New Talent with London-Based CIA

Yorkshire-born, Mick Marston exhausted his early ambitions of Premiership football or rock stardom and graduated from Leeds Metropolitan as a a fully fledged designer. Moving straight into commercial illustration, the commissioning world embraced him with high-profile jobs and exhibitions both sides of the pond.

Ulla Puggard  began studying just before computer technology became the dominant tool in design education and therefore, adopted the root principles of typography and illustration with pen and ink. Image making is her chosen mode of communication, and she thrives on the interaction involved in visual problem solving. Based in London, Copenhagen, and New York City, Ulla's part of the Big Orange Studio Collective, is the Art Director for S-Magazine, and clients include the New Yorker, Comme des Garcons, and Vodafone.

Claire Melinsky's lino cut prints show the strength and quality of the cut line. She graduated in theatre design from Central St Martin's and ever since has been working as an illustrator . She is easily diverted from her lino cutting by the distractions of the garden outside the workroom window in south west Scotland. Despite this, she's managed to illustrate the 40 covers of the Penguin Shakespeare, as well as the latest edition of the entire Harry Potter canon.

Educated at the Central School of Art and the Slade, Jonathan Gibbs works in wood engraving, drawing, and painting. Living in Scotland, he regularly exhibits in Edinburgh and London and is Head of Illustration, Edinburgh College of Art. His visual language is fastidious, linear, and deeply sensitive to place.

MH Jeeves originally studied architecture at Cambridge University before deciding not to inflict her notions of the built environment on the world. Fortunately for us, and after some more studying at Saint Martins, she has since pursued a career in illustration and cartooning for clients ranging from Saatchi & Saatchi to Punch.

Toby Leigh is a sharp, funny guy with the ability to turn the mundane or peculiar into comic genius. Growing up in London helped hone his observational wit, drawing upon his encounters with odd people and characters, overheard conversation on public transport, and ramblings with local shopkeepers. With such a delicious colour palette and his refined pen line, it's no wonder he's had such interest from clients: the Times, the Guardian, the Telegraph, the Independent, Sony, FHM, Vodaphone, Channel 4, Volkswagon, and V&A.

Graham Robson, who hails simply from 'The North' is a man dedicated to retro '90s video games, which comes through in his rich, colourful digital illustrations, bursting at the seams with narrative and charm. A fresh face on the illustration scene, he's a production powerhouse with a confident and individual folio at this early stage in his career. He's definitely one to watch.

Susan Burghart worked as a graphic designer for eight years before attending Camberwell College of Arts in London in 2006 to re-train as an illustrator, and her work features in the permanent collection of the University of the Arts London. Susan enjoys working digitally, as well as experimenting with distressed effects through collage and screen printing. She aims to achieve something fresh and edgy but with a touch of elegant nostalgia.