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.

Studio Fun

I haven't had time to scan all my sequential project images in yet so I thought I would just snap them at my studio where I had them all taped on the wall for reference. You should be able to click for hugeness. Six pics down, seven to go! I also made progress with Ophelia, in fact I am really looking forward to carrying on with it. I just love working at my studio...if only I could make money and support my family by doing it. Still, one day...

I Know, I know...

...it's annoying looking at cat photos, especially when you're expecting illustrations or puppets.

But look, it's Oscar, my mum's newly adopted cat! So deal with it.

Thank Goodness

Been working today and wishing I could be in my studio getting on with my uni work. During frustrating moments like these I often find it helpful to remind myself that no matter how bad things are, at least I no longer have to try and get my fringe to look like this:-
Thank goodness. (The seventies and eighties were hard for me, with my style-rejecting hair. By the time the nineties arrived I didn't care any more!)

You need arms

Well I had a productive day at my studio while Charlie was at school - as you can see Ophelia has gained a pair of arms at last. Normally I make art dolls just for display, so it's been interesting to make a puppet which needs to move and not fall to bits. I jointed the elbows using beads and the shoulders using wire and buttons. I draped my entire fabric collection over her but couldn't decide what to make her dress out of...will think it over tonight.

I also did another panel from my mini book - I'll post them in due course. I'm really happy working in my studio with all my heaters pointing at me and radio four on. It's like a little satellite from my home.

The only minor down point of the day was going to the dentist who directed a minuscule jet of cold water into a tooth she'd just carved a big hole in. I jumped about a foot into the air and then in a typical British way, apologised to her. Of course I did - it was clearly my fault...

Extreme Knitting

Have a look at this. Blimey. Click on "Fetisch" if you dare! You don't get patterns like that from C & H Fabrics.

Great day at the studio making the first image from my speed-dating mini book. I'll show you when I've got more than one, to give you an idea of the sequence.

A Treat!

No, not my train sketches (although I was pleased to get the chance to draw such an impressive chin).

The treat was spending a couple of hours in the company of the lovely, lovely illustrator and master engraver John Lawrence, who showed us his beautiful work and even did some demonstrations. All of us were so inspired and I wouldn't be at all surprised if one or two sequential projects are done with this technique! I'm going to have a go myself as soon as I can get hold of some vinyl. And I'll need a spitsticker of course. Who doesn't? (I think one of the reasons I like printmaking so much is the old fashioned names things have).

When I got home I found that my hot water wasn't working. Did I freak out? Did I cry? Well I admit, yes, a bit. But then I looked in my DIY book and worked out, calmly, that it was a pressure problem, which I solved with the turn of two taps. See, I'm a capable adult. Tomorrow I am going to replace the toilet seat, which I hurled out of the back door this evening because I slid onto the floor while sitting on it. I'm a calm, capable adult. Really.

Just the beginning...

...of the end of the nice view from Charlie's bedroom window, as the incinerator goes up. And according to Friends of the Earth it'll be the beginning of the end of good health for a lot of people within a 15-mile radius of it once it starts burning. But the Conservative council, who approved it, say it's really safe. Friends of the Earth...Conservative Councillors...who to believe..? I wonder.

Speed Dating

Here's something I have been working on today - it's part of a mini-book about a speed dating evening I'm doing for my sequence project. I don't know if it'll end up done this way, and also most of the washes don't show up on the scan. But at least you can see I've done something! Jeez!

(I've also made patterns for, and cut out, Ophelia's arms ready to stuff in front of the telly tonight. But that's too boring for you to see.)

Tomorrow I am working. But if I remember I will show you a picture of the massive incinerator which is being built behind my house. I bet you can hardly wait!

Lecture - and this Season''s "Must-Have"

Well not much to show this week - the train was absolutely packed on the way to uni so not even any chance of a train sketch. It was too late on the way home as we had a late lecture at Proper Cambridge and I was so tired!

The lecture was really interesting actually - comparing different adaptations of Hamlet - specially interesting for me of course because of my project. I did my usual thing of starting off taking notes and ending up doodling, and sketching the lecturer...



It does seem as if Spring has started to make an appearance. Yet, it's not quite warm enough for Spring clothes. What is a girl to do in weather like this?

