Here’s day 7 of our trip. If you want to start from the beginning, page 1 is here.
Come back tomorrow when the conference begins.
Florence sketch diary, day 7: you will not believe what we can do with balloons
Category: Street illustration
Florence sketch diary, day 6: switching to work mode
Here’s day 6 of our trip. If you want to start from the beginning, page 1 is here.
(Apologies for the wavy text, here and elsewhere: it’s because these pages are photographed rather than scanned, and not always perfectly flat)
(The usual apologies to my colleagues – and any other *real people* I might represent — for my failed attempts at capturing a likeness)
Come back tomorrow for a big surprise at the conference venue!
Florence sketch diary, day 5: the holy grail
Here’s day 5 of our trip. If you want to start from the beginning, page 1 is here.
Read on to Day 6, when I switch over into ‘work trip’ mode.
Florence sketch diary, day 3: the suburban manga shop
This is day 3 – if you missed the beginning, start at day 1.
Read on for a stroll around the bobbly Boboli Gardens.
Florence sketch diary, part 1: the one-trouser strategy
In April 2016, I took a trip to Florence, Italy. This is my sketch diary. I hope you enjoy it.
Intro page. In case you don’t recognise it(!), the dark lumpy thing that one of the cherubs is holding is supposed to be a truffle.
Joe’s concern is very British:
Now read part 2: a sweary neighbour and some desirable stationery.
Totnes and Lyme Regis holiday sketch diary, part 4: cows, worms, moles & other animals
The image at the top of this post is a happy accident which happened on Photoshop, as I was trying to clean up the picture of the bookshop that appears in the third page below. I like it better than the actual painting, so here it is as a header.
Part 1 is here, part 2 is here and part 3 is here. If you’d like to see the pages at a larger scale, click on the image and then click again.
A cartoon about running
Click each page and then click again if you would like to view these pages at a larger size.
Last January, I realised that I had run far fewer miles in 2014 than in previous years, and that this was because I’d got into the habit of skipping runs if the weather looked at all unpleasant, or if I was tired, or all sorts of other excuses.
So I set myself a target that I’d only be able to meet if I went out no matter what, and that’s what this cartoon is about.
This approach has reminded me that, actually, runs in the rain can actually be some of the most enjoyable ones. And, like the cartoon says, if you didn’t go out when it was raining, you’d never go out – well, certainly in this part of the world and at this time of year.
I’m glad to say that I reached my target in 2015 and I’m still on the same ‘no excuses’ regime this year, so it works for me.
In fact, such is my dedication these days, if Nick Cave does pop round, I might have to hurry him out of the door before he asks for a second cup of tea.
A week in Barcelona, final part: rainbows, closed doors and iconic pavements
Here’s the final pages of my Barcelona sketch diary.
You can see part 1 here.
And part 4 is here.
As always, click and click again to see each page at a larger size. Now read on…
Snippets of conversation overheard on the walk to school
Our daily walk to school takes just ten minutes, during which we join the stream of other parents and kids stomping up the hill.
Sometimes—well, quite often—I overhear little bits of conversation. I thought they were quite nice all collected together.
That’s all. I almost added a third page, which would be about the conversations my daughter and I have, but that started feeling like a different piece. What do you think; does this feel finished to you?
Women of Lewes and Brighton
These pictures are made by snapping women in the street with my phone, then working from the photos to paint a composite image on a A1 sheet of paper. The painting was done over a period of a couple of hours.
As I’ve just offered this idea to a potential client (painting their customers), I thought I’d better try it out and make sure it works.
I’m quite pleased with the results, and I’ve noted a few ways the whole thing could be easier, so it was worth doing a trial run.
Thank you – and sorry – if I photographed you yesterday! When I looked closely at the photographs, it did look like plenty of the subjects were looking straight at me, doubtless wondering what this strange person was doing pointing her phone at them.
