many dreams have been brought to your doorstep

Over the years I've heard many people say that they find starting a new sketchbook the hardest part. They become frozen with the fear of messing it up. Especially, it seems, when it comes to Moleskine sketchbooks. Why is it that they are so intimidating? Is it because of the history of Moleskine? The prestige? Or is it just 'cos they are not cheap that makes you want to take extra care? Funnily enough, I never have that problem. I LOVE to start a new sketchbook. I (almost) cannot wait until I get home. I'm scribbling my name in it in the car (almost). No, I have the opposite problem.

This is the last but drawing of my travel themed Moleskine. There's just one more little page to fill. It's a travel sketchbook with a bit of a twist as I've created all the drawings at home with the souvenirs and memorabilia that I have brought back from my trips. Actually, not just my trips. This book also contains souvenirs from my friends travels too. That's the good thing about being a memorabilia artist; people always seem to bring me bits and bobs back from their trips. For example, a friend brought this back from the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition at the National Gallery, London, earlier this year.

I started this Moleskine on the 29th of April 2009. I cannot even begin to think of how many hours work, and love, have gone into it. I think that it is my favourite sketchbook so far. In fact, it most definitely is. I am very proud of it. And now there is just one more page to go. Will I ever finish it?

You can see the whole of the sketchbook (minus that last blank page) HERE.

and if the flowers are in bloom

 I'm playing catch up at the moment. Not on the drawing front (I have NOT stopped drawing recently) but on all the other things that go along with that. Like blogging. These are a couple more drawings from last weekends sketch crawl in Buxton. And very shortly I'll post the drawings from this weekends sketch crawl in Chesterfield. Our group seems to have a very busy schedule because there's more planned for next weekend. Phew. Exhausting, but great too.

I did this little one in the Buxton Museum and Art Gallery where I held my exhibition last year. This is of the mantelpiece in the Victorian room. At least I think it's the Victorian room. But don't listen to me I seem to think everything old is Victorian. I have no idea why.

in those cold cold moments

Yesterday we were in Buxton for a little sketching and a lot of sitting in a cafe (it seemed). It was a lovely day, despite it being freeeezing, and I got quite a few sketches done. I'm desperate to get my (cross hatching) hands on them but this week I'll be drawing nothing but peaches.

In the meantime you could visit the Sketchcrawl North group on Facebook for lots of gorgeous drawings from the day and news on our future get-togethers HERE.

it ain't necessarily so

Previously I mentioned that I thought that end-paper artist would be one of the most the perfect jobs for me. Here's another; font designer. I couldn't be happier than when I am playing around with words and letters.

One of the reasons it's taken me so long to post this drawing is that, as some of you may know, Blogger have been making changes. And, apparently it's now much easier to make posts. Apparently so.

with a sleeping roll

Another from my new travel journal. I'm not sure how I feel about this one. It's not quite as all singing all dancing as some of the other spreads in the sketchbook but sometimes I think you need the quieter moments. I see these kind of drawings as the commas in a sentence. A moment to pause for a second.

The handwriting's pretty rubbish to be honest, but corrugated cardboard is a new texture on me. Oh well back to the drawing board.

like a long forgotten dream

I was sent these sweets from my friend Tine, in Sweden, about a year ago. Of course, I had all intentions of starting this new journal back then, but you know how it goes? Finally I'm getting around to it and working my way through the airmail envelopes of loveliness that I received from some kind folk in Scandinavia.

The sweets came in a little green tub and just looked so, er, sweet that I ended up putting them in my one of the display cabinets at my my exhibition last summer. Back when I received them I had intended to eat, draw and journal them at the same time. After all the trouble Tine went to in sending them to me I felt that I shouldn't let the fact that they are now past their sell by date put me off. All in the name of research, folks. All in the name of research.

This new travel journal can be viewed HERE.

i was thinking about what a friend had said

Now that I've (tried to) explain what this new travel journal is about it's time to get stuck in.

I would love any help or participation from Scandinavians for this particular chapter. All comments would be much appreciated.

For this first page I referred to the dictionary for the meaning of the term 'Scandinavian'. But what does it mean to you? Is this dictionary explanation a a fair description?

