Thursday 24 May 2012

Reading in shadows

Well, a very good afternoon to you dear blog reader.


Just another little post for you today.


Yesterday I finished off another illustration, which, like the last one, was started many months ago and resigned to an unmarked folder buried in my freelance files.  It started off as a digital colour test for a painting I was planning to do, I did start the painting but it just ended up that the digital version was working better.  




Now, I'm all for physical painting; the smell, the mess, I love it. But there's absolutely no denying the convenience of the undo button and the millions of editable layers.
Sometimes, it's just a case of not having the time to dedicate to a full painting, which is a shame - but don't worry, I certainly won't give up on it.  In fact, I bought myself some indian drawing ink and have been experimenting with some dry brush painting recently, I'll show you soon I promise.


So, what do you think of this entiiirely digital painting? My only negative thoughts about it were that it maybe ended up more polished than I had intended, the character in particular *shrug*.  I sort of had it in my head that it would somehow link to the last illustration I posted, as a sort of flashback from the previous woman to her youth (note the similarly coloured cities in the background & intense shadowing). However I haven't really developed this story yet and the styles are slightly different.  I really would like to illustrate a graphic novel at some point though (my mister's a dab hand at writing too), so maybe these will be a good platform.


I've had people say that the girl in this looks like me, and I suppose she does a bit.  It's not unusual for my characters to look like me or people I'm close to though, it's just the subconscious influences from the everyday.  I must say though, I would a b s o l u t e l y love to be there, reading right now.  At least I was, in a way, whilst I was creating this illustration.  Imagination is the best form of escapism.




Keep in touch, say hello!


Emmeline 

Monday 21 May 2012

Guess what! I have a NEW illustration to show you (it's been so long since I could actually show anything, it's all been secretive book work!) I started this months and months ago but got too busy to complete it - until now! (obviously)




It's good to combine interiors/exteriors, lighting and non-facial emotion into one illustration- they're all areas worth practising!


What do you think?
Leave me a comment, yeah?


Short 'n' sweet.


Bye!

Monday 14 May 2012

The Flyaway Blanket Gold Award

Exciting news!

My very first published children's book The Flyaway Blanket, which was released in November 2011 (written by Alan Peterkin and published by Magination Press) has received it's very own GOLD AWARD for bedtime stories in the Mom's choice awards for picture books!





I'm very excited to be able to say I'm a gold-award winning children's book illustrator now, it's fantastic and very encouraging indeed.  There's always the classic case of as your work gets older you don't like it as much, but getting feedback like this really makes me feel proud of how far I've come in the short time I've been working as a freelance illustrator. 
This news has also come at a time when my family has suffered a great loss, and so it's really lovely to have something we can all feel positive about and proud of come our way.

The Mom’s Choice Awards is an international awards program that recognises organisations and creative individuals who produce high-quality, family-friendly media, products, and services. The Gold award is the highest level of acknowledgment from Mom’s Choice Awards and I feel so proud to have been recognised for this in the children's book section!

If you fancy your own copy in paperback or hardback, you can get them in lots and lots of online shops (Waterstones, WHSmiths, Foyles, Sainsburys etc) as well as from the Magination Press website direct.




Wednesday 9 May 2012

Get Well Bella


Last week I drew this to cheer up Bella, Hailey Restuccia’s four year old daughter fighting cancer.  Apparently she loves princesses, fairies and all things pink so it was a good reason for me to delve back into some girly drawing!
Sometimes it’s good to take time out to do something lovely for someone you don’t know.


Thursday 3 May 2012

Today today

Good afternoon peapods.

Today is the last full day to bid to get your mits on a completely one off piece of artwork, limited edition Florence and the Machine 7" vinyl and a slice of history....WHILST raising money for The Teenage Cancer Trust charity and supporting your, er, favourite illustrator called Emmeline?



What on earth are you waiting for?! Get here now.



I'm determined for it to raise at least £40, which was the minimum donation for the record sleeves sold at the exhibition.

Know anyone who might be interested? Jump on them. Pin them down. Direct them to the link.

Or not.

Just...if you could let people know that'd be over-the-moon-and-most-of-space fantastic.

Here's the full link. 

http://bit.ly/Ik5fEX 

Share it.

You're wonderful.