Oh hey there!
Right now, it's #MerMAY I can't even! If you aren't aware yet, head over to Instagram and follow #MerMAY.
31 days of fish folk!
Here's a chap. I've named him MerMay Bae.
I'm here every week.
Not sorry.
(Click the link to purchase goodies)
So, start this post, here is another of the Instagram # obsessions:
#ArtVArtist is fantastical. A great opportunity for artists to connect with others, share their work and be seen.
This challenge was lovely. It's great being a face surrounded by doodles that I doodled. Reminds me that the continuous doodling is amounting to summin and the RSI is worth it.
Right now, it's #MerMAY I can't even! If you aren't aware yet, head over to Instagram and follow #MerMAY.
31 days of fish folk!
Here's a chap. I've named him MerMay Bae.
I'm here every week.
Not sorry.
(Click the link to purchase goodies)
So, start this post, here is another of the Instagram # obsessions:
#ArtVArtist is fantastical. A great opportunity for artists to connect with others, share their work and be seen.
This challenge was lovely. It's great being a face surrounded by doodles that I doodled. Reminds me that the continuous doodling is amounting to summin and the RSI is worth it.
Thanks for clicking the link and finding yourself nestled in the cosy space of this blog:
Here you will find illustration, photographizzles and words of the last few month's adventures... the next blog will be an exciting tribute to some dayummmm good artists. So please do Subscribe
"MAY" it be an enjoyable or at the very least, pleasant experience for you. Guffaw.
So, welcome to to this May of 2018. I mean. HOW EVEN?! How has that happened. The fifth month of the year already. It is January. It is. Surely.
This speed at which life is taking is just sneaky and is accelerating the more over 30 I get. Eeeew.
**Mantra whilst rubbing ear lobes: Embrace, Embrace, Embrace**
SO much has gone on already for a Katy this year and that is all very tail waggish and good.
January was 'work like a trooper' month. I knew I had a crayzeeee few months of globe trotting ahead and some key events to go to.
Blog is about to go a lil me, me, me... but there are pretty pictures to look at and a lead up to the next blog which will feature some cool shizz...
So, my year, so far:
UK | Amsterdam | Dubai | Cape Town | Study Concept Art Course | Fly to Bologna (the day I finish concept art course) | Bologna Children's Book Fair #BCBF | UK | Interview for an MA... all the while working on freelance illustration projects and building my portfolio for Bologna.
So, January, I worked as a live-in carer and freelancer illustrator. When I slept? I dunny know! I was squirrelling away the hard earned cashes to enable the coming months to happen as smoothly as possible. I fully love the balance that care and illustration bring to my life. Rewarding and soul fulfilling to ze maximus.
February was 'find the husband in Amsterdam and plan for the year ahead' month. He's currently taking on the world with being brilliant and is incredibly hard to pin down. We had a just over a week in the Dam, just for us. (Little plug and a little video for the hubster) Married to an entrepreneur and being a freelancer yourself is some sort for cocktail for crazy I can tell you. I'm sure we'll look back at these years and laugh. Maniacally. With a twitch.
Here are some of the moments.
We stayed on a boat. Worked in lots of cafes. Ate nice things. And cycled. A lot.
Here you will find illustration, photographizzles and words of the last few month's adventures... the next blog will be an exciting tribute to some dayummmm good artists. So please do Subscribe
"MAY" it be an enjoyable or at the very least, pleasant experience for you. Guffaw.
So, welcome to to this May of 2018. I mean. HOW EVEN?! How has that happened. The fifth month of the year already. It is January. It is. Surely.
This speed at which life is taking is just sneaky and is accelerating the more over 30 I get. Eeeew.
**Mantra whilst rubbing ear lobes: Embrace, Embrace, Embrace**
SO much has gone on already for a Katy this year and that is all very tail waggish and good.
January was 'work like a trooper' month. I knew I had a crayzeeee few months of globe trotting ahead and some key events to go to.
