B & W Zine

SO, These illustrations are from a little zine I made in about 4 days. (I was going for 3 but my housemates had a buffy marathon) I need to test myself, train myself back up and mostly regain some of the fun that stress has been stealing.
I've combined inks and pencil here for my lines but I still need to find a process to show their personalities better in their digital state. I'm thinking layers and multiply. I haven't had a night out with them in a long while.

The b&w element just allowed me to focus on the lines and process more as well as getting closer to the ink feel. I am a big fan of crazy contrast b&w fun.

I had a bit of a 'face ban' in my illustrations for a while as my face styles are influenced by anything and everything and differed drastically but I feel like the mask kind of bypasses it by not letting you see the eyes. 

Below are a bunch of initial sketches and the inspirations involved. 

X

Swing!

A combination of elements I've been doodling for a while now. 

I'm trying to fiddle about with my style at the moment, trying to use shape and colour more than details to create focus and less eye bleeding. I'm kinda halfway happy with it but I think I'm getting upset with my lines. Up close I love them but pulled back the textures of the lines get awkward. Soon!

Werking out colours. Can't wait to use those pinks.

Ode to Puzzle Island

PUZZLE/PUZZLE/PUZZLETIME/PUZZLE/PUZZLE

How many birds can you find?!

When I was a kid I was obsessed with a book called Puzzle Island. It is the best.

I want to do more kids friendly interactive illustrations so this is a first attempt. Came out a bit yellow. But then yellow is cool.

I can't decide if I like it better on the dark background or not. I think the birds are a bit harder to find.

I still spend hours pouring over this book. Its so magic.

X

20/04/14

This easter weekend instead of being a normal person and spending all day everyday relaxing I've been sweating over getting a new comic done. So heres a sneak!

I'm sure I'll like it more when I stop seeing solely in yellow and blue but I'm quite proud. I'll upload the whole thing as soon as I can.  

The comic explores the rather difficult subject of depression but definitely from a hopeful standpoint. Its a story and substance over style kind of affair. 

In other news....

I managed to get to the beach this week and I've scavenged a real cool bunch of stuff!

LOADS OF DRIFTWOOD! Which is exciting since we don't really get a lot of flotsam like that in the bay. Naturally I crawled around the shoreline in my wetsuit like a toddler on holiday (literally, I looked a state) but I'm going to make THINGS!!!  and hopefully make some munny while I'm at it. Cos that'd be nice.

See it pays to keep all your accumulated craft junk. (I keep saying)

I also had a brilliant low tide sunny costal adventure with the dog!

And as ever my best friend responded by helping out and eating half of the driftwood and depositing it around the house.

<3

Colour

I've recently re-fallen head over heals for colouring pencils. 
I rediscovered the pack I had to buy at new blood to make temporary business cards and recently had a colouring in powered tea party. It was the bees knees.

The chickpea soup is AMAZING!

We've also had a bunch of birthdays around here so I've been busy scribbling horses and buddhas and whatnot. I feel like it looks like I don't care if I don't make them myself!

I'm trying to figure out how to get a better finish on some and then I can start working them into my bigger illustrations. Exciting!

POP!

India Ink 

Redesign time!

For the past couple of weeks I've been working on my personal identity as an illustrator, working on my business cards, mailers and website design. I've always thought that I have a very erratic style of illustration, which while exciting ain't all that great for presenting an identity. However after designing my portfolio site and putting everything together I can't help thinking it all looks very...me!

So after several bizzillian hours of adobe muse and bashing my head again the desk I present my new portfolio website. Complete with updated work! (That is all very me!)