Passenger X Lauren Marina: A Graphics Story

I found my way into illustration quite instinctively. I’ve always been someone who processes the world through making. Drawing became a quiet language for me early on, a way to slow things down and make sense of what I was feeling and noticing.

I studied illustration at university, and although my career path deviated after that, I naturally re-rooted in art in 2020 and decided to forge a freelance life!

What I love most about illustration is its ability to communicate without noise. There’s something incredibly grounding about that.

My style is quite fluid and movement-led, often monochrome, with a focus on simplicity and balance. I’m always trying to distil things down to their essence, removing anything that isn’t needed so the subject and feeling can come through clearly.

A lot of my inspiration comes from the natural world, small, often overlooked details like the rhythm of leaves, the curve of a path, or the way something grows. I’m also really inspired by slower ways of living, mindfulness, and poetry.

It’s a huge part of how I find calm and focus. Drawing is one of the few places where everything softens, and I have a lot of gratitude for the flow and ease it offers me.

There’s a meditative quality to it, especially in the repetition of lines and shapes. It helps me process things gently, without needing to put everything into words. I think that’s why I’m so drawn to creating work that might offer a similar sense of calm or reassurance to others.

For this range, I really wanted the designs to feel like quiet companions to being outdoors, something that doesn’t shout, but sits comfortably alongside moments in nature.

The illustrations draw on natural forms and gentle aliveness, wiggly leaves, a soft feather, and a cactus in the sun. My hope is that wearers of this range will take a moment in their days of ‘roaming’ to take in the beauty and forms of the natural world.

I particularly like the pile of stacked pebbles; it’s one of my favourite slow games at the beach, to see how many stones can be carefully balanced. Give it a go!

I was mindful of how the designs would live on clothing too, making sure they felt wearable, timeless, and easy to connect with.

Alongside my project-based illustration work for clients, I’ve been continuing to grow my greeting card range, which is something really close to my heart.

In a world that moves so quickly, I think there’s something incredibly meaningful about the simple act of sending a card. It creates a pause, a moment to reach out, to say I’m thinking of you, I see you, you’re not alone.

I try to design cards that hold that kind of quiet sentiment. Pieces that feel considered and honest, whether they’re marking something joyful or offering comfort during more difficult moments.

For me, it’s about creating small, tangible ways for people to connect with each other, something you can hold onto, keep, or return to. Those gentle exchanges can carry a lot more weight than we sometimes realise.