Sketch: Charlie the Possum

This is Charles Percival Possum. I saw this photo in the paper today, and just had to draw it, it was so sweet. The original photo is by Nic Ellis.

Charlie was orphaned in the big storm we had a month or so back, and raised by a kind lady who used to be a veterinary technician. He's lost his right eye, and will have to live in a wildlife centre, since he won't be able to survive in the wild. But he's awfully cute, and awfully fun to draw. I suppose he's only about 6 weeks old, which is why he's so small here.

Sakura Wedding Invitations

The second lot of wedding invitations I've been doing. These ones were based around a cherry blossom design, on a nice textured cardstock. And they were completely different in mood and style from the wren invitations posted earlier.

The whole project involved designing invitations, rsvp cards, thankyou cards and place cards, and also developing a lining for the invitation envelope.

The cherry blossom design was created in Adobe Illustrator, and the text layout was done in Adobe InDesign.

To keep the place cards looking light and airy, I only used one branch from the original design. Any more would have been a bit much on these, which are only the size of a business card.

Wren Wedding Invitations

Lately I've been doing a fair bit of wedding invitation design, which has been fun.

So, here's the result of one of these projects.

I started out with five design concepts, based around information gathered in a questionnaire I gave the couple. This is the design they chose, based on this horrible thumbnail sketch and a bit of a write-up.

And really, when the things to include include the words 'blue', 'feathers', 'cute' and 'friendly' – how can you resist a fairy wren or two?

Once we'd finalised the choice of design, I started with this sketch, and then did a digital painting:

You can see the final painting over here at my deviantart account.

And here are some snaps of the invitations and RSVP postcards that were put together. I still have other things to do for this wedding, but we got the invitations sent out in good time.

The bride, my mother, and I spent a day getting the various parts of the invitations ready (folding, cutting the ribbon, cutting out and embossing the wrens), and then I put them all together the next day:

The invitations were triple-folded, with a quote on the inside flap, the invitation wording in the centre, and hand-drawn maps to the chapel and reception on the left and right.

The postcards were printed by CJ King, and they did a great job.

The invitations I'm working on currently bear no similarity to these at all. It's nice to know I can be versatile.

Sketches: Audrey and Mr Famous

Today, we have sketches relating to Audrey Hepburn – who is always good fun to draw.

First, an older sketch, from August 2009:

And next, some brush inking practice, from much more recently, of her dog, Mr Famous, who is extremely hairy and extremely adorable:

Sketch: Water in the Desert

I was flicking through the April 2010 National Geographic and saw a little photo of three women carrying water across a desert. I have no idea where they are, or anything, because unfortunately it was attached to a promotional feature, not an actual article. But I loved the bright colours and flowing costumes.

Sepia PITT artist pen and some splashes of Ecoline Ink. I do not get enough use out of my Ecolines.

Study: François Boucher

Investigating the new sketchbook I treated myself to today, and seeing how watercolour works on its paper.

It's a Moleskine Sketchbook, as there weren't any watercolour books available, and although it doesn't take watercolour particularly well, it does at least survive the process.

I wasn't feeling particularly creative, but wanted to sketch, so this is a study of François Boucher's painting Winter 1735, which I love.

Pencil and watercolour, April 2010

Sneak Peek: Scheherazade

A sneak peek of a current work in progress: Scheherazade of the 1001 Nights.

This is all done in pencil. A trick of the camera has thrown my perspective off a little, try to believe that it isn't that wonky!

Inking

Today, some very early brush inking practice, from December '09.

Having started out inking with ordinary felt-tips in highschool, moving onto technical pens, and then mastering the dip pen, I felt it was time to start using a brush to ink, and embellishing the results with greyscale watercolour.

My first two attempts were from earlier pencil sketches; a fisherman and a 30s glamour girl, inspired, I think, because I was watching The Alleyn Mysteries at the time.

And then I moved on to ink another earlier sketch, of my friend Makenzi's lovely character Ella:

Ella is copyright Makenzi Crouch, all rights reserved. You can also see her aged about 7 at my deviantart account here : Ella in the Cathedral

Quotes: When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

One of the sketchbooks currently on the go is used solely for quotes and characters from what I happen to be reading, or sometimes watching, at the time.

Here's the latest; a sketch from a quote in Judith Kerr's lovely little novel When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, which was my Saturday reading.

As soon as I read this line, I wanted to draw it.

"It did not seem to mind being put on a lead and, while Francine chattered to Max, Anna proudly took charge of it, holding onto the lead when the cat wanted to climb a tree or a lamp-post and following with the lead held high above her head when the cat decided to walk along the top of some railings instead of along the bottom."

Avengers Girls

Hello! Welcome to the first post on the Alene Illustration blog, where I'll be posting sketches and the like which would otherwise languish in my sketchbooks. Enjoy!

So, to start us off, here are some old sketches of the girls from the 60s tv show The Avengers – along with Perdy from The New Avengers of the 70s. Not the best likenesses, but they kept me amused. =)

Honour Blackman as Cathy Gale, July 2009

Diana Rigg as Mrs Emma Peel, July 2009

Linda Thorson as Tara King, July 2009

and Joanna Lumley as Perdy, July 2009