Blog is about to go a lil me, me, me... but there are pretty pictures to look at and a lead up to the next blog which will feature some cool shizz...
So, my year, so far:
UK | Amsterdam | Dubai | Cape Town | Study Concept Art Course | Fly to Bologna (the day I finish concept art course) | Bologna Children's Book Fair #BCBF | UK | Interview for an MA... all the while working on freelance illustration projects and building my portfolio for Bologna.
So, January, I worked as a live-in carer and freelancer illustrator. When I slept? I dunny know! I was squirrelling away the hard earned cashes to enable the coming months to happen as smoothly as possible. I fully love the balance that care and illustration bring to my life. Rewarding and soul fulfilling to ze maximus.
February was 'find the husband in Amsterdam and plan for the year ahead' month. He's currently taking on the world with being brilliant and is incredibly hard to pin down. We had a just over a week in the Dam, just for us. (Little plug and a little video for the hubster) Married to an entrepreneur and being a freelancer yourself is some sort for cocktail for crazy I can tell you. I'm sure we'll look back at these years and laugh. Maniacally. With a twitch.
Here are some of the moments.
We stayed on a boat. Worked in lots of cafes. Ate nice things. And cycled. A lot.
March saw me back in Cape Town. Sunshine was welcome. I'd signed up to do a Concept Art Course three evenings a week at Friends of Design. I went straight from the airport into the first lesson. Hit the ground running! It was great.
I learned and developed some much needed drawing skills - drank some dayum fine cawfee - and the other students were ace. And the teacher (Stephen Howard Tripp), sublime. If you're in CT. Go there and do the thing. Being amongst inspired and talented artists and designers is great. It means a faster pace of learning compared to when I am just on my own. There was plenty of nerd chat. Someone said the word 'Nerdgasm' and I nearly died. Amazing.
We did some great work using photoshop. Some really good stuff. Looking at tonal values, silhouettes, communication of shape and designing our own textures - and for all of this to have meaning and reason. Alas, all of those files are on a USB far away from me, so I suppose you'll have to wait.
Below are some photos of the journey back to Cape Town and my pinch-me-perfect studio and below that, some rough sketches of concepts I had worked on using my iPad for the Concept Art course.
It was incredible to be going into so much detail. The 'why' question being asked about every feature of an illustration is good. Ver good. It means the removal of anything that wasn't in line with the concept or enhancing and developing features that were. Totally valuable course.
I learned and developed some much needed drawing skills - drank some dayum fine cawfee - and the other students were ace. And the teacher (Stephen Howard Tripp), sublime. If you're in CT. Go there and do the thing. Being amongst inspired and talented artists and designers is great. It means a faster pace of learning compared to when I am just on my own. There was plenty of nerd chat. Someone said the word 'Nerdgasm' and I nearly died. Amazing.
We did some great work using photoshop. Some really good stuff. Looking at tonal values, silhouettes, communication of shape and designing our own textures - and for all of this to have meaning and reason. Alas, all of those files are on a USB far away from me, so I suppose you'll have to wait.
Below are some photos of the journey back to Cape Town and my pinch-me-perfect studio and below that, some rough sketches of concepts I had worked on using my iPad for the Concept Art course.
It was incredible to be going into so much detail. The 'why' question being asked about every feature of an illustration is good. Ver good. It means the removal of anything that wasn't in line with the concept or enhancing and developing features that were. Totally valuable course.
The same way the course had started, it ended. Class finished and with my portfolio and business cards printed, I jumped straight on the plane ready for the fair.
Ready to roll.
Phew.
The Bologna adventure had begun.
I spent nearly 2 weeks in the delicious un-infested/unknown-by-tourists city. Complete with leaning towers and Affogato (vanilla ice cream, dropped into an espresso! Which is like all of the things you aren't supposed to do... but you're allowed!) I felt totally at home. The first 2 nights I couchsurfed. Much fun. Recommend. The best way to get to know a new place is through the kindness and generosity of spirit of local folk. Simona. You are incredible.