Wear her crocheted shorts of course! (In an oh-so-flattering length). And if you are as trendy as this gal, team them with a crocheted bra, top, yellow tights and a contrasting patent loafer/arm bangle combo. At uni this week we discussed the tantalising possibility of there being a knitting pattern for swimwear. Surely it's out there somewhere?!

Bald Ophelia

Today, Ophelia, the puppet I am making for my Sequential Image project, gained a body, including boobs, and a rod to make her move.

Tonight, I hope, she will have her scene scripted and kinda storyboarded. That way she's a bona fide part of a Sequence and not just any old bald naked woman.

And while we're at my studio - here is my very own printing press!

Converted from an old mangle, it still has a few teething problems but I am really hoping this is the baby that's going to save me a fortune in open access fees. This week I am going to try and squeeze from my ridiculous budget a proper etching blanket. I tried a normal old blanket but the weave showed on the print.

I'll think of something to sacrifice so I can buy the blanket. I've always thought protein in kids' diet was over-rated anyway.

What I've Been Doing 'n' That

It's been a frustrating few days. To explain how would be a very long, complicated and boring post. So here are the highs and lows instead.

A high - I spent some time at my tidy and organised studio and started a new section of my Sequential Image project. It's going to be a puppet show scene from Hamlet. What will Ophelia's head look like before the hair is put on? Funny you should ask!

A low - my cold/sinus infection either came back or I got a new one. Put a bit of a dampener on my trip to Cambridge. Train sketch...


A low...I realised that academics can needlessly turn something simple and obvious into something very complicated. Also they can turn something very beautiful and interesting into something dry and lifeless. A high...I thanked my lucky stars I am studying from a creative and not so academic angle.

Two lows - life is treating a couple of my friends harshly. I didn't enjoy something I usually love. A high - I stayed with my lovely friends and was given this gem...

Isn't it great! Now if I was in a cool Indie band (a career possibility for me of course, if my illustration career should flop) I would so have this as an album cover. The kid in the white hat at the bottom looks like someone has a gun pointed at him and has threatened to shoot if he doesn't smile! The patterns are available in age 6-8 and 8-10. Pam, Dave and I mused about what would happen if you put one on a 10-year old and sent them out in my local town centre...

More knitting pattern hilarity and art antics soon.

If Only...

...I could be as glamorous as these foxy chicks, spotted on a crochet pattern at work today...

However I have carried out a risk assessment and decided against crocheting these outfits, because of the dangerous length of the scarf. She's actually treading on it. I broke my toe in a similar way (although it was actually a "flouncing-while-wearing-a-bath-towel" incident. These can happen very easily, as I am sure you know).

No artwork to show at the moment due to working in the shop...but hope to have something to show tomorrow.

Sketches and Arctic Antics

First things first, here are the obligatory train sketches from my trip to Cambridge this week. Both done on the homeward journey - no opportunity to draw on the way there.

I had a great time as usual and finally got my hands on that lovely printroom. I knew there was something very different from Brighton Independent Printmakers (other than the hugeness and hospital-neatness) and as we had our induction I realised what it was...no smell! They use hardly any toxic chemicals and no naked flames (so no smoking of the hard ground or blowtorching aquatints...two of my favourite bits!). It's so strange to be in an odourless printroom! Good-strange, I suppose, although I'm actually fond of the smell of BIP (despite the raw lungs...). They use aluminium with copper sulphate, and zinc and steel with Edinburgh Etch. The processes are very similar to those I have done before so I am really looking forward to taking advantage of the open access facility.

I came home to a letter from hell giving me news I really didn't want. (Boring money stuff as usual). The panic it has induced has given me a burst of energy (not to mention a blinding headache and going off food and sleep) and today I totally cleaned, sorted and rearranged my studio. I have got a mangle which I've had adapted to make a small press, and I wanted to make room for it and varnish the wood bits. I worked really hard all day in the arctic temperature* of the studio and feel frustrated that I won't be able to work in there for ages as I'm doing extra days in the shop next week.

Tonight, sketching for my project. I will work through the pain of the headache and the panic of the letter!

* (I wore - knickers, bra, tights, legwarmers, bedsocks, trainers, jeans, vest, pyjama top, hoody, scarf, painting overall, bodywarmer, hat and gloves).