Artist 47: Abby Wright

For Amelia's Magazine

A winter warming welcome to the stylish fashion illustrations of Abby Wright, the Yorkshire based illustrator is the perfect accompaniment to the cooling weather. With this much style and chic its hard to deny the talented student has got big things ahead of her. Already a stalwart of Amelia's Magazine, she is taking the initiative in a way that puts other students to shame. Fully fledged with an incredibly mature style its easy to see why she has been picked up by such a prestigious fashion blog. Its also good to note that despite her natural emphasis on clothing in her illustrations, its the tender depictions of the models and the real emphasis on the eyes that give the sense of life and movement to her images. Her choice of palette also underlies the sense of cool. and improve the clarity of her work. She creates not only a sense of pathos but some really skilful observational drawing too. Wishing her luck on her new adventures with Tea & Crayons here's Abby Wright.  


Who are you:

I am Abby Wright, an illustrator based in East Yorkshire. The surroundings are so beautiful and inspiring, I've lived here all my life and look forward to settling down here with a couple of cats! 

What do you do:

I love to produce fashion and portrait illustrations. I am currently in my third year of an illustration degree, and looking forward to a career as a freelance illustrator. I discovered Amelia's Magazine during the summer, and produced a number of fashion illustrations for her Compendium of Fashion Illustration. I was chosen to be in the book and since then I have continued working in this style, as it is the what I really love doing.

Recently I have joined forces with five other illustrators to produce Tea & Crayons. We're from all corners of the UK, brought together by a joint desire to challenge ourselves and work together, sharing knowledge and creativity. With a love of editorial, fashion and advertising illustration alike, we each have a unique style, that when brought together, promises exciting things. Working independently as well as collaboratively, we aim to support, push and challenge each other... Look out for future collective projects, and hopefully an exhibition or two! Tea & Crayons is formed of Kayleigh Bluck, Rachel Lewis, Rachel Price,  Fritha Strickland, Natasha Thompson and myself!

How did you start:

Before starting my degree, I did a foundation in Art and Design. It had always been my intention to study fine art, but a taster in illustration showed me that this was the right path for my work, and I haven't looked back. 

A Personal statement about you or your work: 

I enjoy incorporating hand drawn line work with colour and textures to produce my illustrations. When I get the chance I also love print-making. I draw inspiration from other illustrators, the outdoors, colour, clothing, cats and my boyfriend.

Months of the year: November

November

By Tom Hovey

Artist 46: Mark Goss

Going Down The Road Feeling Bad from mark goss on Vimeo.

Mark Goss is our next feature. Illustrator at large, Mark is a great ambassador for illustration. He takes it to the people and what could be better publicity for illustration than the bold captivating work of Mark Goss. His work takes me to a culture I love and understand but he does it with true style and grit. His work is considered, fresh and captures that great cultural border of graffiti, skate and tattoo art that brings so many together and translates globally. His work is not just about bold colour and raw creativity there is also skill and  intelligence behind it. As Mark says, he wants people to interpret his work without guidance and to this end he gives us some great helping hands but the rest is up to us. That's a lesson worth learning for everyone, Illustration is about giving, giving to the viewer, the client or the world. Whether you're up on a flier for a day a wall for an evening or a yearbook you change perceptions and broaden horizons. Whilst I may not be able to go back to my days of skate, house parties and live music Mark gives me the chance to live vicariously through his work, without the dislocated hips and frozen fingers. Great work which allows you to think, read about him here. 


Who are you:
Hello, my name is Mark Goss and I am an illustrator and designer currently based in Antwerp, Belgium.

What do you do:
The main constant in my work is drawing, I try not to limit myself when it comes to the canvas; it might be anything from a large outdoor wall, a van or even a body, but almost always the work is based in lined drawings. My personal work; inspired a lot by traditional western tattooing, a touch of skate style graphics and some other various influences, is informed by my daily experiences and I try as often as possible to use primary sources of reference to create images, where possible I try to include this personal sense in professional briefs as well.

How did you start:
I have always drawn and painted but when I was just about to go into my last year of school I decided that a typical academic route wasn't for me, so I left before A Levels to study fine art at college. Throughout college I made a lot of typographic work so it was recommended for me to do graphic design and I then found myself studying it at university, although it probably wasn't the best route for me it made art more appealing and interesting as it was all on my own terms. I decided that illustration was the profession to pursue so after finishing my degree I kind of left graphic design by the way side and have been trying my hand at illustration and art, although I do some graphic design work from time to time.

