A Second Life in Lines
An edited conversation about animals, law and the usefulness of leaving things just outside the frame.
Illustration · Character · Visual storytelling
Animals with
something to say.
Jane Stephens creates hand-drawn animal characters, editorial illustration and quiet narrative work from her studio in West Sussex.
Jane at Blackbird Farm
West Sussex
Irregular ink line, restrained colour and a quietly observant sense of humour.
Working across print, public information and digital projects01 · Selected work
Rural Rabies
Awareness Campaign
Jane’s first major public commission was a series of direct animal portraits promoting responsible pet ownership and vaccination in rural communities across northern France.
The commission grew from an unexpected connection with Jane’s previous career. A former French public-sector client recommended her newly developed portfolio to colleagues preparing the campaign.
Following a competitive selection process, Jane developed a visual language intended to feel immediate without becoming alarming. She still regards the project as the moment illustration became a possible second career.
02 · Character work
English Nature
for Pembroke Games
A developing cast of British birds and animals created for calm word and tile games. Each character is designed to work as a still illustration, reward image and restrained animated presence.
Character studies · 2025–present
03 · About the work
Download CV ↓“I draw animals because they are never merely decorative. Even at rest, they appear to be considering something.”
Jane is a British illustrator and writer based at Blackbird Farm in West Sussex. After studying law at Pembroke College, Cambridge, she spent more than two decades working in tax and governance before returning seriously to drawing.
Her practice centres on animals, character and the point at which observation begins to suggest a story. She works principally with ink, pencil and restrained washes of colour, allowing the line to remain irregular.
04 · From Blackbird Farm
Recipes for damp afternoons and unexpected visitors.
Working recipes rather than commandments: apple and blackberry crumble, rosemary and cheddar oat biscuits, leek and white bean soup, and pear, ginger and walnut cake.
If someone objects, give them the spoon.
05 · Selected press
Drawing the Pause
Jane Stephens on character, restraint and making illustrations that are a little difficult to hurry past.
A New Illustrated World
Introducing a recurring cast of British wildlife for calm, character-led games.