And, do you recognise any of these sweets or 'candies'? Can you tell me anything about them? Which are your favourites, for example. Contributions will make their way into this journal and become a part of it. That's what this project is all about.

Cheers, my dears.

Roll up! Roll up! Come and see the amazing bearded lady (oops no, that was my last post)

This drawing had been sat, unfinished, in my travel Moleskine sketchbook for about 3 years. I'd committed to it by drawing in the tin and the outline of those little Seaworld sweets, but I had no idea where to go with it. Whenever I was working in the sketchbook I'd see it and it would depress me.

The unfinished drawing followed the page below, in which I am having a little rant about how upsetting I find seeing animals performing for humans. Of course, I'm not talking about our pets here. I regularly get my cat to juggle knives, and in a way I feel that's how she earns her keep. No, I'm being selective with my disgust.

Anyway, the other day I was flicking through this sketchbook again when it suddenly came to me. I knew exactly how I should complete the page. Rather than being concerned about my state of mind my first instinct was to draw it, and that's how I came up with a circus of performing (drawn) animals that are actually souvenirs from my travels. It all made perfect sense.

Actually, I do think that this is a way of dealing with those pages that sit unfinished, the ones that you feel are spoiling your sketchbook; just throw as much at it as possible. Give it all you've got.

Just one more page to go in this sketchbook! One more page and my first carnet de voyage, volume 1 (because there will be another) will be finished. How will I pluck up the courage to start that final page? What will I put on it? Hmmm, the possibilities are endless, if a circus of performing souvenirs are anything to go by.

I have two mini travel sketchbooks on offer HERE. Pop them into your the pocket of your Moleskine sketchbook for when you need a little bit of inspiration. Cheers, my dears!

you know that we belong in the presidential suite

I'm so close to finishing this travel Moleskine sketchbook I can almost touch the finishing line. There's just two pages left to finish. It was started almost three years ago and I dread to think how much time has gone into it. Not that I mind though. 'Cos I just love drawing.

The pencil case, above, was a Christmas pressie from my best mate. It came filled with all sorts of bits and bobs. From sugar sachets, badges and labels, all of which had designs that were right up my street and that could have only been collected by somebody that knows me so well, to old notes, letters and things from way back in our past; from times, places and people I'd forgotten all about.

I think this is such a fabulous idea for a gift. Why not do something like it for somebody you know? I think I will. Because what could possibly be better than receiving a Colman's mustard pencil case full of inspiration and love?


You can see the whole of the travel moleskine sketchbook HERE. And, buy the little travel Molezine HERE.

waiting just to fly fly fly

Click on drawing to view... Hope your bodies are warm this Christmas.

tales from the riverbank

I promised an exciting update on a project in my last post. This is not it. Although, personally, I am excited to be working in my travel themed Moleskine again. It's been too long. And, I only have a few pages to complete before it's finished and becomes my second completely filled jam packed Moleskine.

This is my favourite of my Moleskines to date. I love that it's bursting full of colour. And memories. See it all, so far, HERE.

And that exciting update in my next post. I'm not making it up so that you come back. Really, I ain't.

get it on

I've been doing so much of that very precise detailed drawing recently - the stuff that I'm probably best known for. But, I feel that I don't actually learn anything new from that kind of work. I guess that I'm always improving my technique but it's nice to have a bit of a change and do something a bit more freehand. That's what I did hear with these sugar sachets. I did draw around each of the sachets to get the shape but there were no pencils involved or any measuring up. I just drew. And that's refreshing.

This is another spread from my travel Moleskine. You can see the rest of that 'carnet de voyage' HERE.

you are the only thing

I thought I'd take a moment to bang on about the Moleskine sketchbook. Actually why stop there? I might as well take this opportunity to bang on about the Moleskine in general; sketchbook, notebook, diary, etc.

Obviously, there hasn't been too much in the way of drawing getting done, around here, recently as I've been going doodlealley trying to finish off hand decorating these million and one envelopes. And, talking of envelopes (it seems to be the only subject of conversation I have these days) while I was out the other day, desperately trying to source more, I popped into my favourite shop and only local Moleskine seller in the area.

