A Work in Progress

cute little ghosties

I've been experimenting with Illustrator using simple shapes to make cute Halloween illustrations. There's a great tutorial from Spoon Graphics Blog on how to draw the skull in Illustrator (as shown in the background above). I'm in the process of designing a free pillowbox template featuring the repeat ghosties pattern. Stay tuned...

drawing baby bear

Can you believe it's nearly year's end? My nimble fingers are frantically making jewellery for my last (and biggest) market for the year on this Thursday: Mosman Christmas Twilight Art and Craft Market. It's all consuming but I love it!

And when the going gets tough, what else do I do? Something completely different of course! I'm in the early stages of designing products for (yet another) online Etsy shop. Featuring downloadable templates and tutorials...reviving my Graphic Design roots. I thought I'd give you a sneek peek at some of my work...above shows the illustrative progression of 'Baby Bear' based on my daughter's favourite teddy. I'm not sure about her colour just yet, but really, I should be making jewellery not bears (and wascally wabbits). Stay tuned, hopefully the shop will be up early next year

pulling out my hair with Illustrator

These little critters look so cute and joyful. Getting them to look like this was anything but! An exercise in frustration with a steep learning curve into the depths of Illustrator. I used words that really shouldn't be published...I have to admit, it was my first time using the program and should have foreseen that the road wouldn't be easy

I wish there was a cable that could attach to my head and would transmit all my ideas directly into the computer. Apple computers need to put that onto their 'To Do' List. Now that would be cool, then I wouldn't have to learn new programs....I'm sure you've all been there

My thought process was pure. I wanted some little drawings for my daughter's room. There's wee hand crocheted flowers and real freshwater pearls added to the 'jewelry' that gives a lovely 3D feel. Aptly titled "Chic in Pearls",  "Ring, ring, give me a call" and "Leapfrogging Jammies". And most important of all, my daughter loves them

Anyway, this is the end result and I learnt so much. More to come? I have other pencil drawings in the series that still need to be drawn into the computer but you'll have to wait and see. Just be glad that you're not around to hear the cussing!

show some love

I'm privileged to be exhibiting a small collection of my illustrations and jewellery with other Sydney-based artists to help raise money for the Msafiri Pre & Primary School in Mwanga, Tanzania (near Mt Kilimanjaro). Learning English is an essential skill if Tanzanian children are to build a reliable long term career and lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

The major exhibitors include Joan Hartmann, Monika Zigmann, Graeme Endean and Flore Guanipa. If you live in Sydney, we'd love to see you there for your support. 

Date and venue:

Friday 22 August 7pm-9pm (opening night) & Saturday 23 August 10am-4pm

1393a Pittwater Road, Narrabeen, Australia

Gocco-a-go-go

I'm finally up and running with my new Gocco machine. I won (this time)! Now available in my Etsy shop

Step 1 Initial Drawing

Step 2 Photoshoped background and digitally printed image of antique paper with words of wisdom from Shakespeare. Then I Gocco screen printed mottled pink/white background

Step 3 Next Gocco screen printed layer of 'line' artwork

Step 4 Viola!

Friend or Foe?

I took a deep breath and plunged into uncharted waters...the mysterious depths of the Gocco print world. I had purchased the most basic printer, to suit the most basic of operators (machinery doesn't like me). The little screen printer device arrived, looking so cute and cuddly as it beamed out of the confines of its Japanese ladened boxed home. The bright orange body appeared happy and approachable. It drew me in with its promise of simplistic child's play. Little did I know that I would want to hearl the thing across the room so many times. Half-hearted screen exposures, poor registration and and to top if off, I exposed an image to the glass screen rendering the machine useless. This chipper orange whirligig had got the better of me...

With sunken shoulders I faced my supplier and gingerly admitted that I had exposed the glass portion of what I considered to be a 'toy'. He didn't laugh, but did comment that I wouldn't do that again! At that point, I knew it was the man not the machine at fault.

Don't fret, there is a happy ending! (See the next post)