Practice Makes Perfect

For the last few weeks I've been concentrating on practicing my drawing and illustration skills. I want to be better at drawing people, facial features, proportions and hands and also develop a style I can call my own. 

Every year I have students who hate drawing from observation. Usually because they struggle with it so don't want to do it. And I always say that the only way they will improve is to practice. Even if no-one ever sees it, practice is what makes perfect. 

So here are the results of my practising. Some went wrong. Some aren't finished. Some i'm really pleased with. 

I like sketching out in pencil first then using a fine liner. I've added colour to these with Posca pens but I'm about to try using some gouache and combining it with my Poscas. More of that to come. 

What do you need to practice? 

Illustrator Badges

New badges for Illustrators, pen lovers, doodlers, drawing addicts.

For weeks i've been trying to think of more arty/crafty pastimes that I can make badges for. We all love to show our love for all things makey and these badges seem to be a popular way to do it!

So after much doodling I came up with these pen badges to show your love for illustrating!

Any ideas for other nice badges are very welcome.

They are available here Cuppa Tea And Cake Folksy Shop

Pens Pens Pens

Hello dear readers, I must apologise for such a long absence. And I didn't warn you either! For the last two weeks I have spent very little time at home due to circumstances I won't discuss in such a public place but now I am back and can focus on updating you all on what I have been doing.

Look!! The drawing on the left just happened on Saturday afternoon while I was working at LoveOne. I had been thinking of doing a design featuring pens for a new run of mini bags for Art on The Prom in Felixstowe on 30th August.

The drawing itself may also be included in the exhibition I am a part of at St Mary At The Quay in Ipswich 28th August til 6th September.

So the end of this month is going to be rather busy! I also start back at work on 1st September in the NEW college building!!

So here is the new mini bag design. A bit more refined than the original drawing because the more pens, the smaller the stencils and the harder it is to cut! I am rather pleased with it though. This was a very small run but I am already considering doing more in different colours.

I do hope you are all well. I am sorry again for being a way so long!!

All is not lost!

I have managed to do a few things whilst trapped in a mental block! I wouldnt like to say anything about coming out the other side or anything, don't want to jinx anything.

I printed the shapes this morning. I thought of it last night, i'm not sure about what is going to happen to it next but i was very pleased it was successful and came out how I imagined.

There has also been more tea cups. Some patterns and some fondant fancies produced. I've also had lots of ideas and had lots of inspiration so lets hope things are on the up.





I have also been looking after LoveOne while the owner is on holiday which is so much fun and also gives me time to read and draw between lovely customers. The shop is wonderful and makes me want one of my own! Not really an option but its fun playing shop keeper for a while. I'm there this Thursday and Saturday too so if any of you happen to be in Ipswich and fancy exploring St Nicholas Street and St Peters Street (I recommend you do!) pop down and say hello!

Its fun for me to see how well my products sell and the kind of people who take an interest in them. Its all rather fun and exciting I must say.

The Fondant Fancy is going to be used in some kind of stationery way, mini notecards, invitations, notelets. Maybe all three!

Sorry the picture is a bit dark, the weather is so odd here, can't seem to make it's mind up!

Purple Patch

Have you ever heard of a Purple Patch? The wikidictionary defines it as this

"A period of excellent performance, where nearly everything seems to go right, work properly, and contrasting with a more general lower level of performance."

Now I wouldn't go so far as to say that I am experiencing a period where nearly everything goes right, my wouldnt everything going right just be wonderful!! But I do have to say i'm having a great time at the moment, I am on a bit of a roll. And it was completely serendipitous!

I've been drawing lots in the last week, many things similar to the stacked tea cups on the left. I think I will be branching out into greetings cards soon so watch this space!

Being a Student Art Teacher

I've spent the last two weeks being in the Art Department at college observing introductions to the various courses, National Diploma Art & Design, Level 2 National Diploma Art & Design and Foundation Art & Design. There are well over 200 students in all and i need to try and remember who they are. I'm gonna go for trying to remember the ones that will apply to me (those doing Textiles & Printmaking)

This week just gone the Foundation students and ND@ students have had an introduction project. Each group of 7 - 9 were given a postcard of a well known painting and had to recreate it using themselves as the people in it, they had to make props, costumes and backdrops too!

The results were brilliant, all were of a shockingly high standard and of course, some better than others . All in all the amount of effort that went into the tableaus and the way the students mixed in with people they didn't already know was great.

Next week i'm in Drawing and Textiles, i can't wait!