How did you get into illustrating and what is your process?

I’ve always enjoyed closely observing the the world around me. Drawing is my way of processing it all. I’m really drawn to storytelling, especially through film. How a scene is framed, how colour and composition can hold so much quiet intensity. My process is pretty loose, I let the mood lead the way and work intuitively from there. It’s more about capturing a feeling than getting things perfect.

Is there a particular artist you are inspired by or look up to?

So many. I’m inspired by anyone who’s curious about people and how we live. Nikki de Saint Phalle springs to mind, her drawings are so playful but deeply personal. I’m especially drawn to female artists and how they express emotion and messiness, always with a touch of humour. It’s inspiring to find new perspectives and discover different ways to experience life. Rúnarsson’s film definitely left me with new ideas about how I could experience loss and grief. 

What did you think of When The Light Breaks?

I was really struck by the intimacy of the film. The circular structure of the film with moments repeating but shifting slightly, made me think about change. Rúnarsson frames change as a kind of expansion, like it’s possible for grief and hope to sit side by side. It left me thinking about how we process loss and connection, and how time softens and reshapes our experiences. 

How did you go about creating these illustrations. What was your process?

I wanted to reflect the emotional tone of the film. It’s such a subtle, tender story. I found myself exploring the fluidity of their relationships through line and imperfect movement. I wanted to create an endless looping animation to mirror the cyclical journey Una goes on from sunrise to sunset. 

See the full set of Hatty Staniforth’s illustrations and animations on Instagram here.