A Piccardy Langoustine

I drew this a couple of weeks ago on holiday in France, I was hoping to then paint it's vibrant pink colours - but it was almost dinner time and it had to get cooked : (
I'll now have to colour it from memory - so another update of this wee guy will appear soonish.

Pin Cushion for Nik

I made this for a good sewing pal of mine. I based the shape on a pumpkin, last year we both tried to grow some = I failed, she succeeded : ) 

This is for you Mum : )

Just made this for my Mum's Mother's Day card. A picture combining lots of items that make me think of her -  Hyacinths (which mum always grew in our little attic) placed in an old chutney jar, with some of her watercolour brushes. 

I drew this with a calligraphy pen and I'm loving all the different lines you can get and even the splodges!

Circus and Puppet themed Life Drawing

I’ve been to two great life drawing sessions recently with ‘Brighton Life Drawing Studios’ Each time there has been a theatrical theme, the first one was Strings then Circus, with fascinating props with models in very strong poses. I’ve been to loads of life drawing classes privately and at college and this has been the first time I have ever drawn two people together, it’s good practice but tough!

Here are some of my sketches from the two nights, they were too large to scan so had to take photos of them. Next time I hope to add colour.

A Waxwing on the Downs

This picture was commissioned to create a clean and fresh image of the South Downs. It was to feature the clients cycling in the Downs on the most rigorous part of their journey – the long stretch up to Chanctonbury Ring.

I added part of a Kipling poem 'A Three Part Song' to run along the contours and layers of the hill.

I wanted the season to be the start of spring, where everything is turning green yet some trees are still bare – to show the branches interesting pattern in the trees.

I thought a little Waxwing would complement the vibrant reds of the cyclists and the yellow Rape Seed Oil fields.

Carols Tea Cosy

I made this Tea Cosy for my friends 30^th using Harris Tweed, boiled wool and lace. It was the first time sewing writing and images onto fabric, it was easier than I thought as boiled wool was really easy to work with, lovely to cut : )
front:

















Back:



















Close up:

Elephant and Castle concepts

During my Animator’s Residency with West Dunbartonshire Libraries and the Scottish Arts Council in 2006, I was involved in creating Visual Tales (vis-ta) workshops for children with an illustrator, Michael Amato, and writer, Richard Penny. I was also given time to create my own work – I started developing and researching a short film, ‘Elephant & Castle’. All the Drawings below show my concepts and research for this idea:

A Colour Explosion

Been working on the layout of an important shot, where the rock/elephant releases tropical fish that have been trapped under the weight of his massive feet for hundreds of years, adding colour to the murky dull waters of the Vale of Leven.

Stages of the picture. With pastels I was experimenting with various strokes to differentiate each species of fish. When animated I would like the pastel to leave a slight trail behind each frame.
a close up