I was going to treat myself to a new Moleskine sketchbook and diary. Perusing the lovely shelves of Moleskines it struck me that it really is the perfect product. It's a product that is so beautifully designed (like a Clark's desert boot, the Eames chair or a Swiss Army knife) that it doesn't need advertising as the customer does all the advertising. Just like I am. Here. Now.

Anyway, I was most disappointed to find that the shop didn't have any Moleskine diaries left. That's what you get for buying a diary on January the 12th. How would I live without my page-a-day diary? Not only do I fill my diaries full of all the extremely important dates for all the extremely important things I'm going to do (don't laugh) but I also fill them with stuff like this;

But, mainly I fill them with stuff like this; lists, references, lists, quotes, lists, lyrics and more lists. This one I made whilst watching the History Boys. I loved the big pin board they had at the back of the classroom (I will have one of those myself one day) that was filled with portraits of icons and idols. I listed some of the people I could spot of the board in the film and added some of my own. For future reference.

I also use my diary to plan drawings and blog posts (NO, don't laugh. I actually plan this stuff). And how would I possibly do without the detachable address book that fits so perfectly into the back pocket of the diary? One less thing for me to doodle on.

Anyway, after perhaps an hour of deliberation (can I do without a page-a-day diary? am I really a weekly planner type of gal?) I settled for the planner. I'm sure I will come to terms with it.

Then I had to choose a new sketchbook. Damn I love new sketchbooks more than I can say (I live alone). That anticipation of the clean pages. That inner cover waiting. Just waiting. What will it look like in a years time? Which direction will it take? I love that space.

Will it be another place to through down ideas like my 'spare' Moleskine, above? A place to work through all those lists and pull a drawing out of the hat? Or will it take on a colour theme like the Sepia one? Still the only Moleskine I've ever completed from inner cover to back pocket.

Or perhaps it'll become the second volume of my travel Moleskine. I'm so close to finishing the first volume. There's definitely a possibility of that. I loved this theme and am not quite done with it yet. Although of course it could be something completely different. I quite like the idea of combining my love of food and drawing and making a kind of foodie-skine. Who knows?

One thing it won't become is a ballpoint Moley. For me, these two mediums didn't quite go together. I don't know why. It's just a personal thing. So the ballpoint Moley that I started, below, doesn't actually exist anymore. I pulled it to pieces.

Anyway, sometimes you need one that is no longer in sketch book form, cos sometimes you need the paper for those little odds and sods that you might want to draw that are not part of any theme.

And, one thing is for sure, to celebrate my love for the Moleskine this year will see more of my little Molezines. I already know the theme for the next one of those. I've been obsessing over that for the last couple of months.

Finally, they threw me out of the shop. I purchased my new books and went. Dreaming of all the possibilities. All the possibilities that a new book and a new year can bring.

in the twist of seperation

Hello folks, and a Happy New Year to you all. No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth I just got distracted by the holidays. The festive season didn't start too well for me and all I really wanted to do was lock myself away at home alone but my friends and family had other ideas. Which I am very pleased about. It was just 'what the doctor ordered'. Hope you all had a great time too.

Here's a couple more drawings from my travel Moleskine. I've almost finished this sketchbook. Just a few pages to go. I am then going to treat myself to another Moleskine for the second volume. I've enjoyed this theme so much I can't stop at one.

You might recognize the drawing above. I made THIS POST about it a couple of months back. I really liked the simplicity of the composition, but I don't do simplicity (as you might have noticed) and I wasn't at all confident that I could leave the page as it was. I was right to not be confident because this is what happened, below. Now that I see them on screen I'm not sure which I prefer. What do you think?

So, I know things have been slow around here but I have so much happening in the next couple of weeks. There'll be creative new year resolutions, news about how business is going and how trying to become an illustrator is working out, updates on all of your orders, new posts on my children's book blog and, of course, LOTS of new drawings. I hope you'll be joining me in this next phase of my journey in 2011 (2011? surely that can't be right).

