MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sketches and Doodles by Edwin Rhemrev

So, in the last post, I was saying that I needed to add character to my drawings. Anyway, I found a GREAT blog about an illustrator who is AMAZING at adding personality and character to his drawings.
Find his blog here:
http://rhemdoodles.blogspot.com/

These are thumbnails he created for re-designing the scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz

Victoria Ball

This illustrator's work is just gorgeous! I love the way she puts character into her characters. This is something that I need to start considering, as some of my drawings can look a bit stiff and boring. Victoria Ball is a good example of how to do this, so I find her work very interesting.

Her website is:
http://www.victoria-ball.co.uk/index.html

And the agency which represent her is:
http://www.illustrationweb.com/illustrators/home_large.asp?artist_id=3343

Illustrator funness!

So, lately I have got into using Adobe Illustrator. Now I have never used this before, and just started playing about on it, but since we were given the Monster Munch brief at uni, I have really started to rather enjoy playing around on it, and the quality of the finished product. These are some of the final packet designs that I designed for the Monster Munch brief:

 Anyway, this is something that I am hoping to expand on, using Illustrator in my work. I came across this illustrator called John Paul Early. Most of his work is done on Illustrator, and he really gets across the 'funness' of a character and his their surroundings.

Check his work out at:

http://www.illustrationweb.com/illustrators/home_large.asp?artist_id=39&tc=1292526562673

Tatjana Mai-Wyss

Came across this children's illustrator at a great website, called http://www.childrensillustrators.com/. It lists LOADS of children's illustrators that I have found useful for research and reference.
The illustrator I came across is called Tatjana Mai-Wyss, and her work is lovely. Very feminine, and girly, but it is the sort of work I like to look at.

Check her portfolio and info out at:
http://www.childrensillustrators.com/illustrator-details/tatjana/id=714/

Character Development

So, today was the day that our character development work had to be in. The final piece that I decided to display was the picture below. It is influenced by the works of the children's illustrator Tim Bowers and the previous illustrator Kim Niles, and is based on my dog, Wooley; a cocker spaniel.

I like this drawing, as I like the stylising of it, but after considering what my style of drawing is, I think I am a slightly more realistic drawer, with a touch of stylisation. Slightly like the drawing above maybe, but slightly more realistic. I will try to post a picture of what I'm on about, as soon as I know myself!!

MOnStEr MuNCh - My First Time at Photoshop

So, we were given a brief for uni to basically re-design the Monster Munch brand to create it more appealing to students age 18-24. I have NEVER used Photoshop and Illustrator before, and so I thought that this would be a good place to start with this brief. Well, this is my first attempt at a Photoshop and Illustrator illustration.

I am struggling with this brief, and would really appreciate any advice, tips etc. Thanks.

The Picture Kitchen Studio

Came across this children's illustrator. The colour palette and the way she creates people, really stood out to me.
Check out her website at:
http://www.picturekitchenstudio.com/
And her blog at:
http://www.kimsponaugle.blogspot.com/

All Together Now... "Awww!!"

I couldn't believe it when I was looking for artist work to inspire me for a new uni brief (a character development brief, where I have chosen to draw my dog), and I came across this children's illustrator. Her work is sooo CUTE! It's adorable! I fell in love with it straight away. I will definitely try to use her influence in some of my work for this brief.

Check out the cuteness:

http://kiniart.com/index.htm

Katharine Asher

Katharine Asher has worked with lots of huge companies, such as: Max Factor, Elizabeth Arden, BBC and Mail on Sunday. She seems more of a fashion illustrator at first glance, but Asher has dealt in different aspects as well.  I like the way she approaches her work, for example, just a simple brush stroke can turn into a strand of hair, or an arm or leg.

Check her work out:

http://www.illustrationweb.com/illustrators/home_large.asp?artist_id=3295

Mai S. Kemble

Found this beautiful children's illustrator, called Mai S. Kemble. She specialises in watercolour, which if you've read any other posts, I LOVE the effect of. What I like the most about Kemble's work is the way she make's her characters's look alive, and brings their personality off the page.

Her website is:
http://www.maikemble.com/Site/Welcome.html

Her blog is:
http://www.maiskemble.blogspot.com/