under the title ‘What is Home, Mum?’.  Sabba Khan is co-director of Khan Bonshek, an architectural practice set up by her and her partner in Stratford, London, where both are completing the final stages of their self-build home. She is also an Associate Lecturer at Chelsea School of Art. 

by Sarah Ushurhe

Acerca de la artista

Sarah Ushurhe es artista, ilustradora y escritora. Añade detalles sutiles e intrincados a su obra con lápiz, experimentando tanto con animales como con formas estáticas. Esto incluye su historia corta en arte estilo GIF, Fanny Eaton: The Forgotten Pre-Raphaelite Model [Fanny Eaton: el modelo olvidado prerrafaelista], que salió al aire como parte del programa Get Animated! BBC Introducing Arts [¡Anímate! La BBC presenta la artes] en el canal BBC Four y también en línea como parte de la serie BBC Arts New Creatives [Nuevos creadores de arte de la BBC]. En 2021, formó parte del elenco artístico del tour digital de Not Quite Right For Us Anthology [No nos queda del todo bien, Antología]. El año pasado, la obra de Sarah apareció en el número de septiembre de la revista Vogue UK en el segmento Vogue’s Galery (Galería Vogue). Recientemente, su trabajo ha aparecido en espectaculares digitales por todo el Reino unido y como parte de la residencia artística We are POCC Art Fund.

About the artist

Sarah Ushurhe is an artist, illustrator and writer. She adds subtle and intricate details to her work with pencil, experimenting with both animated and static forms. This has included her GIF-style art history short ‘Fanny Eaton: The Forgotten Pre-Raphaelite Model’, which aired as part of the programme ‘Get Animated! BBC Introducing Arts’ on BBC Four and also online as part of BBC Arts New Creatives series. In 2021, she was an artist as part of the Not Quite Right For Us Anthology digital tour. Last year, Sarah’s work featured in the September issue of British Vogue in their Vogue’s Gallery segment. Recently, her work featured on digit billboards across the UK as part of the artist in residence We are POCC Art Fund.

by Ottilie Hainsworth

Acerca de la artista

Ottilie se graduó de la Glasgow School of Art (Escuela de artes de Glasgow) y obtuvo una M.A. R.C.A. en Ilustración en 1994. Disfruta crear cómics diarios sobre su vida cotidiana. Su trabajo viene incluido en Brighton-The Graphic Novel [Brighton: la novela gráfica]. La primera novela gráfica de Ottilie, Hablando con Gina [Hablando con Gina] se publicó en septiembre de 2017 por Myriad Editions. Imparte su curso popular de Historias de la vida real en novelas gráficas en Brighton, donde radica ahora. 

About the artist

Ottilie graduated from Glasgow School of Art, and gained an MA RCA in illustration in 1994. She enjoys creating diary comics about her everyday life, and her work is included in “Brighton-The Graphic Novel”. Ottilie’s first graphic novel “Talking to Gina” was published by Myriad Editions in September 2017. She runs her popular “Graphic Novels Real Life Stories” course at Phoenix Arts in Brighton, where she is based. 

by Sophie Kathleen Stevens

Acerca de la artista

Sophie Kathleen (elle) es une ilustradore y artiste radicade en Surrey, Reino Unido. Su obra, enérgica y a menudo política, se centra en su pasión por el empoderamiento de la comunidad LGBTQ+, el feminismo y lucha contra los tabúes. Posee un diploma en Arte y diseño de la Universidad de Artes Creativas y cree en el uso del arte como forma de activismo. Soph aspira a construir comunidad, promover la igualdad e inspirar a otres a compartir su trabajo en línea, llevando a cabo talleres creativos, clases de artes y trabajando con clientes con ideas afines. Sus enfoques son las ilustraciones editoriales y las campañas mediáticas en las redes sociales. Este proceso involucra una combinación de medios, principalmente enfocándose en la ilustración digital y también incluir la pintura, el trabajo con textiles y escultura. https://www.sophie-kathleen.co.uk

About the artist

Sophie Kathleen (they/them) is an Illustrator and Artist currently based in Surrey, UK. Their vibrant and often political work focuses on their passion for LGBTQ+ empowerment, feminism and tackling taboos. They have a Diploma in Art and Design from the University of Creative Arts and believe in using art as activism. Soph aims to build community, promote equality and inspire others by sharing their work online, running creative workshops, art classes and working with like minded clients. Their focuses are editorial illustrations and impactful social media campaigns. Their process involves a mix of mediums, mainly focusing on digital illustration but also including: painting, textiles and sculpture work. https://www.sophie-kathleen.co.uk

by Elijah Vardo

Acerca del artista

Elijah Vardo es un artista, ilustrador y diseñador gráfico romaní, cuya meta es representar la cultura Roma dentro de la comunidad artística y ver la representación que le habría gustado ver de joven.

About the artist

Elijah Vardo is a Romani artist, illustrator and graphic designer whose goal is to represent the Roma culture within the art community and see representation that he wished was there growing up.

by Karolina Jonc Buzcek

Acerca de la artista

Karolina es una ilustradora y diseñadora gráfica polaca radicada en el Sur de Londres. En su práctica, trabaja principalmente con los temas de body-positivity, salud mental, cultura polaca y, a menudo, ofrece un comentario visual sobre las situaciones sociopolíticas de la actualidad. A Karolina le apasiona promover diferentes tipos de cuerpo, empoderamiento femenino y la agenda feminista, además de concientizar sobre los problemas de salud mental a través de sus experiencias personales. Al tratar temas serios, utiliza colores brillantes y, a menudo, se vale del humor en sus ilustraciones. La estética de Karolina se inspira en las caricaturas de los 90 y 2000, la cultura pop y la fantasía mainstream. https://karolinajoncbuczek.com

About the artist

Karolina is a Polish illustrator and graphic designer based in South London. In her practice, she mostly works with themes of body positivity, mental health, Polish culture and often provides a visual commentary on current social and political situations. Karolina is passionate about promoting different body types, women empowerment and feminist agenda, and raising awareness of mental health issues through her personal experiences. Whilst tackling serious subjects, she works with bright colours and often uses humour in her illustrations. Karolina’s aesthetic is inspired by 90’s/00’s cartoons, pop culture and mainstream fantasy. https://karolinajoncbuczek.com

Begin with a list

Begin by making two columns on your blank page. In the first column, write a list of general places – such as school, corner shop, swimming pool, beach, cinema. Then in the second column, write down some sensory details (smell, sound, taste, sight, touch) associated with those places, such as bruised oranges, clanging bells, tomato ketchup, ticking clocks, gravel.

