Bluefin Tuna

Here's a Bluefin Tuna Thunnus thynnus that i've painted as part of my '10 to Watch' project about animals on the brink of extinction.
It has been painted using aklyds on primed paper. the original is 530mm x 330mm.

Katie Steel: Volume One

I've just made a book using blurb.com, which shows the best of my work during my three years a Blackpool. It only lets you see the first 15 pages, so if you want to see the rest your going to have to buy it! I hope you like it!

Katie Steel by Volume One | Make Your Own Book

Vicky White

We had a VL (visiting lecturer) at college today, Vicky White. She is an old student from the Scientific and Natural History Illustration course at Blackpool and now has a successful career as a wildlife artist. She is represented by the Jonathan Cooper Gallery in London, but has also illustrated a couple of books published by Walker. She has her second solo show at Jonathan Cooper in November.

New Hampshire Saltwater Fishing Digest 2010

Here's the front cover and a page out of the 2010 edition of the 'New Hampshire Saltwater Fishing Digest', which used one of my illustrations on page 12.

Polar Bear

Here's a polar bear i've been working on for my '10 to watch' project. It has been painted onto a stretched canvas using alkyds.
I think i need to make his fur more yellow, but am a bit worried it'll just make the painting look dirty, as it will probably clash with the background hues.

more seagulls...

Here are a couple more sketches I did over Easter. These ones have been done on handmade recycled Khadi paper. I have used watercolours, gouache, and pencil.

Seagull Illustrations

Here are a couple of illustrations I did over Easter. They are both the same size, about A3, and done on stretched watercolour paper in watercolours.
I've added some extra detail over the top with a pencil and black fine liner.
I have tried to capture the seagulls' movement, and some of the characteristics they display when interacting with one another.

EarthHourPieceOfCake.wmv

Another video to share with you. This was one was made by my lovely friend Georgina and it promotes 'Earth Hour', a campaign sponsored by the WWF. It encourages as many people as possible to all turn their lights off at the same time. The darkness that we all experience stands as a symbol of hope for a cause that grows more and more urgent. It has reached a huge amount of people, even The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and the Colosseum in Rome participated by switching off their lights! This year it was on the 27th March at 8:30pm.

Earth Day: Give Earth a Hand

The new Earth Day video produced by Greenpeace.

Emily Speed

we had a visiting lecturer today at college called emily speed. she makes installations, but also illustrates and writes to make some really lovely art books.

she spoke a little about her work and how she is making it as an artist and how she got where she is now.

she also held an art book making workshop in the afternoon. i'd never made a book before, no matter how little or large, but i found the afternoon really inspiring and am planning to try and include one in one of my projects at college. i've had a few ideas already so hopefully i'll be developing these into something material soon.

visit emilys website at:

www.emilyspeed.co.uk

she also writes a blog called 'getting paid', a blog about artists and money:

http://www.a-n.co.uk/artists_talking/projects/single/497389

a couple of images of one of the paintings i have done as a proposal to the WWF.

i made the midtone background by painting gesso onto blue paper and then rubbing a glaze of paint mixed with liquin over it.

the painting itself is done with alkyd oil. this is only the second time i've used this kind of paint but i really like it. its so buttery and blends so softly compared to acrylics, but drys loads quicker than oils.

i've left the image pretty bare for the moment, with no background features or even shadow, but i quite like this, it makes it seem like more of a portrait i think.

this image is about 20 x 15cm but doing it has made me realise that i need to go bigger so i can add more detail, and really see the potential of alykds.

Rhinos & Geckos

Javan Rhinoceros Rhinoceros sondaicus

A pencil sketch of a Javan Rhino drawn on a mid-tone background. Textures on the background have been made by brushing on thick gesso and leaving to dry before being drawn on.

Its small prototype ( approx. 15x20cm ) of a larger drawing I am intending on doing for the WWF.





This image is an old painting I did whilst working for Archipelagos. The original was done on white paper, but I've just added a green background and I think it looks much better like this.

Work In Process Exhibition 2

Some images of the 'Work In Process' exhibition which is on in the college gallery at the moment.

Spring Fair 2010

Yesterday I went to the 2010 Spring Fair International at the NEC Birmingham.

I can't get over how huge it was. I was only looking in the 'Gifts + Stationary' section, which only makes up about a 6th of the show, but only got about halfway through it in the 4 hours I spent browsing and talking to people (hopefully prospective employers).

There was a WWF stand which I swiftly made my way over to. I met the head of trading and told him about my project which led to him giving me his card!

I also spent along time talking to card publishers and other companies that may be able to use my illustrations.

To find out more about the spring fair visit:

http://www.springfair.com

Work In Process Exhibition

a poster advertising the 'Work in Process' exhibition at college.

it is an exhibition in the college gallery showcasing work in process from BA Hons Illustration, Graphic Design and ND Graphic Design students.

8th Feb - 12th March '10

The Gallery
School of Art & Design
Blackpool & the Fylde College
Bennett Avenue
Blackpol
FY1 4EE

Porbeagle Shark

This illustration of a Porbeagle Shark I did last year will be published in the 2010 New Hampshire Saltwater Fishing Digest (published by JF Griffin) - due out in March.

It is going to be used in the Shark Identification section of the magazine.

WWF

I sent the WWF an email today offering to do some illustrations for them, hoping that they'll use them on some of their greetings cards.

I'm going to base it around their 'Ten to watch in 2010' list by painting some of the endangered species that are featured on it.

Olly & Suzi

i'm really loving olly & suzi at the moment.

'Arctic Desert Ocean Jungle' this is the book i've been flicking through, but you can also watch a video of them being inerviewed by Clive James at:

http://specials.slate.com/clive-james/#527422300.1