Star Trek into Darkness...

Last week I watched the new Star Trek film twice! At Imax 3D and Vue 2D. When I was younger my brother used to make me watch Star Trek but then I started to like it and as i've gotten older I like it even more. I may even go as far as to say I love Star Trek. I really enjoyed the new film! It's full of adventure, anger, sad times and good times and fights. I thought Benedict Cumberbatch was brilliant as you get to see him as an angry and strong character, whereas I have only seen him play a skinny genius. I recommend watching it!

(Hope you like my little illustration... I've taken to making my pictures blue...it's fun!)

Knights of the Round: Game of Thrones Submission.

I finally got around to finishing my illustration of Sam from Game of Thrones for the competition by Knights of the Round I thought I would draw Sam as I don't think anyone else has drawn him for the competition. Plus he seems like a lovely fellow, a bit of a coward sometimes but he has a good heart.

Busy busy busy...

I'm quite busy at the moment with learning new things at my day job and working on stories/drawings/paintings.

I bought a new sketchbook today! yey!

That is all...Oh, I also hope you enjoy my mucky Pig :)

Work.

At the moment i'm working on a few things all at the same time... which is fun and if I get fed up of one thing I can move on to the other thing and vice versa. I'm currently writing a story about a pig and i'm also illustrating a story that has been about for a long time. Can you guess what the story might be?

Things Inspiring me...

1.Kelly Walton 2.Ian Turner 3.Matte Stephens 4.Monica Tramos 5.Emma Lewis 6.Kate Hindley 7.Ana Galvan 8.Fred Blunt 9.Chuck Groenink 10.Carson Ellis 11.Efrat Shoham 12.Henry Mccausland

I have been a big fan of some of these artists for quite some time now but I never get bored of the. There are also some new ones that I have come across recently and love their work and hope you do too.

Commissions...

Recently I was commissioned to recreate illustrations from my portfolio. These photos were taken by the kind people who commissioned me and it seems they're really happy with the outcome. It's so nice to see my work hanging in someone's house!
I really appreciate every person who follows my blog/twitter/facebook and I really really appreciate those of you who have commissioned me and who may one day commission me. It all helps me buy more art materials/pay bills/feeds me and makes me a happy little illustrator. Thank you!!!

I got a Job!

I found out last Tuesday that I got the job at Greggs! Woo! It's such a relief to know i'll have a steady flow of money coming in again as money goes so fast/doesn't last long and I have a few holidays coming up in June! (I'm going to London to see the Book of Mormon and Les Miserables and i'm also going to Download festival!yey) My induction is on Monday! I'm looking foward to learning some new skills and get out the house as searching for jobs makes me feel miserable...and working will stop me worrying/thinking about hearing back from publishers.

February in Review...

RESOLUTIONS REVIEW:

1. LOSE WEIGHT: After eating a mountain of pancakes the past few weeks i'm now on the right track and making sure to exercise every day and i've cut out snacking on silly things.

2. READ MORE: I'm doing pretty terrible with this at the moment as i've been stressed and basically lazy. Going to finish Alice in Wonderland today to make sure I finish February properly.

3. SEND WORK OFF TO PUBLISHERS: It has now been a week since I sent my work off. I think about it every day which isn't very good but I am looking foward to getting some feedback.

4. SAVING UP: I've started to sell some unwanted items which I guess counts in a way... I also have opened a shop on society6 (if you fancy taking a peek.buying something then just look here.)

5. USE FILM CAMERAS MORE: Not had a chance to due to lack of money. Sick of going on about money.

6. GET A NEW JOB: I have two job interviews coming up in March so that's exciting/terrifying.

7. GET OUT THE HOUSE MORE: A few weeks ago I went to the zoo and have been taking Bruce to the park more...i'm also going to see The Darkness this Saturday! yey!

8. HOLD AN OWL: I crossed this off last month so I shan't mention it next month.



HOPES FOR MARCH:

- I hope at least one of my job interviews goes well and I get a job.
- I hope that I get some feedback from publishers or at least one publisher.
- I hope to have lost a stone.

Just a little update.

I can't believe it's nearly March... time seems to be going too fast and too slow- as i'm waiting for feedback on my work from publishers...I think it's only been about a week since I sent my work off, i'm quite impatient. The thought of getting feedback has knocked me off my drawing a bit but I have managed to write some stories...some of which I think could actually work and be good picture books, though i'm sure publishers won't see it that way. My stories still need a lot of work.

Today i'm going to try drawing in a different style,in a different medium, drawing a different subject matter...so I can then jump back into my usual styles and ways. Kinda like exercising...I don't know. My Auntie suggested it. Hopefully i'll feel a bit more confident after it. Anyone else ever feel lost after sending work out to important people?... I feel like I have to wait and can't do anything new until I get feedback, which I know is ridiculous...but ahh well! The mind of an illustrator!
Please let me know if you have any hints/tips/ideas to help me or get in touch if you've been feeling like this too!

Desk Companions

These desk companions are part of my promotional pack and I thought it would be nice to share them with you lovely people! All you need to do is print a sheet (or a few sheets for you and your friends), cut the characters out and then fold the bottom flap to help them stand up! If any of you do print and cut them out I would love to see photos!

I went to the Zoo...

Today I went to Blackpool Zoo in hopes to find some inspiration for my portfolio and for writing a story. Nothing has yet clicked and made me cry, " Eureka!" but it was really fun. The weather was rubbish and my toes were frozen (though that was my fault due to wearing converse trainers in Winter) but it was lovely to get some fresh air and see amazing wildlife. These are some of my favourite photographs and drawings that I captured and drew. I hope you enjoy them.

