Finding creative freedom and career-ready confidence through illustration: Louna’s journey at Solent

For BA (Hons) Illustration student Louna C-Potez, known artistically as Louna_Gami, that hands-on approach has helped transform both her creative practice and her confidence as an emerging professional artist.

“In France, art is generally very academic, so we tend to be judged and marked based on performance rather than expression,” she says. “This means we all end up doing the same work in order to learn the same techniques before we can develop our creativity and artistic style.”

Wanting a different experience, Louna chose to study illustration at Solent, a decision that gave her the freedom to develop her individuality as both an illustrator and writer while gaining practical, career-focused experience.

“It has always been a dream of mine to study in England, and Solent was the perfect university for its kindness, its open-mindedness, and for giving me the opportunity to develop my artistic creativity.”

Over the last three years, Louna has embraced Solent’s practice-led approach to learning, developing hands-on skills across traditional printmaking techniques including screen printing and letterpress, while also exploring design, retail consultancy and creative direction.

“Thanks to all the resources made available, I have everything I need to become an artist and designer,” she says.

One of the most valuable aspects of the course for Louna has been the opportunity to apply her creativity through real-world projects. From producing screen-printed card designs to preparing finished products ready for customers, she has been able to combine technical craftsmanship with artistic experimentation.

She has also gained professional experience outside the classroom through her role at Re:So, Solent’s student and graduate retail initiative that showcases independent artists and makers. As a window dresser and social media manager, Louna has strengthened both her creative and interpersonal skills while helping businesses refine their visual identity.

“I have also led a retail consultancy project to offer a fresh perspective to businesses looking to strengthen their visual identity,” she explains.

Alongside developing technical experience, Louna says Solent has helped her grow personally and professionally, giving her the confidence to build meaningful industry connections.

“Developing my artistic creativity has helped me develop my personality and, as a result, my relationships,” she says. “It has enabled me to collaborate on creating event posters and bring a breath of fresh air to independent businesses.”

Looking ahead, Louna isn’t just waiting for opportunities to appear. “I favour creative collaborations, and my strategy is not to wait for them to come my way, but rather to make an effort to create certain opportunities myself.”

Throughout her studies, Louna says the support from lecturers and technical staff has played a huge role in helping her pursue ambitious ideas and creative risks.

“I am sad to be leaving university, as I have formed very close bonds with my lecturers,” she says. “Whenever I had a project in mind, I was provided with all the tools I needed to see it through, as well as the right contacts to ensure it could be realised under the best possible conditions.”

For Louna, one of the most important lessons she has learned at Solent is the value of being flexible. “I was able to develop my versatility in terms of both experience and interpersonal skills,” she explains. “This enabled me to manage a very specific schedule by coordinating various projects so they could run concurrently and be delivered successfully.”

Her advice to future illustration students is simple: embrace experimentation, trust your instincts, and don’t be afraid to fail.

“In illustration, or in art in general, be bold, take the plunge and don’t be afraid of failing,” she says. “If you have an idea in mind, the key is to develop it step by step, learning and improving as you go along.

“Make room for spontaneity rather than letting your fears hold you back. This is the period of your life that will be most beneficial to you in terms of experience, because you’ll always have support as a student, access to plenty of resources and materials, and teachers to help you see your projects through.

“So take the risk, because it’s worth it, and above all, have fun!”

Find out more about the Art and design degrees and courses at Southampton Solent University