little place

Sneak Preview 2

2012-01-26T02:18:00.000-08:00

It's another sneak preview... This time with colour!

Happy Christmas!

2011-12-19T13:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Christmas, everyone!
The characters are here, and the book is underway... Are you as excited as I am?!

Sneak Preview!

2011-12-19T11:51:00.000-08:00

This section of page is roughly 5.5cm x 7.5cm - actual size

Dream sketches

2011-10-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

Here are some sketches I've been working on but can't quite get to finished stage. I'm finding a motif of pagan-esque imagery in my work lately, and drawings in this vein are creeping about in my subconscious.

This one is an image I had in a dream:

I'd love to make a series of these landscapes - if you want to see more feel free to commission me! In the meantime, the Lion of St Andrews looks like this:

Nearly ready to start making pages ... As always, I'll be keeping you posted!

Juxtapoz article

2011-09-18T00:41:00.000-07:00

One of my favourite illustration magasines Juxtapoz has an article about my work on their website!

See the article here - written by the very talented Laura Hines

Back from St Andrews

2011-09-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

St Andrews was lovely!
Beautiful and sunny (with just a smirr of rain). Very excited to start work on the book in October. Drawings at this stages are mostly quite boring functional notes on details, such as below ....

.... but I should have some photographs coming soon.

In the meantime, here's a picture of little Red Riding Hood!

New book project!

2011-09-04T02:31:00.000-07:00

Some excellent news to announce this week - I am soon to start my very first children's book!

I've been approached by Scottish publisher Serafina Press who I first came across at the London Book Fair in April. They are an independent Scottish book publisher which "aims to publish art-driven children's books. These will have a local flavour, with stories to appeal to children anywhere."

Their previous titles are delightful - here's a photograph of my collection:

The books have a strong focus on local legend and traditional stories, while maintaining a contemporary, detailed style of illustrations. (Which, as you might know, is right up my street!) Each book is set in a different Scottish town, meaning I'll be part of a really unique series which has gained the affection of locals across the East coast of the country.

The new book I'm going to work on is called 'The Lion of St Andrews'. It's early days yet, but here are some sketches and concept drawings for the curious!:

MiddleBoopMag article

2011-09-01T10:23:00.000-07:00

Illustrating maniac Murray Sommerville has written a most excellent article about me for MiddleBoopMag:

Have you seen ... Katie Coulton?

High compliments from the hand that produced such wonderful madness as this:

You can find more of his punk-style comics and zany 2am drawings at http://cargocollective.com/murraysomerville and http://murraysomerville.blogspot.com/

Also, keep an eye out for his custom label Becks bottles, out today!

pigoens and ducks

2011-08-24T07:41:00.000-07:00

Back to basics - drawing birdies in the park.

Spring (Summer and Winter still to come!)

2011-08-01T11:35:00.001-07:00

Back home

2011-07-10T05:55:00.000-07:00

Well, what can I say?

My residency is over and what a wonderful way to spend a month! The artists I met, both my lecturers and classmates, were a simply a huge fountain of inspiration. We all met in New York but are now sadly scattered across the globe again. I feel very privileged to have worked alongside such creative and enthusiastic illustrators.

But, luckily for us we are all living in the age of the internet! The SVA Summer 2011 alumni are currently working on a new project together, so I may be a member on another blog pretty soon! Stay news for more exciting news on this subject ...

Here's some pictures of the Open Studio (photos courtesy of Luisa Possas):

And some outcomes from the 5-week course:

There is of course a whole sketchbook full of drawings from the trip but it's simply too much to put here! In fact these sketchbooks are starting to build up and I'm currently researching the best way to display them on the web... If anyone has any tips on this, I'd love to hear it!

Kt.

PS. I suppose, now is as good a time as any to announce my other big news - I am now represented by Advocate Art, an illustration agency specialising in children's books. Expect to see lots of cute kids book illos coming up soon!

http://www.advocate-art.com/

Exhibition on the 30th

2011-06-28T19:41:00.000-07:00

If any of you just so happen to be in New York this week, you are invited to the Open Studios!

Come along and see illustrators from across the globe displaying their work (including fresh stuff from me!) And there will be some Fine Art to see too, of course.

Exciting times ...

Halfway there!

2011-06-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's the halfway point! And it's stormy in NYC ...

