Happy June!
Drawing and design side-projects can be a welcome distraction from a busy life. Sometimes they have surprising results and consequences.
illustration
Thinking Outside the Sketchbook
Let’s talk about finding inspiration to create. It can come from unlikely places and it can be difficult to find at all. Sometimes it’s easier to not go looking for it.
Wondering how to get started with drawing?
Drawing exercises can be a great way to get started with drawing. Sometimes the ideas that come from fun and doodling can be surprising.
Central Character Energy
Getting to know the central character of a picture book, their clothes and props, is a huge leap forward in developing a picture book.
My Most Recent Book
Teddy is the second book in a series of three. They all feature greyhounds but they are beautiful stories about friendship and acceptance.
New book on the way!
Tomorrow is the publication day for this lovely picture book celebrating some of the heroes of the catastrophic bush fires that took place in Australia early in 2020. I’m really proud to have illustrated this book, especially as it’s so local. It was a super fast deadline but fortunately there were no compromises and the …
Another Challenge
The 100 Day Project – again I do love a challenge, but sometimes you have to gracefully admit defeat. In February I started another #100dayproject. This time I chose to draw a character every day. It was fantastic practice with using the iPad and Procreate. And it’s always great to mix with other artists outside …
Self Belief – What’s that?
Where do you find support and encouragement when you work alone? I signed up to attend a SCWBI event for illustrators. I would love share some of my work for ‘peer review’ (when I’ve figured out what that is) but honestly, after ten years of working as a professional illustrator, I’m not sure I’m ready …
Dont Stop
Illustrator Karen Erasmus discusses the slow and sometimes difficult process of developing a creative career.
I finally kicked him out
My Space I know how lucky I am to have an office to myself. It’s an outrageous luxury, but like all luxuries sometimes you have to learn to share. D started working at home last March and moved into my office. It was an interesting experiment but yesterday we finally found an acceptable place for …
Love a challenge!
Another 100 days Once or twice a year I take on a ludicrous but entertaining art challenge. It’s always an interesting journey. I’ve had some that have failed miserably because I just wasn’t in the right space or at all organised. Others have been an adventure. In 2013 I created pop-up sketchbook diary for The …