Laura Callaghan Illustration

Wednesday

2012-01-25T14:14:00.000-08:00

I had the urge to punch a lot of people in the face today. Then a workmate showed me this. Now everything is right with the world again.

Hungry like the wolf

2012-01-14T04:32:00.000-08:00

Turns out drawing naked ladies is a lot of fun-who knew!

Looks like we got ourselves a reader

2012-01-10T16:43:00.000-08:00

Hello again and Happy New Year!

These illustrations are based on three short stories from The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter. Although the title sounds a bit wrong it's a really interesting book, macabre and twisted-just how I like 'em. I've been switching between it and this book-a very creepy combination, obviously turning over NO new leaves in 2012.

I used one pen and one (almost empty) pot of indian ink for all three. It was a nice challenge to strip it down to the bare essentials and avoid using a computer as much as humanly possible.

Oh Comely Issue Eight

2011-12-13T13:47:00.000-08:00

So issue eight of Oh Comely is on the shelves now - I had a really great time commissioning for this one, all the illustrators were a joy to work with. There's an amazing illustrated story from Rob Hodgson, some beautiful botanical watercolours from Becca Stadtlander and incredible images from Kiley Victoria Woolgar who managed to illustrate just about every biscuit you can think of (I should know, I work in a biscuit factory). This image accompanies an account of a strained relationship between owner and hamster, not so sure my hamster rendering skills are up to par...

Anyway the issue is a good one so go grab a copy!

Tiny Dancer

2011-12-08T18:42:00.000-08:00

A birthday card image for my sister. She visited for her 21st, I do miss having someone as socially inept as myself to hang around with.

Couch Potato

2011-12-05T05:32:00.000-08:00

Last month I contributed an illustration to The Parabola Project which pairs writers with imagemakers to create a very special and beautifully designed anthology of work.
My illustration accompanies an extract from Alan Robinson's 'The Studio Couch'. Set in the Northeast in 1959 it tells the story of the disintegration of a family following the Father's affair.

Yellow is usually my sworn enemy so I balked when told the Pantone colour chosen for this issue was mustard, but this shade and I got on ok in the end. I never pass up a chance to sneak a framed portrait of an ugly kid into an illustration.

You can buy it here!

VOTE

2011-11-29T05:27:00.000-08:00

Heeey, you're looking spiffy. Is that a new jumper? Your hair looks as though it were coiffed by the angels themselves!....Enough buttering up?

Good-please vote for my GQ inspired Christmas card design over on the Stack magazine Facebook page!

x

The underwhelming shopping basket

2011-11-21T12:49:00.000-08:00

I have lost many friends due to bad punning. It adversely affects my working day, my family get togethers, my relationships. It is an affliction and a compulsion....don't look at me like that. I regret NOTHING!

This is also my 100th post (!) I am old.

Help! Amnesia!

2011-11-08T12:49:00.000-08:00

I found these sketches on my desktop whilst tidying up (it happens about twice a year, don't get excited) and have absolutely NO RECOLLECTION of what I had intended for them. At all. Zilch. It's a bit worrying that I haven't even reached twenty-five yet and my short term memory is already fading. Oh well, memory shmemory - any ideas?!

Bad Babysitter

2011-11-01T03:46:00.000-07:00

Going to blame this one on the excessive amount of E numbers consumed this weekend and a current obsession with 80's Teen Movies.

Grubs up

2011-10-20T10:28:00.000-07:00

I have missed working in monochrome. Yes it's time-consuming, meticulous work but this satisfies my inner control freak.

Party Hard

2011-10-14T10:30:00.001-07:00

This was intended as a competition entry but I missed the deadline thanks to bout of death flu. Looking at it now it kind of has the air of a depressing 1960's office party. Minus the photocopier fornication.

Illustrated Lady

2011-09-23T05:40:00.000-07:00

A step by Step guide to self-tattooing

1: The vital element to using this method is procrastination, so ensure you begin with a headache-inducing to do list.

2: Take one clean(ish) arm and an ink pen of your choosing

3: Go wild

4: Spend the next three days trying to scrub off said tattoo....probably

Cambridge

2011-09-16T13:00:00.000-07:00

Last week was spent in Cambridge illustrating in their branch of Zizzi. I created a mural based on four aspects of Cambridge University life; Science, Literature, Sport and Academia and some elements of flora from Parker's Piece which the restaurant overlooks. I was also asked to apply some handpainted Latin quotes to the Pizza Oven (hot stuff. literally, I melted) and illustrate the chef's tables at the front of the restaurant. The theme came together really beautifully and there are some great little nods to the University throughout the restaurant. Despite some pretty horrific Norman Bates stylee accommodation Cambridge itself wasn't bad looking either!

