Jelly!!!

Month two in Bootcamp and the assignment Lilla gave us was to design bolt fabric with the theme of jelly!!!  I was a bit disappointed to be honest but sure that once I started my research I'd be fine and soon get inspired.  How wrong could I be! The more pictures of jelly I looked at the more I began to really dislike the stuff, the bright primary plain colours, the symmetrical shapes, and the savoury jellies of the sixties with the salad, cabbage, and meat...oh my god!

So, I had to focus on what I like about jelly, and to me it's all about childhood, birthdays, little glass dishes that we always used to eat our jelly or trifle out of, the lovely strawberry scent.  So I wanted to do a children's fabric design that captured all that.  I was also really determined with this brief to keep my colours pretty flat and graphic so I didn't allow myself any painting or collage (only a little bit of bubble wrap printed texture snuck it's way in).  

Well here's my finished bolt fabric design.  I'm quite happy with it.  Not sure about my coordinates though.  They were based on the shapes of the cut glass dishes but I think they're a bit big and blocky and obvious so I'll probably rework those when I have time.  

We have next month off from Bootcamp as Make Art That Sells Part B is running.  I'm not taking it this time unfortunately but I think I'm gonna be pretty busy next month anyway.  I'll post about my amazing news soon....but in the meantime here's a little clue.  Well actually its a massive clue....paperandcloth.....so excited!!!!

New Cuckoo Design

I mentioned in my last post that I was going to rework my second cuckoo clock design.  I wanted to include some of my original line drawings from week one, change the layout a bit and play around with the colour palette.  Well here's the new reworked pattern.  Much nicer I think!

Cuckoo Clocks

Week two in Lilla's bootcamp and the assignment was to design a mobile phone cover using our cuckoo clock artwork.  I wasn't that excited when I read we had to design for a phone case....bit small....but once I'd seen Lilla's gorgeous quirky inspiration, colour palette ideas, art tips, and beautiful examples of how to present our designs I couldn't wait.

I didn't use many of my original drawings from week one in the end...I tried...but failed...and ended up going back to my old favourites paint and collage. 

I also tried a second option which I'm going to rework a little when I get the chance. It's been half term and raining here this past week so not much chance of doing anything except breaking up fights.

There are over 400 designs from my fellow happy bootcampers in a gallery over at Lilla's blog, you can see them here.

Bootcamp Begins

So, week one of Assignment Bootcamp is over, and as I expected, I am loving it! 

Make Art That Sells (Part A) which I did in October was absolutely amazing, but it was pretty intense, (so much work and inspiration...so little time) but with bootcamp it's a much more relaxed pace. Instead of two days to do the mini drawing assignments which we got in MATS, we get one whole week in bootcamp.....bliss.  

The theme Lilla has given us for our first week is cuckoo clocks. Such a great subject as there are so many wonderful details....the folk art patterns, the cuckoo birds, the little house shapes. They are so whimsical and quirky and really lovely to draw. 

                                       

Tomorrow we will be given the main assignment....can't wait to get started!

I'm on Lilla's Blog!

I am so excited today.  My work is pictured on the amazing Lilla Rogers Studio blog!!  A lovely big picture of the design I did for the Make Art That Sells Children's Book assignment 'The Language of the Birds' and the plate design I did for the Home Decor assignment.....are there....on Lilla's blog....all by themselves!!! Check them out here at www.lillarogers.com/blog

They are part of a feature on the brand new Make Art That Sells Assignment Bootcamp which I'm signed up for and can't wait to start on Monday!!   I'll be posting all the (hopefully lovely) work I do throughout bootcamp over the next six months.  (For full details of what promises to be an amazing course...if MATS is anything to go by....click on the link above).

Collage Cat

I love cats.  I love collage.  I love cards.   So today I did a picture with all three of my favourite things.  A collaged cat (wearing a crown...I like those too)  holding a card.  Just needs some chocolate (one of my other favourite things) and it would be perfect!

One of my aims this year is to get some of my own greetings cards published.  I'm quite liking the idea of this little collaged cat as a card, just need to do some other animals to keep her company now.

Happy New Year

I'm a bit late with this......but.......Happy New Year!!!  

My New Years Resolution for 2014 is to make more art. (I always make resolutions and never keep them, but I've high hopes for this one!)  So, to start off the New Year, here's a little picture I did over the Christmas holidays of The Owl and the Pussycat. What a romantic pair!