Ella Stovell
“First it’s one of the shops you didn’t go to very often. It’s strange to have it not there any more, but you didn’t go in there often anyway. Then when you come back, an entire corner of the street is changed, or empty. It’s a gradual but sure process, and before you know it the entire place is different. Is it the same place you once knew, or is that place gone forever?”
Streets is an autobiographical comic exploring a return to home – bearing witness to the changes in a town, the decline of the high street, and the will of residents to keep the place alive.
How does your background as a musician inform your work in comics?
Getting involved with the music scene really taught me the value of community, and I want this to be something that I bring into future projects - getting to consistently meet other musicians is so great, and I find it really grounding when it feels like so much creative work is done online. But other than that, they've been things that have always felt quite separate to me!
You mention your interest in punk and skating subcultures, does this come into Streets?
Not directly, but the absence of third spaces and events for young people to go to is another reason why small towns go downhill, and something that I was thinking about while making it. I'm looking to continue Streets or use it as a foundation for another comic, and that issue is something that I really want to explore there. When there's nothing creative or inspiring going on, it has a knock on effect - with nothing to do, a lot of people end up fighting, drinking excessively and taking drugs. It's really sad, and I think if people had more of a focus or outlet then this could be avoided.
How did you start making comics?
I enjoyed making them as a kid, and as a teenager I really got into drawing my own characters - so it was really a matter of just carrying on! But I really started getting inspired when I came across Jamie Hewlett's illustrations for Gorillaz and Tank Girl. It was discovering work like that that made me want to really improve.
How do you approach storytelling in comic form?
For shorter works I start with panelling, communicating purely visually, rather than beginning with a script and going from there. This works well because I tend to focus on personal journeys and feelings rather than big events or worldbuilding, and I think this method lends itself well to that.
Tell us a bit about your process (ideas, sketching, drafts, the medium, analogue/digital)
I'll always begin with analogue, and do lots of sketches of the locations and characters that will appear. In the case of Streets I went around town and did some observational drawings; and it was great that someone came up to me to chat so I could actually get a current local's perspective! In general I think visiting different places is so important - even if I'm not visiting the actual location the story is set, I find I get a lot and feel better after escaping my desk! For thumbnails and page layout I'll do a minimum of three, and try to keep pages that sit next to each other from not looking too similar. Then I'll take a photo or scan of my chosen thumbnails, and then do the line art and colouring digitally.
What comic artists/illustrators are you inspired by?
For this comic David B was a big inspiration, with his graphic memoir Epileptic. In general, Jamie Hewlett, Mike Mignola and Tim Sale are some of my favourite comic artists.
What do you listen to when you are working?
Whatever music I'm into at that moment! Right now I'm listening to a lot of ska, bands like The Beat, The Selecter, and The Specials. Most of the time I find that music that's too angry or high energy (however great it is!) ends up distracting me, but on the other hand some ambient music can make me a bit too melancholy. So, stuff like old school ska and reggae is a happy medium for me! I also like a YouTube video essay to zone out to when I'm finishing up.
What are you working on at the moment?
I'm making merchandise for my band Skinny Imps, specifically lyric zines! We've already got some t shirts, prints and other bits and pieces made that we'll be selling at all of our gigs from now on. In terms of comics, I'm going to start working on one that'll be about dreams. I had this run of really intense dreams back in February when my Mum was moving out of our childhood home, and I was certain they were affecting my mood during the rest of the day, and vice versa. It was an interesting experience that led to a lot of self reflection, and is something that I'd love to do some research on.
About Ella
Ella Stovell is an illustrator and musician based in Edinburgh. Their work is both playful, bright and busy, yet sensitive and emotive. Ella is deeply inspired by subcultures such as skating and punk, both in relation to the visuals and content. On several occasions Ella was part of the band Radio Ratz (2023 - 2025,) and now Skinny Imps, and the intersection of music and art forms the foundation for their work as an artist.
See more of Ella’s work here.