Helen Mussel-White window

A window display done by one of my inspirations for paper cutting, Helen Mussel-White.
Its at Fred Aldous in Manchester, one of my favourite shops. I have spent a few bob in there I tell thee!

Business card design

 These are the final designs for my business card.
The one on the right is my front and below is the back.
I have hand made the images and hand done the letters with stamping. I tried my hardest to like the fancy, posh templates but it just isn't me at all, im all about handmade and these two side are exactly me. Couldn't have got them any closer to what I wanted, very happy. Delivered on friday.

Hopes and fears

This post is about my life after uni, my hopes and fears. My hopes are obviously to become a well respected illustrator who will build a great reputation and forever to be in demand. Also I hope to achieve a first or a 2-1 degree which will then allow me to complete my tutor training diploma which then possibly some day will allow my family and I to move overseas to work. I feel that at some point I will have earned the right to work in a warmer climate and a better lifestyle for my wife and children so that it gives them the opportunity to achieve their own full potential in life. To offer them the chances that I didn't myself get at an earlier age and to watch them flourish into adults with a smile on their face and sun on their backs. It would also be for a selfish reason too, to make me the proudest dad and know that I have done my best for them all that I could possibly do.
My fears are that I won't get the commissions I want due to being a mature starter to the industry. I fear that I will lose out to younger illustrators. I just hope that the editors out there will take on board the actual art work and the age of myself the illustrator. I feel that I have a lot to bring to the table being a mature graduate. What I mean by this is that I have different reasons and priorities which should help rather than hinder as I have more to lose than younger graduates. I hope it shows that I for a start would be seen as more reliable as I have more responsibilities in my life so I wouldn't waste peoples time and hope they wouldn't waste mine either. I would hit deadlines and be constantly in touch with the client to make the commission perfect as I have less time to make a respected reputation for myself than younger illustrators. I also have more bills that need paying so this would have me working twice as hard to get the commission in the first place.

   I do feel that with myself being older that I can use my learnt life skills and social skills to my advantage over the younger ones as I have had to deal with the public a lot more in my previous line of work and it gives me a whole lot more confidence to promote myself as the best candidate. Also with my knowledge of working in the building trade for many years previous, this expertise and skill will seriously help with certain types of my work such as architectural illustration, perspective drawings, realism drawings to an extent, paper cutting/engineering and also my making of 3D models. This kind of stuff I find to be quite a natural element of my work where as the younger crowd would possibly need to learn these skills through further classes.

Project mock ups

 Heres a few pics of some mock ups for my project. I am designing some biophilic student, creative dwellings with studios from shipping containers which will be self sufficient. My idea is to build it all with recycled materials.

These will be places to get the creative juices flowing but to stay in them will be cheap to rent. Also they can be built anywhere such as busy city centres but the aim will be to make it feel like your in the middle of nowhere.

Oliver Heath Talk

This talk by Oliver Heath was amazingly interesting. He is an ambassador for Biophilic Design. Basically he designs living, working, educational and medical dwellings all to be close to nature. Productivity from workers, higher attendance and marks from students and recovery times by patients have all got better when these places are close to nature. being able to see a green landscape through the window, plants inside, things constructed from wood and most important, natural light. These natural things also produce better air quality. He has proven it to work numerous times especially to his worst critic, Nick Knowles from the T.V. show, D.I.Y SOS, where Oliver is their on screen designer. Attending this talk helped with my current project as I seemed to be missing a connection between a couple of parts in my project that I couldn't quite work out what but now this Biophilic aspect as worked as the glue to my problem. Thank you Oliver.

My new website

https://arrandaleillustrations.com/    This is a link to my new (under construction) website. Its all getting very exciting now and i am starting to feel like a professional illustrator.

Client List

 This is my shortlisted potential client list. Sorry about picture quality but my mac has decided to be a pain in the backside today.
I have emailed each one on the list asking if it is possible for me to visit them and show some of my art work. Up to now I haven't heard anything back from any so I will give it a couple more days then chase them up with a phone call.