It's unfortunate that I don't have a proper camera, since too much has happened to write it all down. I've also been to some wonderful exhibitions, openings and studio visits, but I might be able to get some photos of these eventually. Meanwhile, here's some sketches instead:

In week two we went to go draw at the Brooklyn botanical gardens...

As you can see I've been using more colour than usual in my drawings. And this week (on my birthday) we went to Redhook by the harbour, where the need to paint became ridiculous.

And next week it's off to the Central Park zoo! Hopefully I can work some more on my tapir story there, which is now in full formation. I have a working title - 'A New Arrival at the Zoo' - and here's some sneak preview sketches and a first piece of artwork.

Stay tuned!

Summer residency in ....

2011-05-13T17:02:00.002-07:00

... Yep, you guessed it, next month I'm heading off to the School of Visual Arts in NEW YORK. I'm very excited about this as it has produced some of my favourite illustrators, including...

You Byun

Yuko Shimizu (she actually lectures here now...)

James Jean (... him too!)

Sam Weber

I'm participating in their summer residency programme this June. I have always admired the unbelievable work-ethic and technical brilliance that American-educated illustrators seem to possess in abundance. So to have the chance to study at one of the best art colleges in the USA is a dream come true, frankly -

and might even ...*gasp* do some painting!

Website is up!

2011-05-13T13:38:00.000-07:00

My website is finally finished!!

http://www.katherinecoulton.com

Keep an eye out for updates - there will be lots of sketchbook images added soon (in the process of scanning my large collection!)

Banner

2011-04-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

A little piece of news: this banner is going to be featured on Art and Design site lost at e minor.
Keep an eye out for it - it's on rotation!

Other blogs

2011-04-19T03:20:00.000-07:00

Since I am busy working on my very own home-made website (which is KILLING me and using up lots of valuable drawing time) I thought it would be a good time to share some more of my latest inspirational finds.

Sadly, my favourite gold-mine for book illustrators, picturebookreport, has recently closed down but I highly recommend a trawl through. Such brilliant contributors include:

Sam Bosma
http://sambosma.blogspot.com/

I especially like him, as he is illustrating "The Hobbit", just for fun. That's my kind of nerd.

Chuck Groenink
http://nietveelsoeps.blogspot.com/

I would look out for the "Neverending Story" illustrations in particular.

Paolo Del Toro
http://magichairball.blogspot.com/

He's not on picturebookreport, but he is illustrating a book of short stories based on his dreams.

And last but not least - http://50watts.com/ - Full of weird and wonderful images...
(formerly http://ajourneyroundmyskull.blogspot.com/)

Tapirs!

2011-03-25T06:50:00.001-07:00

News update

2011-02-27T08:01:00.000-08:00

Hello followers - sorry for the long gap between posts, I've been away from home internet access for the past month.

So ... First news update -
Here's my entry for the Lloyds TSB 'Art of Nurture' competition (because it's worth a shot at that big cash prize!)
I'm a Regional Finalist so I'm going to be in the exhibition at the IKON Gallery in Birmingham on the 22nd of March.

**UPDATE** I'm through to the Finals! See info and photos from the night in Birmingham here.

The new exhibition is at the V&A on the 6th April.

Second news update:
For the past month I been working in London at my new internship with Anthem Press! I'm their in-house Graphic Designer, making covers for their academic books, and packaging for their sister companies.

Work ranges from this:

To this:

To This... !:

As you make have noticed, I'm trying to sneak in as much illustration I can - and next week I have a project for two original book covers, which promise lots of enjoyable drawing and design.

Scary new drawing ...

2011-01-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

Coloured:

Original:

Waiting for Santa, part 2

2011-01-14T08:07:00.000-08:00

They've been waiting a long time it seems!
Better late than never ...

Some of you might recognize the kids this last one - clue: that bossy, impatient look? She still has that sometimes, even now ...

First paid commision!

2011-01-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

Roughs:

Coloured:

New Esty store

2010-12-10T03:13:00.000-08:00

Good news - my new store is now online!

Please drop in and have a visit - on sale are my brand new Christmas cards, a limited selection of my original prints, and more!

If any one is interested in purchasing anything they've seen on this blog, now is your chance -
Any requests for what you want to see in store? Whatever you would like a print of, you will get a big DISCOUNT! :)

Also, if anyone wants to commission something - a Christmas present? A portrait? please feel free to leave me a message.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/KCPrintsAndPictures

(extremely limited edition Christmas Robin print!)

