The trials of an illustrator

So the positives of being self-employed and an artist working from home? Well yes you are your own boss and the hours are your own, but there is no one who will ring you if you don't turn up for work, or indeed tell you off if you work until the early hours in the morning.

For me the toughest part is the lack of colleagues and the tremendous amount of self-motivation it requires when you don't feel in a creative mode or indeed you have so many things that could be done, but can't decide where to start.

So I have decided to set myself a goal. In between the commissions and when I need a break on working on something, I will get into the habit of coming up with a doodle/illustration a day.

The first one, starting today. It was a quirky idea that popped into my head and so I thought I would put it on paper. So here it is one for the Valentines or for those who just want to smile.

apple of my eye

apple of my eye without the line

The Mrs B collection

I now have a preview of my own Mrs Bennet calendar with all 12 images which will go on sale later this year. But all 12 images will be available as cards and will eventually be on my on-line shop which I hope to set up soon as well as in shops. My first retailer is Just Because in Market Street, Nailsworth, where they are selling all 12 designs and an image celebrating Nailsworth.

The Father's revenge

With Father's Day approaching in June, I thought I would design a card suitable for all those males who feel as if there are overrun with hormones and frequently battle to get time in the bathroom. Here Mr Bennet takes revenge on his six ladies by locking them out of the bathroom for a well deserved soak!

The father's revenge

Bottoms Up!

Spent some time at Slimbridge this afternoon, and couldn't help noticing how many bottoms were in the air. The swans were certainly thirsty or in need of a wash, but it caught my eye and made me giggle because it looked like a mass of mini icebergs in the water. I did a quick sketch and decided to turn it into a full colour image.

Initial sketch

Final image

It was a great record of the afternoon with my daughters - and very apt that there should be five bottoms on the page.

Embracing social media

Gone are the days of my trusted typewriter friend and paper that got spiked once the story was written. Now posts are mysteriously displayed on people's screens seconds after the writer has written and they travel across the world so fast - amazing. There is power in social media - for the good and the bad. But I hope my blog will be a positive influence to build fellow creative practitioners up, inspire and encourage them. Today I launched a Facebook page where I can post sketches and visual thoughts. For now though, this is a self portrait of the typewriter child embracing the world of technology.

The old embracing the new