A sneaky snippet from my latest Juno illustration, winging its way to the editor as I type. As usual I can't say or show too much before the summer issue hits the news stands, suffice to say it looks even creepier here with the retro snapsneed photo effect applied! But I promise to try and remember to post it in full - hopefully on the new blog - when it is finally published.
In other news, I have been approached to take an after work art class for adults - despite being a little bit (healthily!) nervous about it, I'm actually really excited now. More details when I have them!
Edit: Yes! I have kinda sneakily referenced the mighty Bowie in my last two posts - thought it only polite since he kindly invited the whole of Scotland to "stay with him"!
The latest issue of Juno arrived yesterday, these are the spreads with my illustrations. It looks good, I really love the way the whole magazine is looking these days - editor Saffia is doing a fabulous job. They're using one of my illustrations on a card for subscribers too...
A tentative dipping of the toes back in the (blogging) water... Mucho happening here but, as a lot of it in 2014 is illustration related, I thought I'd check back in. I've just finished the illustrations for the spring issue of Juno, and met with Gracie Summers (author of the Morse book I'm illustrating for Acair) last Saturday. The layout is well underway - roughs to follow...
Ooh, and I also have a beer label to design, which I'm very excited about! (And I say that as someone who collects illustrated wine labels, believe me, I'm super excited!!!).
Mainly because serendipitous is a fabulous word, but also because I seem to have found a niche with my Juno illustrations - they're proving popular for prints and cards amongst doulas, with more prints and cards just ordered and another image soon to be appearing on the website of a doula organisation in Bangkok. My illustrations are better travelled than me...
And in a happy nappy accident (yuck, sounds mucky!) I happen to have a good friend who runs a cloth nappy laundry, so we're planning an exciting collaboration. More details soon.
Gosh, I hate to sound so materialistic, but I have to say my blogging is being given a whole new lease of life now that I have my iPad (seriously, those last five words are words I never, ever, thought I'd be typing). Luckily I figure hypocrisy is one of the lesser sins (except in other people obviously) so I have no problem squaring my distaste for consumerism with the fact that I now own two Apple products. (I also lust after a third, but that's another post). Anyway, go me - I'm in sync and totally connected at my kitchen table with jazz and a cup of tea!
But... proof that I do sometimes get my finger out... here are the shelves in J's room that I coveted way back
They've been up a while (and may well be moving rooms soon) but I still think they're a fabulous way to display books. And not just for children - I've bought more for my kitchen. Hopefully you won't have to wait another two years for the pics!
And by way of illustration news, a sneaky peak at one of the upcoming Juno illustrations (more on this when the next issue has hit the stands.
The wolf and the sheep are part of a larger illustration for Juno, which I'll post when the new issue comes out... however... some nonsense chat with J as I was drawing it may have sparked the beginnings of a story... You may see these two again!
The wild thing is my gourd-based tribute to Maurice Sendak (or a psychotic bear, entirely depending on your viewing angle) and an incredibly rushed addition to our Halloween festivities this evening.
An unusually 'technology-based' illustration for the autumn issue of Juno; both in subject and medium. To soften it, added hand-drawn butterflies, plus some extra on the side - pulled out of the original illustration in Photoshop so they can 'flit' around the text of the article.
Meanwhile, the design job (a music society leaflet) has reached the final text tweaks stage before hitting the printers, which means come August the real hard work begins. It's been a while since I've done any earnest self-promotion work so, for starters, there's a revamped website, art cards and an exhibition in the pipeline. It should tie in nicely with the publication of the book of children's plays - the first printer's proof of the book has arrived at the publishers and has had some lovely comments already over on their Facebook page.
Gosh, I'm finding it hard to write this blog after such an intermittent year - I'm not sure any more if it's a blog on work or life or musings, or just a incoherent collection of words (which in turn made me think of the fabulous paper bowl I was given at Christmas and gave me an excuse to include a picture!). Be thankful I have spared you the post of hugely angry state of the nation political rantings and ravings, including how the way the life I turned upside down a year ago has been turned upside down again meaning, incidentally, you're about to start seeing a whole lot more of me here again. Instead, as I do actually have something vaguely resembling illustration news to impart, I shall stay just this side of sane and stick to updates.
The book of children's plays (from 2010!) is almost nearing completion. I received the pdf of the layout design from the publisher last week and although it was strange to see all the illustrations again, happily there are still quite a few I'm pleased with. In putting the layout together the publisher realised they were one play short in the original illustration brief, so my return to freelance illustration has started even faster than I'd hoped - I have the additional play to illustrate this week as publication day is looming.
