Use Your Vote

Just a little reminder that in the UK today is the last day to register to vote in the upcoming EU Referendum. Really important to allow yourself to be heard, and registering only takes a minute. www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

The Lavender Blue Dress Exhibition at The Glasgow School of Art

This Summer it was amazing to see my illustration work featured at the Glasgow School of Art in an exhibition of The Lavender Blue Dress picture book I illustrated with Scottish musician Aidan Moffat.

I have to say, when I was illustrating the book, I never really intended for anyone to see the original linework so I used incredibly bright artist's crayons (which were then colour adjusted in Photoshop!). It definitely made illustrating the book a lot of fun, and the bright colours made the display look that extra vibrant!

You can purchase the book in my Etsy shop www.emmelineillustration.etsy.com 

Exhibitions, Bowie and Inspiration

Last weekend I was so thrilled to be involved in two incredible exhibitions right here in the North West. 

Earlier this year, like so many of us were, I was deeply saddened to hear the news of the loss of David Bowie. I have so many great memories of listening to Bowie songs, and it has always been so encouraging as an artist to see someone express themselves creatively without holding back or bowing to trends. So, when Jamie, James and Kirsten from Draw North West got in touch with an idea to put on the 'Sound and Vision' exhibition inspired by David Bowie tracks, with all money raised going to Cancer Research, I couldn't wait to be involved.

The exhibition featured 36 illustrators, each choosing a David Bowie track to inspire an illustration, which was then printed 12 x 12 inch (LP size) and displayed together at Texture in Manchester. It was one of those exhibitions where there are so many brilliant artists involved, it really goes to show how much talent there is around Manchester and the North West.

I chose to base my illustration on the track 'Slow Burn'. It's not one of his best-known tracks, coming from Bowie's 2002 album 'Heathen', but I absolutely love the feel of it and from the second I heard about the exhibition I knew which track I wanted to illustrate.

I chose ‘Slow Burn’ for its deep sense of atmosphere, narrative and poignancy.  The themes of the song: fear, surveillance, a feeling of helplessness and a simmering indignation, can be interpreted as being incredibly reflective of today’s society, even fourteen years after the release of the song.

I wanted to suggest a narrative inspired by the song; pinpointing key elements of the lyrics and creating an emotive character to subtly convey an imagined plot centred on anger, sadness and determination in a dystopian-esque environment.

The exhibition was only on for one night, but the venue was packed and there was a huge list of print orders.  I'll get back to you with the exact figures, but it's looking like we raised an awful lot of money for Cancer Research - and I'm very glad to have been involved.

Coincidentally, that same week I was asked by the Creative Lancashire team if I could use my illustration to include in a David Bowie tribute exhibition in the Derwent Gallery section of the Best of Britannia show in Preston. It seems so many creative people were affected by Bowie's death, and it's not surprising to see the wealth of tributes and artistic dedications that have sprung up since -  I'm always keen to support those, like these two events, that start conversations about sharing inspiration and raise money for charity.

I also had a number of my other illustrations featured in a separate section of the Derwent Pencils-sponsored gallery section of the BOB show. The Best of Britannia weekend featured artists, makers and independent businesses from across the North scattered throughout the spectacular rustic old post office building in Preston. There were tie-makers, lampshade creators, artists, potters, writers and vodka brewers all exhibiting in the same building, and it was fantastic to meet so many of them.

It was a brilliant and busy weekend. One of those that reminds you to take the leap out of your studio more often, grab the chance to grow some inspiration and forge new friendships.

These sorts of events, where there are so many people brought together through common inspiration and passion for creativity, are some of the most exciting, humbling and meaningful. It's always good to be reminded that from loss; be it personal or cultural; there's so often that seed for something new to grow, and the heightened drive to embrace that which brings us together.

Swords & Princesses on International Women's Day

A little ink illustration to say happy International Women's Day ladies (and chaps!) of the realm. Here's to all women (including badass princesses) today!

Thought Bubble Sequential Arts Festival Illustration

I'm so excited to finally share my illustration for Thought Bubble Sequential Art Festival's tenth anniversary this year!

You may have seen a lot of blog posts from me at Thought Bubble's comic festival in November last year (it was an incredible weekend!) and I'm so chuffed to have been commissioned to create the main festival illustration for #TBF16.

Thought Bubble is an incredible festival celebrating comics, sequential art and illustration from artists around the world.

We went through a few visual options for this illustration (and at some point I'd love to share some of the concept work and prep sketches with you as it was such an interesting process) and we chose to head in my bright, digital style to really grab attention for the 10th anniversary of the festival.

To find out more about the festival (and see my illustration in all its branding/web-bannery glory) head over to www.thoughtbubblefestival.com or keep up to date with news on their Twitter or Facebook.