Happy New Year my friends.

i've been whistling down the street

It wasn't until the day I was leaving Clermont Ferrand that I realised that I hadn't bought any souvenirs of the trip. We'd been so busy at the exhibition that I'd forgotten - which is ironic as I was there to exhibit my travel sketchbook that was themed 'souvenirs of my travels'. So on our final day we had an hour before we had to be the airport to find some souvenirs.

Luckily my stadar (a kind of radar, or gaydar, that detects stationery outlets in the vicinity), which had been going off for the whole trip, pointed me in the direction of a great big stationers close to our hotel. Now, for me, stationery plus souvenirs ticks so many boxes I couldn't have been happier.

So, here are my souvenirs of Clermont Ferrand; a half blue and half red pencil, two stencil maps of France and a ruler. Mission accomplished.

I'm not so happy with the blue and red drawing, above. No doubt I'll mess around with that some more in the future.

Of course, there are also all of the sugar packets, napkins, tram tickets, receipts, bills and business cards I also collected during the trip, but hey that's another drawing. Or six.

These drawing are a part of my aforementioned souvenir themed sketchbook. You can see the rest of the series HERE.

leave no track don't look back

The girl who served me at Cafe Nero in Manchester Airport must have thought I was a total pig. I bought three Espressos, Sicilian Lemon cheesecake, these Amaretti biscuits and some hazelnut chocolates in the 15 minutes I had spare before boarding my plane.Of course, what she did not know was that I was only buying these Amarettis to draw. There was no way I could ignore gorgeous packaging like this.

The Aftermath

After I'd finally finished drawing them, earlier today, I decided that the only right and proper thing to do would be to eat them. It would be wrong to let them go to waste. However they had been to France and back in my hand luggage and were pretty much powder and crumbs. Therefore the only thing left to do was to tip my head back and basically pour them down my neck. I am, of course, a total pig.

These drawings are from my travel sketchbook. You can see the other drawings from that book HERE.

Now where are those handmade chocolate Florentines that I bought to draw?

your smiles and shells

Another new one from the travel sketchbook. Or, at least, it will be new to you if you weren't rifling through my Moleskine over the weekend.

This one is one half of a pair of drawings. You can see the other half, and the rest of the travel sketchbook set, HERE.

using words i never say

Wow.

Wow. Wow. Wow.

What an amazing weekend I've had in Clermont Ferrand at the Biennale Carnet de Voyage exhibition. I was there to show my sketchbooks, specifically the travel sketchbook, to (what seemed like) the whole of France. The event turned out to more than I could ever have imagined. It really was amazing.

No doubt I will go on and on about it for some time, but right now I just need to say some big 'thank yous'. Firstly to the organizers of this brilliant exhibition, specifically Anne, Anais and Marie who looked after us so well. Merci girls.

Of course a huge HUGE thank you to everyone who stopped by to look at my work. This is the first time these sketchbooks have been exhibited 'in real life'. Obviously, I have shown the drawings here on my blog, to a great response, but nothing beats seeing that response first hand. To see the look on peoples faces and hear the reactions was a beautiful thing and quite overwhelming. I returned to the UK a very happy person.

Finally, a big old thanks to my friend, and manager on this trip, Tim. I couldn't have done it without you mate. It certainly wouldn't have been SO much fun. You were great despite your appalling French.

Over the next few weeks I'll bang on about it a lot more, and I'll post some of the drawings of the souvenirs and memories that I brought back from Clermont Fernand. I hope you come back to see them.

Merci beaucoup.

for such a long time now

Another from the travel Moleskine.

I'll be exhibiting my Moleskines, including the travel Moleskine, at the Biennale; Carnet de Voyage event in Clermont Ferrand this coming weekend. If you are planning to visit the exhibition stop by and say hello.

my little box at the top of the stairs

If I'm honest this isn't actually my little box. I've also taken to drawing other people's souvenirs in my quest to fill my travel themed Moleskine. This box of crap, I mean beautiful collection of memorabilia, accompanied my friend Tim home from his world travels. I am a big fan of tat and have wanted to draw this for the longest time.

Actually I've probably wanted to use this blog post/drawing title for even longer than I've wanted to draw his little box, so to speak.