Chinese Lantern & Buddleja revisited

Needed a break this afternoon from work so went back to these. Not sure why I found them so difficult to do in the first place. Maybe it is the whole 'drawing from something in real life instead of a photo'.

Had some old school tunes cranked, thanks to the awesomeness of Spotify and my impeccable taste in music, and it was a great afternoon distraction.

I am not as happy as I am with the Peonies I did earlier on this month, they just seem to have more depth, whereas these seem flat - but that's ok - wil try harder next time :)

Next time I will also stop being such a lazy woman and get out the watercolours at the same time as my sketching takes place.

Floral Friday 1 { Chinese Lantern and Buddleja }

Had a nice bunch of flowers given to me from the awesome gardens of Caroline Hills for the start of my Floral Friday project - some Chinese Lanterns and Buddleja in a variety of colours. 

Spent a bit of time Friday afternoon drawing them but I haven't done the lanterns quite right and it is annoying me. Most of the time on the plant the bud has a lot of leaves over it, kind of protecting it. Am going to revisit it this Friday and focus on more 'open' flowers to get the style of the plant. Started sketching a couple below, and also started on the Buddleja butterfly plant.

These were drawn from the actual plant, but now I have photos I took to reference. I wonder if seeing it in 2D will help me draw it better. Probably! Having a flat reference with the correct shadows and proportions would make a fair bit of a difference for me. 

Back on Friday! To try again!

Not quite right. I want to put a little more a description in the images too. Neatly!

Some more sketches of the Chinese Lantern and the start of the Buddleja drawing.

* * *

Floral Friday is a little project with myself for 2013 to explore different objects to illustrate. I like the look of flowers,  learning about flowers, and now that I am a wife, I should also up my gardening skills.  It's a win/win. Plus I have plans. Heaps of plans. To print pretty fabrics from these drawings and make cushions. Everyone loves cushions right?!

Peonies

A quick little sketch and digital colour while I am quoting on some projects. Would like to spend some time this year studying flowers, and taking time to draw them nicely. This can be my reminder.

Love peonies. Especially just before they open when they are a big fluffy bud. 

{IF} New

Happy New Year! It's been a while. Sorry blog.... got married and stuff...

My first Illustration Friday for 2013!

Whenever I see blossoms I think of something new growing / new beginnings so it made the most obvious subject for this weeks Illy Friday plus I had to break myself into this drawing thing again slowly too :)

Pen sketch, watercolour/paint scans and digitally coloured

Sole Sisters & Friends [ Mix Tape ] Exhibition

Our Sole Sisters and Friends exhibition opened on Friday August 31st to a HUGE crowd! Thanks to everybody that came along, and who have since popped in over the last week to check it out. It is on this week from Wednesday to Saturday 11am - 2pm at the Old Mount Gambier Gaol, so make sure you come and check it out if you have not yet.

Have included my pieces below... very pastel this time around...

Dream Catch Me

Newton Faulkner

Version 1

$400 (framed)

Pencil and watercolour combined with digital techniques.

Archival Pigment Ink on Cotton Rag Paper.

"There's a place I go when I'm alone

Do anything I want, be anyone I wanna be"

...

"Dream, catch me when I fall

Or else I won't come back at all"

If I stumble upon this song while station surfing on a road trip, I must listen, and belt out the tune. Even if the above lines are all of the song I know. The rest can be happy humming. 

Peaches

Presidents of the United States of America

$400 (framed)

Pencil, ink and watercolour combined with digital techniques.

Archival Pigment Ink on Cotton Rag Paper.

"Millions of peaches, peaches for me 

Millions of peaches, peaches for free"

...

"Peaches come from a can, 

They were put there by a man 

In a factory downtown"

Bet you are singing this song in your head now, aren't you. That's ok! I love these guys. Only rediscovered their CD in our collection when I started this illustration. Great memories of Year 7. Love the irony of millions of peaches for free, then the belief that peaches come from a can. 

Dream Catch Me

Newton Faulkner

Version 2

$400 (framed)

Pencil, ink and watercolour combined with digital techniques.

Archival Pigment Ink on Cotton Rag Paper.

"Dream, catch me when I fall

Or else I won't come back at all"

I really like the above line in this song. I guess we are all afraid of not reaching our dreams, or getting lost along the way. Deep, I know.

A peek of how they look all framed up nicely, thanks to Talie for the photo. I keep forgetting to take pics! Will do that this week before it all comes down!

I am pretty attached to my art this time. Was weird when I sent it to print as I felt like it wasn't quite me, I usually go for bold looks etc, but the way they are framed and presented has really settled me. Had a lot of nice comments too, that is always good.

And here are all of us (minus Simone and Lana)! Impossible to get 9 people together!

me, Anna, Ben, Kristyn, Julia, Mel and Talie

Busy couple of months

I am still here! Been working on a few things like our upcoming art exhibition, wedding stationery and little projects for both wedding and home. 

Once I get a few things out of the way I am going to whip out the sewing machine (that is untouched) and make some cushions as I ordered some fabrics from Spoonflower. Can't wait! Hope I can sew in a straight line, it's been a long time since year 8 home ec!

Some snaps....

A few artwork progressions, some winners, some losers... 3 weeks til I have to get work to the printers and I still have a million ideas running around in my head

Wine barrel head project. With plans to become a cheeseboard afterwards. Thanks to Tobes for his awesome work making the handle!

Ok, back to it.

Ciao! 

b

Doodling & {IF} Hurry

I seem to always be in a hurry when I am mocking up a concept for myself to remember for when I go back to work on it with more time, but then I end up liking the rough version. Which is what I have been doing tonite while I wait for my cake to cook! These both appeal to me for different reasons. Would make cool tote bags or something.

Pen sketch, coffee stain and digital colour

{IF} Faded + Exhibition Sneak Peek

I am really loving faded colours lately. I used to be such a black and white with hot pink girl, but lately it seems all of my work is featuring much more muted tones (still pinks of course).

This is a little sneak peek into some artwork I am creating for our upcoming Sole Sisters Collective exhibition in August. I thought that it tied in with the Illy Friday theme a bit as the feathers seem to be falling away from something, plus the colour scheme helps a bit!

Still a long way to go for an exhibition piece too!!!!

Pencil and ink feathers, coffee stain, digitally coloured

{IF} Sight

A quick sketch of my whippet (sighthound) Myfanwy - yeah, she's Welsh. Love whippets ever since my cousin introduced me to them - best dog ever! Sexiest figure ever.

Pencil sketch on my work notepaper, digitally coloured

{IF} Hitched

Today is exac-er-te-ly 6 months until I get hitched. 10.11.12 

Better get ticking off those funny little wedding lists!

Quick image using pre-drawn blossoms (because I love them) and handwriting -
busy week and I don't want to stop Illy Friday while on a roll :)