Luckily, if the actual project goes ahead, I’ll be photographing people with their consent, and in a controlled environment.
And if it doesn’t? Eh, well… it’s all practice.
Drawing stuff you don’t like
I was thinking of something Emily Gravett said at the Illustrators’ event I attended, the whole time I was drawing this tower block.
Each panellist was asked to talk about how they got inspiration for their next illustration project. “I think of something I like drawing”, said Emily, or words to that effect – that is to say, if you are going to embark on a picture book, it might as well feature something you know you enjoy depicting.
And yet, despite having been present to hear that pearl of wisdom, tonight I found myself tackling a towerblock. No, I don’t like drawing towerblocks – I don’t really even like looking at them very much, except maybe late at night when they are all lit up. I do not particularly wish ever to think about complex perspective.
In the end, I quite enjoyed it, though. It’s certainly new ground for me, and that’s always interesting, if nothing else. So I think I have to add to Emily’s proposition, and say that sometimes it’s good to draw stuff you think you don’t like drawing.
Buy a Myfanwy Tristram print
As you’ll remember, I had a few giclee prints made up for Spitalfields Market. I now have a few extras for sale – very few, so please act fast if you’d like to buy one.
Here’s what I have available (if you’d like a close-up look at the images, click on each picture below – or see the original artwork here.):
Muesli Mountain, large size only (small is sold out) (above). This drawing is based on the Hanover area of Brighton, featuring its trademark grid of terraced houses and the Pepperpot at the top. Now sold out
Skittle cat (above) – small size only (large is sold out). Here you can see the cat that the sketch was originally based on :). Note, the cellophane wrapping is still on the prints in these pictures, but once it’s off, your print will not feature those pesky diagonal wrinkles, promise! Now sold out
Animal Tea, small size only – large now sold out (above). In this image, a variety of animals take their tea in suitable ways – the penguin likes his iced, while the camel, of course, likes his with two lumps. Mr Beaver, meanwhile, likes a cup of builder’s… you get the idea.
Tins (above) – small size only (large is sold out). This one looks lovely in the kitchen. Now sold out.
Sizes, etc
The prints come in two sizes:
SMALL: 21cm by 30cm, (A4)
LARGE: 30cm by 40cm (the same width as, but just a bit shorter than A3)
These are both standard sizes which will fit into the sort of frames you can find anywhere – for example, Ikea’s RIBBA frame (£6) would fit the smaller or the larger size, with or without the mount*.
All prints come unmounted/unframed, wrapped in clear cellophane. They are giclee prints, and archival quality which means they will last for many years without fading or discolouration. I have to say that they actually exceeded my expectations when I first unwrapped one and took a look at the depth of colour and print quality.
Prices
Small prints are £15.00
Large prints are £25.00
Postage and packing is £3.50 in the UK, for one or more prints. International shipping? Please mail me for a quote.
Every pound I make from this sale will go into funding the next batch.
How to buy
I accept payment by PayPal. Drop me an email and I’ll be back in touch to confirm your print is still available, and to give you my payment details. As soon as your payment has cleared, your print will be on its way to you, safely backed by cardboard and in a padded envelope.
As there are only a couple of each design, I’ll be operating strictly first come, first serve.
But don’t worry if you miss out, because…
What would you like to buy next?
As I say, this sale will be funding the next print run.
I’d like to get some other images printed up, and I would love to hear if there are any images you particularly like. Consider it market research, on a shoestring.
One of these, perhaps?
* Disclosure: I have’t actually tried it! I’m going by Ikea’s measurements. But what I’m saying is, you won’t have trouble fitting them to a frame, ok? Ok. :)
Red Roaster
Red Roaster is one of Brighton’s good coffee shops. It’s especailly suitable for artists because you can sink into a chair and draw all the people around you. if you’re particularly shy, you can look up into the mirrors hanging from the ceiling – no-one will ever guess that you’re drawing them from that angle.
