Sketchbook: Grand Cayman

Here's a sketch that I did earlier today, then I played about with the colour after in Photoshop which is sketchy to say the least, but it's definitely better with something more on top.

So, I've not posted to here for a little while and that's because I've been a little busy leaving the country! For this coming year, I'm seeing what the Cayman Islands have to offer, well that's the plan at least. Expect island illustrations and observations, and for more Caribbean goings on, check out my other blog:

www.bowerbirdwords.blogspot.com

Free typography

owerbird returns with salutations and fond wishes to you and yours. I bid you good day and apologise for the archaic tone. There's something about this embellished Drop Cap which professes to steer me towards the flouncier language in my lexicon.
This typographic treasure is delivered daily from typographical extraordinaire Jessica Hische. You yourselves may pilfer her designs at her behest, and recreate this experience within the confines of ye own fair Blogge Poste. Good day to you gentle folk of the world's web.

Bowerbird featured in Anorak magazine

I have a full page illustration in this season's Anorak magazine. If you don't know it, it's simply the most fabulous children's magazine, touted as 'The happy mag for kids', it really is so jolly happy, it's a quarterly and cheap as chips at £3.50 because it's packed full of stories, games and fun.

If you know a little person 4-7, you and they are missing out if you've not discovered Anorak.

Follow them on Twitter, it will make you happy too.

Kittens in Mittens!

Lovely lady Lauren Beard has opened her very own Etsy shop, go and purchase all your high quality illo based brilliance now. Thank you.

Playful is the way forwards

Illustrator Zara Picken strikes again with updates to her blog, and some playful self-promotional pieces including the two above. Have a little scroll through her blog, there are some really beautiful tactile pieces.

Take a peek at her entry to the AOI/TFL competition and her editorial illustrations, they look great in situ.

www.zaraillustrates.blogspot.com

Eli, no!

My parents have a dog called Kip. Kip is very naughty and has picked up the pseudonym Kippy no no! Such is the regularity of his naughtiness, it turns out he is not alone, introducing Eli, better known as Eli, no!

Created by the very talented Eighthourday check out their other work too, I get the feeling Eli, no! is an imminent book success as the images have been removed from Flickr, and they are getting much coverage of late. Let's hope it sees the light of day.

Ain't life grand?

This happens to be true, which is not a laughing matter, and I'm not making light of it, but I just found it accidentally at Aintlifegrand.co.uk and it tickled me. Do you ever have conversations where your opposite number manages to pull out a conversational killer (so to speak, I'm not being deliberately morbid).

The point of the post is to nudge you in the direction of aintlifegrand, because (i) it's a great sentiment and (ii) it has jolly good, light-hearted stuff.

His name is Chris Gray and you can also see his stuff over at TOY illustration

Breaking news!

I posted a while back about slings that tell stories, well they should make one for my friend who did her arm a mischief playing Korfball. Don't worry I don't know what korfball is either and Jemma's explained it to me several times now...

In short I thought I'd show some of Jemma's latest work, so that when the cast comes off you may commission her and her nicely rested drawing hand.

Jemma has many diverse clients but her latest spell of editorial illustrations for The Independent is high on my radar at the moment. Did you spot the Gordon Brown in the cliff face? Magic.

www.jemillo.com

Cut to the chase

I've been doing some background research on Alanna, and she's done a load of Penguin prints that sadly are too beautiful and too expensive for me to even contemplate, so instead I've added this gorgeous scissors in situ, isn't it grand? In case you're super loaded and/or super loved up, could I please request one of the Penguin prints for Valentine's day please. Thank you.

Sometimes you see trends in illustration and this week I am seeing scissors. Scary I know, if this were a dream analysis the forecast would not be good, however I am not dreaming I am seeing. These snippy entries are from Harry Malt, Rex Design and Alanna Cavanagh respectively and they're all worth checking out. So cut loose and go see for yourself.

Spatial Awareness

I couldn't post these before now, as they were for a pitch for a certain airline, but it's been and gone now sadly, despite some frankly sky-high thinking and epic efforts from the Digit team.
So may I present a few characters I was playing around with that should have graced the kid's section. What skyscape isn't complete with Laika, a few friendly aliens or a space hopper?

Raising the Bar on simplicity

Noma Bar illustrated the BAFTA programme and is worthy of his own post. At first these striking images seem obvious, their bold shapes and high contrast colour. But look a little closer, his (and I have only recently learned it's a he not a she, my profound apologies, I'd clearly make a terrible journalist) illustrations are succint to the point of verging on frugal meaness and have incredibly clever and witty undertones.

Take the example of Slum Dog Millionaire (Bar illustrated all the nominees for Best Film), the blocky image of Dev Patel, the leading man (formerly of Skins fame). His facial features are sharply cut out and detailed in with four 'Who wants to be a millionaire' category boxes and a question-mark mouth. Bravo.

Noma Bar is represented by Dutch Uncle

Scribbler

I came across this months ago and it's been cluttering up my desktop ever since. It's my attempt at Scribbler, you doodle on it and then it scribbles over your doodle, you can change the colours and line thickness but it's a little tricky. See what you think, here are my efforts, happy scribbling.

Self promotion is the key

I saw this over the summer but it's been brought back to my attention. It's a beautifully crafted piece of self promotion by Joe Baglow.

His USP was 'Job needs a Joe' clever really.

5minute doodles

5minute doodles, take a wind-up key for inspiration and what it could become, a whale's tail, a penguin's face, opera glasses or a music-stand base. Just an exercise to loosen me up, it's been such a long time since I drawn for fun.

National Pharmacist Day

Happy National Pharmacist Day! If you pop in to Boots (or any other branded or unbranded pharmacy) be sure to greet your kindly pharmacist.

National Bird Day

Shame on me, I'm a Bowerbird and I didn't celebrate National Bird Day last Monday. I was sat at my desk in my 'studio' last night searching for a muse and I think I may have found it in the form of the National Holidays website, there are infinite amounts of useless holidays we should be celebrating. So this could become a regular post, I did a few in advance last night, excuse the dates/holidays I've missed so far, but there are some brilliant ones on the horizon.

Plenty painty

I'm fairly smitten with the painterly talent of Olivier Tallac, I would love to see some of this animated it has such a vivacious quality, I was sucked into his website, hope you like it too.
Found via monstermunch.

Dan Haskett

I stumbled upon Dan's work while researching earlier, he's got quite a lot of editorial experience under his belt, I recognise some of his magazine work, I recommend downloading his PDF of work in print, it looks great in situ.

www.danhaskett.co.uk

Beardy Best Wishes

Christmas card design from my lovely Bearded friend, she isn't really a bearded lady, just a great illustrator. Thank you for my physical card too Miss Beard, I'm collecting the set; see you in the New Year.

www.laurenbeard.co.uk

Sling your hook

While we're on ailments, I spotted this the other day and now can't remember where it's from, if anyone has any further information, it'll be gladly received. I love the idea of the sling telling the story for you, I went on a St John's Ambulance First Aid course recently so I could bandage you up good and proper. In a non S&M, purely medicinal way of course.