New Esty store

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

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 ...

Raindrop

Erin Stead

http://blog.erinstead.com/

Illustration: working process

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

Final image:

Illustrations

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

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!

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

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 ...

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

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

Pages from my latest project:


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

Ink drawings

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

Sketches

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

My dummy books

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

The wood lady: digital colouring

The wood lady

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