The Big Sleuth learning resource illustrations!

I have been working on a series of illustrations to accompany the learning resource pack for the might Big Sleuth, coming to Birmingham next year! 

Educational illustrations are an area I have been interested in getting more involved with and I can't wait to share the finished illustrations!

More exciting updates to come!

Christmas Cards 2016 range available online now!!!

My full Christmas cards range is available now! I have produced a brand new 1920 themed Electric Cinema card, along with a vintage Bournville design and a Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery themed piece. Visit my shop here :)

1920 Electric Cinema Christmas Card complete!

I am very happy to share this brand new design paying homage to The Electric Cinema that is available to buy from my etsy shop online and will soon be fully stocked at The Electric Cinema box office and online. I wanted to capture the flippant charm of 20's fashion illustration set against the iconic art deco bar in the cinema.

Researching...

I am delving into classic 1920s art deco imagery researching for a new Christmas illustration. Love the blend of graphic and illustrative style.

Christmas card update!

Here is a sneak peek of my first Christmas card of this year!

Bournville Christmas Card update

My second design will be based on my home village of Bournville, which has so many iconic elements. I have focused on the train station, which will include the famous Cadbury factory puffing away in the background.

I also found this amazing old photograph of a steam engine with Cadbury advertising down the side from which my idea developed.

Christmas card update

My first Christmas card design is based on the Round Room at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, where curators add finishing touches and builders assemble the glass roof in time for the Winter opening in 1886!

Christmas cards...

I have tentatively started ideas for my range of 2016 Christmas cards! I am aiming for 4 designs this year as I have an album cover and anniversary piece to work on too. More information and drawings up soon!

The Big Read Trail Map

So proud to follow up last year's Trail Map cover with the design for this year's sculpture project, celebrating Roald Dahl's centenary with a quiet and whimsical illustration featuring Matilda & Mr Fox!

The Big Read Trail Map illustration

To celebrate Roald Dahl’s Centenary year, the rear side of my book bench for The Core Theatre, Solihull highlights two classic Dahl characters together for the first time in a quiet and whimsical scene. The bird delivering the book is an ode to Solihull’s Home Library Service, enabling less mobile local residents access to enjoy books.

Update: The illustration will also be the official cover illustration for The Big Read Trail Map! I am excited to have my work on the cover of two consecutive Wild in Art Trail Maps in 

The Big Read update!

The Big Read launches in 3 days on Thursday 14th July and here are some sneak peeks of the finished and varnished book bench for Thinktank Birmingham and Millennium Point.

I am so excited for it to go live and hopefully raise money for the Children's Hospital through all the creative and literacy events that will raise money during Summer 2016.

The photograph below is a snapshot from the wall display at Millennium Point which will tell the story of the bench's conception!

Roald Dahl Centenary

To celebrate Roald Dahl’s Centenary year, the rear side of the book bench highlights two classic Dahl characters together for the first time in a quiet and whimsical scene. The bird delivering the book is an ode to Solihull’s Home Library Service, enabling less mobile local residents access to enjoy books.

Working drawings for the illustration of Matilda and Mr Fox

The Big Read book bench for The Core Theatre, Solihull

The Big Read Thinktank Bookbench painting progress

I have been doing some long hours and nights at Thinktank's Thinkspace painting our official book bench! Cannot wait to share the finished design.

The Big Read Bookbench at the official launch of The Core at Solihull, 20-21st May 2016

The newly refurbished Core building launched across this weekend and it was great to have The Big Read bookbench project coincide with the launch. 

The Mayor and Mayoress of Solihull

Britain's Got Talent's The Neales cosy up onto my bench, could they feature in the final design?

Thinktank Bookbench Painting Sessions 6th-20th May

I have spent some long and late nights in the Think Space painting the grand design onto the book bench! I have accumulated a handful of the children's designs and rendered them into finished beasts that will assemble into a prehistoric scene.

The complete Ichthyosaur dinosaur skeleton is the central focus for this project, with JK Rowling's Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was the springboard for all of the imagined beasts.

'Montmarte 1895' Map progress

Almost finished the third building so I have dropped it into the map and have started playing with potential background colours.

I want it to be rooted in an old fashioned palette but with some contemporary tones so it doesn't look dull Maybe some strong typography to make it current or some nice textures to liven it up.

I think the key to the background is less is more, so it doesn't upstage the actual illustrated landmarks.

Stunning photography and packaging

Christmas come early!

Here is a tiny snippet of a commercial Christmas card I am currently working on. I can't wait to share both of the finished designs in 3 months time!

The Big Read 2016

I have been commissioned to produce the bookbench for ThinkTank Science Museum & Millennium Point, and it will be inspired by the great Ichthyosaur at ThinkTank as well as JK Rowling's Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them.

A Nechells-based primary school were invited for a creative session and invented all kinds of fantastical beasts which I am now whittling down and distilling into a final design for the bookbench.

Inspiration

Benjamin Lacombe

Oliver Jeffers

Vintage style wedding invitation

Map illustrating Jack Kerouac's trip across America

Harley Quinn

Illustrated packaging