Christmas!

My illustration class have put together a wee pack of lovely Christmas cards to sell at the GCM christmas market. Its this Sunday at Mono in Glasgow from 1pm and we'll be selling all manner of amazing illustrative goods. Come say hi!

New Print

New prints will be appearing in my shop very very soon.

Business

Nice new business type cards from moo.com.

Fox Confessor

This evening I've been playing with homemade stamps inspired, of course, by the wonderful Lena Corwin and her book 'Printing By Hand'. I cut out my foam shapes and stuck them to an acrylic block and inked away. The bags look a bit festive (its the green I think) but I guess its just that time of year. Anyway the bags will be on sale alongside prints and so on at the GCM
christmas market at Mono in Glasgow on November 23rd. There'll be stuff on sale from the whole fourth year illustration gang and we've made a nice pack of screen printed christmas cards including designs from all of us to raise money for our degree show. If you're near Glasgow next Sunday you should definitely pop by.

Plats

Oops. We indulged our inner fifteen year olds last night and went to see Death Cab For Cutie so I missed my final After School Club related post. Fail. So here it is.

Plats! I love all the work coming out of the Plats gang at the moment, there's so much to see on their site. Emily and Sophia from the collective came by to talk about collaboration, curation and destruction and showed off some photos from their most recent exhibition in London (which looks great...sometimes Scotland is just too far away). They also bought along all manner of treat to buy from bags and prints to books, I was so sad to have put all the money I had into organising the event. Oh well. Above is an image from Emily's personal work (inverted pencil drawings are one of y favourite things) and below something from Sophia (nice ink).

Lizzie Fortunata

Lizzie Fortunata is amazing. If I was going to spend all the money I had on high-end jewellery I'd definitely go for this over anything jewel based. Wow.

Nous Vous & Alex Ostrowski

Oops. So I completely forgot to post yesterday so today I have two talented types to talk about.
The first is the Nous Vous Collective; a design supergroup based in Leeds who have a habit of turning out really exciting work. I think their talk was intriguing to many students because of the whole collective thing (I guess we had no idea how that would work) and they definitely delivered. It was great to hear about the process behind their work and all the stuff they're trying to do. It seems like they're definitely for making design and illustration more social and collaborative and thats a good thing. Their website is down for reconstruction at the moment but I definitely suggest you follow the links to their individual work because there are so many nice things going on there.


Alex Ostrowski is the nicest guy and his talk was a really positive insight insight into a working portfolio and starting out in Graphic Design. We all enjoyed leafing through his work and hearing about how he puts together projects and tries to get the most out of briefs. Alex is in the currently trying to work out what he wants from his career and I think it was reassuring for students to see that you dont need to have reached an absolute decision on what you want to do after college as long as you care about the work you make. The chance to nose through his books was awesome too. I will be forever jealous that I didnt come up with 'Note to Self'. Sigh.

Stuart Kolakovic and Little Bighorn

Next up on the rostrum of totally amazing people who took part in the After School Club is Stuart Kolakovic. Stu's talk was an excellent lesson in professional practice and treating illustration as a job rather than something that defines who you are (I know that I am prone to romanticising the whole thing in a way that guarantees i'll never get paid for my work). Alongside lots of useful insight (I think everyone enjoyed his views on the AOI and YCN) it was also a chance to see a tonne of his awesome work. Which was a treat. Because yeah...awesome. I am now the proud owned of one the above screenprints which was exchanged for all sorts of printed rubbish from me and the most poorly constructed zine ever.


In other news I'm aiming to be super constructive this week (so far its not going so bad and I'm kind of enjoying it...though I did pass out on the sofa when I got in from college...I dont think I'd quite recovered from the weekend). With any luck I'll be able to post a BRAND NEW drawing everyday this week. Today is a little painting of the battle of little big horn...to be honest I was probably a little over enthusiastic with the lines that represent the american indians.

We were like deer

This is the image that will lie opposite the one I posted the other day in the book that I'm working on this term.

