Communication Design School of Design

Anastacia Macdonald (she/her)

My practice as an illustrator is motivated by story-telling, I love drawing comics, children’s books, designing characters, drawing people and their surroundings. As a Lesbian, the themes in my practice are influenced often by my identity. My partner is a significant muse of mine, our experiences guide a lot of my narrative choices. With my partner being Butch, our relationship has taught me the differences she faces as someone who does not conform to social expectations of gender. By drawing from personal experiences, it is my design calling to give visibility to others who don’t feel seen in art or media.

Contact
macdonaldanastacia@gmail.com
A.Macdonald6@student.gsa.ac.uk
@annamacdonaldart
Projects
Blair’s Hair
Present in the Past: The Representation of Lesbian Sexuality in Cinema

Blair’s Hair

‘Blair’s Hair’ is a 56 page children’s picture book. Inspired by experiences I’ve had with hair but is most relevant to my partner’s relationship to hair. I was influenced by children’s books on diversity and gender expression for boys. But there was a gap in this tone for girls. What about girls who also express themselves differently? It is important to normalise gender non-conformity for young girls too, tomboyish attributes shouldn’t be regarded as something to supress or ‘grow out of’! However, I hope that this character’s motives and identity can be left up to interpretation for each reader. I want an audience which includes trans and non-binary people who can find comfort in this character.

book wallet
Endpaper
Blair's long hair is awkward !
Blair in shower, disgusted by the sensory issues with her long hair
Blair in kitchen with mum
Blair meets Mum's friend 'Jo' (reference to Joan of Arc, who Blair mistakes them for. This interaction feeds Blair's inspiration for a short haircut.
Blair in bed, asking mum about getting a haircut
Blair visiting the hair salon
First big chop at the hairdressers !
oh...
Blair very upset with her hair from the hair salon
Blair getting first haircut at the barbers !
End
endpaper

Present in the Past: The Representation of Lesbian Sexuality in Cinema

nudity

My interest in gender expression transferred into my essay for Design History & Theory, with more mature themes in relation to Lesbian gender and sexuality. Visualising this essay allowed me to explore drawing in a more adult tone. My essay explores sex, gender, the gaze, and patriarchal society in relation to the Lesbian experience within cinema. Comparing three iconic Sapphic films: ‘Bound’, ‘The Handmaiden’, and ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’. This is still a work in progress, intended to be riso-printed as a zine.