Blackboard Jungle

2011-09-16T12:57:00.001-07:00

A few weeks back I travelled to High Wycombe (first time out of London in the two years I've lived here-the utter shame/laziness.) to go illustrate on some tables for the Cambridge branch of Zizzi. The whole restaurant is themed around the University and I was asked to apply some math and science formulae to these black tables to give a blackboard effect. I'm notoriously crap at maths so most of these are an amalgamation of symbols and diagrams which looked interesting. Hope I haven't offended any mathematicians in the name of aesthetics.

Part Deux

2011-08-05T20:51:00.000-07:00

Need to start learning how to draw more masculine faces.
Need to stop staying up until 5am on Friday nights.

Preparation is Key

2011-08-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

It's been a while. I've been super busy with the next issue of OhComely (which is looking SWELL) and another project which I'll post about once it's in full swing. However I have managed to throw off the shackles of my office job.....on Fridays at least, so I can start preparing for an upcoming exhibition fiiinally. This is the beginning of an idea. Maybe.

Zizzi

2011-06-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month I spent four days decorating a wall in the Shad Thames branch of Zizzi Restaurant near Tower Bridge. Five illustrators were chosen in all for the branch, three of us-myself, Abigail Borg and Saroj Patel were Fresh Talent competition winners, with Luke Fenech and Camille Rosseau having worked with Zizzi on previous restaurants.

The area has a long history of trading and all the imposing brick buildings in the area are named after the spices which were originally housed there. I took four of these spices (Vanilla, Cayenne, Cardamom and Cloves) and personified their flavours and traits on my wall. It was the first time I had worked at something this scale and didn't have the foresight/common sense to use a projector so it's all drawn freehand. It was intimidating and involved a lot of walking backwards and squinting but I was pretty happy with how it turned out. I attribute the quality of these photos to the fact my camera doesn't zoom out, there is a large tree directly in front of said wall aaaand I may have had five glasses of Prosecco on the launch night....ok eight. I'm hardcore.

Going, going, gone

2011-06-06T19:15:00.000-07:00

Can't sleep sooo a quick sketch, it's the illustrator's equivalent of counting sheep.

I am not a photographer

2011-05-31T15:04:00.000-07:00

I feel bad for not posting anything in a while so I'll have to make do with bad photos of sketchbook work*. This week I shall be taking up residence in the Shad Thames branch of Zizzi and muralising (?) one of their walls alongside four very talented illustrators. These are some concept sketches for the final design which is based on the area's trade history and particularly the warehouses which were used as spice stores in Victorian times.

*Mid Year's Resolution - invest in a camera that is not over five years old and under 6 megapixels

Cellardoor

2011-04-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Some of my illustrations are included in the Spring issue of Cellardoor magazine accompanying an article detailing this season's fashion and beauty trends. This Spring I shall mainly be wearing a tshirt and a squinty glare.

Pack it up, pack it in

2011-04-22T05:36:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of posts, I've been in a massive illustration rut for the past week and a half and was sick of drawing in circles! On the plus side I have been busy working with the magazine and such and am incredibly happy with the roll call of illustrators on board this issue. Hope you all have an amazing Easter weekend-eat lots of eggs! Wear sunscreen!

On a side note I occasionally (boy do I mean occassionally!) write some illustration/craft related posts for the OhComely blog, if you are interested in having your work featured or want to reccommend any talented individuals just drop me an email!

Illustrated Playlist Track #5

2011-04-07T17:37:00.000-07:00

Oh dear. I have become one of those people I hate who begins a project and bails three weeks in. But hark! I finally remembered my illustrated playlist! So here is #5 Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds-Weeping Song.

Go son, go down to the water
And see the women weeping there
Then go up into the mountains
The men, they are all weeping too.
Father, why are all the women weeping?
They all are weeping for their men
Then why are all the men there weeping?
They are weeping back at them.

daydreaming

2011-03-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

The hand that feeds

2011-03-15T15:39:00.001-07:00

Today I have mostly been drawing outfits that represent food, mostly. There is method behind my madness I swear.

