Thursday, October 31, 2024
It's been a while...
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Making a new zine - the process so far...
My first thumbnail layout for the new zine |
I am in the process of making a new zine based on my travels in 2023. As I drew in a variety of different sized sketchbooks there are quite a few edits and adjustments to make. I am using Photoshop and InDesign to put the zine together as I used for a previous zine. You can read about previous attempts here and here.
The settings I used to scan the images |
I started by making a layout, with thumbnail of each of the spreads. This gave me an idea for the flow of the zine. Then I scanned the sketchbook pages and cleaned them up in Photoshop.
The template for the zine spread |
I made a master template for the double page spread size,
including an area of bleed for the printing
process.
Once I was happy with the layout, I placed the spread into
InDesign. Here are some examples of how they look. I need to add handwritten text
too but I felt that the images should be the focus first. The writing will be based
on notes I made at the time of the trips and also something about the colours I
used on location.
The places featured are Toulouse, Barcelona, Locarno, Leicester and Santiago de Compostela.
The plan is to have it ready by the end of February so it is available in early Spring in my Etsy shop.
Monday, January 22, 2024
Videos on YouTube
I have started adding more videos to my YouTube Channel. Here are titles of the latest ones, I hope to make a lot more. Please let me know if there is anything particular that you would like me to make a video about.
Click here to link to the Channel.
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
A snapshot of 2023
January
Worked on: Map and watercolour illustration for
client
Sketched: At the V&A and the Wallace Collection
Inspired by: Curtis Holder exhibition at the
National Theatre
February
Worked on: Admin and promoting illustration work
Sketched: In Tonbridge, Kew Gardens, Chelsea
Harbour and Kings Stairs Gardens
Started mentoring sessions from Adé Bolaji at
the studio
March
Worked on: Maps and watercolour illustrations
for client
Sketched: In Cambridge
Took part in a photo shoot at Jackson’s Art for upcoming article
April
Worked on: B&W line illustrations for
client, started UK Export Webinar Series
Sketched: At the Barbican, Shoreditch and Broadgate
Inspired by: Workshop with Rob Ryan at House of
Hackney
May
Worked on: UK Export Webinar Series
Sketched: In Toulouse
Took part in a Zoom call to sketchers in China with Jenny from Chicago
Applied for the RA Renee Gailhoustet Residency
June
Worked on: Watercolour illustrations for client,
B&W line illustrations for client
Sketched: In Barcelona and London
Inspired by: Workshops with Maru Godas and Marina Grenchanik
July
Worked on: B&W illustrations for client,
roughs for watercolour map illustrations for client
Sketched: In Crystal Palace Park, Intragna and Locarno
Inspired by: Artists workshops in
Switzerland
August
Worked on: Map watercolour illustrations for
client, house portrait for client, watercolour travel illustrations for client,
B&W line plus digital colour illustrations for client
Sketched: In Brussels and Leicester
Inspired by: Jean Julien exhibition at MIMA Brussels
Started to send regular ‘Pencilbooth’ notes to email list
September
Worked on: Maps and watercolour illustrations
for client, changes to where I share and sell online
Sketched: In Stratford-upon-Avon
Gave workshops to students at the London
Metropolitan University
October
Worked on: Maps and watercolour illustrations
for client, travel illustrations for client, started making videos at the
studio
Sketched: At Farringdon and the Barbican
Gave workshops to students at the London
Metropolitan University
November
Worked on: Watercolour illustration for client
Sketched: In Santiago de Compostela
Talked to Lana Lé on her Instagram series‘Artist Chats’
Went to ‘What is drawing research?’ symposium at
Birmingham Art College
Put an entry in for the V&A Illustration Awards
December
Worked on: Maps and watercolour illustrations
for client, B&W rough for client
Inspired by: Victoria Semykina and
signed up to her Patreon
Business Away Day reviewing the year and
planning for 2024
Received copies of 'Draw' and 'The Beginner's Guide to Urban Sketching' both of which contain some of my sketches