Work: Doodle

Sometimes at work, it's hard not to draw what you see because you're always surrounded by fascinating, beautiful things!

Sometimes the temptation is just too much and things like this happen...

Work: Modified Blackboard Wall

When the shop I work at opened three months ago, I was asked to quickly to draw up a blackboard wall of all the shops within the building which was done so quickly and roughly that I had never really been happy with it.

Due to the fact we have pop up shops within the building, the list had changed and I thought I would take the opportunity to draw up a much better, neater, professional looking blackboard wall using my chalk pens instead of just regular chalk. This made it look a lot smarter and easier to read too.

I added the logo from each shop as well to make it look more recognisable for customers as they walked through the building. I can then rub away each one as they change and replace it with the newest shop name.

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: 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!