In other news I was featured on Where the Lovely Things Are today, it's a great daily blog so have a look!

Sketchbookery

2011-03-09T17:00:00.000-08:00

Procrastination now!

2011-03-01T16:45:00.000-08:00

An illustration I did this weekend in between doing what I was actually supposed to be doing. Rebelling against my own self-imposed goals, such is the cruel irony of freelance illustration!

magpie You're an early riser, magpie you're a bold chastiser

2011-02-25T15:29:00.000-08:00

A quick Friday night illo, the one superstition that has stuck in my otherwise overtly cynical life.

LFW in B&W

2011-02-20T16:25:00.000-08:00

Despite not being able to dress myself without appearing like a vagrant I drool over fashion blogs quite regularly. London Fashion Week = tubes packed with hungry folk, scowling chainsmokers outside Somerset House and catching sight of fashionistas trying (and mostly failing) to run from one show to another in teetering heels. It also means some beautiful clothing on show, here are a few favourites from this weekend.

Illustrated Playlist Track #4

2011-02-20T10:27:00.000-08:00

Joanna Newsom-Emily
"Anyhow - I sat by your side, by the water
You taught me the names of the stars overhead that I wrote down in my ledger
Though all I knew of the rote universe were those pleiades loosed in december
I promised you I'd set them to verse so I'd always remember"

This song is about sisters and reminds me of mine...though neither of us is an astrologer or a harp plucking superstar, the sentiment is there! On a completely unrelated note I have just discovered Joanna Newsom is dating that snl guy who sings about jizz-BIZARRE.

blog eile

2011-02-17T16:53:00.000-08:00

I live in constant fear of my laptop crashing. It's because I'm a hoarder. If I come across an image I like I have to save it, stash it somewhere lest I forget I ever saw it to begin with. It's a very little old lady approach to the world wide web. My bookmarks are crammed with links to illustration portfolios I like, blogs I follow, projects that interest me. It got me thinking maybe I should put all these finds to good use rather than squirreling them away and start an inspiration blog featuring illustration/craft/design I think is interesting and other people might like too. At this stage it is just a pipe dream, but maybe....maaaybe....

Illustrated Playlist Track #3

2011-02-12T11:49:00.001-08:00

Bell X1 - Eve, The Apple of my Eye
'If I had you here, I'd clip your wings. Snap you up and leave you sprawling on my pins'
My best friend and I were obsessed with this album when it first came out. It reminds me of being 16, sitting at the back of a CIE bus with an earphone each.

From afar

2011-02-09T16:06:00.000-08:00

A Valentines post for all my fellow creeps-stalk gently!

Illustrated Playlist Track #2

2011-02-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

Grizzly Bear-granny diner. If this illustration looks a tad more exotic/well travelled/sexy/badly drawn than usual it's because it was done on an aeroplane. True story.

Illustrated Playlist Track #1

2011-01-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

The beginning of a new project to keep me actively illustrating. I wanted to complete 2-3 self directed illustrations a week whether they be a scribble or a more completed piece, and it makes sense if they all have a connection of some sort. This month saw the return of my ipod after a two year hiatus so I've decided to create an illustrated playlist. First up is Neko Case - Margaret vs Pauline.

Oh Comely

2011-01-26T14:57:00.000-08:00

Exciting news! I've just joined the team of the beautiful Oh Comely magazine as an Illustration Assistant! I'll be helping out with Illustration for the magazine - ideas on features and commissioning illustrators and am INCREDIBLY excited about getting stuck in. If you haven't seen the magazine yet I thoroughly recommend picking up a copy, there's nothing like it on the shelves at the moment and it's a treat for those who appreciate illustration and photography.

Blog Fail

2011-01-26T13:52:00.000-08:00

Hello! I've been on an extended sabbatical from blogging since Christmas it would seem - bad blogger. It's been a busy start to 2011, I have aged 20 years in three weeks. Today marks the beginning of my new years resolution to focus on my own work a little more each week, I have started a new self directed project which I hope to post about today fingers crossed! First up here is an illustration recently completed for Supersweet who have pimped it up GIF style, it's for Valentine's (or national 'woe is me') Day.

ho ho ho

2010-12-14T20:04:00.000-08:00

Just a quick reminder that the Fair Fayre is taking place this weekend at the Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane. I'll be there selling cards, badges and prints alongside lost of other talented people. Full details are here!