Stall this Sunday

2010-12-01T03:01:00.000-08:00

http://handmadebirmingham.com/

I am having a stall this Sunday!
On sale at the Bullring markets will be Christmas cards, Christmas stickers, a limited selection of my original prints...and much more!

Come along to the Handmade Birmingham stall this Sunday to see me and Milan struggling to keep the feeling in our hands and feet while we stand in the snow, from 10:30 till 5:00.

Waiting for Santa ...

2010-11-16T04:16:00.000-08:00

Raindrop

2010-10-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

Erin Stead

2010-10-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

http://blog.erinstead.com/

Illustration: working process

2010-10-11T04:54:00.000-07:00

Roughs and final outcome for a book project on Oxbridge interviews.

Final image:

Illustrations

2010-09-28T13:49:00.000-07:00

In order to make my Lord of the Rings obsession a little more productive, I've vowed to draw an illustration every time I pick it up again.

Here's one from Chapter IV, 'Treebeard':

And from the end of Chapter V, 'The White Rider':

Tolkein always gives amazing descriptions of landscapes using unfathomable words like, 'sedge', 'swath' and 'meads'. This drawing is from a particularly poetic description:

'Slowly the sun fell from the sky down into the west. Looking out over the great plain, far away, the riders saw it for a moment like a red fire sinking into the grass. Low upon the edge of sight shoulders of the mountains glinted red upon either side. A smoke seemed to rise up and darken the sun's disc to a hue of blood as if it had kindled the grass as it passed down under the rim of the earth.
"I see a great smoke", said Legolas. "What may that be?"
"Battle and war", said Gandalf. "Ride on!"

Doesn't it make you want to draw something?

Milan Topalovic

2010-09-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

Before I post any new work, I think its about time I posted up this link to my fellow illustrator Milan's lovely blog. Follow the link to see frequently updated posts of charming little creatures and characters, always beautifully drawn and expertly coloured. Lately he is working on a series of bee characters - sad and sweet and totally lovable!

Also, if you are looking for portrait work, his photo-realism is really second to none.

http://paperfables.blogspot.com/

(PS. Look carefully and you might find yours truly on there!)

New post!

2010-08-19T11:15:00.000-07:00

Finally a new post!
I have been slacking with the posting of late. Not that I haven't got anything to put up. On the contrary, I have so many sketchbook drawings I may have to publish them in a huuuge long post that will break my blog! (or opt for dribs and drabs like I am doing right now.)

(ps. If you can guess what book this last one is from, you win!)

End of the year

2010-07-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a somewhat belated update on all my exciting news -
I graduated my from Illustration course in June, armed with a 1st and an award.
And now I finally have some photos of ....

My degree-show exhibition space:

And my space at the 2010 Brian Awards, where I won 1st prize for Picturebook Illustration:

So, in all, its been a very good end to the year! :)

PS. Thanks to Hannah Larkin for the photos

Current inspirations ...

2010-06-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

Having finished my course, I am taking some time to enjoy drawing and researching things I really love.

At the moment I am being totally inspired by by the following:

The animated films of Hayao Miyazaki
The conceptual drawings of Lord of the Rings Illustrator Alan Lee

I have watched almost all of Miyazaki's films in the past month. His depictions of children and their worlds are both charming and surreal, and very addictive!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L0YgdIpXas

I've also been on a binge with my new Lord of the Rings boxset, loaded with special features - mostly involving Alan Lee and his enormous impact on the look of the film. This traditional illustrator from rural England was plucked out of nowhere by the film studio, taken to New Zealand and given the job of top conceptual illustrator for six years. This is my equivalent of rockstardom!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTwXw6FR7Gw

Exhibiton

2010-06-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

Final Exhibition is now up! Open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Gosta Green, Corporation Street, Birmingham.

http://www.biad.uce.ac.uk/2010/index.htm

New book

2010-05-22T02:03:00.000-07:00

Pages from my latest project:

Also available on blurb - http://www.blurb.com/books/1374035

Ink drawings

2010-05-12T05:24:00.000-07:00

Here are some of my black and white spot illustrations for the Bohemian folk tale I'm exhibiting in June - called 'Goldenhair'.

