The Illustration Conference, NYC

We've just done ICON5 in new York. Taking place every two years, and sponsored by the likes of Adobe, Graphic Artists' Guild, Luerzer's Archive, Directory of Illustration and The Alternative Pick, The Illustration Conference is something that only happens in the US and only every two or three years.

Here's the official blurb about it, from Whitney, the lovely President who beamed her way through the conference:
"As illustrators, we don’t go to an office everyday, so ICON5 is a great opportunity to be around people who do what we do, to talk about trends and issues and to get re-inspired. ICON continues to gather the industry's best and brightest talent to present and talk about their work, their business, their lives, and their passion for illustration.'"

Well, I'm happy to say that as good as that sounds, it was actually much more interesting than that! See photos and a fulsome report on the Association of Illustrators' news page.

Ink and lace

I've just been sent the final versions of this ad campaign for the company 'Secrets From Your Sister', in Toronto, done for Jeff at Juniper Park there. I got the job via B+A. Hours of drawing went into these, with many miniscule alterations till they were finalised. There are three ads in the series, and they're sending me a tasty package of the garms themselves as my reward!
Go here to read about the company itself: Secrets From Your Sister

The Stepmother

Just created this illustration for the cover of 'The Stepmother' by Carrie Adams. I love the colours - unusually for me, no black! The 'new woman' arrives and upsets the long-departed Ex, who has subsumed her unhappiness for the sake of the their very happy three daughters. Bound to have a happy ending, though I'm looking forward to next week's book cover for Simon & Schuster, 'The Poison Garden'. Oh yes...right up my dark and treacherous street.

Association of Illustrators 'Guide to Survival'

I've just received my copy of the AOI's 'Guide to Survival' book, for which I created this illustration for the section on Fees.
I did it all with felt tip pens and pencils on A4 lined paper, and it's a picture of my brain when piecing together a quote!

Fair Trade Gorgeousness.

Here is the chocolate we made for both the Bernstein & Andriulli Book Launch goodie bags, and to give away at the iCON5 conference.

Read it and weep:
- 72% cocoa
- Fair Trade
- 100% Organic

By jove, you'll be wanting some of that then!

Made by Treasure Chocolates in Corby, UK by Franz Hippell, to Inkymole spec.

Packaging by Mole and printed by RCS, Retford, UK.

525 bars foiled, wrapped and sealed by Leigh, Joanne, Chicken, Anne Coleman and John Coleman.

We have a few left, if this is your kind of dark, bitter, face-smearing dirtiness.

'Beauty is God's Handwriting'

A quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, American poet, made into a tattoo for the Bernstein & Andriulli book launch, New York, July 2008. Worn by Mole, Leigh, Tracy, and Katie, in attendance.

Of course, they rub off after four days.

If you'd like one email me!

LA Woman

These were the bags I made for the Feb trip to LA.

Printed in full colour on white satin and sewn together by Anne Coleman.
Adorned with a removable nibflower badge, 58mm, each with one genuine 10mm Swarowski crystal attached.

They were given out with one of my notebooks inside (link) some stickers and badges (link) inside. Might make more - I am a bag collector anyway, but the next ones need to be more functional - and BIGGER!

New York, London, LA, Providence, Barcelona, Hinckley...

I have had such a frantic eighteen months that nothing's appeared here for ages. I'm so excited about updating everything! Shows, jobs, awards, prizes, new agents...my pen is wobbling at the thought.

New template, new images, new stories: watch this space. Or, watch these ones in the meantime:
www.inkymole.com
Inkymole on Directory of Illustration
Inkymole's MySpace
and
Inkymole on Bernstein and Andriulli's site