J E A N W A T S O N
DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION
About Jean
I am a designer and illustrator living in Melbourne's outer east.
I was born in Melbourne but grew up in South Africa, my mother's birthplace. I also spent a year with my family in Princeton, USA, in my early teens. No matter where I was, from kindergarten onwards, art was a constant. I also loved running, swimming in the surf, ballet and following rugby ... yes, an odd mix! I was also fascinated by politics; not surprisingly, coming from South Africa.
I was lucky to have two wonderful art teachers at my high school in South Africa; wild haired, colourfully dressed, eccentric women who set high standards and inspired me to spend many hours happily painting, both during and after school.
In my late teens, my family returned to Melbourne and a few years later I graduated from the University of Melbourne with a BA (Hons), Fine Arts with Politics. I wasn't convinced that a career in art history was the right path for me, and so I decided to follow my heart and embarked on a diploma in visual arts & design.
I particularly enjoyed life drawing ... some of the drawings leaned heavily towards caricature I have to admit but the lecturers were kind enough to let me have my fun! Seeing what was out in the greeting card world at the time, I decided to produce a range of greeting cards and from there picked up illustration work.
Some years ago I branched out again, studying graphic design, which opened up a whole new visual world to me. I now really enjoy working as a designer.
Apart from all this, quite a bit of my free time is taken up with tournament chess which is why you may come across a few chess related designs in my work!
I am fortunate to live in a beautiful part of the world, close to the countryside. My husband and I enjoy regular motorcycle rides to the Yarra Valley in search of wonderful scenery and fantastic lunches.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my work and please feel free to contact me