Lorna Van der Stighelen

Company Director - Lead Artist

Nationality:

Scottish - German

Date of Birth:

February 13th 1993

Email:

littlethistlestudios@gmail.com

Location:

Scotland, U.K.

A Bit About Me

Hi there! I'm Lorna Van der Stighelen, a Scottish-German 2D Artist, Concept Artist, Game Artist, and Illustrator with a passion for bringing creative visions to life. As the Founder and Director of Little Thistle Studios Ltd., I've built a dynamic freelance business that thrives on diverse, short-term opportunities and large-scale projects alike.

I established Little Thistle Studios in late 2024 as a proactive response when my previous employer entered liquidation. This move allowed me to seamlessly continue my work in the creative field, leveraging my extensive experience to take on a variety of project roles—something not often possible in traditional employment. With a BDes (Hons) in Animation and a career spanning over 7 years, I've cultivated a highly adaptable and diverse skillset across the digital art landscape. Through my studio, I offer comprehensive Art/Project Management Services, Freelance/Outsource Coordination, Concept Art, Game Art, and Marketing Illustration, supported by a robust network of talented artists I often bring onto new ventures.

My commitment extends beyond artistic excellence; I'm also deeply invested in team well-being. My qualifications in counselling skills and pluralistic counselling reflect my dedication to being a compassionate and effective leader, ensuring any team I work with can thrive. I'm adept at shaping artistic direction, managing complex projects, and fostering collaborative environments that consistently deliver high-quality results.

I'm always open to new clients and diverse projects, and I'm also actively seeking full-time permanent employmentwhere I can apply my leadership and artistic prowess to drive continued success within a dedicated team.

Education

Abertay University
2023 - 2024

Postgraduate Certificate in Pluralistic Counselling

University of Highlands and Islands
2022 - 2023

COSCA Certificate in Counselling Skills

Moray Council

2018 - 2019

First Aid and Mental Health First Aid Certficates

Glasgow University
2017 - 2018

PGDE Secondary Art and Design

Dundee University
2012 - 2016

Animation BDes(Hons) Degree

City of Glasgow College
2010 - 2012

Art and Design NC/HNC

Work Experience

May 2025 - Present

October 2024 - Present

August 2024 - Present

April 2023 - October 2024

February 2018 - April 2023

January 2020 - November 2022

June 2016 - February 2018

MLC Studios Ltd. - Freelance Consulting Artist & Art Lead

As a freelance artist within MLC Studios' network, I specialise in art leadership, concept art, and 2D game art.
This role offers dynamic collaboration opportunities with a diverse range of talented artists and exposure to a wide variety of projects.
My engagement significantly expands my professional network and fosters valuable connections within the industry.
Key Achievements: I've successfully cultivated extensive networking opportunities and forged strong professional relationships with other artists, enhancing project outcomes and team synergy.

SuperPROTEIN Studios Inc. - Lead Concept Artist & Project Manager

Currently contracted as a Lead Concept Artist for an indie visual novel, I spearhead project planning, budgeting, and creative direction, overseeing other concept artists and managing multidisciplinary freelance teams.
This comprehensive role ensures cohesive artistic vision and efficient project execution, leveraging Photoshop, ClickUp, and Miro for seamless collaboration between concept and 3D teams and streamlining external contractor coordination.
I consistently deliver high-quality concept art, developed designs, and essential trim sheets that accelerate development, demonstrating a proven ability to bring structure to disorganised projects and foster team prosperity.
Key Achievements: My leadership was instrumental in rapidly progressing the game's world development by providing precise final designs and acting as Creative Director, all while gaining valuable practical experience with Unreal Engine.