Jez Burrows

OK so the first of my posts on the folk that took part in the After School Club this weekend. I'm going to go alphabetically so it all starts with Jez Burrows. Jez's talk followed his work from Uni to now and explained how the things he did at Uni have led to exciting things now that he's freelancing. He also had good things to say about the importance of artists having websites (how annoying is it when you see something exciting at a degree show and you cant follow it up?) and self promotion ideas. He was great (I'm biased) and were I not quite so well acquainted with Jez and his work it would have been the perfect introduction to professional life, BUT as I live with him and have been watching his work for a few years now it was more a chance for me to feel super proud of him. Yay. Jez has just released the second run of the Destroyer prints he did for his degree show...they're on pre-order right now and going fast so i suggest you get on it promptly.

p.s Jez Burrows was robbed

THANKYOU

So i've been away from the blog all week trying to get the first draft of my dissertation done and preparing for the after school club which happened yesterday but now i'm back and hopefully I'll get plenty of work done in the next couple of weeks to show you. I hope.
SO After School Club. Wow. First off thankyou to any of you who came, the turnout was pretty great for what was really an educational event on a saturday night. So thankyou, really, it was nice to see people and meet people (like Jen, who is a lovely illustrator who shares my love of bears and has a great blog too) and it was nice to hear that so many people were inspired to go out and do things. One of my flatmates (a history student) came out of it deciding that she wanted to be an illustrator which was awesome.
Secondly massive thanks go to all the artists involved. They were incredible. It was great to hear from people doing the things that we, as students, are hoping to do in a matter of months and to see their work. Above is a photo of Alex Ostrowski doing his talk which was really fun and happy-making but also incredibly useful (look at all those interested looking people), i dont know if we'd ever seen a real portfolio before and his was a super example ! Which is crazy. All of the other were amazing too. But rather than make this post crazy long I think i'll post on each of the artists involved throughout this week instead. Thats the plan.
So yeah. Thankyou. I feel really proud of it and thats completely down to all the other people involved. You're all awesome.
Back to regular blogging this week.

(p.s thanks to those people who got in touch about it too. If i had loads of money I'd take my merry band of designers and illustrators on the road to impart their wisdom to everyone but alas...)

"they were like bears we were like deer"

This is another image from my project on Dee Brown's book Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee. This one is a part bear General Custer inspired by the quote in the title of this post.
It's going to be a stunted week on the blogging front I feel as I'm going to be manically churning out the first draft of my dissertation for friday whilst simultaneously tearing out my hair trying to get everything sorted for After School Club on saturday. In between these things I'll be attending a US election party, a gig by my friend Sarah's overtly amazing band Come On Gang and swooning over Nigel Peake's new book Maps when its launched at Analogue on thursday. Busy week.

After School Club (its a long one)

OK So I figure its about time I did a real post on the thing thats been eating up a fair chunk of my time recently. For my dissertation (aaargh final year etc etc) I'm organising an event affectionally deemed 'After School Club' which is taking place next saturday (november 8th) here in the fine city of Edinburgh. The idea is that a fairly exciting bunch of young designers and illustrators will chat about their work and their experiences since graduating from uni/college and us young, impressionable student types will take it all in and hopefully learn something and feel a little bit better equipped for professional life. If I'm honest its sort of a response to frustrations with my own course and things I have heard other people complain about (and also a chance to meet some people whose work i really admire).
Anyhow its next saturday at the GRV in Edinburgh and I urge anyone withing train ride distance of edinburgh (and of course anyone further afield with a complete disregard for money but an admirable commitment to design) to come as I really think it could be quite fun. Really. Just to hammer home how ace this could potentially be here's a wee rundown of who is involved.

Jez Burrows is absolutely my favourite graphic designer (not only because he's my man but also because his work is so tasty and completely and utterly him) and he lives and works in Edinburgh having graduated from Brighton Uni this summer. He has worked for many admirable people including the New York Times, Time Magazine and Bad Idea magazine. He is also my cohort in Sing Statistics.

