Brighton graduate's acclaimed drawings about life with a lockdown baby

Entitled Pandemic Baby, Pia's book pulls together a tender but frank series of drawings capturing what she calls the “bonkers experience” of parenting in lockdown – her own and that of other parents - during the two years since her son Fran was born.

Pia recalls a friend describing looking after a baby as “like having the best time and the worst time of your life all at once”. One of her drawings depicts an infant’s rapid mood change with the caption: “The space between joy and fury feels very small”.

Pia Bramley

Pandemic Baby by Pia Bramley

After graduating with Illustration BA(Hons) from the University of Brighton in 2009, Pia undertook further study at the Royal Drawing School, before embarking on a career that has included working as an illustrator for the New York Times and London Fashion Week.

Despite her huge skill, Pia also highlights how difficult it is to draw babies – something even Old Master painters struggled with, as evidenced by websites such as Ugly Renaissance Babies which post poor historic efforts to capture infants – often the baby Jesus - on canvas, which Pia says “just look like squashed adults”!

Speaking about the influence of her time at University of Brighton, Pia said: “The book owes a great debt to Brighton University, as it's where I met my partner- the father of our pandemic baby! There were so many skilful and dedicated students on the course, treasured friends and people who continue to inspire and sustain me, even 12 years after graduating.”

Pandemic Baby by Pia Bramley is published by Icon Books.

Instagram: @piabramley