Short but sweet

There's not much to report on this week, as I've done no art! I've tried to work on my digital drawing of Cersei Lannister this afternoon, and I've spent a couple of hours working on her hair, but I realised I hadn't done it long enough at all. That's and my laptop crashed, so I've thrown my toys out of the pram and not doing anymore today. My mood isn't helped by the fact I had so little sleep last night due to being in the sweat box of a spare room my nan has. So I'm pretty grumpy today, and in no mood to do art to make up for the fact I haven't done any all week.

On the upside I've bought more paper (although it's still not the same stuff, but it's got to the point where it will never be the correct paper as it's been discontinued, so I'll have to make do with what I have).

I finished the Shaw Academy Graphic Design course, and found the last 2 lessons pointless; needless to say I won't be signing up to their advanced course, nor paying to take the final exam to get my certificate of completion. I have seen a short course to do at a university, but after seeing what this online course was like that I've just done I need to go through the university course with a fine toothcomb before committing money to it.

I'm doing a school holiday art course starting on Thursday for the next 6 weeks which will be interesting, I've managed to get some of my colleagues to join me too.

I've also started following a blog: http://drawboy.blogspot.co.uk/ but I'm finding my blog isn't generating much traffic though Blogger, so I'm thinking of moving it to WordPress and see what they're about.

Anyway, I'm not one for sentimental inspirational quotes, but I'm feeling down in the dumps today, so here's one for my Pinterest of the Week: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/494833077785572089/

Cracking on with the Shaw Academy course

I haven't done any work on my Game of Thrones characters this week, as the only day I could go to buy paper was yesterday... and I spent it at the seaside with my boyfriend! We had a lovely meal (he had jumbo cod and chips, of course. I had a crab salad, which I think is one of the best salads I have ever eaten). If you go to Whitby it's worth going for a meal at The Fisherman's Wife. It's not the cheapest place for food, but it's really good. I've only ever been to Whitby twice, and both times I've eaten here. They have unrivalled views of the sea from their restaurant, which was the reason I was drawn to this restaurant.

Anyway, I've been working on the Shaw Academy Graphic Design course still, and was tasked the challenge to produce a logo for an animal shelter, this is what I came up with:

They also showcased my photo merge from last week, which I was pretty stoked about! I've not totally forgotten about doing some art though; I quite fancied painting a watercolour painting today, so I painted my back yard, although this is the first time I've done a proper watercolour painting, it's not great:

I could've picked a nicer landscape...

I also had my first proper yoga class last week, still loving it. I found it harder work than what I was expecting though! I think I'll keep it up for now, also term finishes in a few weeks for the summer holidays, ready to pick up again in September.

Anyway, I have a pretty action-packed week ahead of me: Monday & Tuesday I'm out with work visiting a supplier, I have the last week of my Shaw Academy course to finish, yoga (if there's room for me to book into class), Thursday weather permitting is a team build after work playing rounders and BBQ, and then i's Friday and the weekend all over again! Saturday I'm out in Derby visiting family, so not much time for art, though I'll try to fit some in somewhere.

So, I'll leave you with my Pinterest of the Week, I love the elegance of this illustration, and wiht the bird cage featuring both as an actual cage and in the clothing it makes me wonder if the girl feels like a trapped bird too? https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/314548355206991875/

Robert Baratheon finished

I've finished Robert Baratheon:

But now I've run out of paper, and the paper I've been using is now obsolete! Not sure what I'm going to do... I'm pretty certain the paper is 160gsm watercolour paper as it has quite a thick grain on it, but for now I can't do any more drawings without them being consistent!

I'm still finding the Shaw Academy Graphic Design course a bit useless, out of the 6 lessons I've had so far I've only found 2 useful, as the other lessons are tutorials in Adobe CC (and Shaw Academy also have courses for these programs). I've already done courses for the programs themselves. I'm hoping tomorrow's course is more informative. I'm glad I haven't paid for this course or I'd be really annoyed.

I genuinely enjoyed my introduction to yoga on Tuesday, so much that I've signed up for an actual lesson on Tuesday! I didn't think I was stressed out or anything, but when I left the yoga centre I felt like I was on another planet, I was that blissed out.

