Work: Hallo'ween Sign Writing

I am lucky enough to work in a shop where creativity is encouraged and, also, my boss knows how much I enjoy being creative so gives me lots of fun and craftsy tasks to do!

This weekend is Hallo'ween weekend and also we are launching a book/record shop in one of the rooms in our building - so lots happening and LOTS of new signs needed to promote it!

My boss bought 12 large pumpkins and painted them with her daughter and handed me a Posca pen and a Sharpie and asked me to do some lettering on them.

Firstly, she wanted me to write the logos of each of the shops on the smaller pumpkins.

This was really fun because every typeface was different and every logo had a different element, so it meant picking the right pumpkin to fit the text/image on and make sure that it was readable, because the pumpkin is, obviously, a roundish shape!

Next I did the shop logo - The Vintage Emporium

I then opted to do a standard HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

These were then placed together in the window display at the front of the shop.

Then, for the book and record shop, my boss asked me to make a 'Welcome' pumpkin as it was a new section of the shop. I decided to use a mish-mash of different vintage typography styles so make it more eye catching. 

I enjoyed making this pumpkin sign the most! Just cause it was experimental and fun. Soon after I had finished a group of college students came in and were taking photos and asking about how long it had taken me to do, which is great because it means it evoked a reaction and response and that's what I wanted!

I looooove making art on natural materials anyway, so this was a really enjoyable project!

Personal: Birthday Card

I am given the endearing nickname of Lady Trifle by one of my friends, so I made them a lady trifle birthday card, full of butts, boobs, legs, lips and lashes.

Delicious!

Tattoo: My First Tattoo!

The other day I went to Colly who gave me my first ever tattoo! (bar the ones I poked into my fingers but I don't count those!)

I met with her three months back and discussed what I wanted. I showed her this picture.

I drew this when my niece was born almost two years ago. Her name is Rosa. The words come from a song I love by the band Why? I had been holding onto it for a while with the hopes of getting it tattooed but, every time I looked at it, I wasn't sure about whether I wanted it permanently on my skin, so I asked Colly to alter certain aspects of it. I think you are always so critical of your own work that it's hard to be 100% happy with it so creative input from another source can be really helpful... especially with something so permanent!!

This is the outcome - I love it! Although the changes a quite subtle, it makes all the difference. She used a mixture of tattooing techniques, using a gun to do the outline and hand-poking to do the shading.

Present: Painted Globe

So, a couple of days ago I posted that I was doing a typography based project for someone as a gift and I can now show you the outcome!

It's a painted globe!

Yes, my friend is a keen adventurer and I was unsure on what to get him for his birthday so I decided I would paint a globe to tie in with his love of travelling.

I bought the globe from my work place.

I decided to paint over the map so that I would have a blank canvas to put my work on, however quite soon after doing this I wished that I hadn't and had left the map as a background!! But it was too late and I had to commit myself to an idea. I looked up didn't quotes about travel in the hopes of finding something that wasn't too cheesy and settled on the simple phrase 'Adventure Awaits'.

I did a LOT of doodling trying to get the typeface right!

I used paints and pens to try and get the style I wanted and, eventually, settled on using a Posca pen because it meant I have the smoothness of paint but more control.

I struggled for a few days on what to do with the imagery, so I decided to keep it simple and draw some planes puffing out little clouds of smoke with funny expressions on!!

I used a limited colour palette of cream, gold, black, white, blue and green.

 



Pinterest

We all know... Pinterest is addictive!
I could spend hours on end scrolling through ideas and inspirations and creating boards with the hopes of, one day, doing a bit of DIY and making some beautiful somethings out of nothings!

You can find me on Pinterest here.

I have a board of my illustrations on there as well as others that inspire me.

Give me a follow and I'll take a look at your page too!

Personal: My New 'Daytime' Job

Because I have yet to make enough money from drawing to live off (but it WILL happen one day, yes yes yes!) I have a part time job which I go to every weekday morning in Hereford. I work in a four-story vintage shop called The Vintage Emporium that sells vintage, antique and retro furnishings and fashion items, as well as having a beauty room and photography studio in the attic! It's a really exciting job and it's full of inspirational eye candy which alters on a day to day basis.

My boss is a creative herself and encourages the creativity of her staff. She hired people who have creative backgrounds and who are actually creating in one way or another - I work with two other illustrators, a seamstress and a photographer! It's a really lovely atmosphere to be in.

Thankfully, because we are encouraged to be creative, we are let loose in the shop to actually BE creative!! Most of this is with sign writing. These images are of the temporary signs I have made within the shop until I can get my hands on a Posca and some spare time to make it look like how I want it to! However, it's great experience so far, and people are already responding well to it!



Personal: It's A Secret for Now!

I LOVE making presents. I think it's the thing I'm most thankful for that I am a creative. Giving someone something that you have created just for them, tailored to their likes and wants, well... it's just lovely.

I'm not going to say too much about this project just in case wandering eyes happen to spy this post, but it is predominantly type based and is super fun already!



