Paint. Everywhere.

When I came to art college in 2011, I was pretty much clueless when it came to using Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. I learned how to add colour and texture digitally to my drawings. This meant I could easily change colours or composition and add or remove elements from the artwork. I liked it. This is the way I work almost all the time now I'm out there freelancing and whatnot.

However, I've begun to realise something: I miss painting. Recently I've found myself pouring over images by some of my favourite illustrators (including Debi Gliori, Alex T Smith, Quentin Blake, Oliver Jeffers) that are paintings created 100% by hand in the 'real' world. No computer necessary (well, apart from the magical part where they go from artist's studio to the pages of books all over the world...)

So, I decided to step outside my nice neat comfort zone and see if I could paint something. Something that wasn't awful. The jury is out on that one, but it doesn't matter because I had fun.

I started with a pencil sketch for a wee story I've been working on:

Then I took to the lightbox and got my paint on! On everything. Face, hair, floor and a little bit got in my mouth. Painting is messier than I remember.

I took photos as I went! So paint also got on my phone, add that to the list.

Here is the finished article - Harold the tired (but colourful) owl and his noisy neighbours:

Hello!

I made this illustration and entered into the Hallmark design competition a couple of weeks ago. The theme was 'love'. These birds are all about the love. 'Love birds' if you will.

Anyway, I WON!

Tip top news, and I am very pleased. Here is the link where it says 'WINNER' (and means in relation to my illustration, not a swimming race when I was 12 which is perhaps the last thing I won)

Hallmark Design Competition

Submission day over! I've just handed in selected work from my first year of MFA Illustration. Among the goodies were this little lot - development work for my story book. I made two little mock-ups for the layouts of the two books I'm working on (I was advised this was a good way to work out how you want a book to look. Not sure the person advising me meant me to take the word 'little' literally, but hey ho).

'The Great Tweet Street Party' book is under way! End of term you say? Try and stop me! This summer I will be mostly drawing birds and cakes and pretty houses.

The residents of Tweet Street! These guys are little Chiff-Chaffs. The characters in my new story...

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!)

Three days to go til hand-in day! And surprisingly, I'm quite sad to be moving on from the Borrowers. It has been a challenge, but this project has been very handy. I've been experimenting with screen-printing and this week felt like a breakthrough, i love it. I've also made my own interpretation of the text, a twist I'm quite happy with. And and and...i have found my love of font! It is fun. So off i go to draw more pretty lettering and get all up in the print studio's face.

p.s. little bird cards were a mini success too...could be possibilities for my summer craft fair/selling mission...?

So, I've been procrastinating. But I don't feel like defending my actions: lions and geese and owls and smug old ladies are fun to doodle. I've spent so long experimenting with colour I forgot the fun of just drawing. With pencils. When you're meant to be working. Can't beat it!