At Last...It's Finished!

I had a lot of technical problems with this book, but it has turned out well, considering...

London at Night

Here is a photo I took on the way to the Networking event on Thursday night...

work in progress

Here are some photo's of the illustrations I have been working on for the next burlesque book. I have been doing a bit of cutting and folding the paper which gives it a sort of 3D quality that I like. I still have to do some stitching and then put the book together. I'm hoping to get this done over the weekend.

Tonight I am going to a networking event at Shakespeares Globe on Bankside. I'm hoping that it will be a good evening. I'm dreading going to southbank, as I've successfully managed to avoid the area for the last 5 months....

This week I have been illustrating all the new seasons bags at work to organise the understock etc. This has been good practice for me... but I'm starting to feel like the 'artist in residence,' and I was starting to get slightly irritated by the attention I have been attracting. And normally I LOVE attention!?!?
Apart from that I have been spending too much time in 'Fresh and Wild' (I'm so over 'Starbucks') and have been listening to my 80's power ballads.... my favourites being Whitesnake 'Is This Love' and Heart 'Alone'.... starting to think I need to kick the habit.
Anyway, I need to try and find something appropriate to wear for tonight, so, ciao for now!

p.s.

Check out my Uncle 'the poet' and his friend, Nyjon, a first class R'n'B act! Follow this link....

Work Update.....

Here is the finished clock illustration, inspired by my friend Charlene's word's of wisdom, and my response to them. It reads...'someone once said that time heals the heart... but sometimes time can be late.' I originally wanted it to also say...'but sometimes time can be late and the heart stops beating.' I decided to take my uncle 'the poet's' advice and eliminate the last sentence. Anyway, this is an idea that I may well revisit at a later date.
I have included some photo's of what I have been working on today. I had planned to bind the book block but realised that I did not have enough of the right sized linen tape. So, instead I have tried to prepare the artwork for the book. However, I'm suffering from a touch of artist's block.....

'Create to Learn'

Today was the first day we met the class that we are going to be working with. And boy are they a rowdy bunch... however, I'm not worried at all! The kids were doing some illustrations of the creatures in 'James and the Giant Peach.' I was impressed at how good some of the children's drawings were. I feel that I have already learned a lot about teaching and how to approach art with children. What I find really sad is that if it was not for us teaching art on the Friday afternoons, than the children would not have any art lessons at all, this term. That would be a great shame, as I genuinely saw a lot of potential in the children. I believe that if you catch them early in their education, than art can be a great subject for kids to pursue as well as benefit the children in all other areas of their development. It's weird and annoying how generally people don't see that art is as important a subject as any other. If I had kids and they were not going to have any art lessons as part of their timetable, I would not be please at all. Ok, rant over....What made me smile was that when the kids were asked to do 'illustrations' one child shouted out "that's not art!" should I be insulted? Anyway I really feel like I'm doing something worthwhile, and that's a nice feeling to have!
Also, I found that was having a lot of ideas of my own for illustrations in class today. I had an idea about dong something with bugs myself! I just to find the time to execute all my ideas. Time is something that is in short supply for the next couple of weeks. I have a week off work from the 5th of February, and plan to spend the week catching up on art stuff.
Anyway, next week I'm going to a networking event at 'Shakespeare's Globe' on Bankside and tomorrow I should be going to a salsa club after work, which should be interesting.....ciao for now.

P.s. the weather this week has been scary. It's been a nightmare getting into London!
I hope the gale force winds don't carry on into next week!

Work in Progress

Here is some work in progress for the book I'm working on... I haven't worked on it much recently because of the Burlesque book binding, but I had this idea for an illustration, based on a couple of previous illustrations and something a friend keeps saying...It is not finished, but I thought it would be interesting to post up how it develops on...

This week......

.....I have been mostly ignoring all my new years resolutions, except for the 'eat more veg' one (on average I can easily eat approx. 10 pieces of fruit and veg a day!). Also, I HAVE been very proactive with my art, even though I had an attack of 'artist's block.' But anyway, with reguards to the other resolutions, it's ok, I did the same at the start of 2006 and still managed to achieve my objectives.
Although, I was delighted to see this week, that itunes had one of my favourite songs ever....'Waiting for a Star to Fall' by Boy Meets Girl...(they didn't have it before now!)....I'm all about the 80's, I should have really been born to live through the 80's rock revolution! Am I talking nonsense?
However, it's been a weird week. Today I have been walking around with a miserable face, for some reason, the purchase of cute ACDC t-shirt and my rekindled love for 'Fresh and Wild' in Soho (health food rocks!) didn't soften my mood much.
The next couple of weeks are potentially very busy for me, so hopefully I will have some interesting posts to come. For now, here is some 'burlesque book series' work in progress...

The Finished book

Here is one of the 'finished' burlesque books....

'Create to Learn' and a bookbinding update

Here are some photo's from the first day at a school in New Cross Gate for the 'Create to Learn' voluntary programme that me and Charlene are working on. The Brief was to make a stage model box for a scene from 'The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.' We spent the morning working on the text, writing notes and sketching ideas. We had a hour and a half to make up a model box. I think the kids did really well... Here are a few photo's of there model's....

Charlene has got photo's on her BLOG as well!

Work in Progress

My other blog page is causing me so much heartache at the moment so for now this will be the temporary home of my new developments... Here is some work in progress for the two burlesque books that I am working on....

New Years Resolutions and more Burlesque!

Here is a photo of the materials that I'm using for the below project (the tools of my trade...) The other is an illustration of my NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS. It's not finished yet! Today I bought an album called 'Tease! The Beat of Burlesque' I highly recommend it.... very sexy music, I have been considering creating a burlesque alter-ego to go with the project...!?!?