Illustration mentorship by Art Lab
You have a visual voice. Let’s build a portfolio that shows publishers, editors and brands where it belongs.
A conversation about your work, your goals and the right next step.
Selected clients and publications from our alumni stories
The work. The progress. The results.
Published books, editorial commissions and a clearer creative direction. Meet artists who have developed their practice with Art Lab.
Inside the mentorship · Anastasia Mordasheva
How we positioned Anastasia’s work for editorial commissions through tailored portfolio briefs. See the work in progress and her paid elDiario.es commission, part of its collaboration with The Guardian.
Read the full story
4 books for British publishers in one yearNastya Rizaeva wanted to work in publishing, but didn’t know where her style fitted. She built a portfolio with a clear book illustration focus.
Starting point
A background in graphic design and a wish to illustrate books, without a clear understanding of publishing niches or where to position her work.
The shift
Following the Children’s Book Bootcamp, Nastya put together a commercial portfolio focused on the book industry.
Cases
She illustrated four books for British publishers within one year.
Graphic novels + editorial publicationsLiza Rylskaya already had a visual language. Mentorship helped her find her interest in editorial illustration and approach real projects with more clarity.
Starting point
Liza was beginning her professional illustration career. She had an established style, but wasn’t sure what to focus on and often avoided compositions with several characters.
The shift
She found a stronger interest in editorial work, developed her understanding of real project briefs and learned how to choose subjects for her portfolio.
Cases
Her subsequent work includes three graphic novels, Teen Breathe and The Persistent, as documented in Art Lab’s alumni case studies.
See a published commission ↗
The Observer + The BerlinerAlla Belova came to Art Lab with a clear goal: reach international commissioners. Her results span newspapers and the cultural sector.
The goal
Develop a portfolio that could reach clients beyond her existing market.
The result
Art Lab’s published case study records commissions for The Observer, The Berliner and a major UK museum while she was developing her portfolio.
The range
Her work demonstrates a route into both international editorial illustration and cultural commissions.
Explore Alla’s portfolio ↗First British publishing projectFidelia Lovely had strong drawing skills. We worked on character styling and composition with the international children’s book market in mind.
Starting point
A skilled art graduate whose character styling and decorative choices needed a clearer connection to the publishing market she wanted to enter.
The work
We built on her strengths in composition and refined her characters while preserving her individual style.
Cases
Fidelia secured her first British publishing project during the mentorship. Her portfolio also received positive feedback at the London Book Fair.
Image shown: selected portfolio work.
Explore Fidelia’s portfolio ↗Books & international reach
Books translated into multiple languages, international showcases and exhibitions around the world followed her portfolio development with Art Lab.
Art Lab mentorship · Maria Shuklina
Explore Masha’s portfolio ↗
Editorial & brands
After the course, Anna received a commission for a US environmental institute. She later joined Art Lab’s roster, with illustration credits including Good Housekeeping, MUBI, Brio and The Persistent.
Illustrator Boss course
Explore Anna’s portfolio ↗
Children’s books
Alina chose children’s publishing and developed a character-led portfolio project. She went on to illustrate for Peshkom v Istoriyu and Alpina.Deti, with one of her books published in China.
Art Lab course
Explore Alina’s portfolio ↗
International editorial
Her papercut illustration appeared in Berliner Zeitung on 27 December 2025, translating a complex subject — AI in medicine — into a visual metaphor.
Art Lab mentorship
Explore Sasha’s portfolio ↗
Portfolio & publishing
Anastasia built the portfolio website she had been putting off for more than five years. She subsequently secured a graphic novel commission for a British publisher.
Art Lab programme alumna
Explore Anastasia’s portfolio ↗
Museum commission
After her mentorship, Natalia received a commission through Art Lab for The Barbara Johns Story at the Robert Russa Moton Museum in the United States.
Art Lab mentorship
International press
Anastasia developed her portfolio with Art Lab and secured a paid commission for elDiario.es, as part of its collaboration with The Guardian. She was also featured in Artwort.