The Nous Vous collective are a design supergroup from Leeds who have turned their hand at pretty much everything including illustration, graphic design, art direction, animation, installation and film making. They've got skills.

Alex Ostrowski graduated from UWE this summer and is now racing through every design studio in London leaving awesome work in his wake. I am totally enamoured with one of his final Uni projects Note To Self and quite frankly I wish I'd done it first.

Plats are a merry band of illustrators and photographers who have done all sorts of magical things. Emily and Sophia who founded the collective are coming along to show off their lovely illustration work and chat about the ins and outs of being in a totally cool gang.

FINALLY you are all probably aware of my awe over the work of mr Stuart Kolakovic. Not only does he totally own anything eastern european when it comes to illustration but he also has a fairly nice grasp of lovely colours and lettering. He also (apparently) only eats sweets.

SO thats it. Twenty points if you actually managed to read all that and an added thirty points if you actually come. Please come!

Ghost Shirt

A drawing I did today as part of my project on 'Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee'.

Record Year for Rainfall

Its been a fairly miserable weekend here in Edinburgh, horizontal rain, stormy winds and bitter cold made for a fairly quiet couple of days so I've been collecting nice things by way of a distraction.

Wonderfully wintery smocked necklaces from Tinctory.

La Cabane Perchee build the most beautiful treehouses in the world. I've always wanted a treehouse and any one of these would be absolutely perfect thankyou!

There was a great storque round up of folky things on etsy the other day.

AND on the off chance that anyone didn't see this when it cropped up all over blogs a few months back 'My First Crush' is a wonderful wee video by illustrator Julia Pott (who sells some amazing temporary tattoos in her shop)

Presidents and Prints

A quick drawing I did yesterday as part of one of my final year projects (which I will explain at some point I'm sure but its still a bit vague even to me).



I love all of Sandra Juto's work but this print is especially beautiful and makes me feel wonderfully autumnal. Hurrah for that.
ALSO- the Decemberists' 'Always the Bridesmaid' has some perfect new songs on. Get on it y'all.

Awesome

Here are some reasons why Gemma Correll is awesome.

• She draws pretty much everything 10x more fun/cute/yay than it would be if I drew it.
  
• She draws stuff on mugs!
• She was absolutely definitely the first person to blog about me earlier this year.
• She sent me all this lovely stuff in exchange for some of my tat (ok not the treeson fella. he just wanted to get in on the photo)
  

Pssst

I'm up to Something. If you're anywhere near Edinburgh on November 8th I suggest you head to the GRV and join the After School Club .

Nuthinduan Waltz

FINALLY! Beatrice Alemagna (one of my favourite children's book illustrators) has got herself a lovely website! It's great to be able to see all her work in one place! I look forward to getting my hands on 'Karl Ibou' at some point in the future.

(via the always wonderful Smosch)


I love H&M trend. Too much. I'm glad the Edinburgh branch doesnt stock it. It would certainly be my downfall. Glasgow does though and yesterday I picked up a skirt, of which this is a close up photo. I love this pattern it just seems so much nicer than average H&M fodder.

Sundays are quiet.

Wow

A very quick post before I go to college to say that Arrrgh! Richard Colman is AMAZING. Seriously. Wow. Yeah. Thats all.

Please Dont Tell Me To Do The Maths

Torben Giehler has got some skills! I especially love the cold colours in the painting above and the spindly lines in the one below contrasted with the dauby paint.


I have been eyeing up this bag by Kate Sheridan (you can pick up her bags at the Red Door) for a long while. I think I need to sell a few more prints to justify this purchase but oh...the colours. are so lovely.

Giant Bear in a Tiny Town

This was done at the end of the summer for something that sadly never got off the ground. I have plans for it though. This is officially the last bear drawing that I do for a long while. Honest.

Speaking of which if anyone would like a copy of 'Natural Distasters' for £3 + £1 P&P let me know. I completely forgot about getting them all finished off until now. So yeah. Let. Me. Know.


p.s Ritva (who takes some lovely photos) tagged me to come up with six random facts. So...

