Colour me happy

If I had to pick a way to spend a Sunday, I'd probably just do loads of colouring in.

So today I was at Edinburgh International Book Festival doing just that. With the help of A LOT of lovely people, we transformed this:

(my doodles of Edinburgh city centre)

Into this:

(a riotous colourful map full of new doodles and characters)

We did this over two and a half hours, which involved much chatting and singing and laughing. I heard a cracking joke about a cow from a three year old, but I don't think it should be repeated in public. 

The turn out was better than I could have hoped and the crowd ranged from tiny tots to grandparents. Everyone did a great job and seemed to get really absorbed in the activity, confirming in my mind my long held belief that colouring in is brill. It's therapy!

Every time I look at the maps I find another wee detail or character:

(The famous monkey of Usher Hall)

(Some tiny superheroes and a bird hanging out in Princes Street Gardens)

And to top it all off, many of the artists signed my 'guestbook' with self-portraits! This is now hanging proudly on my studio wall.

Good effort team. And thank you Book Festival! See you next year :-)

Glow-rious

Buildings. I like 'em. I like looking at them and drawing them and learning about them. But mainly drawing them, which is why this recent commission from Couthie (a wonderful wee gift company run by some lovely ladies and producing some really exciting new products) to illustrate for a new range of gifts was very welcome indeed. I can now reveal the first in the 'Sightlines' range of paper cut lanterns:

Edinburgh being all glowy.

These will be available to buy in shops very soon and also to order (individual or wholesale) online or directly from Couthie HQ.

And now I've turned my attention to illustrating the next in the range - London! 

I'm off to fold bits of paper and cut out tiny windows on miniature London buses. I will probably* resist the urge to make little paper people to ride on the bus.

*I'm making them already.

I made.....

A mini magazine for borrowers! Contents: Recipes (half a carrot soup, one-block of chocolate sauce, onion ring stew) from the finest borrowed ingredients - Real life stories ("I came face to face with a chicken!") - A property guide (the quietest country houses with ample room under the floorboards. and no pets.) - A guide to doll's house borrowing (furnish your home: nearly perfect proportions!)

This is some of my work so far for my MA studio work. The brief is to make an activity pack to go with the first book in The Borrowers series by Mary Norton. I'm enjoying it a little too much! I'm at the stage now where I need to just START MAKING THE FINALS. Sounds easy eh? You would think so...