Not really much else going on with my life at the moment; July is shaping up to be a quiet month, but then it's all systems go from August through to mid-September. I've booked some tickets for Alter Bridge in November, so I've got that to look forward to, plus my break to Center Parcs in September, and I've just used the Jongleurs Comedy Gift Card my colleagues got me for my 30th (going for the bank holiday weekend in August).

Anyway, for this week's Pinterest of the Week is to showcase other artists: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/314548355206883532/ I love the amount of detail that goes into some of these works; it's the reason things like Studio Ghibli films are so popular and why I love them too.

Renly Baratheon colouring finished

I managed to do this one in 2 takes, not sure if I'm getting quicker, or more slack with my detail (I can be such a 'glass is half empty kind of person sometimes):

I've done the line drawing for Robert Baratheon, which I'll be colouring in this week.

The big news of the week has been the referendum in the UK, whether to stay in the EU or leave. After the votes were counted 52% (just over 1.2 million votes difference between remain and leave) were in favour of leaving. I voted to stay in the UK, and feel a bit disappointed that the UK will leave the EU. However, both my boyfriend and myself are still confused even though everything has happened (he voted leave). I've been of the opinion 'If it isn't broke don't try to fix it', but other countries in the EU now want to leave the EU, which suggests the EU has problems. Also, my boyfriend now regrets voting leave, as do many other people who thought their vote wouldn't count! It just feels like people voted to leave to stick it to the man and didn't research the facts (although from the Leave campaign they didn't have many facts to research). It's all a bit weird, and even now people are quitting the Labour party, and over 3 million people have signed a petition calling for a second referendum (where were these people when voting was happening?!). I'm not happy with the decision, but that's democracy for you, but I feel like the margin that the leave campaign won with should've been more than 52%, it just seems a bit indecisive to me.

Anyway, apologies for the political post this week, I wouldn't normally do it but the referendum could seriously affect my future. Something a bit more relevant to my blog, I'm starting a free graphic design course with Shaw Academy tomorrow, it runs 2 webinars a week for the next month, and I'm excited about starting!

I'll sign off with my Pinterest of the Week, it's good to see with practise and dedication you can improve in what you want to do: https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/314548355205789845/

First Game of Thrones timelapse has landed!

I've had a week off from the crazy drawing, I've been pretty busy at work, so it's been nice to have a break during the week. I have started colouring Cersei Lannister in though, although I'm concerned it doesn't look like her:

I also came across these common problems posters for graphic designers, they're quite amusing: http://www.creativebloq.com/posters/posters-sum-designer-problems-111517875

Aside from that there's not really much to report on, so I'll leave you with my Pinterest of th Week, the colours are so vibrant on the first piece! https://uk.pinterest.com/pin/314548355205709830/

Here be dragons!

As it turns out I did do the first Schoolism video wrong, so I've had to go back and redo it. This week I had to do a 3-tone sketch of my design, and it still has to look recognisable:

I'm going to watch the next video once the Formula 1 is done with, although I got wasted last night, and as a result today has been wholly unproductive, and this blog post will be fairly short. Although we did go and watch the fireworks show at my place of work, the fireworks were pretty spectacular. The even has to be called Guy Fawkes night, they can't call it Bonfire night as they can't have a bonfire in the middle of the forest.

On the walk to the pub yesterday I did manage to get some nice autumnal shots on my phone of our local park:

I've completed week 2 of my writing course, I had to listen to a line from a radio station and build a story on that. The line I had was 'Once you come out of a situation like that, it's like coming up from the sea-bed'. Week 3 starts tomorrow.

I've not watched any interesting videos this week, however I do have a Pin on Pinterest, hope you like: http://www.zeutch.com/graphik/moleskine-doodles-50270#

Another quickie...

Sorry for the lack of material this month, I really am finding it a struggle to find time to draw at the moment! I can't believe it's the 28th of June already...

