Get Home In Time For Tea

Finally, number four of the four illustrations I created for the Words to Live By exhibition ‘Get Home In Time For Tea’. The sentiment here being that after your day of adventuring, it’s important to wend your way back to your cosy Hobbit hole or campfire to enjoy a hot brew…and that it will taste all the more delicious after the fresh air and fun you’ve enjoyed on your escapades to the mountains, sea and forest.

It’s a concept I’d like to play around a bit more with in future illustrations. I really love the connection between nature and the outdoors and how it feels when you settle down to a cup of tea after being outside. Or indeed having a tea whilst out in nature. The comfort from the warmth of the cup and how it restores and revives you. Biscuits or cake to be included in this ritual whenever possible of course.

In the next post I’ll share the final, framed piece and a few snaps from the show itself before we move on to talk about some other things. In the meantime, get that kettle on! 🙂

Frolic In The Forest…

I haven’t had too much forest time lately but will aim to put that right in February. There’s something very vital about getting out under the trees, jumping over logs and generally frolicking about like an excitable fool in the woods. This is the third of four illustrations I created for the Drawn Chorus ‘Words to Live By’ show (do check out my previous posts if you missed the first and second!).

I hadn’t left myself much time to create my submissions for the show and was worried that I wouldn’t be able to make something I was happy with before the deadline. I have a tendency to move very slowly and be a bit of a perfectionist when creating personal work if left to my own devices.

So this show actually proved to be a really good challenge for me as I had to just let go and keep moving in order to get the work done. And as it goes, I was pretty happy with what I produced. Sometimes ‘done’ is much better than ‘perfect’ and can get you further and more quickly than obsessing over details and re-hashing things that already work. Something for me to remember for the next show and coming projects anyway!

Swim In The Sea…

Here’s the second of four illustrations that I created for our Drawn Chorus exhibition ‘Words to Live By’. Swimming in the sea is something that I will definitely be doing a lot of this Spring and Summer now that I’m living back by the coast. Though I will be waiting until the average water temperature gets just that bit warmer… I’m a fair weather swimmer, that’s just how it is! I’ve a huge amount of respect for the brave souls I see venturing in at this time of year though. It’s such a lovely thing to see so many happy people bobbing up and down in the water, even in icy January.

I used watercolours, conte crayons and 8B pencil for this piece. I imagined that the bather is the same figure from the previous ‘Visit the Mountains’ illustration, hence the same red hat and boots that are stashed on the nearby rocks while they relax in the water.

Visit The Mountains…

Happy New Year friends! I hope that you had nice Winter breaks and kept cosy and snug. I enjoyed my annual, festive hibernation and am feeling rejuvenated for 2022. Though I’ve not made any firm resolutions, there are a few things I’m hoping to do and that I’d like to achieve this year. ‘Visit the Mountains’ being very much on the to do list (I haven’t decided which mountains yet, but I’ll keep you posted!). The above illustration is one of four that I created for our Drawn Chorus show ‘Words to Live By’ back in November. I’ll share the other three over the coming weeks and a bit more from the show itself, so stay tuned for that.

Other than mountains, I’d like to…visit the countryside more, hopefully manage a little trip abroad, continue to work on my drawing skills (and explore my style), see my friends and family and…try really hard to get my new website sorted! But, also remember to be gentle with myself and that if I manage some, none or all of the things that I’m hoping for, then that’s okay (feel free to remind me of this in a few months time!). Is there anything that you would like to do this year, big or small or that you’re looking forward to? Let me know in the comments 🙂

Dreaming of a White Christmas

As much as I would love a sparkling, snowy, white Christmas…we’re unlikely to get one here in the South of England, so I thought I’d share this icy illustration from an Antarctic project a couple of years back instead! Just one last post for 2021 to wish you as lovely a festive break as possible! I hope you get some cosy and restorative time in, whatever your plans. I’ll be back in the New Year with some new projects and will look forward to catching up with you then. In the meantime, I raise my glass of port to you! All the best, Alice 🙂 x

Forest Guardian

I’ve been drawing figurines from ancient civilisations for an experimental personal project this afternoon. Which do you think would make a good ‘Forest Guardian’ from the line up below? I personally quite like the little blue fellow, but let me know what you think in the comments…and Happy Friday! 🙂

The Most Interesting Part of my Creative Process

I find that the most interesting (and arguably most enjoyable) part of my creative process, happens quite near to the start of the project. I love this beginning phase, where everything is still up for grabs and experimentation is key. I begin by jotting down key words, ideas and phrases that come to mind, nothing is too outlandish or out of scope at this point.