50 random things about me...

I love stuff like this...I always have...enjoy:

1. I have blue eyes
2. I'm a natural blonde
3. I wanted to be an archeologist, Egyptologist and a dog when I was a kid.
4. I love birds and bats.
5. I love eating pasta but get bored cooking it.
6. I was a vegetarian for 7 years but now eat meat again.
7. I have been with my boyfriend for 6 years.
8. I am one of six kids and I am an auntie to 14 (soon to be 15).
9. I enjoy writing handwritten letters.
10. I don't like the word succulent or the phrase " the tender age".
11. Playing trivial pursuit makes me feel stupid.
12. I love being an illustrator but I worry that all my art is crap...I try not to ask my Mum for her opinion because I know she
will say she loves it and i'll say it's crap and then she would be annoyed at me.
13. I have an irrational fear of moths and butterflies. I will cry if one touches me.
14. I have two taxidermy ducks named Frodo and Harvey.
15. I hate that some of my favourite childhood cartoons are being "remade" using CGI.
16. I always feel like I have to explain myself.
17. I worry that i'm clingy and scare people away.
18. I worry a lot.
19. I have been to 7/8 festivals.
20. I don't want to learn to drive as I get road rage even though I can't drive.
21. I get all waffley and ooh and ahh-ish when at art galleries and museums... I feel like I turn a bit pretentious as i'm in love with art and history.
22. I wanted to be a witch so bad when I was a kid.
23. This is my age.
24. I have three dogs, a snake and a gecko.
25. Jurassic Park/the Lion King/Total Recall/Lord of the Rings are my favourite films.
26. Batman and Superman are my favourite heroes.
27. I love cheese.
28. When feeling crap I make up dance moves to cheer myself up.
29. I am slightly OCD about having clean hands and checking the hobs are off before I go to bed.
30. Favourite books: The Lord of the Flies, the Whitby Witches, The Witches, Lord of the Rings.
31. I am 5ft 1".
32. I have had many fillings in my teeth. I'm scared of the dentist.
33. I'm terrified of rollercoasters.
34. I love being the only couple in a cinema screening.
35. I love the smell of paper.
36. I don't like getting butter/little bits of food on my hand when preparing food.
37. I love the moon.
38. My favourite alcohol is southern comfort or pear cider.
39. I enjoy baking. I make a mean victoria sponge/lemon drizzle cake/cookies.
40. I hope to become a published picture book maker in the near future *crosses fingers*.
41. I have a pierced lip and used to have a pierced nose.
42. I have 8 tattoos. One says Bite Me in french on my neck.
43. I hate Disney's The Black Cauldron.
44. I would love to travel the world.
45. I want to hug David Attenborough.
46. I am quite gullible.
47. I listen to songs on repeat...for hours/days.
48. My nickname is Eric and used to be Froggy.
49. I hate seeing my reflections in clothes shops.
50. I like polite people and people who say Good Morning.

New Years Resolutions Review...

So a month has gone already! I thought it would be fun to do a monthly review of how my new years resolutions are going...So far for 2013:

1. Lose weight: started out well, lost a bit then put a bit back on and then lost some more. Keeping at it.

2. Read more! I am trying to read one book a week. So far I have read: Michael Crichton's The Lost World- which is a really brilliant book and i'm so glad I started the year with it. Bridgette Jones' Diary- The Edge of Reason- though a lot of the people in the book annoyed me I found it hard to put down...though that may have something to do with me being a bit nosy. Watership Down-still not finished it due to working on my portfolio, but I will catch up. I will say that the book is brilliant so far!

3. Send my work off to Publishers: Doing it this week. Scared.

4. Save up: not doing so well with that (partly due to lack of job).

5. Use my film cameras more: Not used any of them due to lack of money and not being able to afford film...bought a nice Halina 2000 camera though and used my giant digital SLR camera.

6. Get a new job: I am trying. I even had an interview.

7. Get out of the house more: I went to Bygone Times with my sister, Turbary woods with my friend and James, been for coffee a few times. Would like to go to some galleries though.

8. Hold an owl: I HELD TWO! :D

Promotional Pack.

I am sending some of my work off to some publishers and have created some awesome (if I don't mind saying so myself) postcards as part of a promotional pack. I used moo.com and I was a little worried that they would arrive late - as I needed them by a certain date - but was very happily suprised to find they came just when I wanted them to! So happy! The quality is brilliant and the colours really stand out! I'm definitley using them again. Possibly for some stickers and business cards. The top image shows how I have held my postcards together- just using some paper with some handmade font on it. Simple but effective.

If you go down to the woods today...

Here are some double page spreads that I have made for my portfolio. I know the last one isn't based in the woods/Jungle but it's a detailed double page spread so I couldn't leave it out!
I've been trying to be brave and using colours that you wouldn't always see in nature: purple tree trunks for example. I'm quite pleased with how it's turned out!

Memories...

A few pieces for my portfolio inspired by my childhood and drawn from childhood photographs. 1.My sister and I at the beach. 2.My brother and Sister school photo. 3.My Mum and Odie (the dog) on the settea. ( To be painted).

2012...

IN 2012: I quit the pound shop for another job. I went to London and had an amazing time and met the fantastic Viviane Schwarz. I drew as much as possible. Saw some great bands with great friends. I took place in a Zombie walk. Got my design printed on a comfy cushion. Lost my job but i'm perservering! I also drank a lot of coffee and spent time with my amazing friends.