Portfolio available at: _Website not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup_ I'm Elise Blakely, an illustrator and animator based out of Portsmouth, UK. Following the completion of my Bachelor Honours Degree in Illustration at the University of the Arts London, Camberwell, I've been working freelance, realising character designs and stories for my clients. I bring with me nearly a decade of digital art experience, being proficient in the Adobe Creative Suite (notably Photoshop, Illustrator and Animate) as well as Toon Boom Harmony, using a Wacom Cintiq as my main piece of equipment. I thrive in fast-paced, collaborative environments and enjoy building on basic ideas to produce visually driven narratives. Some notable client/collaborative projects include designing characters and a visual language for an unreleased indie game called 'Stormwatch' and creating a zine alongside an assigned piece of music for the Kit Records 'Perpetual Stew' label sampler. Alongside the community of artists I was surrounded by during my studies, and these professional client projects, my ability to respond to feedback and maintain consistency among different iterations of design has been sharpened. Since graduating, I’ve been developing a solo animated project called 'Laundromat Meltdown', aiming to explore the dynamic between the working class and the government in light of a criticality incident, so far producing a pilot episode with plans to produce further episodes. I'm eager to bring my passion for storytelling, character design and collaboration to a professional setting and contribute to a team with shared creative goals.…

Elise Eleanor Blakely

Portfolio available at: _Website not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup_ I'm Elise Blakely, an illustrator and animator based out of Portsmouth, UK. Following the completion of my Bachelor Honours Degree in Illustration at the University of the Arts London, Camberwell, I've been working freelance, realising character designs and stories for my clients. I bring with me nearly a decade of digital art experience, being proficient in the Adobe Creative Suite (notably Photoshop, Illustrator and Animate) as well as Toon Boom Harmony, using a Wacom Cintiq as my main piece of equipment. I thrive in fast-paced, collaborative environments and enjoy building on basic ideas to produce visually driven narratives. Some notable client/collaborative projects include designing characters and a visual language for an unreleased indie game called 'Stormwatch' and creating a zine alongside an assigned piece of music for the Kit Records 'Perpetual Stew' label sampler. Alongside the community of artists I was surrounded by during my studies, and these professional client projects, my ability to respond to feedback and maintain consistency among different iterations of design has been sharpened. Since graduating, I’ve been developing a solo animated project called 'Laundromat Meltdown', aiming to explore the dynamic between the working class and the government in light of a criticality incident, so far producing a pilot episode with plans to produce further episodes. I'm eager to bring my passion for storytelling, character design and collaboration to a professional setting and contribute to a team with shared creative goals.…

Available to hire

Portfolio available at: Website not available. Sign in: https://www.twine.net/signup

I’m Elise Blakely, an illustrator and animator based out of Portsmouth, UK. Following the completion of my Bachelor Honours Degree in Illustration at the University of the Arts London, Camberwell, I’ve been working freelance, realising character designs and stories for my clients. I bring with me nearly a decade of digital art experience, being proficient in the Adobe Creative Suite (notably Photoshop, Illustrator and Animate) as well as Toon Boom Harmony, using a Wacom Cintiq as my main piece of equipment.
I thrive in fast-paced, collaborative environments and enjoy building on basic ideas to produce visually driven narratives. Some notable client/collaborative projects include designing characters and a visual language for an unreleased indie game called ‘Stormwatch’ and creating a zine alongside an assigned piece of music for the Kit Records ‘Perpetual Stew’ label sampler. Alongside the community of artists I was surrounded by during my studies, and these professional client projects, my ability to respond to feedback and maintain consistency among different iterations of design has been sharpened.

Since graduating, I’ve been developing a solo animated project called ‘Laundromat Meltdown’, aiming to explore the dynamic between the working class and the government in light of a criticality incident, so far producing a pilot episode with plans to produce further episodes.

I’m eager to bring my passion for storytelling, character design and collaboration to a professional setting and contribute to a team with shared creative goals.