Sketches

2010-05-04T08:29:00.000-07:00

Sketches for a new picturebook, brewing on the back-burner until major project is over ...

My dummy books

2010-04-17T03:10:00.000-07:00

You can see my dummy books on blurb.com where I had them printed, (and buy one if you really want!):

http://www.blurb.com/books/1204545

http://www.blurb.com/books/1285418

Only one more to make for my end of year exhibition ...

New page, old story

2010-03-26T09:03:00.000-07:00

The wood lady: digital colouring

2010-02-19T02:10:00.000-08:00

The wood lady

2010-02-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

An illustration for a collection of Bohemian and Slavic folktales I am illustrating for my major project. Currently in the process of colouring ...

Long journey drawings

2010-02-01T11:36:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas !

2009-12-23T06:34:00.000-08:00

Recent News

2009-12-22T14:47:00.000-08:00

I've had two exhibitions recently - one was in August for the Cheltenham Illustration awards. My story "The Botanical Conception" was highly commended and so got to be exhibited at the show.

I've also had an exhibition of my drypoint prints in university. I have copies of my images as posters which I am currently selling at £3 each.

Spreads for my new book

2009-12-16T06:08:00.000-08:00

"dry point" etchings

2009-12-07T13:47:00.000-08:00

Pablo Auladell

2009-09-29T03:50:00.000-07:00

I thought I would share with you a wonderful artist I have recently discovered:

His combination of charcoal drawing and colour is very inspiring to me, as are his wonderful textures.

"Pablo Auladell was born in Alicante, Spain, in 1972. He is longsighted, self-taught and has got no cat at home. He recieved the Second Best Illustrated Book for Children Award in 2005 (Spanish Ministry of Culture) for Peiter, Peter and Peer and other Andersen Tales, and the Best New Talented Author Award in the 'Saló del Cómic de Barcelona' 2006 for the comic-book La Torre Blanca. He is currently working as freelance illustrator in Alicante."

http://pabloauladell.blogspot.com/

http://www.pabloauladell.com/ines-azul/

Digital colouring

2009-09-25T05:18:00.000-07:00

pen drawing

2009-09-15T04:50:00.000-07:00

character sketch

2009-08-14T05:34:00.000-07:00

Chickens

2009-08-13T06:48:00.001-07:00

Continuing with the theme of drawing animals:

Following on from my sketches, this is a concept drawing for a story about a woman trying to find imaginitave ways to kill a chicken:

charcoal drawings

2009-08-11T07:23:00.000-07:00

cat sleeping on brick barbeque

2009-07-04T04:57:00.000-07:00

Watercolours

2009-07-04T04:17:00.000-07:00

These are the new watercolour paints I got for my birthday from my cousin Chris - I was playing around with them during the heat wave. I am trying to get back to observational drawing this summer as I don't want to neglect it. Here's my feeble attempt to paint some logs:

Chris is an illustrator too. He does very beautiful watercolours of wildlife, and has gone all the way to Peru to paint from first hand observation. Mine look so sucky next to his! Watercolour is easily the most challenging media for me.

Have a look at his website if you can: http://fieldillustrator.com/

new double spread

2009-06-01T04:52:00.000-07:00

Lemurs!

2009-05-01T07:08:00.000-07:00

James Jean sketchbook

2009-04-23T04:01:00.000-07:00

James Jean:
Inspired lately by his use of coloured pencil and line drawing:
Kt. xx

picture book project

2009-04-17T13:05:00.000-07:00

Spot illustration for magasine

2009-04-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Riikka Sormunen

2009-04-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

"Riikka was born in 1987 in Helsinki, Finland. She spent her childhood drawing Disney princesses, but later on became more interested in rendering celebrity portraits (mostly Elijah Wood) in pencil.

After graduating from Helsinki Upper Secondary School of Visual Arts, she spent one horrible year studying fashion design in University of Art and Design Helsinki. Currently she's having a great time as a housewife/illustrator/painter in Oslo, but hopes she'll be able to study art in the future.

