Samuel Beckett

Kathryn Rathke creates a powerful portrait of Samuel Beckett for her regular contribution to Intelligent Life Magazine, in their "Notes on a Voice" segment. She says of the commission ".... The December issue was about Samuel Beckett, one of my all-time favorite writers AND portrait subjects! He has such an amazing face, so many crags and furrows and depths. I need for somebody to hire me to just draw Samuel Beckett, over and over…"

How Hutchinson Illustrated Yorkshire Tea

Have a look at Andrew Hutchinson working on his recent Yorkshire Tea packaging commission, and talk about his painting. Filmed by the client, the interview appears on the Yorkshire Tea website too, proving Andrew is a real Yorkshireman illustrating a subject he knows better than most others! Watch it now.

Palmetto Mammography Truck

Daria Jabenko's stylish ladies can be seen on the Palmetto Health truck in the US. Commissioned to create a design including beautiful females with flying ribbons, Palmetto Health have used the image triumphantly on the truck for their Mammography project.

Water for Hillingdon Hospital

Andrew the printer at work

Christopher Corr has created 10 prints on the theme of water for Hillingdon Hospital. Commissioned by The Nightingale Trust (who are based at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital), the series of images were to be abstract and in various blues to hang in a men's health unit.

Narnia Grotto

Bee Willey completed an amazing job leading up to Christmas last year; creating artworks for a grotto was the perfect commission to put her in the mood for the festivities! Commissioned by Katie Burnett at Les Enfants, Bee worked on the scenery for a Santa Grotto, a Narnia landscape (with wardrobe) and the Snow Queen's castle. The artworks were used at a Christmas event with the finished result being a Narnia themed environment for children, complete with props! Irresistible!

New Look Ladies

These unique drawings created by Yaeko Abe are for New Look UK. To be used for an internal staff campaign including literature and a large format vinyl at the 3 head office cafes, the drawings evoke the innocent glamour typical of Yaeko's work.

The Sunday Times Magazine's Nude Feature

Published at the end 2012, The Sunday Times Magazine included an interesting feature on the fundamentals of drawing. Going back to the 'ancient artistic discipline' of life drawing involving artists such as our own Michael Frith, Emma Sergeant, Gerald Scarfe and organiser AA Gill, the article talks of the need to study the human form and to draw not only what you see but what you feel. AA Gill says ‘Artists who don’t practise the craft of their art, or who hand it to someone else, are missing out on what is right at the heart, the great joy of making anything. You shouldn’t just be a director of art.’ I’m sure most of you will agree.

Simple Minds

Ruth Rowland successfully uses her skills on this promotion for the Simple Minds upcoming tour.

She says "This three dimensional bust was created for the Simple Minds' The Greatest Hits Tour this April. I was commissioned to develop the lettering, working with a range of different marker pens, then scanning and fitting the script to a photo of the head. It was built up gradually until the final image was approved. It's surprisingly tricky to keep the lettering looking raw and not overworked - this vernacular lettering is influenced more by Outsider Art and hand drawn ephemeral signage than by traditional calligraphy. The designer sent over images of the scrawled graffiti on Jim Morrison's grave and the Abbey Road sign as the inspiration for the piece - the fumes from the markers probably helped a little too....
there are also plans to use it on the related album which has yet to be released."

Echo A La Mode

Echo Chernik's 3rd Art Book 'Echo A La Mode' has come to fruition through the backing of her loyal fans and supporters via Kickstarter. This funding platform for creative projects has allowed Echo to raise over $14,000 to put together an 'indulgent must have' full of some of her finest works including the 'Shadowrun portraits' and 'Goddesses of Cuisine.' She said at the start of the project "This is the book that my fans have been asking for - one featuring only the best of my work. The base required amount will allow me to produce a 64-page soft cover version and a limited number of hard cover versions of ECHO A LA MODE, an art book featuring art, notes, sketches, photos, and details about my process that everyone has been begging me for. Stretch goals will be added to improve the length and quality of the book. For example, ECHO NOUVEAU successfully reached stretch goals that allowed an increase to 100 pages, a hard-cover, a beautiful spot varnish, and gold foil embossed slip-cases for Kickstarter backers and collectors only." Now the financial goals have been exceeded, the book is due to be released in the early Summer. More information on the Kickstarter website.

Bluewater

Representing the Bluewater Shopping Centre for the next few months is Hannah Davies's intricate web of detailed drawings. Summing up all that is available at the popular shopping centre, the illustration is being used on their Facebook page cover photo, their website, a mobile banner, a mall guide and a gatehouse banner.