Talking (tenuously) of looms, I have my printed copy of the weaving illustration which appears in the summer issue of Juno, alongside the measles image (the image above is a section of it). It turns out the Cotswolds holiday cottage I'm heading to next month is not far from the home of the Juno editor - we're meeting for coffee and it'll make a lovely change to have a non-virtual conversation with someone I've only ever communicated with via email in the past.
Finally... some work. A work in progress right enough, but still.
It's the beginnings of one of the illustrations for the next issue of Juno. A sneaky preview only, as I won't be posting the finished artwork until after the magazine has been published.
A sneaky peak for you - sections from the latest illustrations for Juno's spring issue. I didn't really notice until I saw them side by side here that they are actually both quite spring-like. Jeez, I must be feeling subconsciously optimistic!
I've also had an update on the book of children's plays I illustrated way back in 2010. After some scheduling issues at the publisher, it's back on track and I should have some finished copies in my grubby little mitts sometime in late spring. Especially exciting as I'd almost completely forgotten about it!
Some sneaky previews of the latest illustrations for Juno, hot off the drawing board. I have promised the editor I will hold fire and not post them in their entirety (alongside the versions that nearly were but now are not) until the upcoming issue has hit the stands. If they look a teensy bit familiar, I guess sometimes when I'm in certain frame of mind it's safer not to stray too far from the path.
(When I was mulling on a title for this post, this was the song on repeat in my head).
Has my current illustration project been influenced in any way, shape or form by the fact I've just read American Gods? You betcha. Go impressionable me.
This is a section of the pencil rough, which I'm currently working over in more pencil and pastel.
So apart from drinking endless cups of tea, far too little wine and enjoying (*ahem*) the glorious Scottish summer of too much rain and not nearly enough sunshine on interminable repeat? This month I have been in an alternately decadent/distracted cocoon (and deeply immersed in American Gods, so don't want it to end and I never, well hardly ever, recommend a book) but have finally emerged on the other side of June with a new career in the offing and some interesting commissions.
The next two Juno illustrations are underway and ooh, some illustrated snakes (in the style of the Little Prince) have been requested. It's good to be drawing again.
The last Juno illustration is finished (hopefully) and my fox linocut has sold after only 8 hours and 7 views... Only one left over on Etsy - the remaining two will be attending the opening of a new gallery in Inverness today (Saturday). I'm pleased for foxy, I like him. Next up, a dancing peacock - linocut style.
The Russian dolls are approved and coming to a magazine near you this summer - here's a sneaky preview.
Meanwhile I have spent most of today completing my first proper linocut - a print to represent a print - and I have learned a lot in the process.
My foray into handmade prints has revealed the following: firstly, that linocutting is seriously, incredibly addictive. I like it. I'm talking losing hours here - there's something immensely satisfying and tactile going on AND it is colossal fun. Secondly, that I probably shouldn't have gone for a three colour reduction print relying on fairly intricate detail on my very first attempt. Err, right! What was I thinking?!? Thirdly (and this is a biggie), while gouache appears to be a fabulous medium for linocuts (oh yes, I tell you, on first printing it certainly gave that impression, pardon the pun), with the benefit of hindsight (possibly read common sense) any waterbased medium might be more inherently suited to printing colour separations than overprinting (this I learned the hard way, although there were some fabulous spontaneous textures to be had!). Finally, and most importantly I feel, I need to wear some kind of protective plaster on the middle finger of my right hand if I'm going to lose myself in this for hours on end (or suffer one ouchy blister!). I will post the final print once I've scanned it and you can make up your own mind.
Hmmm. I think the positive (and important) thing is that I learned something. And I am addicted to the process and the possibilities of it (and since I wrote this post title I have this earworming, was never a big Morcheeba fan but I guess it fits).
I'm still having fun with the potato print Russian dolls for my next editorial illustration. They have become less spud-like and, although I'm adding finer details, I like the background textures the printing created (even if the smaller one looks a teensy bit like he's about to be deployed in desert warfare, only with added scarf and kite - not especially useful in a combat situation). Anyway, more to come; I've added another two dolls since this photo, but I want to run the concept past the editor first. Talking of which, the Spring issue of Juno is out and includes my tightrope illustration...
Meanwhile, if you factor in that the painting is occurring with this in the background, interspersed with a bit of this (and obviously accompanied by an evening glass of this), the fun just goes on and on.
*
*I just wanted to see if I could manage to upload a vid... and I did. Go me. Methinks I may have been a tad influenced by playing this...
But instead I'm taking photos, and editing descriptions and adding new items and creating discounts (and forgetting to have lunch while I do it! The tummy-rumbling is getting out of hand!). Sometimes doing this for a living feels like no fun at all! Tonight I am promising myself at least an hour at the drawing board as a reward.