Join the two columns with arrows. And make statements with the connections you make, for example: A school is bruised oranges or A beach is tomato ketchup. They don’t have to make sense, the sillier the better. Watch out for surprising ones that could be the start of something. Freewrite from this if you’d like to.

Take a peek

Here are some sentence starters. Write down into your notebook then write whatever comes to mind to finish the sentence, keep going for as long (or as little) as you want to (you could set a timer for 10 minutes or however long you’ve got):

When I first went there, I… 

If you take a peek at the map, you’ll see… 

Off the edge of the map is… 

When I reached the edge I saw… 

You told me… 

I couldn’t… 

It was as if… 

Remember the time when… 

Who knew one day I would find… 

Mapping

Maps are brilliant for so many things, for example, working out the setting in a story you want to write, helping you remember a place you’re trying to visualise, or helping you work out where exactly something happened and getting to know and owning a place. You can make notes on the map with things that happened, things you notice or sensory details. 

Pick a place. This can be your favourite place, or the most interesting place you know or a place you really want to write about that lives in your imagination (can be fictional). 

Then write a list of features of the place. For example, the rundown building on the corner, or the bus stop where you used to hang around as kids, or the café where someone works.

Then draw the map. Here are some examples to give you an idea:

Helen Cann: https://helencann.co.uk/

Winnie the Pooh

Lord of the Rings

Hand drawn maps

Add notes and labels as if you’re sharing with someone else (for example, go here if you want the best ice cream or this is where I…) even though it’s just for you.

Pick a sense – for example smell or sound and add notes just on that sense to the map.

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When you’ve practised, try representing your lockdown story of gender-based violence in this way and if you’d like to add it to our research, click on the button below or email lockdowngbvstories@brighton.ac.uk. Add Your Story

Thank you to Ottilie Hainsworth for these ideas.

• Have a think about (you could do some freewriting or draw a mind map) the different roles we play in our lives, for example family roles, gender roles, job-related roles etc. 
• Write a list of the different roles you have played in your life. 
• Choose one or two you would like to explore further, and write for five minutes about each of them, exploring the edges and boundaries of these roles. Prompts: Was it a role you chose or were born into? was/is it comfortable for you? What physical or emotional tools do you need for the role? 
• Look at pages from the graphic novel “Biscuits-Assorted” by Jenny Robinson for inspiration. 
• Make your own cookie cutter template, cut out of cardboard, to represent the role you’ve chosen to explore.
• Draw round your template several times across a sequence of sketchbook pages.
• Experiment with different media, mark making and pattern to draw yourself inside the cookie cutters, finding ways to express your thoughts and feelings on that role. (Suggestions: Try fitting the body into the shape and then filling in the details, or allowing her to climb out of the cookie cutter shape, use your left hand to create a fantastically scribbly self, and practice drawing emotions through cartoon facial expressions.)

When you’ve practised, try representing your lockdown story of gender-based violence in this way and if you’d like to add it to our research, click on the button below or email lockdowngbvstories@brighton.ac.uk.

Starting somewhere other than what’s in your head might be a good place to start writing. Here are some suggestions to jump start your ideas. Pick a prompt, write, see what comes up.  

Objects – Yours or other people’s. Rummage around in antique, bric-a-brac, or antique shops. Hold the object in your hand. Ask where it came from, how it ended up where it did. 

Music – Turn the lights down low, light a candle, play some random music and write. Could be a record you pick up somewhere, music loaned to you from a friend specially, a playlist on Spotify or the radio. Something different to what you usually listen to. 

The bus – overheard conversations are brilliant for story starters. The bus, train, airport, supermarket queue or cafe are good places to train your ears, pen poised. 

Newspapers – fill in the flesh around the tantalising snippets of real stories that are found in newspapers or online. 

Fairy tales and legends – in a similar way to newspaper stories, traditional tales give you the bones of a storyline. It’s your job to fill in the details, create characters and a situation we can all relate to. 

Facebook/Social Media – while there are snippets of information and photos everywhere on social media and the internet that can act as starting points for stories, there are also plenty of sites which specialise in writing prompts. Here are two of my favourites: www.visualverse.org and www.foundpolaroids.com. 

Books – pick a random book from your shelf. Ask someone to say a page number, then a line number (or open the book, close your eyes and point). Then write from the words on that line. Or write out the opening sentence or paragraph and continue the story in your own way.  

Your life and family – things that happened to you are often good starting points for a story. List ideas you’d like to write about – people, places you’ve been, things that have happened. 

If you struggle to start, begin with the words: I want to write about… set your timer for 10 minutes, continue writing and see what happens. 

When you’re not sure where to start…try this: 

Trust yourself. Do some freewriting. Don’t think, write fast and don’t worry about spelling, grammar or making sense at all. 

Finish these sentences: 

I would love to write… 

I wish I could write a story that… 

If there were no barriers, I would write… 

The thing I’m most scared of writing is… 

I’m most excited to write about…