Sheffield artist transforms sports hall with 20 metre illustration celebrating young people and community
Sheffield artist Emily Lythe of New Forme Designs has completed her biggest project to date, creating a 20 metre illustrated wall graphic for the sports hall at SWFC Community Programme in the Hillsborough Stadium.
The large-scale artwork, which stretches across an entire wall of the facility, was designed to be inspiring, energetic and engaging for the children and young people who use the sports hall. The illustration celebrates Sheffield Wednesday, the SWFC Community Programme’s work in the community and the young people at the heart of it.
For Emily, owner of Sheffield-based creative business New Forme Designs, the commission marked a major milestone.
"This was by far the biggest illustration project I've ever worked on," she said. "It pushed me well outside my comfort zone and involved learning completely new illustration software. Seeing my work brought to life at this scale has been an incredible experience."
Emily worked closely with SWFC Community Programme to develop a design that reflected the organisation's values while creating a bright and welcoming environment for young people using the space.
Emily became an official charity partner of SWFC Community Programme earlier this year and has created a range of Sheffield Wednesday-inspired prints, along with a Father's Day card, which help raise funds for the charity's work across the city.
Alongside charity fundraising products, Emily creates hand illustrated prints celebrating Sheffield landmarks and green spaces, including popular designs featuring the city's parks and gardens. She also accepts commissions for custom house portraits, creating personalised illustrations of homes for families across the UK.
Reflecting on the completed sports hall installation, Emily said: "I'm incredibly grateful to SWFC Community Programme for trusting me with such an important project. Knowing the artwork will be enjoyed by local children and young people for years to come makes it even more special."
You can follow more of Emily’s creative work on Facebook and Instagram by following New Forme Designs - Illustrations or browse her collection of cards and prints at www.new-forme.com
