Solent illustration student builds a hand-crafted theatrical portfolio in pursuit of a career in tattooing

Callum Sazanchuk, a final-year BA (Hons) Illustration student at Southampton Solent University, has spent this semester creating The Wandering Ink Show. The project is a one-ofa-kind interactive portfolio box inspired by the rolling theatre scenery of a traditional crankie, housing ten original tattoo and flash designs.

Laser-cut wood, hand-painted detailing, screen-printed elements and even hand-sewn curtains are all brought together into a single theatrical display. "It wasn't just about displaying my designs," Callum says. "It was about telling a story, my story, in a way that would catch the eye and spark curiosity."

Before arriving at Solent, Callum worked almost exclusively in digital illustration on his iPad. His studies inspired him to explore the richness of working by hand.

"Solent has helped me move away from creating everything digitally and instead make more things by hand. I truly enjoyed the encouragement to make things with my own hands-on paper. It also helped me overcome my artist's burnout and step out of my comfort zone,” Callum adds.

The ten designs in The Wandering Ink Show draw on Callum's love of surrealism and a visual language. Bold black ink, striking red accents and clever use of negative space run throughout the collection.

He also sought feedback from those around him, asking people what they would want to see as tattoos and weaving their answers into his own distinctive vision.

Lino printing, a technique he had long admired but never seriously explored, became central to the project. The print room at Solent gave him the space and equipment to experiment in ways that simply were not possible before.

"Having access to such a well-equipped print room was a gamechanger," he says. "I got to experiment with techniques I could only dream of trying before."

The process was not without its challenges. Building a functional interactive box from scratch demanded both patience and resourcefulness. Some days, Callum found himself juggling painting, printing, sewing and construction all at once, switching tasks whenever he hit a wall to keep momentum alive.

Course Leader Dr Lorna Sheppard sees Callum's project as a vivid example of what the illustration degree at Solent is designed to produce:

"The Final Major Project provides students with a wonderful opportunity to embark on a project of their own design. Callum's crankie stands out as an innovative approach to showcasing his tattoo portfolio, employing a diverse array of techniques to bring his vision to life. Both Callum's crankie and his portfolio will be featured at our Degree Show, which begins on Friday 5th June, alongside other projects created by our Level 6 Illustration students."

After graduating, Callum, who came to Solent from Norway to complete his degree, will be heading home to search for a tattoo apprenticeship.

"My dream job is to become a tattoo artist, which is what my FMP is built on. I'm hoping to take these skills and create beautiful artworks that people would want to have on their bodies. I really love body art and can't wait to jump into the field,” he says.

Interested in studying illustration at Solent? Find out more on our website.