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...

Wobble

I found an old drawing which was based on my daughter Matilda. This character's name was Coco.
She loved doing things that were naughty, messy, dangerous and generally caused havoc!

Book near completion

It has been a busy time. I am trying to get my posters all finished and ready for print. I'm buying frames (most of which got broken en-route first time around). I have also finished book 3 - which feels like my best yet. Now I need to find an agent. 

Violet

I have updated this blog with more images which are better than my previous. I think these are an improvement.