The Social Gathering

Mixed media pencil, black fine-liner and watercolour paint. Final edit on photoshop. 

The illustration above depicts the seven characters I created over the summer: psychedelic butterfly, Ollie the Orangutan, Foo Dog, Tortoise-shell hare, Thumbelina, Horn-boy and Oceana, taking part in a social activity. The activity illustrated is sailing, and the drawing includes a self-portrait. Constructing an effective composition to include all eight characters was challenging, however I am very happy with the end result. The use of tonal shading has brought depth to the drawing, the subtle details of each character brought to life through intricate line-work. The bold blue splash adds movement and drama to the illustration, symbolising the sea spray off the rough waves. I have entered this drawing into the V&A illustration awards 2013. 

How to Write a Book in 30 Days

Mixed media pencil and black fine-liner edited on photoshop.

This is the final editorial piece for my contemporary illustration unit. The brief was given in the form of an email; similar to one that might be received from an agent. The task was to create a cover for the supplement, How to Write a Book in 30 Days, within The Literary Review magazine. 

The supplement describes a structured method for writing a book, aiming to encourage readers to become writers. Inspired by the step-by-step element of the supplement, I began to think about how one idea has the potential to evolve into a story, which can be signified through an acorn growing into a great oak tree. Putting my own spin on this idea, I transformed the trunk of the tree into a pencil. I am very happy with the hand-rendered text, something I have struggled with in the past, which adds interest and a playful element to the illustration. To improve this design I would add a subtle background colour to enhance the detail and remove the unnecessary black outline from the words in 30 days. 

Why Small Victories Matter

This editorial illustration is for an article taken from the Guardian on Why Small Victories Matter. The article is based on the idea that you gain greater success and happiness working towards smaller achievable targets rather than one larger target. The comparatively small size of the central target-coloured duck illustrates this idea. The idea of hook-the-duck derived from the key words small victories which in turn led to the idea of fareground games which involve targets.

How to Decorate

This illustration is an editorial piece for an article taken from the Guardian called 'How to...Decorate.' The basis of the article is the idea that humans have an instinct for external decoration, with appearance being viewed as more important than character. Inspired by the reference to peacocks in the article, I based the henna pattern around peacock feathers, the henna itself conveying our innate need for personal decoration. Experimenting with colour for the background, I liked the contrast between the red henna and blue background, however in context I feel the hands look more striking against a white background. 

Oceana

This character was inspired by Ian Macarthur's highly detailed, intricate illustrations. Influenced by his choice of mixed-media, I similarly created this illustration using pencil, pigment pen and watercolour paints. The stern expression, strong stance and vivacious splash of colour convey Oceana's powerful, wilful, spirited personality.

Antlers

This graphite-on-paper drawing was inspired by the amazing Shaun Tan's illustrations. I feel I have successfully conveyed the personality and emotion of this character through his expression and body language. Overall I am pleased with the final illustration of this timid, shy, endearing antler-boy, who is my favourite character out of the seven.

Thumberlina

 

I created this character on a piece of wood using black fine-liner and chalk, inspired by Audrey Kawasaki's beautiful, evocative wood-based paintings. This character is influenced by Hans Christian Anderson's fairytale Thumbelina, as seen through the lily pad and petal dress. I like how Thumbelina's simplified style contrasts with my other more detailed characters. 

Tortoise-shell hare

Graphite on paper

This character was influenced by Mark Ryden's graphite-on-paper creatures. Ryden's evocative, poignant artwork contains layers of meaning and subtle twists. Inspired to create a thought provoking character, I decided to play on the Aesop's fable The Hare and the Tortoise in order to produce this intriguing character.

A Bask of Crocodiles

Final piece for the phrase A Bask of Crocodiles, for our Second year collaborative art book.

Second Year Art Book

Pencil drawings to form my final piece for a collaborative second year art book based upon collective nouns for animal groups. The phrase I am illustrating is A Bask of Crocodiles.

Art, Craft and Flower Festival

I displayed these two pieces, as well as The Illustrator as a Phoenix and my Cat and Dog illustration for a children's book cover in my local Art, Craft and Flower Festival and received great feedback from visitors to the exhibition.



Branches

Beginnings of a drawing I started during the summer. The Deer's antlers are tree branches, inspired by a postcard my cousin Charlotte sent me when she was travelling in Indian of Tribal Art.

More Pet Problems



Skinny Pig



Lesser Known Dog Breed



The final brief set for Second Year Illustration was to produce 28 black-and-white illustration of given Pet Problems.

Pet Problems



Signs of a Stressed Guinea Pig

   

Living with Agressive Guinea Pigs




How to Keep Your Ferret Happy

 


Toy Suggestions for Rabbits




Ideal Housing for Rabbits

 

Dealing with Bird Obesity



If We Could See Secrets

For an illustration brief at University, I was given the character Physiologist and the theme of construction with the challenge being to create an illustration for a visually sophisticated audience, based on the character having a 'secret' connected to the theme. I devised the idea of a Psychologist holding the secrets to how the mind is constructed. Mixed-media pencil, fine-liner, and Photoshop illustration which incorporates MRI scans of both normal and abnormal brains.

Harrison Bergeron

Mixed-media: fine-liner, white pen and Photoshop

Mixed-media: fine-liner, white pen and string

Front cover and double-page spread illustrations for the short story Harrison Bergeron by Kurt Vonnegut, a story based on government control and the power of television in a future where intelligence and beauty is handicapped. Sophisticated adult audience. 

Nineteen plus One

Nineteen plus One, 19 snakes and One charmer. Sophisticated adult audience, produced using fine-liner pen, green and orange ink and Photoshop. Inspired by Indian and Southern Asian Naga, Celtic Knots and kaleidoscopes.

Christmas

'Merry Christmas' Card design. Horses are awesome

Mythological Characters

The theme was 'The Illustrator As A ...' The university project was to produce a Facing Page illustration to be featured in the Association of Illustrator's magazine 'Varoom!' as a newly discovered illustrator. The idea I chose was 'The Illustrator As A... Phoenix' and began by researching mythological creatures.

Cat and Dog Children's Book Cover

Cat and dog book cover illustration aimed at children aged 5-8years. Mixed-media colouring pencil, watercolour paints and chalk.