Young Britart

My World by Aileen Farquhar, 17, Morgan academy, Dundee “A big part of being British is accepting and understanding other cultures. People from many countries are a part of my life. This is what inspired me to paint one eye as an image of the world and include a collage of pictures of places across the world in my piece.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

My Portrait by Juliette Ndi, 22, Harrow College “My dad is from Cameroon. I like painting myself, swans, birds. I love music, Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke from the X Factor and Sugababes. My favourite colours are yellow and pink. I watch Eastenders.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

Digital Perception by Cheyney Ranger, 17, North West London college “I see London as a place of equal opportunity, but also extreme hardship. The world I see is consumed by the media, it is ruled by what people preserve to be true because of what they read, treating newspapers/magazines like bibles.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

Lost in Thought by Fungai Mutezo, 17, Caldervale high school, Airdrie “I like to take time out to reflect and contemplate the direction where my life is heading, what I will be able to put back into society, as well as remembering what has made me who I am today.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

I Hold my Hands Up by Andrew Barton, 15, Alfred Barrow school, Barrow-in-Furness “My piece of work was inspired by what I think Britain is like today. I think it’s loud and colourful, bright and outrageous, and a happy place to live in most cases but with a hint of mystery. It also expresses that I have a colourful character but I don’t always like to be the centre of attention.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

A Life Full of Sickness by Jessica Clark, 12, Gleniffer high school, Paisley “I chose to do this piece of art because I hate being ill and I wanted to express that. In Britain everyone is ill all the time and it gets you down." Photograph: Douglas Atfield

Mamma by Stephanie Winn, 17, Gumley House convent school, Hounslow "Seeing as my grandmother is 80 years old and fitter than myself, I feel it is my duty to show there is much life in her still. Consequently, I have investigated what it is meant by ‘old aged values’, ‘stereotypes’, ‘ageism’ and ‘treatment to elderly people in society’." Photograph: Douglas Atfield

My Favourite Food by Alistair Atkinson, 20, Hinwick Hall, Wellingborough “My picture is about my favourite food. To make my picture, my helper held my hand and together we painted the shapes. I like art lessons, going out in the mini bus to football, telling jokes and saying funny things to the staff.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

Places I’ve Been, People I Know, Things I Do, by Hollie Cunnington, 15, Uppingham community college, Rutland “I started with a picture of me and then I wrote all over the picture things that mean identity to me. There are lyrics of songs, places I’ve been, people I know, things I do.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

Safety in Silence by Emily Daniel, 16, Ynysawdre comprehensive school, Bridgend “The pins through my lips represent how neither the media nor the government communicate with the public properly and everything that can be kept secret will be.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

Self Portrait by Alex Tawns, 18, St Machar academy, Aberdeen “The headphones reflect my love of music and that they hardly ever leave my head. The Japanese Kabuto shows my love for the way of the warrior and the code of honour that mystical heroes abide by.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

The Nature of Fear by Lisa Blair, Boclair academy, Glasgow “This is a portrait of my friend inside a box. I chose to do this because it fits in with my theme of fear. I have covered many different aspects of fear.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield

Vinu, A Picture of Myself by Vinukshen Shantharoopan, 14, Northwood school, Hillingdon “After investigating life in Britain today including my three ideas pages which were about music, sports and about a country (the war in Sri Lanka) I decided to produce a water colour painting of myself.” Photograph: Douglas Atfield