Omnomnom

2010-12-14T15:59:00.001-08:00

It's got beef. It's got pastry. It's a frickin' Beef Wellington-with a festive twist. My recipe is up on today's They Draw and Cook page! You should try it, if money was no object and gout was no issue I would literally eat this every day of my life.

Ex-ex-directory

2010-12-12T13:03:00.000-08:00

BOOM! I'm now listed on Creative Boom.

Tom Cooney

2010-11-28T12:36:00.000-08:00

And on this subzero Sunday I bring you....a poster designed for the rather excellent Tom Cooney. This was my first gig poster and it was a really enjoyable process trying to draw something that suited the sound. Definitely something I want to do more of in the future!

Bad girls ice rink

2010-11-22T09:25:00.001-08:00

Some days I do nothing but eat toasted sandwiches, read Tank Girl and draw laydeeez. Saturday was one of those days.

*I have just realised the title of this post sounds like the name of a B-rate indie band.

Fair's Fayre

2010-11-20T22:42:00.000-08:00

Oh I almost forgot! I will also be selling work at The Fair Fayre Christmas Art Fair which will be held at the Bussey Building, 133 Rye Lane Peckham between the 17th and 19th December. It aims to sell affordable art (mostly under £50) and unique Christmas gifts from a variety of artists and craftspeople.

I'll be selling unframed prints like this one

And framed ones like this baybeh which has been residing in the corner
of my bedroom for a few weeks (we've grown very close-sniff, sniff)

I'm also in the process of getting some festive stuff together-cards/wrapping paper etc and will post more details closer to the event. So if you happen to be in the area come and drink mulled wine and buy stuff!

Etsy

2010-11-20T22:14:00.000-08:00

*Shameless plug alert*

Soo it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, if you're looking for a completely mindblowingly facemeltingly amazing gift to give someone you know I have some fine art prints for sale in my etsy store, all on 300gsm Hahnemuhle German Etching Paper. I can also produce prints on request of any of my images-just mail me for more info!

Je t'aime, Oui je t'aime

2010-11-10T16:07:00.000-08:00

Ah ma petite chou! I'm have become horribly neglectful and inconsistent, I am the deadbeat Dad to my blog's misunderstood teenager. Truthfully work has been kicking my ass timewise so finding a few hours a day to draw is proving difficult. I have found a few projects to ease me into the process once again however and this is one-my interpretation of Paris for the Gallic competition. It is INCREDIBLY difficult to draw Paris without including one or two (or five) stereotypes so here they are- A Parisian alleyway, a stylish lady smoking Gauloises, a patisserie aaand the main cast from Bande à part....for good measure!

Speedarting

2010-10-17T16:44:00.000-07:00

Hello! I've been very busy graduating and getting a JOB job to keep a roof over my head and pancakes in my belly so apologies for the lack of updates, I will be posting more regularly from now on! If you happen to be around East London this Wednesday the 20th why not come to the SpeedArting event in Stone Horse Paper Cow, 128-140 Bishopsgate. I'll be there selling limited edition prints and chatting away alongside eight other artists. Prices start from £50, there will be booze AND I'm including a free Halloween print with every purchase!

Mugshot

2010-10-03T11:51:00.001-07:00

This week I have mostly been drawing teacups for a top-secret mission....

London Fashion Week

2010-09-29T03:46:00.000-07:00

Some new illustrations for a London Fashion Week blog post over at Amelia's Magazine . This was such a fun one to do, it featured lots of amazing avant garde textile manipulation by those crazy Swedes!

BUY BUY BUY! SELL SELL SELL!

2010-09-27T08:46:00.000-07:00

So as we're finished college and I'm now an unemployed loser I have set up an etsy shop in a vain attempt to make some money! There are only four items listed at the moment but more and more will appear as the week goes by!

MA Show

2010-09-27T08:30:00.001-07:00

So despite some initial setbacks (disastrous planning, the hanging date being delayed by a day and my comments book being stolen...I mean why?) the MA show was a success! It was simultaneously bizarre and awesome to see my work on the walls after spending so much time working on it. Hoards of people visit TENT London so we were very busy over the four days and great things were overheard about everyones work. Sorry for the terrible quality photos, I hope to have some better shots of the book up here by the end of the week. There was so much fantastic stuff to photograph that our classmate Ali set up a flickr group, and other work can be viewed on our class website!

website

2010-09-19T13:29:00.000-07:00

Come have a look at my talented classmates' work on our website - a taster of the show to come!

