Creating shade, shadow and light

Stephen Fowler’s Wild Man
Stephen is an artist that I really aspire to - and luckily he is one of the tutors on the MA. We were so lucky to have him do a wild-man life drawing day at Uni. I don't know what happened that day at the workshop - but I had no inhibitions about my work and with pleasant results. I could not be more surprised. I used my japanese brush and ink and watercolour paper and just went for it. I realised the more I think the  less likely I am going to produce something worthwhile or of interest. Also I love having a short amount of time. The more time I have the less successful the piece is.

Collage or not to collage

I feel strongly about using photographic images. I think it stems from the work I did during my Degree. I love ethereal dark, mysterious and evocative images. I had been using my Holga camera, which I need to do more of. It is so very different to the apps and shortcuts that I can use with my phone. Also I feel like I am not cheating! Here is some work that I did for my Degree of Design in Dublin. It was a theatre programme for HAMLET. 

MA UAL CAMBERWELL - Reflective Journal

I am struggling to keep a reflective journal as a written document so I am moving to my Blog. This way I can write every day from wherever I am and I can add images (if I need to).
This blog has always been a bit thin on the ground with regards text so here goes!

Reflective Journal Entry: Confidence

A lot seems to have happened with my work - and I am very happy at the moment. I am finding some confidence that I have not felt in years! It is amazing what it can do working in a place that really wears you down psychologically and creatively. On a positive note - I really enjoyed writing my project proposal and it felt like a great way to articulate what it is that I need to do. Like a very detailed and abstract to do list. I also did a silly picture of myself as a sort of woman/bird hybrid. It did not take long but I used all my own images (which I like doing) except the black feather which I found online.

Irish Faeries in Connemara

 

Happy Robot Birthday!

Skylark

I found a conceptual drawing I did some time ago. I need to complete yet another story that I have in my backlog! This one is close to my heart as it is about the magic in 'homemade' gifts.

The Dolls House

I found this drawing in my old portfolio and realised I never finished it - until last night. I wanted to draw in the dolls but I think it is a bit more eerie without them - for now!

Juniper and the bow

Juniper is not having a good Monday...

Juniper

I am going to start updating different comic strips to my blog.

Juniper is a very small kitten who has a VERY LARGE personality.  She hates to be patronised or not taken seriously. She loves pirates and being tough. I would not mess with her...

If you go down to the woods today...

 My girls have been begging me to draw some fairies - and this is the result! I took these photos in Kew Gardens using the Hipstamatic App. However I am going to look into some pin-hole photography soon as I think that will give a much better result for my fairies...

Futuristic city background

I illustrated this background for a ROBOT poster I was designing but I had to fade it out so much that it was not really easy to see so I thought I would upload this image as I am quite happy with it. I loved the Jetsons when I was little so I am sure there is some influence somewhere in my memories.

Cherry and Juno

My daughter Georgia has so many sweet little habits. She loves reading books with her feet at a 90 degree angle so it does not slip. She licks her fingers and turns the pages whilst reading it out loud... her favourites are the Choupi French book series. She has a pile of 15 which she reads about 4 times a day.
Anyway that is how Cherry was born - she also has Georgia's hair.. wild and curly.

Juno is Matilda when she was 3 and had a bob. She is very curious, very emotional and expressive...

More Violet

I am attempting to work on more visual characterisations. Here is more of Violet but I have made her more contemporary this time. 

Sleeping Beauty

I have decided to re-look at some of the Classic stories from when I was a child including Sleeping Beauty. This is an Indian Sleeping Beauty that I have drawn.

Willow

I really love strong female leads - that is why Studio Ghibli is such an inspiration. I drew Willow an expert fencer. She is strong, wilful, playful but knows when to focus too. I would not mess with her...