Next, I start to research. I look for reference imagery that gets me excited, photos, books, magazines (probably a bit too much Pinterest!) and pull these elements together. Looking for patterns or quirks that I could work into a final piece.

Then I begin to sketch from these. Light pencil drawings and thumbnail compositions but also plenty of ‘tests’ illustrations. In these tests, I try to capture the essence of the idea I’m pushing. Work out what the atmosphere or feeling is that I’m trying to get across. I work quickly and try out various media to see what feels right for a particular project.

Of course I enjoy settling into creating the final artwork too and other parts of the creative process – but there’s something about this fizzy, excited, experimental phase at the start that is so inspiring and addictive!

I’m currently working through some of Andy J Pizza’s ‘Peptober’ social media prompts. To learn more about these, check out Andy’s podcast and have a look back through my recent posts. This post is my response to prompt 5; share what you think is the most interesting part of your process.

Sister Pieces

Continuing on with Andy J Pizza’s ‘Peptober’ prompts (I know I’m technically into Pepvember now but let’s not worry about that!)…#4 is to share two pieces of work that you feel are closely related to each other. I had a mull through my sketchbooks and landed on these two pieces. Here’s why I feel that they are related…

Both illustrations are practice pieces drawn from interesting imagery I’ve found and collected when traipsing the internet. If I find myself with a spare couple of hours in my freelance downtime and with no larger goal/ongoing project to complete, I’ll sometimes settle down in front of Pinterest, get some drawing materials out and have a play.

The first image is of a small figure beneath a garden of towering cacti (love me some giant cacti). The photo that I used as reference had a vintage tint to it that gave the colours a lovely softness and gave the image that feeling of instant nostalgia. The second drawing is of a cosy cabin in a forest clearing, smoke billowing from the chimney.

Though the imagery is quite different, I feel both pictures have a nice looseness to them that sometimes I struggle to capture when working on more structured projects. Something to do with not having the pressure of a deadline or an audience when working in this way I think! Both use a combination of watercolour and conte crayons that came together in a similar way for both pieces. I felt I was able to lay down large, rough areas of colour, but still achieve interesting textures and areas of sharper detail. On a more obvious level, they are both quite narrow, drawn on A3 paper and in portrait orientation.

I like these two pieces, because I felt that I learned something about my style through creating them. Not a big revelation that I can put into words, but more like another little puzzle piece in my long term illustration journey.

What’s Inspired you Lately?

Let me know so I can steal your inspiration! Have you enjoyed a particularly good book? Perhaps you got sucked into a new game? Maybe you went to a really good art exhibition… I’d love to know! I’ve been finding my way back to inspiration this Autumn after a fun but hectic Summer, so would be glad to hear what, if anything has been lighting up your creative fires. By way of trade, here’s three things that I’ve been getting a kick out of lately:

1. Book: The Word for Woman is Wilderness by Abi Andrews, a fictional recounting of 19 year old Erin’s journey to Denali National Park, Alaska. Her inner monologues laced with feminism, self awareness, science and history are a joy to read.

2. Documentary: The Lord of The Rings ‘Making Of’, this very lo fi, behind the scenes, making of film is very entertaining. I for one can never get enough of LOTR, so a bonus dose of props, actors and New Zealand was most welcome!

3. Game: The Outer Wilds by Annapurna Interactive & Mobius Digital, is terrifying and awe inspiring in equal measure. Outer Space exploration combined with made up mythology, thrilling stuff!

So there you go, I’ve told you mine, now tell me yours…

‘Words To Live By’ Exhibition

I’m very excited to to announce that I’ll be taking in part in the new Drawn Chorus Collective show ‘Words To Live By’! The show will feature the gorgeous work of a host of talented collective members plus our awesome guest artists. From illuminated wordplay to typographical personal mantras and gilded sign writing, the show will celebrate the combining of text and image across a wide range of mediums.

If you’re in London town between the 15th and 21st of November, do come along to the Espacio Gallery on Bethnal Green Road and say hello. There’s going to be a popup shop too, if you’re looking for a few Xmas treats. I’ll have some Owlstation Store goodies there at special show prices (come bag yourself a bargain!).

Aside from my excitement of actually being part of a real, physical, IRL show again…I’m just so looking forward to seeing some art for the first time in forever! The Private View will take place on Thursday 18th 6pm – 9pm, I’ll hope to see you there.

Beautiful ‘Change’ poster artwork by Dionne Kitching and designed by Mike O’Brien.