Becky Palmer

Dr. Becky Palmer is an Associate Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University's Faculty of Arts, Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, specifically within the Cambridge School of Art. She specializes in illustration, drawing, and book art, with a particular focus on the intersection between comics and picturebooks.

Her academic background includes:

• BA in History of Art and English Literature from the University of York (2005)
• MA in Children's Book Illustration from Anglia Ruskin University (2012)
• PhD (practice-based) from Anglia Ruskin University (2016)

Becky's research explores the relationship between comics and picturebooks, investigating how narrative conventions from one medium can be effectively applied to the other. Her work employs reflective, experimental practice as a research method, examining multimodal narrative construction through the combination of these two visual storytelling forms. She has particular interest in the reading moment as a focus for developing hybrid narratives.

Her publications demonstrate a consistent focus on visual storytelling across multiple platforms, with increasing sophistication in analyzing the intersection of comics and picturebooks. Her work spans practical applications in children's literature and theoretical explorations of narrative structure, showing how rhythm, pacing, and visual language function across these related media.

Her notable achievements include:

• Joint winner of the inaugural Sebastian Walker award (2012)
• Arts and Humanities Research Council studentship for doctoral research (2012-2015)
• Member of the nominating panel for UK entries to the Bratislava Illustration Biennale (2017)

Becky serves as module leader for The Sequential Image on the MA Children's Book Illustration program and teaches narrative illustration as an associate lecturer at the University of Worcester. Her AHRC-funded doctoral research utilized reflective practice as both method and tool for studying the relationship between comics and picturebooks.

She is an active member of the Brolly Lolly illustrators' collective and regularly exhibits her self-published projects. Her work spans commercial publishing with major houses like Walker Books and NoBrow, as well as independent artistic production.