illustrations from way back when

This here little watercolour painting is my first venture into illustration you can see I was starting to venture into tattooed people. I painted this back in 2009 for an open house exhibition when I was at university at Falmouth University college down in cornwall. 

I came across my old portfolio due to the fact I am documenting my progression in illustration and my art. I always love looking back at old work and seeing how far I have come I will be making little prints of my old collections. My illustration website is coming along nicely, its the first time ever that all my creations will be in one place. So excited about sharing it all with you. 

I have had a few people asking about how i got into illustrations and what inspires me so I thought I would ramble on about illustration and me.

As a child I would make little magazines and illustrate them, I would probably call it drawing even now, I don’t consider myself an illustrator more of an artist, someone who strings a living of using my brain and hands to make pretty things.

I became more interested in illustration when my Art Tutor Mary Mabbutt at falmouth uni who tutored me from second year, really took a shine to my work and inspired me and showed me her love for illustration and more narrative based work. I will always cite Mary as someone who instilled in me a new found passion for creating art and pushing yourself to create, observe and enjoy what you create. Another creative from falmouth that always kept me inspired when I ventured into her studio was Melissa Kime, her drawings are amazing.

I have learn’t a lot about how to always stay inspired as a creative and an artist so here is what i think…

– I think as artists we should set ourselves no limits, don’t stick to a particular style, experiment, never stop learning, searching and working. 

– Surround yourself with people and things that will keep you sane, inspired and thirsty. 

-If you don’t think you can do something….I bet you can and you are likely to be afraid of failure, there is nothing wrong with this as long as you don’t let it stop you in your pursuit of happiness. 

– People will always be negative if you are talented or show a passion for something, don’t listen to them, they are wrong it will make you stronger. 

– Don’t be afraid to fight for what you create, when i was at school my teacher told me I couldn’t draw portraits, so i did nothing for the rest of my school projects but draw portraits i proved she was wrong and I learn’t a lot about myself.

– Never be afraid to make mistakes, some of my best pieces of work come from messing about in my sketchbook, let your imagination know no boundaries, keep on your toes. 

– never give up, seriously if everyone did that we wouldn’t have beautiful pieces by the likes of van gogh. ( my favourite) 

– I get a lot of people say to me I will never draw as good as you, well i bet there are things that you do that i won’t ever be good at. Focus on your strengths and not other peoples.  

– Create work that brings something positive and good to the world, that means more when it is in the world, then when it is not. 

– More then anything love what you do, it really shows. Find something you can pour your heart into.

My inspiration comes from the fact I love the everyday, moments are precious to me, cue snapping everything for this blog and instagram. Simple things can be beautiful don’t forget that.

So there are a few of my thoughts, I do think a few things can be used in most aspects of your life make the most of all you have thats the most important thing.