She did her first published illustration less than two years ago, and since then has illustrated mostly Finnish magazines" - IllustrationMundo

Other female illustrators:
http://www.illustrationmundo.com/audio/artist/167/
http://www.illustrationmundo.com/audio/artist/148/

finished cover

2009-04-05T06:36:00.000-07:00

greyscale

2009-04-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

book cover

2009-03-26T03:45:00.000-07:00

a proposed book cover for Tindal Street Press

Cover project

2009-03-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

An anthology cover I'm working on.
kt.

more sketches

2009-03-18T03:28:00.000-07:00

sketch for picture book project

2009-03-12T05:48:00.000-07:00

Time

2009-02-12T04:50:00.000-08:00

revised version:

working together

2009-02-02T07:20:00.001-08:00

chick invasion

2009-01-22T09:18:00.000-08:00

Graphic story prototype book

2009-01-14T07:42:00.000-08:00

The revised book format of my graphic short story - a page for each picture.

graphic novels I would like to own if I had the money

2009-01-14T07:05:00.000-08:00

graphic novels I own

2009-01-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

All highly recommended, except Pride of Baghdad which was lame (don't ask for recommendations from the guys at Forbidden Planet)

cowboys in a whiskey bottle

2008-11-27T04:15:00.000-08:00

old sketches

2008-11-25T11:35:00.000-08:00

I found an old sketchbook full of doodles from a couple years ago - here's some images I dug out:

( that's my sister at the hairdressers! ^)

IF: Repair

2008-10-29T07:08:00.000-07:00

I posted this because I haven't done an illustration friday for aaages. This is my neighbors' garden, complete with crappy brick "barbecue" and rusty bike left outside, both in need of some repair ...
Kt.

RIP

2008-10-25T05:58:00.000-07:00

This image just came into my head one day from nowhere. Random.
kt.

editorial work

2008-10-09T02:04:00.000-07:00

Back at university now - this is my first attempt at illustrating an article, it was about hair removal...
kt. x

a venture at photography

2008-09-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

mansion house in reflection of a greenhouse.

sketchbook drawing

2008-07-22T14:39:00.000-07:00

- May 2008

a narrative

2008-07-06T04:44:00.000-07:00

A scan of a small book I made - a little girl discovers a wormhole.
Read left to right :)
The last one is a lift the flap!

Kt. x

illustrators i like :)

2008-07-03T01:14:00.000-07:00

Maurice Sendak ^
Carson Ellis ^

Wacom tablet

2008-07-01T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hiya again,

I thought I'd post some work done on the photoshop/illustrator suite. I've started using it a lot on my course. I do prefer working without computer aid at the moment but here is a picture I made really quickly using a Wacom tablet - all I did was draw over a photograph and it took me no time at all.

Kt.

Wrinkles

2008-04-29T06:23:00.001-07:00

Wrinkles

2008-04-29T04:54:00.000-07:00

Was drawing this doodle and realised it could be a post for Illustration Friday.
Might add some colour ... I finally have Photoshop! And a scanner!!

kt x

Where to start?

2008-04-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hmm, where to start?

Well, I guess its appropriate to begin with the cover of my latest ongoing sketchbook - bought last summer in Paddington station. Complete with jam stain.
It's been a long time since I've been able to log on to the site and, to be honest, I kind of forgot about it... A lot has happened since then - I got onto my illustration course for starters, I'm in the middle of my first year now.

The projects are accumulting and I'm steadily building up more in my own sketchbooks. I've even tried my hand at animation.

Am going to be posting up some pages from this book every now and then, its something I always keep close for whenever I feel like drawing.

Kt. x

back after a long absence

2008-04-27T06:19:00.000-07:00

WOW I finally remembered my password!

Posting lots of new stuff soon.

k x

drawings

2007-05-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

A part of an unfinished drawing for my jewellery project ... I like the face, but not sure if I should colour the background/clothes.

course project

2007-05-10T07:53:00.000-07:00

my jewellery project in various stages, at st martin's art college in london. nearly finished!

neighbour - IF

2007-05-05T07:33:00.000-07:00

You always have a neighbour, even when you think you're alone.

:)

"Remember"

2007-04-28T04:23:00.000-07:00

Illustration Friday theme, "remember". I'm not very good and remembering stuff, when I try I can feel it all falling out the back of my head!

I've got something else I'm working on that could go with the theme "remember", I'll post it another time.

:)

polar post

2007-04-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

here's a little picture for IF. Never posted one of mine so it probably won't work! more alpine than polar ...

first post

2007-04-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

first post here.

just testing it out!

how do you make a thumbnail? ....