I started at my new job on Thursday just gone. Handing over everything in my new job was every bit as stressful as I thought it would be. Starting was equally as stressful, I've gone to a large company where there are lots of employees, and I was also invited to a team-building event after work on my first day. I felt like a lemming stood in the Rounders playing field, but the BBQ they put on was nice. I got on well with my new colleagues better by the Friday though, they seem like a nice enough bunch :)

I am so envious of their designers as well, as they do proper designing, not the half-arsed repro attempt I've seen in both of my long-term jobs in the past. One lady was even drawing owls and foxes for some promo material. So jealous. But they've all been to Uni, and I haven't. I can see now why no company would employ me as a designer. But I quite like my new job, it's all about being organised, which I love doing.

In other news, we're slowly getting ready for going on holiday. The trailer tent was put up properly for the first time in our local park on Tuesday:

I'm glad we've got all of the arguments out of the way now! I just hope the weather doesn't turn typically British while we're away. Also, as part of my leaving present from my old job my colleagues got me the following book. I've had a read through it, and it's frickin' amazing, it's definitely coming with us!

They also got me a Festival kit full of goodies like a bright pink poncho, cleaning stuff like shampoo and baby wipes, lip balm, glow sticks, etc, it's really cool. Also a nice box of chocs (already snaffled) and some bottles of cider. The sales reps who looked after me got me a bottle of rum (they know me so well).

I do miss my old work friends, but I really am quite anti-social. After going out with some of my colleagues for a leaving meal and with the gifts everyone got me I feel I really missed a trick not socialising with my old colleagues. I'm going to make more of an effort with my new colleagues (whether they like it or not, ha!). I have let my old colleagues know about some good perks I get with my new job, but I've not heard back from them :( Oh well, if they don't want to abuse my perks after I'm gone I'm sure I can get them used instead :D

Well, aside from Fat Fighters tomorrow I don't have any plans for the week ahead. I get to finish 30mins earlier than my last job, so there really should be no excuse for a lack of art next week. I think I have a bit of an art block going on at the moment, but I'm just going to find things to draw to get me back into the swing of it.

Until next week!

Only a quickie

I haven't done any art this week.

Nothing. Nada. Zip.

2 reasons for that, number one is the usual 'not found time'; again I've been out every night in the week just gone, and I have no intentions of slowing down! I think I have plans for every night this coming week as well. I'm itching to draw, but I'm barely getting time to sit down at the moment. I'm hoping when I go on holiday I'll have loads of spare time to sketch. I'm certainly taking my tablet, and a pencil & paper too.

Also, I've found last week to be the hardest at work since being in that job for nearly 4 years. Handing over to someone who doesn't know our systems, or our customers, has been absolutely draining. I don't think it's been handled properly. Normally my colleagues have a shuffle round of accounts, so the newbies get the easier accounts, and the more experienced get the difficult accounts. Not so in this case, they're very short staffed where I am at the moment, also my replacement looks promising so they've just done a straight swap, the poor soul is getting all of my work. It also doesn't help that she has tomorrow morning off work, I have tomorrow afternoon off work, and my last day is on Wednesday! I hate caring so much sometimes...

On a better note I was given a day pass to visit one of the holiday villages of where I'll be working, so I've gone for a visit today, and all I can say is Wow! I can see why guests love this place so much. All of the staff look really happy too, so I'm hoping my new job will be good!

I finished the Leonardo Da Vinci documentary. I'd got most of the way through it by my last blog post, but finished it off yesterday. There wasn't really much left for me to watch, Peter Capaldi was good in it acting as Leonardo Da Vinci.

So, sorry for the week of bitching, Turns out this blog post wasn't a quickie! I'm not sure what this next week is going to bring either!

30 days of lacking!!

Well, I've had a better stab at drawing more this week:

Random lamp study

Quick ornament study

Another hand study

30 days of graphic design. Redesign the nearest shop's logo. This is only a quick sketchy idea

30 days of graphic design. Pick 3 designers and make a new design mixing their styles. I chose Milton Glaser, Stefan Sagmeister & Paula Scher 

I've also watched a film, Inside the mind of Leonardo Da Vinci, which I've found immensely interesting. For example he was an illegitimate child, and because of this received no formal education during his childhood, yet to look at his sketches you'd think he'd completed an engineering degree at university! It's another proven point to me that you don't need to be educated to a higher standard for something in this industry (although I'm sure it helps of course).

