Ollerina

ImagineFX rocks

On a recent expedition to Borders I bumped into a friend that Ian works with, Paul Dolan. (Me and Ollie were on one of our late night trips to meet daddy from work it's our meeting place, books, a cake and wearing Pajamas home in the car, that's Ollie not me wearing the Pj's.)

Paul suggested I take a look at ImagineFX and not just because he had a piece of work in it, I have put a picture of it above it's no. 14 (the boy can really draw) if you want to look at his website it is at www.pauldolan.com

I have never picked up a copy of ImagineFx before maybe because I have never considered myself a fantasy artist. But I am really sold, there are loads of great artists inspiration and workshops. The March issue is celebrating Frank Frazetta's 80th Birthday (the god father of fantasy illustration) why I never knew about this guy I don't know but I didn't discover Arthur Rackham until I left art school so there you go.  The only trouble is now I want (no need) all the back issues especialy the manga one last month and i really want the fairy one but that's sold out so it will have to be an ebay search.

Etsy goodies OuOu's so cool!

I got my first Etsy purchase through the post last week (this blog,flicker,etsy thing is all new to me.) 
I got some very cute cards from an etsy artist called ouou she also has a great blog .
I just love her little characters sharing coco on a cold winters days with their monsters and I can't wait to send the year of the rat card to my baby bro (who isn't actually a baby anymore but I am afraid he is stuck with the title being ten years junior.)

Depth cue

I am sitting on the sofa next to my partner and I can't get my my drawing right (it's making me mad.) so I thrust my paper at him and demand he draw the trees behind my little character. I do this to him sometimes he usually sighs and does what I ask for the sake of a peaceful existence.
It is his own fault really for being a very clever artist. He is responsible for the occasional hand or expression in my work his best one yet is a shark costume on a pixie. I asked him to draw a shark and he handed me back a hammer head shark, pure genius I would never have thought of that.

He has taken the opportunity to give me a lecture on depth cuing.  He is always trying to get me to limit my palette and get the lighting right. My next series will be all about lighting without the tooty fruity colours, promise Ian.

Painting in Photoshop

I have been having a go at painting in photoshop with a tablet. It's really a lot of fun but with my limited work hours so slow it's driving me nuts. It should speed up when I get better but at the moment I have abandoned this one.

Sketches

I am doing a lot of drawing at the moment and feel like I am getting nowhere. It's putting me in a slightly bad mood but when 20 odd pictures emerge I am sure I will perk up. Until I start painting them and they don't go right straight away. Here are a few of my sketches. I have put the rest on flicker.

Writers group

I have joined a writers critique group through the SCBWI and it's great. I would recommend joining one if you are interested in writing. It is not only extremely useful but fun too.

mothers love

There is only one person I would allow to help me with my work like this, Ollie wanted to help and I didn't want to crush his creative spirit.
No wait my nieces and nephew would probably get away with it. There was the time Imogen cut up my 2.5mm mohair knitting to make a hat for her toy dog.

another sketch for the carnival parade

Etsy drawings to sell

I now have an Etsy shop with some small drawings for sale ere are a few.

Corpse bride and Lenore inspiration

A bit of inspiration for next years Halloween cards from An invitation to a wedding, (the making of The Corpse Bride) and Lenore (cute little dead girl.)