Art Lab mentorship & later agency promotion
Interactive illustration
After working on colour and composition, Evgeniya took on an international commission illustrating an interactive game.
Art Lab programme alumna
Culture & education
Following mentorship, Julia illustrated educational materials for the website of a major UK museum. The institution and project images remain confidential.
Art Lab mentorship
Selected individual outcomes across Art Lab mentorship, bootcamps and courses. These stories are examples of alumni progress; they are not a promise of commissions or income.
Where could your work go next?
Let’s look at your portfolioIn the artists’ words
“Mentorship helped me understand how to work on real projects, which subjects to choose for my portfolio, and how to build my professional path in illustration.”
Liza Rylskaya
Illustrator · Teen Breathe, The Persistent & graphic novels
“I discovered the strengths in my work and what I needed to develop next. I felt so much more confident that I finally built my portfolio website — something I’d been working towards for over five years.”
Anastasia Teslia
Illustrator · Portfolio development & a British graphic novel commission
“I chose children’s book illustration as my specialism. My final project became a series about a little goat and his friends — a cat and a rhino. That project later helped me get work.”
Alina Minasian
Children’s illustrator · Peshkom v Istoriyu & Alpina.Deti
Translated excerpts from participant feedback published on Art Lab’s programme page.
A portfolio with a purpose
Art Lab’s illustration mentorship combines portfolio reviews, tailored briefs and individual feedback. We begin with the work you already make and the editorial, publishing or brand projects you want to be commissioned for.
Explore the programme optionsReview your portfolio, identify what is distinctive and choose the markets where your work has a credible place.
Develop projects around a specific audience, format and commercial use — from book illustration to editorial and brand work.
Discuss ideas, compositions and final images. Use individual feedback to make purposeful decisions at each stage.
Build a coherent selection of work and a clearer way to introduce it to relevant publishers, editors and creative teams.
Founded by Anya Kuvarzina
Anya is the founder of Art Lab, an international illustration agency. Her approach brings together working as an illustrator, developing artists’ portfolios and understanding what commissioners look for.
A Central Saint Martins graduate, she taught illustration at Cambridge School of Visual & Performing Arts for seven years. Her illustration clients have included Penguin Random House and Scholastic.
Choose the support you need
For illustrators who want to develop their portfolio and understand how to position it. We’ll discuss your current work before recommending a programme.
Individual support · Five months
Time to develop a focused body of work, with a plan built around your style, goals and chosen market.
Price on application. We’ll discuss the programme and payment options on your call.
Discuss one-to-one mentorshipLive group · Five weeks · In English
A focused programme with weekly live sessions, practical assignments and individual feedback on your work.
Mentorship focuses on portfolio development and commercial direction. Agency representation is discussed separately; neither representation nor paid commissions are guaranteed.
Before we talk
You don’t need a perfectly finished portfolio to start the conversation. Bring your current work and tell us which kinds of illustration you want to pursue. We’ll discuss the gaps and whether the programme can help you address them.
Your individual voice is the starting point. The work is about developing it: refining compositions, characters and concepts, and showing how your approach can work within real commercial formats.
No. These artists took part in Art Lab’s individual mentorship, bootcamps and courses over time. Each story names the relevant format where it is documented. The current group and individual options are described above.
No. The programme provides portfolio strategy, development and feedback. Representation is a separate discussion, and commissions depend on the work, client demand and other factors. Alumni stories show individual outcomes.
You’ll choose an available time on Anya’s booking page. Please include your portfolio link and what you most want to develop. We’ll talk about your work, goals and the most suitable support. Booking a call does not commit you to buying a programme.
Yes. You can pay in full or split the fee into two payments. We’ll discuss the options before you enrol. Klarna and PayPal Credit may also be available, depending on checkout availability, your location and provider approval. Eligibility requirements and terms apply.
Your next chapter starts with a conversation
Bring your portfolio, the projects you want to do and the questions you haven’t found an answer to. We’ll look at the next step together.
Book a conversationNo obligation to join. Just a clear conversation about your work.
Your portfolio. Your next step.Talk it through with Art Lab.
Let’s talk ↗