A Personal statement about you or your work:
I always struggle with an answer when people ask what kind of work I do and what it is about. When I look at other artists I try to find my own way of understanding their work and I think that's how I would like people to see my work, to just take from it what you see however complex or simple their idea might be.

Artist 45: Werner Fismer

It's Werner Fismer, with fresh work from astonishingly beautiful South Africa! With lithe and lively imagery Werner hopes to brighten your day with his unique light slightly naive comic book style. Ever so slightly self conscious Werner has a light touch that gives you a distillation of his ideas and shooting straight from the heart he gives us a mainline straight to the pulse of his work. irrepressible his images really stand out and call for attention, with special note to his use of movement which seems to bely influence from 2d animation. Occasional web designer Werner is definitely one to watch as his style develops and I for one really hope he keeps and develops the great sense of motion he achieves in his work. With great pleasure and the best of luck in all he does, here's Werner!

Who are you:
My name is Werner Fismer and I'm a 22-year-old aspiring illustrator (and occasional web designer) from the sunny southern reaches of Africa.

What do you do:
With the help of my friends Coffee, Music and Sandwiches I wage a daily war on the to-do lists that litter my desk. And draw!

How did you start:
It kinda cliché already, but like most doodling folk, I've been making pictures for as long as I can remember. There have been ups and downs, but I love illustrating my ideas and hope to continue doing so.

A personal statement about you or your work:
I really just to try have fun and create cool-looking images that tell interesting stories and affect people in a positive way (however small that may be).

Artist 44: Abi Daker

A great big welcome to the fantastic Abi Daker! Cyprus based Abi gives us a real treat with her amazingly powerful work. Inspired by observation and influenced by aerial photography Abi has a really unique way of looking at the world and her happy fisheye lens captures all manner of fun and imaginative ideas and really brings the world around us to life. It's a great joy to experience the world through the beautiful palette of Abi's work. A painters eye and an illustrators determination compliment each other to produce some beautifully realised exquisite work. She has a natural flow about her work and a rhythm that gives her work a vivaciousness and happy vitality that will warm your heart and put a big smile on your face. Please read about the talented and wonderful Abi Daker below!

Who are you: 

I’m Abi Daker, an artist and illustrator who currently lives in Cyprus.

What do you do:

I draw a lot – I get commissioned by a real mixture of people; I’ve illustrated some children’s books, various editorial articles, designed a couple of wine labels locally and am currently working on a huge map commission. As well as illustration, I spend a lot of time painting, usually large acrylic landscapes. Paphos is a great part of Cyprus and some of the landscapes are amazing around here.

How did you start: 
I studied art at the University of Reading. After graduation, I started working as a mural designer for a nightclub chain, carried on working on commissions for people then discovered illustration after I was offered a children’s book to work on. This happened when my son was a baby and I found that I really loved illustration; it’s never stopped me from working on my paintings; I actually find that the two compliment one another quite well.

A Personal statement about you or your work:
My work is primarily hand drawn and is based on my observations about the world. I am especially influenced by landscapes and aerial perspectives. My work aims to represent the things I see in as positive a way as I can.

Months of the year: October

October

By Dale Wylie

Artist 43: James Burlinson

 

A change of pace now as we bring you the urgent and vibrant work of James Burlinson. James is already making a name for himself with fantastically current designs at the bleeding edge of illustration. James has a great sense of fun and uses this to create stand out characters, cute and lively his work screams look at me then runs away laughing. Difficult to put your finger on and resistant to categorisation the Burlisaurus crashes the the inky undergrowth feeding on a diet of cereal and video games and bringing us amazingly diverse stand out imagery. Its a great pleasure to feature him before he reaches critical mass and goes supernova! and you can read a little more about him here.

Who are you:

Hello! I'm James Burlinson, I generally go by 'Burlisaurus' for my design work. I gave myself that Pseudonym because Dinosaurs are much more interesting than illustrators and it'll keep my urges in check until I can name my first son Rex, or Pachycephalosaurian. 

What do you do:

I'm an Illustrator and Designer currently based in England. I generally like to produce pieces that are centred heavily around characters with personality and energy. I like to keep my options open, taking projects and commissions from all directions, I feel it keeps me on my toes and gives me fresh ideas. At the moment I'm planning on creating a small Illustration based web-design empire as part of my design career, I hope to succeed and build myself a castle full of swords and chicken broth.