Hattie Newman talk

Hattie Newman is an amazing paper sculptor. She is someone I have been dying to meet and finally I have. She produces buildings from paper that I envision myself achieving some day soon. With my interest in architectural illustration and paper cutting, Hattie is a great person to know. This was definitely one of the best talks I have been to. She is also such a nice genuine person with an hilarious laugh. I spoke with Hattie after the talk and asked if it was possible to keep in touch for some help and advice, which she had absolutely no hesitation in accommodating my request.

Bruno Maag lecture

This is a little late being posted because I have been trying to find my pictures of him, which I can't I'm sorry. Anyway, Bruno Maag is a very well known typographer who really knows his industry inside out and upside down. If he doesn't know something to do with type then its not worth knowing.  It was very informative to say the least and I picked up some good tips too. He actually invented the typo for Amazon and the digital reading. Very interesting. I think with him being Swiss, it makes him be so precise in all he does.

Xu Bing Exhibition

Had a great evening at the Chinese Contemporary Arts Gallery with the host Xu Bing. I must admit I wasn't too knowledgeable about his work and what he was about. Basically he replays a day in the life of through symbols and emojis. I thought it a little strange to be honest at first but he changed my mind. What he did was very clever and with the amount of spectators there shows he is doing something right. Drinks and nibbles were served all the way through which always helps, but it seemed every time I turned a corner, this waiter was stood stuffing his face with the salmon. It was making me giggle so I had to get a snap of him which he obliged.

They had set up a replica studio of Xu exactly, right down to the rubbish bin.

 A good night had by all I think and we left with a goody bag with all sorts in it. Thank you Xu Bing

Concept ship building

Started to use the manta ray from the Sea life centre as reference for making a concept style space ship for a recent project. All made out of balsa wood. The theme for this project was growing up in the 80's as a kid.

My idea behind this ship was a compilation of Star Wars, Jaws and the manta ray. Ralph McQuarrie was the original concept artist for Star Wars, but then I found my inspiration from Ian McQue who got his from Star Wars too.

Its getting there I think? It is looking like I wanted it to so thats a good thing right? All made from my own head, no instructions at all.

Hometown.

It has just occurred to me after my life time so far, how beautiful the buildings in Stockport are. I usually travel around to find beauty in buildings but on a grey, moody and wet day in Stockport, I looked at the marketplace as though I had never been before.

 I can see another personal project coming on....

I have grown quite a passion for architectural illustration recently. I must say I am really enjoying it too. 

Lego land and the Sea life centre visit

Took the kids to Lego land and Sea life centre in the Trafford centre. I know people don't like seeing family days out posts but I always find inspiration when I go places with them, especially my two youngest children. They have an interest in what I do and really enjoy helping me out when they can. No matter where I go, I am never switched off so I think visits like this are important for both the children and myself.
Plus I found the Star Wars display, come on, who doesn't like Star Wars?

 Then onto the Sea life centre. I always love this place. I could quite easily spend hours just watching. It is so relaxing and the kids love it too.
These are just a few pics to try to capture some of the fish movements for a project. Artwork will follow to show how I used these.

Not quite sure what species these two are though? They seemed to like the camera.....

Creative Manchester

This is why I love Manchester and the inspiration it delivers. Someone somewhere especially in the Northern Quarter, is always creating. Spraying, painting, making etc. its always close by to get your juices flowing. Plus this is a great way to network as creatives are always up for a chat and advise.

John Hassall @ H. Blyth

This post is a little late in coming but still worthwhile. I managed to get an invite to an after hours water colour workshop at H. Blyth & Co art supply shop by the very talented and renowned water colour specialist, John Hassall. As I have mentioned in previous posts, my colour skills still need work. I can do it but im not to confident in using colour but I am definitely getting better. Anyway, this genius was amazing. He was a cool character too. The way he talked us through a painting from start to finish right in front of us was mesmerising. He made it look so simple and easy and the best part I found was that he only used four paint colours, ultra marine, burnt umber, lemon yellow and payne's gray. Honestly that was it, just four colours nothing else. I did purchase the brush he suggested and it does do the tricks he said it would but obviously I cant do them as easily as him.