Here are some moments captured of the beautiful city:
Ready to roll.
Phew.
The Bologna adventure had begun.
I spent nearly 2 weeks in the delicious un-infested/unknown-by-tourists city. Complete with leaning towers and Affogato (vanilla ice cream, dropped into an espresso! Which is like all of the things you aren't supposed to do... but you're allowed!) I felt totally at home. The first 2 nights I couchsurfed. Much fun. Recommend. The best way to get to know a new place is through the kindness and generosity of spirit of local folk. Simona. You are incredible.
Here are some moments captured of the beautiful city:
The rest of the time: The Book Fair.
My Gosh. If queuing were an olympic sport - the dedication and commitment of the illustrators there would have been world class. I feel like there should be a running commentary discussing the different styles and phases of the queuer. This. Idea. Good concept. Don't steal it. This is technically copyright. Ish. I will draw it. When time happens.
So. It was successful.
For me. I went, not knowing at all what to expect and pretty open to anything. My portfolio was quite 'diverse' in style. It received some great critique that I could really sink my teeth into and work on developing. Some artworks were enjoyed, some were not. And this gave me a clear indication of how to shift things forward and clarified how I already felt.
I shall be looking forward to working with a few publishing houses that I got to meet, in the coming year ( Hello, if you're reading, it was lovely to meet you!) I am very excited about being on this joyous doodly path. I literally feel like I'm drawing the path out in front of me - and that feels nice. Real nice.
My Gosh. If queuing were an olympic sport - the dedication and commitment of the illustrators there would have been world class. I feel like there should be a running commentary discussing the different styles and phases of the queuer. This. Idea. Good concept. Don't steal it. This is technically copyright. Ish. I will draw it. When time happens.
So. It was successful.
For me. I went, not knowing at all what to expect and pretty open to anything. My portfolio was quite 'diverse' in style. It received some great critique that I could really sink my teeth into and work on developing. Some artworks were enjoyed, some were not. And this gave me a clear indication of how to shift things forward and clarified how I already felt.
I shall be looking forward to working with a few publishing houses that I got to meet, in the coming year ( Hello, if you're reading, it was lovely to meet you!) I am very excited about being on this joyous doodly path. I literally feel like I'm drawing the path out in front of me - and that feels nice. Real nice.
Since then, I have completed a range of illustrations for a greetings card company and I'm very excited to see them in print in the coming weeks. I've also been working on portraits for The Heroine Project - A great venture in celebrating some pretty cool women folk. This work, I do under The Portrait Artist
In April, I had an interview at the Falmouth University MA in authorial practice - which I will write more about later. It meant a much needed trip back to the waters where my heart feels most at home. Also. Cider and pasty consumption essential.
In April, I had an interview at the Falmouth University MA in authorial practice - which I will write more about later. It meant a much needed trip back to the waters where my heart feels most at home. Also. Cider and pasty consumption essential.
The coming months are going to be work, work, work. I shall share as often I can on the ol' Instagram account. If you haven't followed me yet.... ahem... get to it. It's my favourite place to share stoof. And favourite place to be inspired by all the visual goodness of the other talented illustrators.
Subscribe to the blog and you'll be first to see the next blog where I showcase some of the
tip top illustrators
that I met and drooled over at the Bologna Children's Book fair.
As you can see, and as I have rediscovered - it's been a rather jet setty and busy few months. And the rest of the year looks to be just as exciting.
HASHTAGBLESSEDHOOMAN
Thanks for reading this far. 10 Brownie points earned. See you next time.
Subscribe to the blog and you'll be first to see the next blog where I showcase some of the
tip top illustrators
that I met and drooled over at the Bologna Children's Book fair.
As you can see, and as I have rediscovered - it's been a rather jet setty and busy few months. And the rest of the year looks to be just as exciting.
HASHTAGBLESSEDHOOMAN
Thanks for reading this far. 10 Brownie points earned. See you next time.