Illustration Friday - Phobia

Claustrophobia

Paper collage digitally enhanced.

Drawing Grid

Over at the Drawing Club they've been having a go a drawing grids, so as my plan to get drawing more the other month flew out the window for one reason or another, I thought this might be a fairly easy but fun way to do some quick sketching from the comfort of my living room. Apart from the dodgy pic of my boy and my 18 month old bouncing up and down on the sofa next to me I was quite pleased with the results as I deliberately used my pen straight off with no pencil first. It was hard at first to resist my inner voice that was telling me the squares were too small and the drawings were, er, rubbish and kept with it. Turned out to be a lot of fun, and now I've seen how great the other group members (here, here, here and here) turned out I think I might do this more regularly.

Back to Business!

Yeah my computer problems are sorted (bought a new one), so things are finally getting back to normal. Above is my latest collage and if you want to see how I did it visit my new blog Art Tutorial. Off to go and reinstall all my software and see what this baby can do!

Present for Kamal

Kamal received this wonderful handmade bracelet from Toby who is the creative force behind Natural Atrill. This young man has real talent, you must go and see his stunning jewellery! Thanks Toby, Kamal loves it :0) You can see Kamal's post about it on his blog too.

Illustration Friday - Change

Untitled - acrylic, collage and ink on canvas

This is a little ambiguous I'm afraid but that's exactly how I'm feeling right now. I said in a previous post (or two) that things were changing and so they are. I can't say how exactly because apart from being flung into a technological no-man's land by my computer (at least the internet is still working!) nothing in a physical sense has changed. It's all in my head. After years of working and striving to make a living as a commercial artist I find myself in a position where I want to produce more of my own art and make a living from that instead, the commercial side of my career doesn't thrill me anymore. I've worked my behind off trying to update my design site but the nearer I get to completing it the more I want to run away from it. Now here's the problem - I've got a massive list of contacts and opportunities to persue were I to have a number of artworks I thought were worthy. But I am not there yet, nearly but not quite. I've got the techniques down but the paintings get lost half way through, I either leave them unfinished or force myself to finish them and take them where I don't want to go like the one picture above. Fear of discovering that really I have been a fraud along and I would be better off stacking shelves somewhere could be at the heart of it but I know I have to press forward and find out the truth one way or other. And at least I have my commercial work to fall back on. I want to change and I am changing, I'm just not sure how or where.

Moving home

Oh if only, but friends of mine have just moved so here is a card I whipped up for them. (Sorry about the quality of the pics over the next few days, I've no scanner and the computer will only do so much to adjust the photos. 10 more days and counting 'til we are back to normal, fingers and toes crossed)

Escape to the country

Well I said there was change in the air, but what I wasn't expecting was for the computer to pack up! I was in an absolute spin last Thursday but we decided to run away from everything and take a long weekend in gloucestershire. The photo here was taken on top of the Malvern Hills and really doesn't do it justice. It was nice to be as far away from technology as you can be, feel the wind through your hair and realise that there is a world out there. I rely on this damn machine far too much, but it is a necessary evil whilst I continue to make a living from it. Having said that in the few days I've not had it switched on I'm amazed at just how much I've got done as I'm not constantly checking emails or blogs to see if there is anything new. I think I've acquired a rather unhealthy addiction that needs breaking and this just might be the time to do it!

On a more positive note it looks like I will be helping with a craft group that a local village is setting up for the kids, once a month over the winter. It's voluntary but it sounds like a lot of fun (especially the christmas one) and good for the old C.V. I've got a couple of other things in the pipeline but nothing confirmed as yet so best keep quiet for now. I've also joined the Art and Craft Co-operative blog (come and join, it's a great site but still needs a few more members) and I've a pile of artwork waiting to be finished so lots to keep me busy until the computer is back to full health.

Out with the old...

...and in with the new. After a lot of deliberation nearly all of the designs on my wedding site (the old version that is) are being either being scrapped or refurbished for the new one and lots of new and exciting creations are being mocked up as we speak, including the wedding cake one here. Talk about making work for myself because the old designs were very popular but it's feels like putting on an old tatty pair of shoes that are just not me anymore. So in the bin they go!

Change is in the air

Well Kamal is back at school, year 3 no less. Watching all the little ones starting nursery class brought home just how grown up our lot look plus it's only another 18 months to go before Anya will be doing the same! Wish things would slow down a little. But hey, there's no time to be maudlin, I've got work to do.

With summer officially over (in our house anyway) I've got no choice but to start planning for the next 12 months. I'm starting next years list now rather than at the new year to get a head start on myself, especially as I made such a bad job of finishing the last one. My other half bought me a gorgeous leather bound A4 filofax last year in the hope it might turn me into a super-organised-business-woman type. Not worked so far but I'm going to try harder this time. Top of my new list is the last thing on my old one, yes you guessed it, the wedding/card website. I've done all the techie stuff so now it's just a case of putting all the stock back on it. Trouble is I've changed so much in the last 12 months I'm looking at my old designs and thinking 'yuk'. Time to do some new ones. Can it be done before October? We shall see.

Other things on my list? Filling out the application form to a teaching agency to be a visiting artist at local colleges. Looking into starting workshops (a dream of mine) - found a suitable, affordable location, just not got as far as doing anything about it. Sending illustration work off to publishers. Sending articles off to magazines. Joining a local art and craft fair. To name but a few. Deep breath...