Ava/Eve Character Designs

July 8, 2026

One of my favourite things about being an illustrator is getting the chance to step into someone else's world for a little while.

I recently had the absolute pleasure of working with the brilliant Lydia L. Baker, creating character designs for her Broken World Series. It's been such a fun project to be part of. Although I still have Anna to illustrate, our priority was getting Eve finished first as the latest book was due to launch.

The series is right up my street. Set in a dystopian future where society is controlled by a totalitarian regime and ordinary people are oppressed by robots, it follows a family of fiercely independent women who are resilient, flawed, and incredibly human. Beyond the safety of the walls, the rest of the world has been devastated by an alien invasion, with mysterious beings known as Ghosts changing everything.

Needless to say, I was hooked.

As an illustrator, it's always exciting to be trusted with someone else's characters. My job isn't just to draw them—it's to understand who they are. Their personalities, their histories, the way they carry themselves... all of that feeds into the final design. One of the most rewarding parts of this project has been revisiting characters throughout the series and subtly adapting them as they grow and change alongside the story.

I also had the chance to design some of the wider world, including a cityscape backdrop and the logo for MTech, which was a lovely opportunity to stretch my creative muscles beyond character work.

Working with Lydia has been an absolute joy. She gave me the freedom to explore ideas while always having a clear vision for her world, and collaborations like that are what make illustrating for authors so rewarding.

If you enjoy dystopian sci-fi, complex female protagonists, giant mechs, alien mysteries, and stories that ask big questions about humanity, I'd definitely recommend giving The Broken World Series a read.