Little Thistle Studios Ltd. - Founder and Director

Established a freelance business offering diverse services including Art/Project Management, Freelance/Outsource Coordination, Concept/Game Art, and Illustration/Marketing Art.
This structure allows for greater flexibility and variety in project engagement, something not typically available in traditional employment. It also gave the ability to build an extensive network of talented artists available for collaboration.
My business provides the agility to take on a broad spectrum of roles and leverage a rich network, consistently delivering high-quality artistic and project management solutions.
Key Achievements: Proven ability to transform disorganised projects into streamlined successes, provide clear creative direction and feedback, and deliver essential final designs that significantly accelerate project development.

Reality Plus Ltd. – Senior Artist & Art Style Lead

As a Senior Artist, I collaborated with my Lead Artist and the BBC to establish and define the final art style for game assets and card illustrations, predominantly through digital paintings in Photoshop. My versatile toolkit extended to UI designs in Adobe XD, basic Maya modelling, Spine animations, and asset implementation in Unity, utilising Jira and Trello for project management.
This comprehensive approach ensured a cohesive artistic vision and efficient workflow, allowing direct influence over key visual elements and seamless integration across development stages.
I successfully defined the aesthetic of a major IP, taking full responsibility for the impactful Key Artwork for Doctor Who - Worlds Apart, critically shaping the game's public face.
Key Achievements: Beyond artistic execution, I demonstrated strong leadership by creating art style guides, conducting art reviews, and mentoring junior-to-mid level artists. Furthermore, I proactively supported team well-being by collaborating with HR to offer Employee Connect sessions, leveraging my mental health qualifications to foster a positive and productive environment.

The Football Pools – Versatile 2D Artist & Digital Content Creator

As a 2D Artist for The Football Pools, I specialised in concept art, logo design, UI/website concepts, and marketing illustrations. My role also extended to free-to-play iGaming product development, encompassing UI/game design, 3D modelling/UV unwraps, and asset creation.
This broad scope allowed me to seamlessly contribute across the entire digital content lifecycle, from initial ideation to final execution. I consistently leveraged Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, After Effects, Premiere Pro, XD), Figma, Jira, and Azure for design and project management.
I successfully partnered with marketing and social media teams, leading campaigns from inception to completion, which included creating dynamic content (animations, videos, banners) and monitoring engagement to optimise future strategy.
Key Achievements: I was instrumental in developing a unique visual style for brand exploration and content, demonstrating exceptional adaptability across a wide variety of artistic and product development challenges within a fast-paced environment.

Game Doctor Ltd. - Freelance Art Lead: Mobile Games (Health & Education)

As a part-time Freelance Art Lead, I guided the complete visual development for two published mobile games/apps in the Health and Education sectors, encompassing concept art, final game art, marketing assets, publication illustration, and UI design.
This end-to-end involvement ensured cohesive artistic vision from initial research and mood boards, which I then presented in client pitches, demonstrating strong communication and strategic input. My work was primarily created in Photoshop and implemented into Unity.
My leadership directly contributed to the successful visual appeal and functionality of these educational and health-focused mobile titles, ensuring all art assets aligned with project goals and client expectations.
Key Achievements: I was instrumental in bringing both projects from concept to publication, effectively managing all art aspects and client interactions to deliver engaging and visually consistent mobile experiences in a specialised domain.

South Lanarkshire Council - Art Educator & Creative Workshop Facilitator

As an independent Art Tutor, I designed and delivered comprehensive art and craft, stop-motion/claymation animation, and photography classes and workshops for both children and adults. My role also included a teaching placement in Art and Design at Lourdes Secondary (Aug-Dec 2017).
This experience demonstrates a strong ability to plan curriculum, manage classrooms, and adapt teaching methods to diverse age groups, utilising various hardware, including old cameras and computers, to facilitate creative learning.
I successfully fostered artistic skill development and inspired creativity in students, requiring significant patience, kindness, and adherence to educational standards like SQA guidelines and school conduct.
Key Achievements: My work in both independent and formal educational settings highlights my dedication to nurturing artistic talent and my proven capability in structured teaching environments, inspiring young people to explore their creative potential.