Stories and Sketches - yum!

It has been a little while, but after finding a decent job to get a steady income, illustration has taken a back seat!

I recently found out i got highly commended in the Cheltenham Illustration Awards 2014 again! Here's my image;

The theme was 'Being Human' and i looked at the concept of freedom!

Better luck next year for me! c:

I've started on some new projects as well, though i am still working on the bird illustrations, i am working on an original story and also a mini story!

Have some images/sketches!

Just a bunch of ideas/practices with face styles and having a bit of fun before i commit!

Until next time~

Gigantasaurus Break Over

So i'm back after a gigantasaurus break!!

As for my final degree result...well....

I got a First Class Honours!!!

I feel i've come such a long way after getting a C in Art at GCSE level
and a D at A-Level (yeah i know...)

But getting these nasty grades pushed me to do a Foundation Diploma in Art to prove that i was not rubbish and to prove people wrong! (which i got the highest grade in, a Distinction).

So i feel like all this hard work really has paid off

I know grades ain't everything, and you shouldn't be bothered about what you get as a final portfolio is what counts, but i agree and disagree! It is a measure of the time, work and effort i've put in (also amongst my hobby which is making costumes), so how on earth i managed both of these i have no idea...maybe just my stubborn Taurus nature and perseverance has helped me!

So my piece of advice is, yeah grades are not everything, but just try your hardest and you may just be surprised! ◃┆◉◡◉┆▷

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So since then, i've exhibited at New Designers in London with my group and now i am working on some projects to improve my portfolio! The first one being a series of bird images!

Final Exhibition Done!

So i have been away for a good few weeks, but for good reason!
But it has been really stressful and busy, however i can safely say that i have finished putting up my final exhibition and i am so glad!

I will do a write up and put up a photo at the weekend after our opening night, but i thought i would post an update after quite a while!

Now i just need to look to the future as i have so much i want to do, and also try and grab myself an agency to represent me! To New Designers!

(Photo by Alex! Ta!)

Editorials

So it kind of feels like i've been winding down on my work load, and i'm exhausted!

Since finishing my art doll, i've just been working on some editorials! All of these were from the New Scientist.

Collage and inks

I experimented here and used solely PS to create it using a few textures/monoprints

Collage and inks

I've actually enojoyed doing these, and i plan to do a few more, with maybe another art doll....

That's pretty much all i've done amongst doing my Professional and Commissions folder which is getting there! (basically a compedium of competitions i've done, research into agencies and post-grad etc)

Hopefully i have just enough steam to finish this semester!

Thanks for reading, and see you in a fortnight!

Lots of Updates!

So i know it's been 3 weeks since my last post, but yes i've been busy!

First things first, the Cheltenham Books have been sent out which has my competition entry in which i entered last year!

There is some serious talent in it, and i still can't believe i got in it.

So moving on from that, i have finished my children's book, well the 4 double page spreads and the dummy book, here is [just a small image] of one of my pages:

A usual i kept it very much collage and ink, however, i experimented with a different more controlled way to using the ink to keep it in a consistent style - which is what is needed in picture books. I also experimented with text etc which is pretty new to me to include into an image.

I found this project really difficult as i was working in a narrative context, plus the fact that the story was original made it even harder, so i' a bit iffy on the results, but i did try hard with it.

Moving on from this i have worked on and pretty much finished my new Cheltenham Illustration Awards 2014 entry which i won't post online till the closing date in June.

I've also been making an art doll since i have done quite a bit of work, i thought i'd take it easy for the past week and ended up sewing and carving a plushie doll.

Here are some sneaky shots until i get some professional looking shots taken!

He was quite a challenge to make but it was really enjoyable, i am considering making another one, or should i say a friend for him.

Now i am just working on some editorials and tomorrow us 3rd years are presenting our work to the 2nd years! They will know just how stressful the final year is!

That's it for this week, my next post will most likely be in a fortnight now,

Thanks for reading.

P.S i also got a feature on Design Juices, so big thanks to them!
Read it here

New Project! Picture Book and other Goodies

So i missed out on my post last week, why? Because i had nothing to show.

I just couldn't decide what to work on and do next and when i had decided there was nothing really to show except for some compositional ideas.
I thought lino prints? more screen prints? a book? editorials, the list was never-ending, so i decided to just go for one, that being a picture book.

I've done a fair bit of work over the past week and a half, from creating my story, compositionals, dummy book and now i'm onto the four (maybe six...) final spreads. I only have 9 weeks left and i'm worrying even though i've already done two projects (the angora work and screen prints) The life of a student!

I drew out loads of compositional ideas, photocopied them, then ordered the best ones, it was really quick and convenient to work in this method.

To the top left of this image is my dummy book, which includes all my final compositional sketches, and here i am working on a collage of the boat which is a part of the first spread i'm doing.

I've also worked on creating some business cards (seen below) I used Moo! and got the Minimoo cards. I chose to have a range of designs which makes them exciting, and on the back i used hand written text for my contact details etc. I'm looking forward to New Designers in London that bit more now!

This week i also put together a portfolio site too, using Cargo. I'm still in the process of uploading my work but it's a very nice professional website to use and looks clean and easy to navigate. The only thing is that you have to apply for an account, but this ensures the quality of work on their website!

http://cargocollective.com/hcoote/

That's it for this week, hopefully next week i'll have these spreads done and i'll be underway with the Cheltenham Illustration Awards 2014 brief...not long to go.

Blurb Book [Review]

So i said i'd do a post when my book came, and it actually came in around 2 days after dispatch! From America to the UK, that is astonishing.

This book was printed on Blurb.

The book was very well packaged, maybe too well packaged as i really struggled to get it out. I noticed that because it had no bubble wrap around it, on the back cover at the bottom it had accumulated a few dents from the tight packaging or shipping... i wasn't too pleased with it!

This is the colour trade book, and it's a fantastic size, fitting nicely in the palm of your hand. The cover is nice and the print quality on it is very good! Though careful if you print black on just white, ensure the image is 100% cleaned cos you will see every little mark. 

The print quality is flawless, and looks great on the uncoated paper. The only problem though with the uncoated paper is that it is slightly see through. So if you don't have full images on the page in full colour, you can see through onto what is on the next page.

Because of this, for my final story book which i've decided to do, i will opt for a photo book and the better quality paper! 

This is still a great book, and i love the way it feels.

It's simple, cheap but professional.

This book would have originally costed me around £21, however because i had a discount code it came to approx £6 - i cannot moan at that price! 

I would not have bought this book for £21, mainly due to the dents in the back, the slight bit of glue on the end papers and the see through paper which takes away from its flawless finish; i would probably pay between £10 to £12 for this book - and the £4.99 postage on top is value for money (delivered by fedex).

However i am very pleased with it as its purpose was just as a reference book for myself for when i write stories.

It is somewhat fulfilling having my work printed professionally and seeing it in print for the first time!

Thanks for reading.