Busy-ness

Well another action-packed visit to Cambridge, including much cutting and sticking, which I am not very good at at all. But my little dummy book is now as ready as it's ever going to be for its cover which has been letterpressed (above!) and I will attempt to put on the book tomorrow!

No train drawings to show today because the person I started drawing on the way there got off almost immediately, and on the way back I just didn't feel like it!

In other news, I walked to John Lewis in my lunch break, somewhere I have never been. They didn't have what I wanted (tape for bookbinding), and somehow, I left the shop from a different door to the one I entered, and ended up in a weird arcade/shoppping mall where I most certainly didn't belong. Disorientated and late, I floundered around amid lots of posh people for a while and did seriously consider crying. But instead I adopted my "calm, capable woman" persona and searched for natural light. From there I guessed which way back to uni and was right! Never again will I venture to John Lewis.

Cheer yourself up

...and look at this! In previous years you have been able to look at pictures from the Peregrine Falcons' nest on the Brighton tower block. Well this year there's a live webcam and it's fab! Will all the eggs hatch? It's so exciting!

Arty Fun

A happily busy time in Cambridge this week, watching Photoshop demos, scanning in my Speed-dating images and starting to print them, and even going down to lovely Letterpress to make my front cover. (At least, I set the letters ready for printing next time).
Here are the usual train sketches - above on the way there and below on the way home. The man above's companion took photos on her phone the whole time, making really loud "shutter" noises. Every time he dropped off to sleep she did it again and woke him up. He never said anything though!

I was just thinking as I was drawing this man's hair how awkward it was to draw, when I happened to look at the piece of paper he was reading. It said "Firstly please accept my apologies for my atrocious hair." (At least that's what I thought it said until he moved his thumb revealing the word "handwriting." But I like my version better.)

Another common exchange in my life:-

SOMEONE: So, what are you doing at university?

ME: An MA in Children's Book Illustration.

SOMEONE: Oh! So you're arty then, are you?

Sigh.

Later...

...I think these two are going to be creating a LOT of static.

No new work to show - I made a tentative visit to the studio (no illness today thank goodness - the very nice man next door has agreed to leave the heater off for a while to see if it makes a difference) - and played around with a shadow puppet tree for Ophelia to drown beneath. Just a mini version, until I make the real thing.

An unrelated point...the following is a very common exchange in my life:

SOMEONE: So, what are you doing at university?

ME: An MA in Children's Book Illustration.

SOMEONE: Oh. So, what do you want to do at the end of that, then?

Er...I think the course title gives quite a big hint, don't you? It makes me feel silly answering. I think I'll start varying my answers, perhaps saying, "Well I thought I'd start off as a quantity surveyor and if that doesn't work out, I'll have a go at cage fighting."

Without Delay

...go and have a look at m'good friend Matt Robertson's new work. He's busy creating a stash of marvels for the forthcoming Brighton Festival, where he's taking part in this Open Studio. You'd be a darn fool to miss it.

Woop! Woop!

Today I finished the bulk of my speed dating project. Will just be tweaking, and the cover from now on. Unless my tutors tell me to re-do it all that is! (In which case I won't have time to post here for a very long time!) Anyway here's a little peak.

Life's been pretty normal and boring really. Here are the dramatic highspots:-

• My cat had a huge fight and Charlie had to throw water over them.

• I have been avoiding someone, because they have been reminding me to do something which costs me money. Charlie's suggestion was to clothesline the person concerned and then squat over her. That's a wrestling move. I couldn't do that, so today I couldn't avoid doing the thing anymore and am now, unbelievably, even poorer.

• I realised that my studio neighbour's gas heater is making me feel ill.
• I realised I don't know how to get rid of bullet points, or the huge spaces in between some of them.
• Goodbye.

Hair Today

I went to the studio bright and early today - before 8am - and didn't leave til 7 tonight apart from a brief foray to the bank. Consequently, I am now a hunchback. But at least I finished Ophelia! I also did another image from my speed dating book. Seven down, six to go! Two days at work now and then it's Easter so no more studio lark til Wednesay.

I really really hate Easter. There, I said it. But that's not to say I don't wish you all a very happy one.