Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Ben Jones



Ben Jones - a graduate from Stockport 2-3 years ago - was in college last week and I saw his wonderful portfolio with plenty of commissions in it. Very encouraging. These are some of his images on the Giant website.

Leonardo drawings- materials


The City Art Gallery has an exhibition of 10 Leonardo da Vinci (1492-1519) drawings from Royal collection. I was surprised how small some of his sketches were -skulls drawn on A5 size pieces of paper. The paper may have lasted so long because it's made of pulped clothing, rather than wood pulp. Sometimes this paper was coated with ground bone, lead white and pigment, bound in a dilute glue - before scratching with metalpoint (silver stylus). He also used goose quill pens and iron gall ink - made from oak apples mixed with iron salts solution. He mixed his media - charcoal, chalk, pen & ink & lead white brushed on for highlights. Gorgeous stuff.

Tuesday, 17 February 2009

Editorial work

Andy Martin spent 2 days in the studio with us earlier this month helping us develop a diary based on the Beaufort Windscale. It was a really fun project and Andy was inspirational. I had the month of October to illustrate, with a windscale of 10 (storm-force 48-55 knots, damage to circus tents & canopies).
Here is an editorial image from last year - a different style!

Sunday, 8 February 2009

Rachel Goodyear




I came across this artist at the exhibition at The Cornerhouse last month The Intertwining Line. Her pictures of animals are beautifully drawn but quite unsettling. I've posted Standing Dogs and Bats Roosting In the Underbelly of Dog. She has a solo exhibition currently running in Manchester (The International 3, Fairfield Street). Website www.rachelgoodyear.com.

"This collection of new drawings by Manchester-based artist Rachel Goodyear, presents captured moments in a world where social etiquette and boundaries no longer, or maybe never, applied.
Goodyear's drawings are suffused with a gentle menace, displaying a mass of ambiguous truths and blatant invention. They walk the line between playful curiosity and sadistic torment, revealing a place where the mundane and the spectacular, the blessed and the cursed, dwell in uneasy accord" (Cornerhouse blurb.)

Plenty of space around the images too!

Tuesday, 3 February 2009

Katherine Dunn


I found this interview with American illustrator. Her work has a feel of 'Chagall' to it and animals are full of personality and character.
I did a screen grab ( hold the control key, shift and number 4) of the page from Jill's Blog so that you have your own record of it. What a fantastic response.