Cinema Sushi & other stories.

Getting a bit behind on my daily drawing posts, so here are the latest three in a wee batch.

Daily drawing challenge: 26/09/12

I ate a sushi dinner during a screening of The Sweeney. Turns out it's an excellent film food, and even though I couldn't see it I could visualize the interesting shapes and colours of the platter clearly through the darkness. (Well, that and smell the stuff.)

: 27/09/12

Getting a bit too engrossed in social media at the moment in its many relentless forms. This phrase is the enemy, along with 'This User Does Not Exist'.

: 28/09/12

Met up with one of my greatest friends after a long time and her presence blessed me with a run of tasty charity shop finds. This little 70s pot is one of them. Reminds me implicitly of my grandparent's house in Leeds; a sweet and strangely sentimental addition to my workspace considering its past is all its own.


You can catch up on all the latest Drawing Days submissions over on the facebook page, including wonderful new drawings by Kate Rowland, Louise Wyatt and Sojung Kim.

Hello Dolly.

Now that the main man himself Laurie Ramsell has put the last touches to the second issue of SYNTHIA: Where Art Meets Science, I myself am very happy to finally unveil it! Having worked on it once again, I feel like a proud mama to see what a fine young lady Synth has turned out to be. Smart, sophisticated and a little bit sexy, this issue packs features on human curiosity, the science of the dark arts and a search for validity in the information age.

Above you can read my article on the wondrous work of illustration gem Natasha Durley.
Currently interning at YCN, she is most certainly one to watch.

Joy.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 25/09/12

Today I spied two magpies out of the gym window. Fucking result, I thought.

Pin Cushion.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 24/09/12

Today saw some spiky stationary, which I turned into a pattern for Ohh Deer's Pillow Fight competition.

Windscreen (Retirement)

Daily Drawing Challenge: 23/09/12

Today's drawing shows my parent's collection of circular stickers on the windscreen of their camper-van. Since retiring, my parents enjoy a leisurely existence of camping and visiting heritage sites.

If they get a classic fm / saga sticker the set will be complete.

Fwuffy Bwunnies.

Starting to understand rabbits are just big balls of hair.
More character drawings for The Tales of Bounder The Bunny. 

Happy Birthday Bill.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 21/09/12

I just had to draw Bill Murray when I found out today was his birthday.

Having played so many amazing characters over the years (Peter Venkman, Bob Harris, Steve Zissou, and my personal favourite Herman Blume to name but a few), fans amongst you may be wondering why I picked a more reflective role to sketch. A lesser appreciated of his films perhaps, here he is in Broken Flowers. I'm a huge Jarmusch fan and really love this shot of him as Don Juan sitting on a brown sofa clad in that iconic tracksuit.
Happy birthday Bill, you're the man.

Beethoven Violin Concerto 42'

Daily Drawing Challenge: 20/09/12

Today's drawing was lots of fun - I attempted to draw The CBSO playing Beethoven's violin concerto today at Birmingham's Symphony Hall, and didn't quite finish them even after his 2nd Symphony came to a close.

A wonderful performance with perfectly executed dynamic changes; smooth and oh so tuneful, the orchestra were expertly led by Andris Nelsons and that is Baiba Skride in the frills at the front doing the fancy stuff. (She really was amazing)

Make Your Escape.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 19/09/12

Today saw the launch of Another Escape - issue 3 - much to my delight, and to celebrate / as a little thank you to the team for their hard work, I made them this illustration. Designed to perfection and with a strong conceptual identity, I am, as ever, proud to be associated with this forward-thinking magazine.

Keep doing your thing guys.

Little Jotter Big Ideas.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 18/09/12

Notebooks are very important places to me and I believe people should always have a space where they are unafraid to write down anything. I used to buy 'pretty' notebooks, but now I favour cheap, unpolished ones that are un-intimidating; friendly even. I got this one from a corner shop in London this year while our degree show was on, in need of somewhere to record my escalating thoughts about future plans, projects and hopes.

"Great idea skipper", I can almost feel this friendly little yellow guy saying to me, as I write down another silly recipe, idea or thought, like I wonder if anyone has ever made graphs of celebrities shoe sizes...

Warrior 3.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 17/09/12

Went to my first Body Balance class yesterday; a demanding combination of t'ai chi, yoga and pilates. As a beginner I found it a struggle but with moments of sheer power and enlightenment, such as in this pose where I couldn't help but whisper I can fly.
Looking around at the more seasoned balancers; all different shapes, sizes and ages, I was struck by their determination and strength but also their normality.

Inspired to find a harder core like those everyday super heroes.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 16/09/12

Coffee & Sugar.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 15/09/12

Met up with Nathan Hackett and drew 'im with markers.
His clockwork orange eye was accurate at the time of drawing. We had way too much coffee.

Local News for Local Dogs.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 14/09/12

Whenever I walk around my town there are things I want to draw. I tend to just make a mental note of them, or photograph them and never get around to the drawing. Today's drawing-a-day has broken this cycle; a dog outside the newsagents who has been left out of the loop.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 13/09/12

Only just managed to squeeze my daily drawing in yesterday; it comes in the form of a quick sketch on the bus to Brierley Hill for a much-needed curry. Scrappy, but I like how the rhythm of the bus can be seen in the lines - like that (now ribbed) pole.

Thank you to my boyfriend for yielding my insistence on scanning this when we got home.

Daily Drawing Challenge: 12/09/12

This evening I embarked upon a drawing-a-day challenge at the suggestion of the wisest lady I know: Sojung Kim. Having seen attempts quickly broken by others I have abstained from such a formal aim in the past, but was instantly won over as Sojung suggested we make it a collective effort, and described: It can be your visual diary, recipe, collage, anything, encouraging the feeling that it could and should be naturally-integrated into life.

Seeing this as a good opportunity to create regularly without inhibition, I will also ensure to leave all drawings unedited as part of accepting them just as they are - aww.



Along with fellow illustrators, I will share my drawings every day on Drawing Days' Facebook page and Pinterest board, where you can watch the project unfold.

INSPIRATION:

When asked to do another piece for Another Escape #3 I jumped at the chance, particularly elated to have been asked to direct as well as illustrate my own article. I chose a subject matter that I have held close to my chest throughout my development as a creative type; the relationship between inspiration and creative drive. Often described as a moment of illumination, inspiration tends to be seen as a gift or a blessing, but in this article I wanted to bring back the individual's ownership over their ideas and incite the possibilities of making your own inspiration, or working without it and seeing what happens.
A quote that particularly resonated with me on this issue came from the letters of Tchaikovsky;

"We must always work, and a self-respecting artist must not fold his hands on the pretext that he is not in the mood. If we wait for the mood, without endeavouring to meet it half-way, we easily become indolent and apathetic. We must be patient and believe that inspiration will come to those who can master their disinclination.”

 

I kept a bright 3-colour palette for the accompanying illustrations; something a bit new for me but that I really enjoyed as it helped define the images as a solid set, securing yellow as an effective highlight throughout. There were lots of bits and pieces generated around the idea of trial, error and perseverance which in themselves are quite a nice consequence of playful and explorative visual approaches to developing ideas.

One example is this guy's additional legs (that he never received). To me they just look way cool walking about on their own.

The full article will be available in the soon-to-be-released Another Escape Issue 3.
And I'd bet it's going to be the best yet.