#TBF16 will run from 1st - 6th November at venues across Leeds and beyond! With a festival image by @emmelinedraws! pic.twitter.com/pKANFyQVVO

— Thought Bubble (@ThoughtBubbleUK) February 29, 2016

Thought Bubble's such an incredible comics festival, and I really hope I see you there later this year!

Live Drawing

Last week I plucked up the courage to film my very first live drawing video. As you can imagine, drawing live on film can be a little nervewracking and holding the camera with one hand whist drawing certainly doesn't make things easy (I'll invest in some sort of rig soon I promise), but it was an incredibly fun process!

This is part of my new goal to share more process posts, live drawing and creative tips with you through my Youtube channel. So expect to see a lot more popping up, but for now I'm so excited to share this very first video with you!

Bower Bird Illustration Timelapse

Yes! My Light Grey Art Lab ‘Bower Bird’ exhibition postcards came through this week (and everything survived despite the postman dropping the package in floodwater and then putting it on a radiator...). 

It was an honour (and so, so fun) to be part of this exhibition.

Here’s me flicking through all 90 of the postcards from the 90 artists involved around the world in a quick timelapse video! Ten years on (from some very silly videos) I'm reviving my Youtube account with a burst of illustration videos, maybe a few how-tos and a couple of vlogs if I'm feeling brave.

More info about the exhibition, the artists involved and my illustration for the show can be found in this blog post. If you're in the Minneapolis area, the exhibition runs throughout January, so pop over!

Christmas Lists & Childhood Inspiration

Christmas is juuuust around the corner now, and so you may have seen my Christmas gift guide pop up on my blog earlier this week. Putting the gift guide together made me feel incredibly nostalgic for the late nights scrawling my childhood Christmas lists and (our little family tradition) sticking them halfway out of the letterbox for the robins to collect for Farther Christmas!

My Christmas lists would always be brimming with the coolest 90s toys (yesss Tamagotchis, Polly Pockets, Furbys and Pokémon cards) and huge bundles of books and art materials.

In perfect time for Christmas (and nicely-fitting with my current exhibition on collections), I was gifted some goodies which threw me straight back to my childhood. 

I absolutely loved my Sylvanian families collection when I was little. I used to create the most elaborate stories with them (think intense mysteries and epic dramas!) and give them detailed character back-stories. I would round up a supporting cast of Barbie dolls, soft toys and odd creatures I made from blu-tac to enhance the tales, and there would always be some sort of make-shift set I'd build from cardboard boxes or toy buildings I'd turned the wrong way round. 

I really loved imagination-fuelled playtime when I was little, and I think that's what has continued to inspire me with my stories and illustrations throughout my career. I often see shades of my old stories and characters (as well as influences from the stories my parents would tell) when I'm writing my own comics and picture books these days! 

I think it's always so important to feel you have the freedom and confidence to explore your imagination through storytelling whatever age you are. Luckily enough, as a bit of an early Christmas present a couple of my friends gave me a Pirate-themed storytelling dice game, so I'm all set to delve back in to a few fictional adventures!

Roll on the imagination-inspiring Christmas presents for everyone!

The Illustrated Christmas - A Gift Guide!

I'll admit I often struggle to work out what I'd like for Christmas, but this year...oh man, there's been so many gorgeous goodies popping up. I just want them all! 

I wanted to put together a carefully chosen selection of my very favourite illustrated products that would make fantastic presents for the illustrator (or lover of illustration) in your life.
So if anyone's feeling generous, yes please to all of this!

1 - Bonne Maison Socks

2 - Peter Pan Egmont Classics Edition (Cover illustrated by me!)

3 - Boden Wash Bag

4 - Marou Chocolate: Dak Lak 70%

5 - Boden Pajama Bottoms

6 - Bonbi Forest Locket Necklace

7 - Beautiful Darkness Graphic Novel

8 - Jane, The Fox & Me Book

9 - Folk Life Socks

10 - Library Of Flowers, Wildflower & Fern Gift Set

11 - Paul & Joe Lipstick

12 - Pentel Brush Pen (my personal tool of choice!)

13 - Cath Kidston Backpack

14 - Faber Castell Jumbo Pencils (another of my favourite illustration tools!)

15 - Odeur des legendes -savon lait de chèvre et amande amère

16 - Yumiko Higuchi purse

Light Grey Art Lab - Bower Bird Exhibition

I've been a busy, busy bee over the last few months, and (although a tiny bit late) I'm so excited to finally show you my full illustration for the Light Grey Art Lab 'Bower Bird' exhibition that opened last week in Minnesota. 

I've wanted to get involved in a Light Grey Art Lab project for years now (some of my very favourite illustrators are regulars) but I've always been unlucky in missing the call-outs, until now! I finally saw a live call for applications, darted in there and I was incredibly chuffed to have been chosen to take part in the Bower Bird exhibition.



A total of ninety international artists have taken part in the exhibition which (if you know your birds, the name suggests) focuses on collections, collecting and collectors of all shapes and sizes. In true reflection of the theme, each of the illustrations were formatted to postcard size with one copy being exhibited and an extra one hundred or so being divvied out into special postcard sets of each illustration for the artists taking part. I absolutely can't wait until my set arrives, there's so many amazing illustrators involved!