Flea Market

2010-09-14T13:27:00.000-07:00

I designed this month's poster for The Dublin Flea Market, it's on the 26th of September in the Co-Op, Newmarket and although I can't promise it will have the noir-ish overtones of my poster it WILL be full of great things to buy and eat! You can also buy a copy of the poster there for a bargainous €5 , it would look stellar on a wall/door/under a cup of tea.

A place called home

2010-09-13T03:18:00.000-07:00

Woot! I'm finally shrugging off the shackles of my technical illiteracy and getting a new website !.....well my friend and website whiz kid Keavy is making it for me (she's also an incredible animator and illustrator, check her out!). It's still a work in progress so check back soon but I'm liking the rush of being a dot com.

Go on, you know you want to

2010-09-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

Hey you! If you happen to be around London town between the 23rd and 26th September why not come see our show at TENT London? Guaranteed goodness from this year's MA Illustration and Animation gang (including yours truly). Details are as follows:

TENT London
Truman Brewery
91 Brick Lane
E1 6QL

23-25 Sept 10-8
26 Sept 11-4

Print test!

2010-08-16T03:26:00.000-07:00

Some random images from Le MA project which won't make any sense at all, but they were scanned in today so what the hey!

Babiekins

2010-08-08T16:31:00.001-07:00

Some of my work in is the current issue of Babiekins magazine, a new online children's mag. I has some great themed photo shoots and cute illustration work, check it out!

long time no see

2010-08-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

My poor little blog, I have neglected you so! I don't seem to have a spare moment to myself lately what with preparations for my degree show, I undertook quite a lot of work-100 book illustrations to be exact and haven't even had time to scan any in apart from the one above. Once I have time though I'll throw a few more up. Roll on September!

2010-06-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

Some of my work is currently featured on Tongue in Chic a Malaysian fashion blog thanks to the lovely LiYing. She also interviewed me for a piece on her own personal blog which you can see here!

Girls above me

2010-06-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Heres an illustration created for Supersweet for an interview with Charlie McDowell author of the 'Dear Girls above me' blog, which is hilarious-have a look.

Happy Day of Fatherhood Pops

2010-06-20T05:23:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank you for the following -

'Gis a spin on your handlebars love

2010-06-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

My illustration was chosen as one of 50 to be exhibited at the London Transport Museum in Covent Garden as part of an AOI/London Transport Competition. It's a bit bizarre really because I'm really not fond of the image myself and it was a bit of a rush job but it's lovely to be chosen all the same. Also the three best entries win cash prizes so fingers crossed, Momma needs a new pair of shoes!

Devil's Handshake

2010-06-02T10:40:00.000-07:00

So the end date for my MA is drawing ever closer and the past three weeks I have been coming up with the concept and visual style for my Major Project. We have until September to complete the work so I've given myself a bit of a challenge and have decided to write and illustrate a book for 8-12 year olds. Basically it will be a collection of original short stories set in the mysterious fictional town of 'Devil's Handshake' and should keep me pretty busy for...oh eternity or so. Here are a few sketchbook pages in the meantime!

Sunday's Best

2010-05-11T15:09:00.001-07:00

My illustrations are up on the SHOP page at Supersweet. The theme was 'Sundays Best' and to me that conjures up images of wasps who lunch in big hats, use cigarette holders and quote passages from the bible to justify their actions.

Obey your leader!

2010-05-06T07:00:00.001-07:00

Half of my current MA project was a self-initiated brief where you could illustrate anything your heart desired. I took the opportunity to create my own Cult handbook, as world domination has always been a goal of mine! The drawings above are from the 'history' section of the booklet, I wanted it to be as ridiculous as possible, but having worked on it for the past month or so I'm starting to think this could be a viable religion-once I get Tom Cruise on board that is!

She's a model and she's looking good

2010-04-25T03:52:00.000-07:00

My illustrations are in the newest edition of Sketchbook magazine, go have a flick through for free!

Hair ye, hair ye!

2010-04-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Some pages from a kids book I'm working on entitled 'The girl with the longest hair in the world', the idea behind it is pretty self explanatory! The illustrations are created using watercolour and pencil which is a bit of a first, but I really enjoyed using these materials, they give a much softer feel.

