EXCLUSIVE: The Big Sleuth Outlet Window Display

I am so proud to share this huge piece I have been working on for the last 3 weeks.

Today, I visited the finished Big Sleuth window display at the Great Western Arcade.

I have been working closely with Birmingham Children's Hospital to create a window display to celebrate The Big Sleuth in the historic Arcade to help raise funds for an incredible cause.

A scout bear uses his Trail app to hike his way over to find all his bear pals who have migrated to Bearmingham for the Summer.

Bear's sidekick Bee looks on at some shop visitors..

The Big Sleuth is coming...8 days to go!

I am working on a lovely secret project leading up to the huge public art trail The Big Sleuth, alongside Wild in Art and Birmingham Children's Hospital. Watch this space!

The Big Sleuth learning resource Topic Web!

So proud to share a brand new illustration as part of the schools learning resources for The Big Sleuth 2017!

Sun bears are endangered and Birmingham's vast parks and greenery will make a perfect second home for the bears which will decorate the second city this summer.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Christmas Cards now shipping to E.U, Russia, Australia, Canada and U.S.A!

The love of my Christmas Cards is now reaching across the globe, as they are now available to purchase online and be delivered across Europe, Australia, Canada and the U.S! Click here to buy yours!

Electric Cinema Christmas Card coming!

Beside an illustration I am working on for the Electric Cinema, I am illustrating a Christmas Card to sell at the Electric this festive season!

Owl Aboard voted #1 favourite owl of the Big Hoot 2015!

 it was lovely to win Birmingham Mail's public poll of 5,000+ people, who voted Owl Aboard as their favourite design, which CrossCountry Trains have tweeted too.

NYChristmas card complete!

New York City Christmas card on the way! It will be available via my etsy store or by contacting me at hello@milantopalovic.co.uk

Owl Aboard raises £5,000 at The Big Hoot Auction!

So blessed to be a part of The Big Hoot 2015! My owls contributed £8,200 to fund rare diseases at Birmingham Children's Hospital.

I'm proud that something as simple as drawing designs onto an owl can contribute to achieving something so significant for a hospital - to the sum of £530,830!

Lady Sonnnnnnnnsa, watercolour and pencil, (March 2015)

This is my completed Game of Thrones Compendium entry. I just need to reformat the piece and submit it in the next week or so. I feel I have captured her well, with a confrontational and piercing expression. I wanted to blend some gingerliness with darker tones in her hair to show the transition she has gone through and wash out her skin and eyes so she appears more like a cold, ruthless cow bag.

Boot Café Lovin'

The Boot Café have kindly posted the first update of my illustration on their own account! I will be making them up into greeting cards before I head to Paris in May. My work definitely suits a more European audience and whilst on holiday it is a good opportunity to make some inroads. 

If I can put my work in their gallery space it'd be great. I am aiming to get one or two more designs of this series made up and put in and around cafés in Montmartre and Versailles! Watch this space...

Lorde (pencil, digital, watercolour)

This is an illustration I have entered for the AOI World Illustration Awards under Self-Promotion. I wanted to enter some picture book work as I feel it is strong work however my newer pieces have this minimalistic feel.

 The piece uses a lot of negative space to focus attention on the intense detail which was created with mixed media, albeit fairly safe styles. The face is pencil then watercolour and the softness supports the hair/necklace illustration whilst bringing something new to the illustration, creating a softer mood.

All Aboard! Big Hoot Competition Submission!

My design is titled Owl Aboard! I wanted to create a piece promoting Birmingham’s forward- thinking and development of the new Metro service which will travel from Snowhill to New Street. Focusing on this theme was when the idea took flight.

I created a whimsical world in the trees above Birmingham where owls flock to catch the Metro to Snowhill. The little owlets departing the train are on a school trip is an ode to Birmingham recently being named for best UK city to visit. 

I have given the owl’s individual looks and personalities to represent the mixed cultural population in Birmingham and it is safe to say they are having a right hoot. 

Yorks Bakery Cafe completed Christmas card!

Yorks Christmas card complete! I added a vintage 1930s feel through the choice of typography and gave the impression of night time through the vibrant lighting inside and the purple hazed snow reflecting the winter night sky.