See more

Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Bartender at The Porterhouse Covent Garden
October 18, 2022 - September 16, 2025
Joining The Porterhouse bar team in late 2022, I have put my prior experience in bustling work environments to use. Working in a space with a capacity of approximately 800 people across 3 bars, I have learnt to be efficient while still providing the best customer experience. I am known for my approachability and friendly attitude while maintaining a strict work ethic, always looking for tasks to do even in quieter periods. The Porterhouse relies on the function of the team to handle such high volumes of people, so I’ve gained valuable skills and experience in teamwork and having people rely on me and vice versa.
Bartender at The Abarbistro, Old Portsmouth
August 18, 2021 - June 16, 2022
I worked at the Abarbistro in Portsmouth for 10 months during my gap year. I was employed as a member of the bar team, where I served customers face to face and helped waiting staff during busy periods. Throughout my time there I learnt to stay aware of my surroundings in order to ascertain who needed serving first, whilst completing ticketed orders coming through from the restaurant. I did all this whilst maintaining a polite, courteous manner. Abarbistro is a well-known establishment in Portsmouth, with lots of regular clientele, with whom I built up a great relationship with. With a high turnover of staff, I was tasked early on with training new bar staff on how to maintain the bar, keep on top of stock and work efficiently in a busy environment.
Crewmember at McDonald's
September 10, 2019 - August 10, 2021
I was employed at McDonalds for 22 months in which I experienced what was required to work in a highly successful team, remained punctual to every shift I had been scheduled for, as well as taking extra shifts to help during busier periods. I prided myself in my politeness and cheerful demeanour towards not only customers but also my fellow colleges, offering my help when necessary. Not only that but when tasked with working on a new area in the restaurant, I was able to pick up the skill quickly, aiming to deliver to the highest standard, even training new crew members to help integrate them into the team. Having experience in such a busy environment has taught me how to remain calm and think on my feet depending on every unique customer’s needs and am now an extremely reliable member of the crew. This was reflected in my Employee of the Month award for January 2021, which was rare for a part-time worker.

Education

A Levels at City of Portsmouth College
September 11, 2019 - May 18, 2021
Graphic Design- A Digital Film- A English Language and Literature Combined- B
BA (Hons) Illustration - First Class Honours Degree at University of the Arts London, Camberwell
September 1, 2022 - June 1, 2025

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education, Travel & Hospitality, Retail, Software & Internet, Professional Services
    uniE621 Laundromat Meltdown Promotional Posters (2025)
    Supplementary material to advertise the release of the pilot episode of my cartoon 'Laundromat Meltdown'. Illustrated in Procreate, edited in Photoshop. illustrator illustration characterdesign characterart animation…
    paper Laundromat Meltdown Pilot Episode (2025)

    Following a criticality incident involving a stolen piece of Uranium and a local Mercury City laundromat, the genetic make up of everyone within a 5 mile radius is reworked.

    This project aims to explore the relationship between the government and the working class in light of a nuclear incident, taking inspiration from real case studies and speculative biology to craft an absurdist, character focused narrative. A mock-up pilot episode has been created setting the scene, with intention for further exploration. I want to better educate current generations on the power of community in light of oppressive government control.

    Animated in Toon Boom Harmony.

    uniE621 Original Character Designs- August and Dax (2025)
    Ongoing illustrative project developing a story and set of characters, no final outcome has been created. Illustrated in Procreate. illustrator…
    paper Lifeguard (2025)

    Mixed media animated short utilising frame-by-frame animation, stop motion and photography.
    The story and meaning of this short is completely up to viewer interpretation, how someone perceives the work is the real outcome.

    Music by Bramble Hedge / Ghost Pine Creek

    uniE621 Original Character Designs - Good Cat Bad Cat (2024)
    From a personal project, which hasn't yet got a finalised outcome. Characters Vivienne and Ciska. Illustrated in Procreate and finalised in Photoshop illustrator characterdesign…
    paper Infernal Waltz (2024)

    A melancholy couple, a pocket in time replaying eternally; you start to forget.

    As the light catches the furniture, the shadows of the ballroom reveal themselves.

    Made utilising mixed media animation, including: photography and 2D animation.

    paper Chapel Hill (2023)

    The rate of rising sea levels is drastically increasing, in one such area a nuclear power plant is flooded, a meltdown ensuing. To escape the threat, citizens are advised to continue climbing to higher ground, the irradiated water mutating everything it touches.

    We follow Sayen and Mikhael as they find refuge for the night, hot on the tail of a group of survivors, iodine tablets their only reliable defence from the invisible horror.

    Animated in the style of early 00s/10s RPGMaker top-down pixel games.