Springtime

2010-04-12T05:31:00.000-07:00

Illustrations created for a springtime fashion shoot in this months issue of Canadian Family Magazine. Click for a closer look!

Gerry

2010-03-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

Starting work on some new spreads in the next few weeks for a childrens book featuring this creature. His name is Gerry.

Masha and the bear

2010-03-21T22:31:00.001-07:00

This is part of a wordless narrative strip I completed a while ago for a project based on folktales but only got around to scanning now. The story is a Russian folktale about a girl who gets kidnapped by a bear and outwits him to escape. The piece itself was intended as a wall chart and visual tool for storytellers.

The Good Wife

2010-03-19T00:50:00.000-07:00

Some images from a new MA project. The brief was to take an old text and create images which would modernise it/make it relevant to today's audience. I chose the Good Wife's Guide, a manual written by an old Parisian Man for his fifteen year old bride in the fourteenth century providing household tips and instructions on how to be a dutiful little woman. So I have turned the idea on it's head, the author is now an ancient billionaire and his bride is a gold-digging trophy wife who is trying desperately to off him and get her hands on his money. Fun times.

Ages and Stages

2010-03-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

Some spot images for a Canadian Parenting magazine to accompany articles on raising your kids properly. Each image represents a different age group and a situation where what is perceived as 'bad parenting' may actually be the best solution. I always find it difficult to draw age appropriate kids, I tend to make them look much older than they are supposed to but have discovered it has a lot to do with how chubby you draw them!

Dirty, dirty

2010-03-16T11:28:00.001-07:00

A triptych of images created for Amelia's Magazine. These accompany an article concerning 'Dirty Oil' a new documentary about the oil sands in Alberta, Canada and the detrimental effect they are having on the environment. I wanted the images to look kinda dirty too, hence the grey colour scheme and rough textures!

2010-03-10T09:51:00.000-08:00

My first foray into watercolour and pencil and also a Mother's Day shout out to the Mammy, seeing as she'll be jetting off to exotic climes before Sunday and our Postal Service is crappy. So Happy (early) Mother's Day! xx

2010-03-05T17:34:00.000-08:00

Some recent contributions to the 'What I wore Today' Flickr pool. Just another distraction from what I'm ACTUALLY supposed to be doing!

Presentation

2010-03-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

As part of one of our MA modules we were required to give a presentation on ourselves and our work (eep!). Each presentation had to be 20 slides long, each shown for 20 seconds. These are a few images I created for slides to show where I'm from, the things I like and what kind of materials I use!

Australia

2010-03-02T07:39:00.000-08:00

In a flurry of nostalgia I came across the journals I kept when visiting Australia for a three month stint in 2008, and for the sake of posterity I have scanned a few pages! I cringe a little when I look at any of my drawings older than eight months, but they're not that bad I guess. More can be found on my Flickr page.

Flickr

2010-02-18T18:03:00.000-08:00

Like God himself I have created something from nothing........well I have made a new flickr account. I hope to use it for sketchbook work, and bits and pieces of illustration. Most importantly it will be home to a new project of mine where I draw at least one bag and it's contents per week. It can be a handbag, shopping bag...bin bag-anything! Hopefully as time goes on I can draw other people's too, you can tell a lot about a person from the contents of their handbag.Check back for updates!

Whodunnit?

2010-02-05T04:51:00.000-08:00

Murder! Mystery! Intrigue! Bad moustaches! A sneak peek of my 1920's murder mystery book. It's still a work in progress but should be done and dusted within 3 weeks....fingers crossed

BOO!

2010-01-20T14:30:00.000-08:00

Some pages from a children's story I'm writing about a little girl who is afraid of grown-ups (fair enough what with their incessant talking and strange odour). I used watercolour and a more vibrant colour palette than usual, there are a gazillion things I would like to change with the overall spreads but time constraints blah blah blah....

Stranger Danger!

2010-01-03T18:36:00.000-08:00

Here are a few strangers I was asked to draw for a contributors page of a magazine, it was a lovely change to draw real live people and a bit of a challenge just drawing from a snapshot but I like how they turned out. There were thirty-ish in total. And that would be me, second row, fourth over..

The Woods

2010-01-03T11:30:00.001-08:00

Here is an image which was intended for a magazine cover but sadly never materialised. I quite like it though, it was an experiment in playing with textures and opacity, and I do enjoy drawing a banjo!

