Sunday Shopping

I was working up in London last week and the hecticness of the Big Smoke has tired me out so this weekend I thought I'd take it really easy and relax. I ventured into town in search of a pink round neck cardigan I have wanted for ages. I've seen said cardigan on the Mango website but alas they have sold out in my size so I was hoping to find something similar. No joy. HOWEVER...

In typical shopping style I returned from town with multiple items none of which were cardigan based.

The fruits of my labor: 3 bottles of nail varnish, a lip stain, & 3 new pens.

Is it sad that I m so excited by new pens? most probably but I managed to find super fine one (0.05) which will be perfect for drawing the details on faces.

The nail varnishes were a bit of an impulse buy. A friend of mine has was wearing the orange one the other day and it looked fantastic. Similarly I have been reliably informed that applying a base and top coat make all the difference... after parting with £6.49 for the pleasure I bloody hope it does.

I fear the range will not look as lovely on me as it did on Hally. She is all exotic looking with long dark hair and dark skin, on her it looked sophisticated and fun, Where as I am distinctly European looking and I fear I will look more student in Faleraki. Still I plan to splash neon brilliance all over my nails and live in hope of sophisticated fun.

xXx

No. 2

Doing a drawing everyday is such fun! In fact I spent almost the whole day yesterday doodling, and here are the results.

'Natalie' June 2012

'Phoebe' June 2012

'Phoebe.1' June 2012

I can't see any personal 'style' yet, this is something I'm hoping will develop with time. I have heard conflicting opinions on style. Some say that not having one makes you more adaptable and means that prospective clients can imagine you doing their style more easily. Others argue that you are taken on based on our style. Personally I like it when somebodies work has a distinctive 'look' to it.

A good example of this Quentin Blake, one glance is all it takes to identify his work. Another is Scott. C, whose work I first came across on Tumblr. He did a series called 'The Great Showdowns' where he drew scenes and characters from films. I really like the way his style is consistent throughout despite the different movies he is depicting.

Quentin Blake. Illustration.

xXx

Study

Hello All,

I have received quite a few questions about the course I am hoping to start in September. I thought, rather than replying separately to each question, it would be better to reply to everyone in a post. Thank you all for the interest and if you have any other questions just drop me a line.

What course are you taking?
It's official name is something like: BTEC Level 3 Graphic Design. It's an evening course so you can work and study at the same time. (Useful for those of us coming to the game late- a girl's gotta eat).

Where are you studying?
Brighton City College

Do you have past qualifications?
No. I wanted to do something creative about 10 years ago but, like a fool, I thought I would take the academic route and went off to university to study Classical Civilizations.Whilst I really enjoyed studying Classics (and feel lucky to have had the opportunity) my advice to anyone considering further education is this: Follow your intuition. do what excites you and what you are good at, chances are you will choose a career that involves these things.

Do you have relevant experience?
I work for a company of cartoonist/animators/graphic designers. The stuff they do looked like such fun I decided I wanted in on the action.

For the most part my work experience has involved copy writing, working alongside designers to produce promotional material. Though I have had input as far as the overall look is concerned (colours, layout etc), I couldn't do the 'techi' bit, which is why I want to get those skills.

This may sound trite, but being around creative people is what inspired me to take the course. working in a creative industry has meant I have seen a whole bunch of jobs I didn't even know existed, not to mention meeting a heap of lovely people who are making a living doing something they love. 

Whats in your portfolio?
 It has taken me years to come to realize that you don't necessarily need to follow a prescribed path to get to where you want to be. So don't be afraid to put in things you have done for own pleasure.

A portfolio only needs to show that you are interested in something and give a flavor of the sort of work you do (obviously what you intend to use your portfolio for heavily dictates what goes in it).

My portfolio is made up of a few bits I have done over the last couple of years, but mostly doodles and sketches.

I hope this answers all your questions, and is of some help. xXx

No. 1

Hello hello!

A few months back I applied to do a Graphic Design course, and the other day  received a letter inviting me for an interview this Thursday!

The guys at work helped me cobble together a portfolio, and I have just about saved up enough money to do it so I'm pretty much set to go. With any luck I will be starting in September.

