BA (Hons) Illustration student reimagines Mildred the Mammoth for Mission Mammoth STEAMfest 2025

<p dir="ltr">Mission Mammoth STEAMfest is designed to introduce young people to careers across construction and the built environment. Through hands-on workshops in <strong>design and architecture, green skills and sustainability, engineering and surveying</strong>, primary school pupils work with architects, engineers, project managers and sustainability specialists to design new landmarks for Plymouth.</p> <p dir="ltr">Sristhi’s redesigned Mildred and Plymouth backdrops help tie these workshops together, giving children a friendly guide through the activities and a visual anchor for their ideas. Her warm, expressive characters and colourful settings reflect her wider practice as an illustrator and artist, born and raised in Kolkata and now based in Plymouth, where she works across digital and traditional media with a particular love for drawing people and animals.</p> <p dir="ltr">Illustrator Sristhi Dass said: "I heard about the competition through my tutors and thought, why not give it a try? Illustrating Mildred and the locations around Plymouth was an incredible experience. There were times I doubted my work, because everyone’s illustrations were so unique, but I kept believing in my own style. I love using bold, bright colours and having fun with my illustrations.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Being able to share my work with children as well as the people of Plymouth was so rewarding. This experience has taught me to trust my creative instincts and will definitely influence my practice moving forward."</p> <p dir="ltr">This kind of project shows how illustration can have real social impact, helping young audiences understand complex ideas like sustainability, housing and city planning through accessible, joyful imagery.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">BA (Hons) Illustration at Arts University Plymouth is an <strong>industry-informed degree that explores what it means to be an illustrator today</strong>, combining authentic image making with real-world commercial practice so graduates can build robust, sustainable careers.</p> <p dir="ltr">Students dissect the building blocks of illustration, from character and narrative to layout, sequencing and visual metaphor, and learn to apply them to the areas they feel most connected to, including editorial, advertising, picture books, branding, narrative books and research. Teaching is led by practising illustrators with experience across these fields, with a strong emphasis on cultural curiosity and ethical responsibility.</p> <p dir="ltr">You’ll be based in a <strong>spacious, naturally lit studio in the heart of Britain’s Ocean City</strong>, working in a close-knit, collaborative community and using our award-winning specialist studios, including the Imprint Lab and Fine Print Studio, Fab Lab South West and digital print facilities.</p> <p dir="ltr">The course is structured around three core kinds of empowerment:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Creative empowerment</strong> – Learn how to make powerful work, expressing ambitious ideas, emotions and stories through illustration that often goes beyond what you thought you could do.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Professional empowerment</strong> – Build the skills and confidence to find and get work, from responding to live briefs and negotiating fees to working with clients and maintaining long-term professional relationships.</p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Personal empowerment</strong> – Develop a way of working that feels fulfilling and sustainable, supported by compassionate teaching and a studio culture that helps you grow not just as an illustrator, but as a person.</p></li></ul> <p dir="ltr">Live briefs like Mission Mammoth sit alongside international industry input, from visiting illustrators, art directors, agents and creative organisations, preparing graduates for freelance careers, in-house roles and further study across the creative industries.<br /></p>

<p dir="ltr">Mission Mammoth STEAMfest is delivered by <strong>Building Plymouth</strong> in partnership with <strong>Plymouth City Council, The Box and a wide network of construction and built environment employers</strong>. Having a BA (Hons) Illustration student reimagine Mildred and set the visual tone for the project underlines the trust that city partners place in Arts University Plymouth students and graduates.</p> <p dir="ltr">The university itself is recognised nationally for quality and support, including:</p><ul><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>Top-scoring specialist arts university in the UK in the National Student Survey for four consecutive years (2022–2025)</strong></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>#2 in the UK for Teaching Excellence (Daily Mail University Guide 2025)</strong></p></li><li dir="ltr"><p dir="ltr"><strong>#2 in the UK for Facilities (Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024)</strong></p></li></ul> <p dir="ltr">For illustrators, this means studying in a specialist environment where teaching, facilities and external partnerships are all geared towards helping you build a confident, outward-facing practice.<br /></p>