Lights On/Lights Off

After a busy month of work and moving house I have escaped for a wee break, over the border and down by the sea. Flybe and their terrifying hand baggage regulations have meant that for the first time in months I am without laptop, scanner and wacom tablet - eep! This has turned out to be a good thing. I think...

I am drawing for fun. No brief, no theme, just doodlin'. Yesterday we went to Salisbury. There is a big cathedral. We arrived to find a candlelit advent procession kicking off, the first half of which was very nice. Pretty candles, nice singing, I was warm. Then I have to admit things got a bit...drawn out. Let's just say I was strongly empathising with the fidgeting, whimpering kid in the row in front. To avoid looking like an overgrown child finding it hard to behave in the adult world I whipped out my sketchbook to draw. You may have realised by now that I love a good building, and this cathedral really is something to see. And therein lies my problem, as not long after I started the whole place was plunged into darkness (this was planned, don't panic). So I was unwillingly forced to try out a new drawing exercise:

1 - draw with the lights on

2 - draw the same thing with the lights off

Here is the result:

Guess which was which? I have to say that the lines on the left are going to be fun to colour in. A new pattern perhaps. My favourite bit is the man to the left who looks like his eyes are popping out. Maybe he was as shocked as me when they turned the lights out! Anyway,  it was good to be drawing again and at the very least  it stopped me throwing a tantrum and demanding sweets.

Illustrating a story...the story of BEER!

Good day! I've just finished a week doodling at Archerfield Walled Garden in East Lothian (my illustrations are also on their website, just one reason to visit the site...)

http://www.archerfieldwalledgarden.com/

The brief was to draw a diagram explaining the 'story of beer' on the wall outside their microbrewery in time for their Oktoberfest event this weekend (if you can, GO. I'm not just saying this, I have tasted the beer for professional reasons and it is gooood). I encountered a few problems with the wall surface and tricky height of the space, so thanks to very understanding and enterprising client Elly, I was allowed to paint on some boards. Which I found thanks to my very resourceful and helpful brother (who is very clever and makes awesome stuff out of wood - see this stuff here: https://www.facebook.com/EastCoastGardens).

So it started looking like this:

(oh yes, I was painting in a barn. It got a bit...spidery...but apart from that it was peaceful and fun and made me very pleased about my career choices)

And then it looked like this:

And then it went on the wall where it looks like this:

And then I went doodle nuts and did this to their chalkboards:

So, that was that. Another example of how I don't know where this job will take me next...and how cool is that?

House doodling and other activities

Blog time! 

Where to begin? I'll start with houses. Lately I have been designing posters, illustrating maps and drawing on chalkboards, but all the while I have been taking commissions to draw houses and special places for people to pass on as gifts. I love doing this. Like, really love it. Basically people send me photos of the house or place they want me to draw (so far I have received commissions to draw new homes for people moving in, old homes for people moving out, wedding venues for newlyweds and even the odd bandstand and treehouse). 

These are popular gifts, I guess because they are such thoughtful gifts and are something quite different. I've also just extended the service so you can now chose from a few options:

• Framed (usually best for local delivery)
• Unframed (printed to a specific size and ready to frame - best for posting further afield)
• The digital file at high resolution. This has numerous benefits...1: It is much quicker as you do not have to wait for the post (which is always useful if the gift is a bit last minute!) 2: It means you are able to print the image at whatever size/on whatever item they like, and 3: It is £5 cheaper :-)

I've made a small website where you can see a full price list and examples of the commissions I have carried out so far.
If you are interested in taking a look, here it is: http://cargocollective.com/doodlemyhouse


AND in other news...

The residency is in full swing and so far so good. I am officially 'Illustrator In Residence' so I have been doing my best to reside at my desk in the lovely Hunter Building studio and act like I know what I am talking about. I have delivered one talk (terrifying), given one Photoshop tutorial (less terrifying and it turns out I am far more Photoshop-literate than I thought I was, which is nice) and today I took some lovely third year students to see 150 Years of Printmaking - an exhibition at the Open Eye Gallery in Edinburgh:

http://www.openeyegallery.co.uk/exhibitions/

I can highly recommend visiting for a look at the etchings, screenprints, wood engravings and lino prints that are not only beautiful but also give a wee insight into the creative practices of a few influential British artists and designers. The stand out piece was the Paolozzi screenprint.

