C is for......

.....clown!  This idea is progressing quite well I think.  The colours still need some work but I'm pretty happy with the composition.  I'm pretty chuffed I actually got it this far today, I didn't think I was going to.  Now I'm going to settle down with the new Mike Leigh movie and try not to think about circusy things that start with D!

Can you guess what it is yet?

Preliminary sketches for the C in my alphabet.

Purple Acrobats

The story so far

I've been working on ideas for a picture book.  I've got a good idea of the bones of the story so am now going through the process of planning the layout.  This is a really useful exercise.  The layout below is the third iteration and there are a number of improvements that I can see I need to make.  Next step character development.

B is for.....

....bear!  I originally posted here that I didn't think adding the B to the bear drawing had really worked.  The more I look at this image though the more I actually do like the B and I think the whole thing works.  For the final piece I need to put a bit more work into the colours and give the bear some claws.

 

A little bit of colour added.....

To my acrobats.  With watercolour. 

Out and About

It was a beautiful day here in Glasgow last Wednesday and I spent a happy lunch hour sitting in George Square making quick pencil sketches of my fellow sunseekers.  I really like the shapes this young lady made, something in her posture reminded me of Paddington Bear.

A is for.....

....acrobats!

Nick Dewar

I have become slightly obsessed with the work of Nick Dewar.  His illustrations are made using acrylics and are inspiring me to pick up a paintbrush this weekend.  You can see more of his work here http://www.nickdewar.com/, and also read his excellent guide to being an illustrator here http://www.nickdewar.com/nick_dewar_illustration_buthow.php.

Molllasas

I'm looking a lot at the work of Margaret Kilgallen at the moment.  I'm particularly inspired by her folk art inspired lettering and her beautiful figurative line drawings.

New pen, fresh inspiration!

My brother was kind enough to purchase me a dip pen (and nibs) and some indian ink for my birthday.  I always thought that pen and ink would be a good medium for my style of illustration but had never done anything about it.  Well, I love it!  I'm not highly skilled with the pen yet but I think my wobbles add more charm to the work (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).  The quality of line and the sense of movement that can be acheived is super. So, I have been inspired to embark on a new series of drawings.  First sketch below.  I dropped  a coloured background on with photoshop just to make it stand out a bit but I think I will start colouring them with gouache.  This is another medium that I have never used but am convinced that it will suit me perfectly!  Watch this space.

On The Train

I haven't posted for a while as I've been away in London so I thought I'd pop up some sketches I did on the train.  I had planned to spend the whole weekend scribbling away in coffee shops and the like but spent the time nattering in pubs and eating in lovely restaurants instead.