Black and White Fashion Experimentation

I really like the contract of solid black against white in this image, however the figure looks slightly too doll-like, without expression or meaning.

I like the composition of this image.  I cut half the figure off to have her hiding, not only behind her arm, but slightly off the page.  Water and ink seem to give a really good representation of denim on her shorts.

This image may be slightly too abstract, as it is hard to know what is happening.  I do like the way the fabric melts into drips, it gives the image a slightly more loose feel.

I really enjoy painting hair, and there is something really delicate and vulnerable about only the neck and hair showing.

I think this image might be slightly too complex, although I do like the composition.

Fashion Magazines

I have been looking through various fashion magazines to find interesting poses, perspectives and themes.  Mainstream fashion magazines tend to be much safer with their photography, although will occasionally employ a well known photographer to add something more interesting, like Terry Richardson or Tim Walker.

I have found the most inspiration in magazines like; Pop, Purple, Tush and Love.  Through looking at these I have also managed to find a lot of fashion photographers whom I admire, as well as learning what poses work well and which do not.

Life Drawing at the Coop

Today I attended my first Life Drawing session at Coop, above The Winchester in Bournemouth. 

I found the session really useful and I think over time it will improve my figure drawing.  I took things very safely in this session, using only pencil but I'd really like to introduce pastels and vibrant colour.

Art of Illustration

As part of the British Library's Spring Festival, a five day celebration of creativity, fashion and design they hosted 'The Art of Illustration'.  This event had a panel of artists; Quentin Blake, designer and comic artist Jamie Hewlett, sartorial cartoonist Martin Rowson and graphic storyteller Posy Simmonds.  Each selected and explained a personal choice of favourite illustrations, drawn from different genres, cultures and styles.

Afterwards was a night in the British Library called, 'Illuminate!', a gallery of illustrators works, and workshops.

I really enjoyed this event and found the panel interesting and inspiring.  Despite the huge variety in their own work the artists that inspire them were often the same.  Their advise on getting illustration work in the Q&A was also very useful, and it always helps to know that everyone started in the same place.

Quentin Blake

Jamie Hewlett

Posy Simmonds

Pages

 A few pages from my book, 'Creatures from the Deep'.

Creatures from the Deep Cover

After advise from my tutors I changed my previous cover, as shown below, to the one above, as the old one was too conventional.  I do like the new one better aesthetically, but I am unsure if it would appeal as much to children.

Fashion

 

Now I'm nearing  the end of my children's book  I'm starting to look into figurative painting again. I'll be doing a collaboration with a third year fashion student, to illustrate their final collection, so before that I need to experiment with different types of fashion illustration, different styles and materials.  The above image was painted using indian ink, making use of negative space.  This is a style I seem to fall in regularly, so I will try and loosen up a bit with different brushstrokes, attempting to be less accurate but still using negative space.

Shoal of Fish

Each fish drawn by hand then layered on an inky background.

Octopus

Little White Lies

This is my submission for the Illustration Brief for this years D&AD.

The brief was to design a cover for the Little White Lies magazine, based on one of several films.  I chose 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' and illustrated the lead character, played by Gary Oldman.

Seahorse

Wet Feet

Creatures from the Deep

Some typography I have been working on for the front cover of my book, 'Creatures from the Deep'.  I've created this using different shades of green and blue ink.

Fish

Some of my favourite fish images from the last month.  These have been created using ink and water and are each based on real fish.

The Azul Ocean

The Azul Ocean website has the most beautiful underwater photography.  The photography shows the depth and variety of colour that can be found in the ocean.  Although I have done a lot of research into the different types of fish that can be found in the deep sea it is difficult to get a real idea of how rich the colours are.  Using ink rather than watercolour I hope to capture the intensity of colour.