I had an awful lot of choice when it came to choosing which collection I wanted to focus my illustration on: books, tiny toy animals, vintage scarves, old purses, pens, boardgames, pokémon cards...you name it; but I decided to think a little less directly and I chose to create my illustration based on memories and a small box of mementos I keep. Small relics of my happiest days and most important moments that would probably look like rubbish to anyone else. Something personal, but with a hint of universality.

My memory box is full of odd little things, drawings from friends, childhood toys, gifts from loved-ones, souvenirs from my travels, ticket stubs, notes and secret codes. I love the idea that I can stumble across these personal little treasures (most often when I'm rummaging for lost keys or a hairband) and be transported back to a special time. I like to think that most of us have a box of mementos hidden away somewhere: our own unique collection that sparks our memories and reflects our lives.

The exhibition is running throughout January at the Light Grey Art Lab Gallery, Minneapolis. If you'd like to buy one of the limited edition postcards or a gorgeously luscious giclee print you can here, and you can see the full collection of illustrations here and the gallery launch night flickr page here! 

Illustrating Small Business Saturday 2015

Hi everyone! So it's Small Business Saturday 2015 and I'm down in London celebrating it after a huge #SmallBiz100 Christmas fair and celebration in Westminster yesterday.

Today (as I pledged in this article in The Guardian) I'm going to be celebrating the variety and diversity of the small businesses and entrepreneurs in the UK through illustration. We're an incredibly important bunch, and I really think small businesses are worth supporting and recognising, so I've decided to create a series of illustrations inspired by real-life SmallBiz100 companies!

In November I wrote a quick post in the SmallBiz100 Alumni group asking for a little summary of everyone's businesses, helping me grab a little inspiration for my illustrations, and the response was overwhelming! 

There are honestly so many exciting, varied and incredible companies springing up across the country (from forensic educators to candle-makers!) and I quickly picked a few that I thought would capture the diversity of all these amazing entrepreneurs. 

I've posted the full collection here, but I'll be putting these out over the course of the day on my Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr using the #SmallBizSatUK hashtag! So keep an eye out for those. 

I also really, really, really recommend you take a quick look on the Small Business Saturday website and, well, go out right now and see what your local small businesses are doing for the day! Support them, celebrate them, and take a second to reflect on the fact that if you wanted to start up your own business today, to follow your dream, we'll all be cheering you on!

A huge thank you to the Small Business 100 companies that helped inspire these illustrations - Town Mill Cheese, Agile Administration, Golden Hare Gallery, Serendipity Jewellery, Aspect Makeup, Fifth Dimension Chocolates, Ma Baker, Smart Little Web, Frou Frous Cakes, Bils & Rye Gallery, Virtuoso Assistant and Acorn Gallery!

Hello From Westminster!

So, it's all been kept very secret, but last month I was invited to Downing Street as part of the Small Business Saturday celebrations, and today I'm tabling at the Christmas fair in The Treasury Drum next door (we were re-located at the very last moment!). 

I'm one of 28 businesses plucked from the 'SmallBiz100' to host a stall in a cosy Christmas Fair chalet, sell my illustrated goodies, draw live portraits and discuss the importance of small businesses in the UK. I'm hoping I'll also be able to voice some of my opinions, praise and, ahem, concerns over current support for freelancers as well.

2014 Downing Street Christmas Fair. Picture by Suzi Ovens

Small Business Saturday is a grassroots campaign supporting small businesses and promoting the idea of shopping locally and independently (certainly appropriate between the madness of Black Friday and the run up to Christmas). 

The Christmas Fair event is hosted on the eve of Small Business Saturday, and each of the 'SmallBiz100' have been invited to gather together to highlight the importance of (and celebrate!) small businesses across the UK. It's full of media, news and political-types, so keep an eye out for me on social media (try #SmallBizSatUK). I'll also be tweeting pictures and updates throughout the day.

Since I'm in Westminster, I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to unveil an illustration I've been working on, focused on the idea of the power of the public's voice in current affairs. I had a lot of fun illustrating this at the start of this week (and I love what an appropriate audience it has here today). I think it's really important for us to feel like we do have a voice in these times (especially after events like on Wednesday), and it is worth continuing to speak up on the issues that really matter to us, as tough as it may seem to be heard.

So, as tomorrow is Small Business Saturday, I'll be posting illustrations celebrating the vibrancy and diversity of the UK's small businesses! 

I think we're such an important bunch, and I think it's vital that future small businesses and entrepreneurs feel secure, supported, confident and creative enough in starting up their own companies and forging their own paths. I'm proud to be representing us today! For the sake of innovation and, hell, an interesting world to live in, I will always fight to support small businesses, freelancers and those brave enough to break out on their own.