How did you start:

I started drawing when I was very little, my teacher didn't like the fact that I drew characters without noses and mouths and strongly suggested to my parents that I required counselling.

I've always loved drawing but it wasn't really until a year or two back, during my University course, that I realised which direction I wanted to take. I didn't realise until then that it was okay to draw what I really wanted to. Before then it was all a bit of mush of analytical and observational drawings of rotten fruit and ripped up shoes during my previous courses.

A Personal statement about you or your work:

I grew up in a generation of computer games and films, both of which I still love - I think these really influence my work today and my love for characters from back in the day when I was obsessed with Sonic the Hedgehog and Crash Bandicoot. I also stared at a lot of cereal boxes, (because cereal is incredible) most of which had their own mascot character that I imagined befriending while I drank the last bit of milk in the bowl.

Artist 42: Julissa Mora

Another wonderful artist for you, based in beautiful Florida we have a truly fantastic children's illustrator for you. A big warm welcome to Julissa Mora! In the crowded space of children's illustration, its always nice to see something fresh and clever. Her gentle, light touch brings her subjects to life and gives the viewer the instant catchy imagery that will hold the attention of little ones and bring a smile to the faces of any reader. She has a real sense of space and freedom in her imagery and this gives a warm comforting feel whilst still being light and airy. Simple but clever its the distillation of her work that means that you get as much as you need from each image. Very skilful and a creator of beautiful loving work please read about her here!


Who are you:
My name is Julissa and I was born and raised in Miami, in a Cuban household. I guess I had a pretty "average" childhood hehe. :) I live in Central Florida with my husband and two cats.

What do you do:

I'm a freelance illustrator and do work mostly for the juvenile market. You can see samples of my work here.

How did you start:
I studied illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design. After graduation, I pursued my career and worked as a graphic designer and illustrator. I learned a lot about the business world during those years. In 2006, one of my long-time goals came true and I began my freelance career in the children’s publishing world. I found an art rep right away, which helped bring in most of my work.

A Personal statement about you or your work:
Most of my freelance work is geared towards the children's market. However, I also have a passion for the human figure and enjoy landscape painting. It's a personal endeavor of mine.

I get most of my inspiration for my children's art from my childhood and day-to-day life. However, I also like to draw images of the way I'd like life to be and then exaggerate them a little. I always start with a sketch and then finish it on the computer in Photoshop. I use lots of custom brushes to create texture and a painterly look. My aim is to relay happy pastimes and make people smile when looking at my children's illustrations.

Months of the year: September

September

By AG Fabrega

The Weird Fish Factopedia by Martyn Warren

For our latest book feature we have the wonderful work of Martyn Warren.The Weird Fish Factopedia is not only a great comedy piece but is artistically satisfying too. It really takes a theme and runs with it, great to see neither the humour or illustration suffers for it. Its a wonderful stroll through the world of Weird fish with all the bunny eating antics and scienticians you could possibly desire. A strong sense of composition marks out each image with a good tonal range and choice with the colours. Backgrounds are thoughtfully chosen to enhance the images and the whole book really manages to create that true sense of unity that marks it out as a really professional endeavour. Its really slick in execution and with its distinctive style akin to the safety posters in aircraft it will pull you in and make you smile. We also have an interview with Martyn so don't hesitate to read on! 

How did you start?

I achieved a First Class Degree in Illustration from Southampton Solent University whilst simultaneously having my first book (Velcro Cows) published by The Friday Project in 2007. Since then I’ve been dividing my time between self-initiated and commissioned projects (from t-shirt designs to children’s books). 

How do you work?

All my images start life as a line drawing on paper before being imported into Photoshop for colouring and editing. As much as possible I like to retain hand-drawn aesthetics whilst also embracing the power and flexibility of digital software. I like to use strong compositions and contrasting shapes and colours, and I am particularly fond of the naïve side-on perspective. My own weird sense of humour is integral to my work, as I feel that it sets me apart from most sane people.

Why weird fish, how did you come up with the concept?

The Weird Fish Factopedia is a sort of spiritual successor to Velcro Cows, which was a book all about the science behind adhesive bovines. I’ve always been a big biology fan, and my books essentially consist of a load of fabricated science detailing ridiculous facts about fictional creatures. I love the idea that I can make up whatever I want about these beasts, but there’s always a certain degree of twisted logic to what I write. Whilst I am able to be as surreal and crazy as I want, I always try to ensure that there is a purpose to the illustration, some way that I can derive humour from the situation. During my illustration degree I looked at humorous illustrators like Steven Appleby, Tom Gauld, David Shrigley and Modern Toss, and I was heavily influenced by their various self-published books and comics.