Personal: Customer Photo

Recently, I sold one of my lino prints to a very supportive first time customer of mine who has been very pro-Emma Pryce Illustration on Facebook (which I appreciate greatly!) She told me that she loves the sunflower lino print and had been waiting until she had enough money to buy one.

She then sent me this photo of the framed print in her home (with her additional amazing decor!)

Thankyou Charlie!



Uni: Post for Neil

Having graduating from art college, you kind of feel like you can't send your old tutors regular post...

(there was bunting inside!)

Personal: Back To The Future Day!

HAPPY BACK TO THE FUTURE DAY EVERYONE!
Yes, yes, it's silly I know, but still it's quite exciting. After this week, Back to the Future will all be in the past...

So, to commemorate this obviously momentous occasion, I drew a picture!

I wanted to make it look a bit like a retro movie poster to suit the theme of the day so I took some key elements from the film - Marty McFly, Doc, the Delorean, the hoverboard and the date (as displayed i the Delorean) - and arranged them together. I then grouped it together by putting lightning in the background. After this mock up, I drew it out properly and started to colour it in.

 

 

I wanted to do a black background as a lot of the promo images for the original films used a black background with the Delorean leaving a trail of flames behind it.

I was pretty pleased with the outcome. Doc's expression isn't quite crazed enough though!!!

It is now for sale in the Vintage Emporium in Hereford.

Personal: Client Feedback

As an illustrator, sometimes you feel like you're not really getting anywhere with your work, especially since just graduating and never having a professional gig as an artist. However, it is super amazing when you get that email saying someone has bought something from you and it's very MORE amazing when they write to you personally to tell you how happy they are with their item!

This is an email I received a little while back from a lovely Etsy customer.

I was really touched when I read this email. It instils some faith within yourself that you should keep on truckin' and carry on drawing even when you think it might be time to pack it in and get a shitty 9-5 job for the rest of your life.

Personal: Framing Old Pieces

My desk is usually overflowing with papers which means I can very rarely get on it to use it! So I decided to have a little sort out of things and start framing up some items ready to sell.

Here is a selection of pieces I uncovered and framed up. Some of these pieces are up to two years old!

These are all now available in my Etsy shop.

Personal: Chalk Pens

Ever since we had an illustrator come into uni and talk to us about having done chalk art on windows I have wanted to start doing chalk art on windows! So I went and bought a chalk pen!

And oh my, it is so much fun!

I made us a 'Welcome Window' at home with my first attempt.

Commission: Coffee Table

A little while back, I was approached and asked to paint a coffee table for a client. I have never painted furniture before so, of course, I just said YES and that I'd be willing to give it a go! She had seen my henna designs and asked if I could do something similar on the table.

Due to the nature of henna, there is no peniciling in the design first as you are applying it to your skin, so I used the same approach whilst doing the table. I gave myself some basic guidelines, so I could be central/have a perfect circle/etc., and just went for it!

I used a wood stain that the client had provided for me for the pattern design. This worked well as, instead of creating a solid, brown line it had thinner painted sections and heavier painted sections which created a nice effect.

Due to the nature of 'just going for it' it does mean you have to concentrate quite hard when you're trying to make a symmetrical pattern! There are definitely a few mistakes in amongst the design however, I quite enjoy that. Makes it feel like it has been done by hand and not in a factory. I may try and come up with some grid system if I am ever to do this sort of thing again (which I would actually love to do!)

Both myself and the client were happy with the outcome. She even sent a photo of it in her home to me which was very nice!!

Poetry: The First Three

Recently, after a long time, I have felt inspired to write poetry. Be it, very short one-line poems but, nonetheless, poems!

I have a love of hand rendered typography and, even more so, very simple typography. I decided to use this style to write my poems and accompany them with small illustrations if I felt they were relevant.

These are the first three poems I have written and illustrated.

'Even when it's waning the Moon is the most powerful part of the night'

'I like it when we lie silently and pretend that we are daffodils'

'Let me hide myself in you'

Personal: Fashion Illustrations



Whilst at uni, I had the brilliant opportunity on having a portfolio session with Fig Taylor from the AOI, who looked through a rough example of my physical portfolio and helped steer me in the sort of direction I should maybe go with my illustration. She mentioned that I was quite strong with fashion illustration, not necessarily in the traditional sense, but in the more expansive sense that fashion illustration is used for a lot of different things these days, such as advertisement and packaging design.

She encouraged that I practice figure drawing and really strengthen that. But also to ensure that I have my own style with it.

I decided to practice with pencils as this is the medium I struggle most with, I think. I started by just drawing a face, using reference from a magazine. After giving up at the hair, I quite liked the undone, half finished feel of it and left it there. I think that it looks better this way then trying to finish it and making it look too overdone.

I then experimented and this was the outcome!!!

Personally. I quite like the outcome! But I think it is something that needs to be worked on and developed... .and maybe have an explaination as well!? I enjoyed the process though!