How to be unhappy

2009-12-01T17:34:00.000-08:00

Book one of two created for my graduate project last year. They were 28 page, illustrated humorous takes on 'How-To guides', these are pages from 'How to be Unhappy'.

2009-12-01T16:11:00.000-08:00

Today I have mostly been eating cereal out of the box, listening to Grizzly Bear and drawing reeeeeally badly...

Roll up, roll up

2009-11-29T10:47:00.001-08:00

Fake posters for a fake performance of a puppet show-submitted as part of my very real Folktale project!

God loves a trier

2009-11-26T09:13:00.001-08:00

Today I have mostly been banging my head against my desk in sheer frustration. Someone better buy me a big beer tomorrow evening......or a pony.

Sketchbook Interview

2009-11-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

I did an interview with Sketchbook magazine a little while back which is up now here. Most of my answers are gibberish due to lack of sleep the night before, but I did do some illustrations for them which I will post up soon (the above is a little taster). The magazine itself is a beautiful, fairly new London based publication which focuses on Fashion and Culture. There's lots of interesting interviews and stunning photography galore, so go have a peek!

Master of Puppets

2009-11-25T10:11:00.000-08:00

The bane of my life these past two weeks have been the puppet set I'm making for the third part of my College project on folklore. It has really tested my patience as I've never done anything like it before. Will post all three parts of the project after Friday (which is our deadline-eep), hopefully I'll feel a bit more amicable towards it by then!

SUSHI!

2009-11-15T20:13:00.000-08:00

A wrapping paper pattern for Sushi Lovers! Personally I can't stomach fish, but I love how pretty Sushi looks!

Papier Mache

2009-11-15T13:54:00.001-08:00

Here are a few samples from the work I did for Papier Mache's Kid's Deco magazine. I had so much fun doing this project, the idea was to create quirky illustrations for the interviews with the children in the magazine-there were some very inventive answers! The magazine is available for download and contains lots of beautiful photography and links to deco sites, highly recommended!

Sketchbook

2009-11-11T17:24:00.000-08:00

Some pages from my sketchbook at the moment, based around international folktales.

Fol Chen

2009-10-30T05:16:00.000-07:00

Illustrations created to accompany an interview with American Art rockers Fol Chen for Supersweet. The band members never reveal their faces so this had to be incorporated.These images are based on a story involving the band's arch nemesis John Shade, a picnic, and some poisoned sandwiches.

Anorak

2009-10-30T05:07:00.001-07:00

My entry for Anorak magazine Winter cover competition. The image had to include the text
'The Happy Mag for Kids' and be fun!

Poetry

2009-10-14T16:50:00.000-07:00

Some black and white illustrations created last year to accompany a book of poetry.

Save Our Boxes! Part deux

2009-10-12T10:45:00.001-07:00

Some promotional postcards made for the same project. Love a bitta Lionel.

Save Our Boxes!

2009-10-12T10:23:00.000-07:00

Part of my graduate show project last year was an imaginary campaign to stop the removal of phoneboxes in Ireland and the UK named 'Save Our Boxes'. Here are two of the four posters designed for the campaign based around the idea of phoneboxes as cult iconography. The posters here reference Superman and Hitchcock's 'The Birds'.

Pops

2009-10-11T16:17:00.000-07:00

I very rarely draw real people in real life because-
1. I feel creepy and voyeuristic
and
2. I hate people staring over my shoulder and asking 'what's that supposed to be'
but here's a portrait of my father sleeping on a recent FOUR HOUR ferry trip.
I'm resonably pleased with it. I doubt he is.

2009-10-10T06:31:00.000-07:00

Some pages from a book made for my Summer Project on the theme ' a view of yourself '. Self-indulgent fun!

Supersweet

2009-10-07T15:20:00.001-07:00

Illustrations for Supersweet for a pasta recipe provided by guest editors The Raveonettes losely based on their video for Aly walk with me. I'll post the link for the recipe once the page is up, tried it out as 'research' - it really is delish (and fit for a rockstar)!

Oxjam Manchester

2009-08-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

I was asked to contribute some illustrations for Oxjam Manchester 2009's leaflets and posters. Oxjam incorporates a range of events from Speed-dating to Free gigs, all for a good cause. It was a pleasure to help out however I could.

2009-08-31T09:50:00.000-07:00

An illustration created for issue #2 of UK poetry magazine Popshot. Had a lot of fun with this brief and was pretty much given creative control which is always lovely!