Really really would like a Katamari cake please
About Today is named after a song by The National
Not a fan of molluscs
DJ occasionally (at poorly attended indie nights)
Oh no. I drew another bear (thats not really a fact is it?)
My new favourite place is Stockholm.



(also I tag whoever feels like doing it)

Hats & Cats

If I had more chances to wear lovely things like this I'd love to have this feather comb from ban.do. Alas as my life is currently just trips between my flat, the studio and the supermarket I'd probably feel a little dressy. I still love it very much though.




I cant have a cat. I live on the third floor in the middle of town. It would be mean. If I had $45 to spare I'd get this fella from penguinandfish to make up for it. (I wish my family cat was made of tweed)

Working to Work

I've been quiet for a few days and will likely continue to be so for a few more as I'm currently in the clutches of my dissertation (more on that soon, its actually pretty exciting) and very much stuck at my desk (I'm working so hard I haven't even finished decorating my new spot in the studio. Its usually the first thing I do). But hopefully I'll be back on track next week when I've got all the proposals and chapter plans and research things done. Speaking of which if any of you are currently undertaking a degree in either graphic design or illustration (or you graduated in the last couple of years) and wouldn't mind answering a few questions about your education via email then I would be all kinds of appreciative (I may even send you treats). Just leave me a comment and I'll get in touch.


In the meantime Pietari Posti added this image to his wonderful 'Giants' series. His whole portfolio is incredible but the Giant stuff is particularly flawless.

Books Written for Girls

There are some nice things happening over at Totokaelo. Oh if I had loads of money....


Jez picked up this lovely book (and one more)in Stockbridge this afternoon after a rather nice luncheon with this chap. Whilst the ins and outs of organic chemistry will undoubtedly remain a mystery to us we can at least enjoy the tasty blue cover.
I love this sketchbook post on book by its cover.

SailorBear

My flatmate Jen & I rocking the nautical wildlife look for a friends 'hot hat party'. There is nothing like wearing bear ears for pretty much any activity. They look a little wonky here though.


Severe coat envy

Sigh.

Stu Kolakovic actually makes me a bit sick. This is too incredible. Those colours. Seriously. I am all over this the minute it gets released as a print. I wish he'd stop it.

Me Violin and Dancing Bear

A little bit of work from our first mini project back at college. The project was a bit of a weird one and involved a lot of making things out of tin foil and cardboard and shuttlecocks but our group also managed to squeeze a bit of drawing in. Above is a bear who may or may not live in the grassmarkets in edinburgh. He lives there because of the ready access to vintage clothing.
Hmm. Ok its a bit of a rushed one. And yes. Its another bear. Sigh. One. Trick. Pony.
(I like the scarf though)

On a related not. The view from our lovely studio.



I'm not completely sold on the bow trend. I think its too easy to render yourself ridiculous by sticking a bow on everything you own but I am quite taken with this yellow bow necklace from V for Vintage. It would look pretty cool over a plain t shirt.

Illustrative treats

Becky Walker has some really lovely drawings on her site. Plenty of pencil work which is pretty ace by my book. She is also a secondary school art teacher. Can you imagine having had an art teacher who made such sweet work? So cool.


I wanted going to post about Patrick Gildersleeves today and Jez beat me to it. But I'm going to plough on regardless as I think his work is great. Winning colour combinations every time and some super cute animal things. He has an etsy shop too. All the cool kids do.

Back To School

(above eca on flickr)
Today we started back at college for our fourth and final year. As the mild panic subsides I'm actually quite excited about the whole thing (perhaps less so about the dissertation part but the degree show for sure) and I can't wait to get stuck into my major final project stuff though I have no idea what that may be. There are some amazing things being planned for the near future but I'll let you know those as and when they occur for now I hope to start posting more work related things and sketches and so on.


I was very happy to see that one of my favourite blogs Design Is Mine had included on of my prints in a haul of lovely things available on etsy.

Tina Fey does a pretty mean Sarah Palin.