That is plenty for now. I'm off to draw a house, have a hot chocolate and catch up on Downton (I'm a good multi-tasker).

Busiest. Month. Ever.

So August, we are having fun eh? After a whirlwind week or so at Oasis and some extra visits beyond that, I can show you this:

(The finished window complete with castle backdrop)

And this:

(The finished window complete with castle backdrop CLOSE UP. oooh)

And this:

(A photo booth screen that I drew all over and is now in store for customers to sit in front of and say cheeeeese)

And finally this:

(A photo of my bag in the 'Wardrobe must-haves' section of the Scotsman on Saturday. Yes, really!)

But it doesn't stop here. I finish at the book festival in one week, before which I will be live drawing (eek) with the lovely amazing author Viv French at the book festival's "Are you sitting comfortably?" storytime session this Sunday. THEN I will be diving headfirst into my residency at ECA and I can't wait. Got a few exciting commissions and meetings lined up. It's all go! Speaking of which, I start work in half an hour....

The Month of Windows: Part Two (completed!)

Donedonedonedone....DONE! Four days, three windows, too many coffees and exactly the right number of pens. I'm exhausted but it was so worth it. I'm really proud of how the windows are looking, and the experience was amazing. I met lovely staff at Oasis and lovely visiting public. Personal high points included the little girl who sat tracing the lines I drew with her finger for about an hour (her poor mum) and giving me encouraging 'whoop's and thumbs up. I felt like an athlete! But one that eats chocolate and sits cross-legged for hours. Here are some photos from today:

This last one is the very last thing I drew. A sleepy Sir Walter Scott, chilling out under his monument. My favourite bit.

And already something exciting has happened! I was mentioned in an article as an emerging young british designer! Here is the link:

http://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/young-brittania-emerging-british-graphic-artists/%0A

SO. That's quite enough excitement for one week. I start working at the Edinburgh Book Festival tomorrow, bright and early. So I'm off to recharge. DONE.

The Month of Windows: Part Two (day one)

Wow, what a day. Remember that mysterious comment from the last post? Well the wait is over (phew, right?) I can reveal that I am illustrating in the window of Oasis in the Princes Mall, Edinburgh. The reason I kept it to myself: Fear. And I'm glad to say that after today the fear is gone! I had a brilliant day, and completed the first of the three windows. It now looks like this:

And from the inside (where I was curled up - doodling and occasionally grinning like an idiot at people - but for the most part in my own wee world) it looks like this:

                                               

Please do come down over the next three days if you are in Edinburgh and have the time. There's a silent auction - ten prints of my work all fancily printed up and framed (thanks Oasis!) are up for grabs and there are tote bags for sale for just £5...

ALL PROCEEDS TO A BRILLIANT CHARITY (that was accidental caps lock but it is staying in!) The Maggie Centre in Edinburgh helps people affected by cancer, my lovely Mum to name one. It is one of a few organisations that were able to provide some help to my Mum and our family through her illness and the tough time we had. The centre runs activities and holds workshops and events, but is also there as a calm sanctuary on the hospital grounds where patients and their loved ones can go to talk (or not), drink tea, or just step outside the hospital environment and take stock. Find out more here:

http://www.maggiescentres.org/edinburgh/introduction.html

I'd also like to say that all the staff at Oasis Princes Mall were so lovely to me today. I am genuinely excited to get back to work tomorrow!

The Month of Windows: Part One

I have been hiding. I have been hiding all over Edinburgh. I have been hiding and drawing and being quietly terrified because it has all been in preparation for this week. This morning I installed 10 new illustrations in the windows of the Central Library of George IV Bridge, Edinburgh. The work is my response to this beeyooteefool city of mine and is also there to encourage folks to head into the library and check of the amazing resources. There are literally hundreds of boxes full of incredible photos and newspaper cuttings about Edinburgh. I lost about two days in there. So worth a peek. Also the library is part of the Open Doors event this year, so you can come along and get a guided tour of the library - the bits that are usually off limits. And trust me, it is impressive.

Anyway, here are some snaps of my work in some windows. Tick!

And now it is time for me to get some kip before I embark on 'The Month of Windows: Part Two', which begins tomorrow. It will involve me live drawing in a window in a very prominent part of Edinburgh. Watch this space for a post about it (I'm waiting until I have started and I am less TERRIFIED).