I'm not sure if I'll carry on with this particular 30 days of art/graphic design, as I feel it's not drawing. While I enjoy making the initial sketches I don't have the time in the day to make a fully refined drawing every day. After coming home from work, eating dinner, etc I'm lucky to squeeze in an hour to sketch (and most days I don't!). There's loads of other '30 days of art' out there, so I'll find one that will give me the motivation to finish it!

Anyhow, not long now until the first holiday of the year, but first we have AC/DC to see before that in a few weeks! I only have 1.5 weeks left at my current job, it's all happening at the moment!

30 day challenge, logo completion and an annoucement!

Hey all, I've done a little more art this week, although I've had a headache pretty much all week.
I've watched a random video on Photoshop on how to draw smooth lines, and it pretty much boils down to doing it quick, and drawing from the elbow, not the wrist. I knew this before (the wrist thing), but never really applied it, so I've been practising with the motion today and guess what? My lines are better :)

The kickstarter campaign for Schoolism has finished, I think I'm starting mine in October. I've been watching a few of Bobby Chiu's vids on youtube this week, so talented!!

On twitter I noticed in my feed a behance page called The Pocketbook of 120 tips from featured creative from the design world. I'm not far into it but there's a pretty decent 30 day drawing challenge. So day 1 is to tell you I've started. Let's call that yesterday. Day 2 is today, and although I kind of started it yesterday I've done most of the work today:

Make a logo of your face with your name which describes your personality - smiley and bright! I did want to use bright purple text, but it was lost in my brown hair

So for the week ahead (it'll be interesting to see if I do all of these!)
Day 3: Make an illustration of your favourite number
Day 4: Choose 3 awesome graphic designers and try to make a new design mixing their styles.
Day 5: Redesign the logo of the nearest shop.
Day 6: Choose 2 objects. Mix them.
Day 7: Make a logo for an astronaut's umbrella shop.
Day 8: Draw something with your left hand.

The link for The Pocketbook can be found here:
www.behance.net/gallery/24768773/The-Pocketbook
And it's on a Creative Commons license :)

Oh, and I think I've finally finalised a design for my logo!! Although I'm torn between 2, so please see both below, let me know if you prefer one over the other!

I was eating dinner yesterday and heard something fall over in our bedroom. My canvas I've been working on had fallen over. There's no damage to the canvas or the frame, but I've now put the canvas away as I have no motivation to finish it right now.

The London MCM Comic Con was last weekend, and I really wish I had gone. I've not been to the one in London, but I've been to the Birmingham one, and Collectormania in Milton Keynes. Both have not been great. There's a really good convention on when I'm on holiday, there are so many Game of Thrones stars there, and we'll be nowhere close to go :( I've even looked into getting a little flight from where we're holidaying to London, but there only do 2 flights a day, one there and one back, so it's not worth it. Oh well, there will be more cons in the future.

The trailer tent is coming on nicely, we picked up a bottle of gas from our town, hooked it up to the little oven that came with the trailer tent and it works fine! The lights don't work though, I think we'll need to buy a light board to make the trailer road-legal. While I was at the shop buying gas they also sell a small range of tools, so I managed to get a drill bit for drilling a 30mm hole for my brewing buckets so I can get a bitter and a lager kit brewing. Although to be honest since I started Slimming World in Feb I haven't been drunk since then, so 2 beer kits will probably last us into next year!! We're supposed to be having a heatwave next weekend, I've asked the other half to get the summer clothes out of the loft, I wonder what clothes will be too big on me now?! That's the nice thing about losing weight (I've been overweight for 10 years), I can buy clothes that actually look good now rather than fit for funtionality, and I get a massive confidence boost to boot!

Anyway, I have an announcement to make (which I can't make until tomorrow, all will become clear). It's probably not a big deal for anyone reading this blog, but it's a huge deal for me. I don't know who reads this blog from my twitter feed, as I have friends and colleagues on there, so I need to keep it secret until tomorrow. And for anyone wondering (and for the people that know me), I'm not pregnant!!