I find the more I draw the easier it becomes and the more ideas I have so to get my hand back in practice I have set myself the challenge of doing a drawing a day until the start of the course. I have set up a tumblr account to post them all on and when I figure out how to link twitter to it they should pop up there too. take a look and let me know what you think. better still if you have any ideas for mini projects let me know I'm keen to try out as much stuff as I can!

No.1

'Hally' June 2012

This is my brother's girlfriend Hally, who very kindly consented to being my muse for the first installment. It doesn't really do her justice- hopefully I'll get a chance to draw her again when I'm more in the swing of things.

xXx

What-a-to-do?

Hello Lovelies,

As per this post is well over due. Summer has arrived- yipee! It (summer that is) has rather taken me by surprise. I am all out of inspiration for summer clothes, added to this is the fact that I am more rotund than last year (hence nothing fits me) and I have a lack of monies to fritter away of summer lovelies- what-a-to-do?! 

I have a work thing coming up the week after next- running over 4 days in London. For this also I have no idea what to wear...

Right clothes dilemmas aside I have some news: Phee and I finally managed to go on holiday (the last time we did this we were 11 so it was well over due). We went to stay with my parents in France for a bit and, despite the fact it rained everyday until the last, we had a bloody gorgeous time.

Owing to the rain we spent quite a lot of time devising activities one of which was making macaroons, which are fucking hard to make I can tell you not least because of the fact the egg whites have to whipped- our arms felt as though they were going to fall off.

Egg white whipping.

Cakaroon tasting...

 Ultimately it was a futile exorcise. we tried to save the day by making cakaroons instead but a cake made forom egg whites and lacking in butter (i.e. no fatty goodness) taste pretty ming.

Even Ma couldn't pretend they were tasty.

We went to Toulouse for a bit of 'culture'- this mainly involved eating macaroons (professionally made this time), and pastries, and buying perfume and Bretons.

The Breton mission was accomplished.

My Pa and some of his mates have started a 'guitar club' (bless him he's getting on a bit) and it seems I missed my calling- clearly I should have been a folk singer non? look at the joy and rapture on that little face (please ingnore the fact  am wearing PJs and slippers).

for the most part we drank coffee and ate croissants.

helped Ma clean Gites

went on long walks

Read

Hope alls well in your world xxx

Wonder Wash

Wanted to do some outfit posts today as have got some bangin' new clothes (and a new buying method- less stuff better quality)  but for several reasons this didn't quite come to fruition.

1. I still have no camera and forgot to ask Phee if I can borrow hers.
2. I have become quite chubby recently, and therefore less up for being photographed. I tried dieting on Tuesday but it didn't work. Dieting lasted from 7am till about 4pm by which time I was hungry, tired and pissed off. I had to eat 2 Buenos and most of a bag of Maltesers to placate the hunger rage. I have decided that dieting is for the rich, already thin, and neurotic. It is not for me.
3. I am reading a brilliant book that eats hours of the day away and I am reluctant to put it down.
4. The weather is shite and not conducive to looking lovely in dresses.

So for now here is a photo of me using our new washing machine- very exciting.

Yes my eyes are closed- obviously I have been transported by the paroxysms of joy this appliance brings me.

Its called a Wonder Wash and it is indeed wondrous, did 2 loads in no time at all. The happiness the Wonder Wash inspired in me was only slightly marred by a sneaking suspicion that my excitement was in some way letting down the sisterhood. To paraphrase a great woman 'you can tell if some sexism is going on by asking yourself this- are the boys doing it?' Would the boys be excited by a Wonder Wash? probably not. Does this make my joy at it's washing capabilities sexism? Fuck knows but to assuage these thoughts I have told myself that I will use the time I save not bending over the bath wringing out mangy tights doing something fabulous. So far fabulous has been eating the remaining Buenos from the multi-pack and writing this post...

Love to all xXx

Return To Form

I did a few shifts at Monty's over Easter. It was so nice to be back and see everyone again. it was also Jo's last day which I'm really glad I was there for.

The boy and I sampled a new roast this weekend too, review to follow, at the Lion and Lobster. It was delicious and 'The Lob', as its affectionately, known is a pretty funky place.

xXx