Monday 31 December 2012
Thrill Murray
Sunday 30 December 2012
Linocut Christmas Cards
Wednesday 7 November 2012
Angler
So, about that holiday blog I was intending to write..
.. Have a fish while you wait. I've been busy.
Tuesday 16 October 2012
Residenzplatz
It took me approximately nine months, upon returning from our Tallinn trip, to create the illustrations I'd always intended to do. The above took me approximately one month after getting back from Austria, so we're getting somewhere on the procrastination front, eh?
This one is a view of Residenzplatz; a square in Salzburg's old town. I hope to do a blog about our trip to Austria before this year is up, including photographs and a bit of narrative. Real blogger stuff, like. We really did get some lovely pictures and I'd like the chance to share them somewhere other than Facebook for my mum to have a nose at!
If you like this illustration, it's available from my Etsy shop along with all the Tallinn prints, for as little as ten measly great british pounds.
Until next time, then.
Tuesday 25 September 2012
Best Seat
Monday 23 July 2012
Etsy and Facebook
Wednesday 11 July 2012
Town Hall Square
Wednesday 4 July 2012
Colour Wheels
Yesterday I felt inspired to do an illustration that has been on my mind since last autumn after our trip to Tallinn. It's such a beautiful place and I got so many wonderful pictures, but one of my favourites was of a few bikes chained up not far from our hotel. I knew exactly how I wanted this illustration to look even back in October. I envisioned it to eventually be a screen print, which I'm definitely going to produce at some point.
In other news, but also connected, I've finally started to use the Behance account that I set up. I know I definitely have too many online accounts for various blogs etc. and maybe I'll narrow it down one day, but for now they each serve a purpose for me, even if I find it difficult to juggle them all. If you have a Behance account, then do add/follow me because I've got no friends. Also, remember to 'appreciate' this illustration, if you even do!
ClickClickClick
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Mina Tindle
I did another illustration at the weekend for Amelia's Magazine, and now that the article has been published, I can share it with you. It's for an interview with Mina Tindle, whose music you should definitely check out because it's lovely!
Firstly, I'm stoked that I managed to complete two illustrations in one weekend, the first (Bill Murray) taking absolutely hours! Secondly, I'm really, really pleased with this Mina Tindle one. After thinking about what I least liked about my most recent work, I realised that I'm really only happy when my digitally finished work holds on to that hand-drawn aesthetic. For this illustration, instead of doing my usual thing of trying to 'clean up' my line work, I did nothing to my scanned drawing other than increasing the contrast slightly. You can see that all my sketchy pencil bits are still very much there; this makes me happy.
Doing two separate pieces of work in such a short space of time, I noticed more than usual a sort of established process that I work to. I enjoyed it incredibly, because as sporadic and experimental as my processes can be, deep down I love feeling organised.
Saturday 19 May 2012
Drink and Draw 4
Scrooged
Another Belly Kids illustration for you now, for a collaborative Bill Murray colouring book (awesome, huh?). The brief was pretty loose: pick a Bill Murray movie and do an illustration based on it. Deliverables were one coloured illustration, and one of just the linework in black and white.
I really got into this drawing, probably because I loved the brief so much. I spent literally all day yesterday working on it, and I don't think I've ever spent so long on photoshop in one stint in my life! I'm happy with the results, but I could play around and tweak it forever. I still feel like I'm discovering this side to my illustration practice; the side where the envisioned outcome isn't a screen print. Ideally I would like to master a way of colouring that retains the sketchy quality of my original drawings, but for the purposes of this brief, I think the clean lines (especially in the black and white version) are perfect for a colouring book.
I'm terrible for trying new styles and techniques rather than following a consistent method. Maybe one day you'll look at my portfolio and everything will look the same.
But probably not.
Monday 16 April 2012
Last Meal
Last week I did an illustration for Belly Kids and Mint Magazine to accompany an interview with Jack Lenton from Human Hair. This one's a bit unusual for me, in that I actually put in the effort to include shadows and highlights. I'm really pleased with how it turned out. I like working on slightly darker, sinister illustrations.
Drink & Draw
Every month in Coventry, Drink and Draw night happens at Browns Independent Bar in the city centre. It is a free social drawing event organised by Blind Mice Design and Pretty Funky, where you turn up with your friends (or on your own!), grab yourself a drink and some drawing materials, and get drinking and drawing. It really is a lot of fun, and it's a great chance to network. I just thought I would pop up here and plug it, and share with you some drawings that I've done on the nights. If you're local, like the facebook page for updates, and come along to the next one!
#1: Robots
#3: Heroes and Villains
Monday 26 March 2012
Indecent Exposure
Coating Your Screen
Monday 12 March 2012
Something a little different
Friday 9 March 2012
The Finger
A little piece for Amelia's Magazine. Click here to read Amelia's interview with the lead singer of greek indie rock band, The Finger.
FOUND
Monday 27 February 2012
Construction
Friday 24 February 2012
Initiate Launch Sequence
Recently I decided to get back into printmaking, and took the plunge by investing in a small amount of screen-printing equipment. I have been preparing a space in the back room of my generous uncle's house; today my freshly painted shelves were dry, and my table cut to size. I'm off to IKEA in a few hours to pick up some cheap trestle legs for the old boy, and a bracket for suspending my exposing light.
I thought it would be nice to document this set-up (and my preliminary test runs when I'm ready for them), and share my experience with anyone out there who's thinking of doing the same thing. Or, for that matter, anyone who is even mildly interested.
Pictured above:
- Stencil Strip, Degreaser, and Ghost Remover
- A cat mug with some stationary in it
- 2 squeegees: 1 x 8" and 1 x 15"
- Photo Emulsion and Sensitizer
- An assortment of Daler Rowney System 3 acrylic paints
- Daler Rowney System 3 screen printing medium
- 2 x spray bottles
- Mixing sticks
- Screen tape
- Ply wood 'tabletop': 1220mm x 1090mm x 18mm
Although I have experience with screen printing, I have never attempted it on anything other than a proper screen printing bed, with access to a giant exposure machine, drying unit and jet-wash.
Watch this space.