Stuff on the walls, in frames.

The original illustration I did for The Natural History Museum is on show, in a fancy black frame, at The Association of illustrators' Images Show - somewhat grandly subtitled the 'Best of British Illustration'.

Organised by the Association of Illustrators, I first entered the 'Images' competition in late 1992 as a second year degree student and got into the book and show, which I didn't expect to do at that time. The piece is below; an A1 pastel pencil drawing showing my flatmate's knees! Work offers rolled in as a consequence, but with so much work to do on what was a very packed, old-fashioned degree (27 briefs in the first 9 months, 19 briefs in the second year, and 22 separate pieces of work for my final project plus third year briefs, competitions and collaborations) there wasn't time to take them up, which was a shame.

I've entered it almost every year since, and sometimes I'm chosen, sometimes I'm not. I like the fact that I can't just assume I'll get in - depends who's judging of course! (I've been a judge too, which was immense fun but bloody hard work) - and whether the work is any good...

Billed as 'the premier and longest running jury-selected illustration annual and touring exhibition in the UK', the exhibition is a showcase for some of the busiest commissioned illustrators in the UK today. This one features new work by illustrators whose work you'll have seen out and about as well as graduates and excited newbies.

You can win prizes too, in the categories of Advertising, Books, Children's Books, Design, Editorial, New Media, Self Promotion and New Talent. I have never won a prize, but then I'm not the gong-winning type!

Images 35 tour dates and venues:

26 August - 2 September 2011
Bankside Gallery, 48 Hopton Street, London, SE1 9JH

Darlington Civic Theatre and Arts Centre: 26 Sept-30 Nov 2011
University of Derby: 5 Dec 2011-5 Feb 2012
Viewpoint Gallery, Plymouth: 13 Feb-14 April 2012
Aberystwyth Arts Centre: 30 April-10 June 2012
Prescot Museum: 3 August - 16 October 2012

Natural History Museum.

In January I did this illustration for the Natural History Museum in London. They needed a fresh image for their own-range giftware, and this was created using fineliner pens and time spent in the Museum itself, along with hours poring over their massive photo library. It's finally in the museum so I'm allowed to share it!

The illustration had to summarise the enormity and breadth of their collection along with the unique architecture of the building. Creating this illustration combined everything I love to do: observe and study nature, draw challenging new things (ie: "animals are not my strong point!") and work in a detailed and accurate way, while being invited to flavour the image with my own style and atmosphere.




For the curious, featured in the illustration are the following species and elements:

Insects:
Ladybird
Long-tongued bumblebee
Asterope Lepreuri Butterfly
Jackson's Leaf Butterfly
Stag Beetle
Silver Chafer Beetle
Ant
Great Raft Spider

Animals:
Dippy (whole)
Dodo
American Black/PolarBear
Newt
Hippo
Blue Whale
(There are two more dinosaurs, one skeletal and one whole (Bronto?) but I've lost the notes for these! Maybe you can advise?
Assorted bird eggs

Birds:
Hummingbird

Fish:
Crucian Carp
Trout

Plants:
Giant Fern
Lily
Paeony
Pansy
Cyclamen
Ivy
Snowdrop
Tulips
Sequioa
Forget-me-knot

Minerals/Gems:
Koh-i-Noor diamond replica
Pearl
Turquiose
Zircon
Tourmaline
Benitoite
Fool's Gold
Agate

Funghi:
Fly Agaric

Shells:
Stellaria Solaris
C. Varia

Human:
Homo Erectus skull
Charles Darwin
Australopithecus Boisei skull
Human embryo

Assorted generic specimen jars and notebooks
Earth Gallery and other architectural details
Volcano cross-section

Images are shown on my website here.

and you can buy the NHM's illustrated goodies here.

Love In A Hurry

I love those super-fast jobs where you think you can't possibly squeeze it in, but you say yes because you love the sound of it, and THEN they bring the deadline forward to 'the middle of the week' rather than 'the end of the week'.

Sometimes the sheer speed I have to work at makes for a rush-job which, despite initial nerves about 'fitting it in', has the strange effect of making me a bit cavalier about the outcome. It's as if the brain says 'Well. They've given you three days, and you've already got ton of things to do, so you'll just have to do your best and they'll get what they're given'. It sort of...releases the tension, and relaxes the hands. Plus, there's no time to get nervous about it - I just have to bash on in.

Brown Thomas in Ireland are running this illustration for their Spring campaign, with window displays and ads, to coincide with Valentine's day. I'd been doing a lot of my more detailed work lately (here) and this job just happened to require exactly that. The letters are 8" high and all done by hand 'in one take' with no digital fudgery at all (except to change the colour to pink for the purposes of this blog!)

It also dovetailed nicely with an illustration for the Natural History Museum, coming soon to a blog near you.

This was, therefore, a joy to do. I made some of the flowers up but in the main, these all come up in Spring. On a dingy wet winter's day, this was just the tonic. Fine nibs, big paper, music on, tongue out...and relax.