Why Arden
Find out who we are and why Arden is the choice for students worldwide.
About Lee
Based in Northwich, Lee Parker is a designer whose work blends illustration, satire, and social commentary. Drawing on comic book and manga influences, he creates bold, character led projects that use humour to explore serious themes and question the absurdities of modern culture.
Lee Parker
City & Country: Northwich
Project Overview
My final project is a political satire colouring book titled Super Politics: The War of the Words. It reimagines global leaders as exaggerated superhero style characters locked in a UFC-style tournament to determine the ultimate superpower. The book blends bold illustrations with comic-book flair, placing leaders like Trump, Putin, Kim Jong-un, and a fictionalised Keir Starmer in ridiculous battles while using political language in different contexts.
The idea was sparked by a Joe Rogan podcast where he joked about political leaders fighting it out one-on-one instead of going to war. I wanted to create something humorous yet thought-provoking. My vision was to mock the absurdity of political posturing by combining real quotes (later turned into parodied ones for copyright reasons) with manga-style battles and comic exaggeration.
A major challenge was navigating copyright concerns with direct quotes, which led me to craft original dialogue that mimicked the tone and message of the real ones. Balancing satire with current world issues was also tricky — I wanted to critique without offending anyone who may have been affected. Adapting this into a colouring book added an interactive element for the reader.
Project Showcase
CV outside
CV Inside
Poster for Universal Music
Blog setup for self promotion
Inspiration & Aspirations
Artist like Simon Bisley and Akira Toriyama have been a great influence for me over the years. His Dragon Ball Z manga’s influenced my character designs and fighting scenes for colouring book. Moments in life, like becoming a father and seeing my partner enjoy colouring books with our daughter, helped my idea of the shared creativity being expressive and bonding.
What’s Next?
I'd love to continue creating politically charged satire in different formats — possibly expanding into animated shorts, or a series of themed colouring books. Ideally, I’ll develop my own brand that sits at the intersection of design, satire, and interaction.
Why Arden?
What Makes Studying at Arden Special?
Arden has given me the flexibility and freedom to fully explore my creativity while managing my full-time employment responsibilities. The tutors have been incredibly supportive, offering honest feedback that helped shape my work. The ability to focus deeply on self-directed projects allowed me to take risks, develop my own visual language, and work on something I'm genuinely passionate about.
Words of Wisdom
Don’t be afraid of any weird, or unconventional ideas — just go for it! My favourite projects often came from personal interests or weird inspirations. Don’t overthink what people might think — just create. And never take offence from feedback, changing direction can lead to amazing places.