How did you bring it all together and what does it mean to you?

The Weird Fish Factopedia was written over a half-year period of long weekends and longer evenings, and to have finished on time for Christmas is a great personal achievement. Furthermore I truly feel that, in terms of both writing and drawing, it is my best work to date, and the feedback I’ve received from customers attests to that. My real goal with my illustration is to provide something different, something with a unique, niche, sense of humour, and I think I have achieved that with my latest book. Next up I’m going to be designing a highly detailed underwater poster, and then continue work on my next book, Global Warming – An Incomprehensible Truth.

A truly lovely little book that's a pleasure to hold in your hands. Currently available from his website, Etsy, and will soon be sold in Orbital Comics in London.There is a fine opportunity to get yourself a signed copy with this competition.

Super Awesome Yeah!!!

I was so excited when I got an email from Laura (we both studied at Norwich University College of the Arts!) who is project manager at super awesome Super Awesome Yeah and I am really happy I can introduce them to you guys! 

The company is created by a digital agency Bloc, as a way for their creative teams to raise money for good causes. They design, build and run an online store packed full of delicious original organic clothing, all the tees available on SuperAwesomeYeah have been designed by their talented creative teams around the country and each one is credited to the artist responsible and 100 % of profits from every sale are donated to charity.

Their partners are well respected Charities such as Cancer Research UK, NSPCC and Shelter. Does it sound like something for you? Go to their website, follow on twitter and like the facebook page!

Check out their promotional video too, it's a cute animation though the voice in the video sounds a little scary!lol

Welcome to SuperAwesomeYeah from SuperAwesomeYeah on Vimeo.

Artist 41: Karo Akpokiere

Its Karo Akpokiere! A warm welcome to a rising star all the way from Lagos, Nigeria. Bold, vital and strong there is a great lyrical quality to the work, and the viewer is instantly drawn into the complex vibrant world of street art, textiles, traditional art and the melting pot of creativity that makes this artist stand out from the crowd. There is never a hint of cliche, and no favours asked or given, his work is strong on its own. Clever and slick he shows not only a great sense of style but he is cool and his smart use of tones and colours show he is a true talent capable of using a very powerful cultural background with intelligence and skill setting him apart. Hard worker with a bright future catch him here!!

Who are you: 
Hello, I am Karo Akpokiere. I am an artist and designer currently based in lagos, Nigeria.

What do you do:
I draw and design for self-initiated projects and commissioned work and I am constantly on the look out for surfaces to get my drawings on, as a way to make them visible and accessible. I started a daily drawing blog last year at www.theseekproject.wordpress.com where I post the drawings I create on the daily.

How did you start:
Though I have always drawn, my start came in 1998 because it was then I heard words that gave me a deep sense of value for the talent I have been given, words that also made me realize that I could build a career of off the talent . It was this realization, that moved me to take art and design courses at The Yaba College of Technology, Lagos, Nigeria where I got two diplomas, one in General Art and the other in Graphic Design. After school in 2006, I worked for a while in Advertising and Brand marketing and only left the 9-5 scene in 2008 to focus on building my The Seek Project and charting other paths to focus my creative abilities.

A Personal statement about you or your work:
I am deeply interested in how the drawings I create can be applied to different media as a way to make them accessible and visible. My work is indicative of my desire to combine different 'cultural' elements in other to create art that is universally appealing and reflective of my interests in textile motifs, the graffiti aesthetic, t-shirt graphics, sneakers, advertising, character design and geometry.

European countries: Kristaps - Legend of Latvia

Latvia

By uberkraaft

Live drawing report: Fright Night by The Stars in Stripes

Here is our first ever live drawing report, illustration collective The Stars in Stripes based in Sheffield took part in live drawing at The Crucible Theatre for Fright Night for Halloween! We are pleased to present work by the talented collective the Stars in Stripes, and a big thanks to Thomas G.P. Ball for sharing his wonderful event with us! We'll keep you posted on the latest from live drawing so make sure to keep your eyes peeled for more inky action! Enjoy these really slick images from the event. 

 

By Sarah Abbott

 

By Louise Wheeler

 By Thomas G.P. Ball

By Hailey Evenett

By Geo Law