A lovely cup of Tea and a little sit down

Making a Tie

2012-01-06T23:45:00.005Z

Good evening!

It's 2012! Happy new year to each and every one of you!
I have been just itching to share this post with you! I was recently commissioned to put together illustrations for the wonderful Making Magazine! This monthly magazine is packed with crafty tips, projects and advice covering everything from recipes to pin cushions. It's a wonderful read and I just love making myself a cup of tea and settling down to read for a decadent hour! I always come away ready to dust off my sewing kit (or take my felting needles out of their temporary retirement...).
The latest issue is in shops now!

TTFN
xx

Logorama!

2011-11-15T23:07:00.012Z

Good evening!

I thought it might be nice to give you a little glimpse into another side of my day job! Specialising in illustration means that I am commissioned for an array of interesting jobs, from hand painted portraits to business branding. This is a small selection of logos that will soon be appearing on my website! I'm also working on something special for a client who makes special objects for our feathered friends. Watch this space!

Magspotterphotography.co.uk

Spinning Jenny, an independent Crafter who was making her first lovely items for sale

tntcomputing.co.uk

Monikasays.com

Oh, and I have finally set up a Facebook page! Feel free to drop by and say hello by clicking the link below!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Pearl-Grey-Illustration/182129658527355?sk=wall

TTFN
xx

Eglentine's Screen Debut

2011-11-10T19:00:00.002Z

Good evening!

Long time blog readers may remember that back when this little blog started, I was working on a large needle-felted puppet (who later became known as Eglentine). Well I received a lovely surprise today from the very talented Fuad Ali in the form of the little video she featured in! It seems such a long time ago that we filmed it. Fuad provides the wonderful voiceover and I am (believe it or not) hunkered down behind the chair doing the puppeteering and trying to guess the pace at which he would read! Also, if I remember rightly, fighting off a pretty mean hand cramp towards the end.

Nice to see you again, Eglentine!

TTFN
xx

Riot Raffle

2011-10-26T10:38:00.006+01:00

Good morning!

This August I and thousands of others watched aghast as hoardes of people rampaged through the streets of London, seemingly hellbent on causing mayhem and destruction. It was a heartbreaking and disgraceful display of criminal damage, theft and violence that I sincerely wish never to have to see again.
However, from the destruction came something truly special, which reminded me just how much I love this little country and the people in it (in addition to the images of communities banding together to defend themselves and others from this yobbery, which was beautiful). I first noticed rumblings of a riot cleanup effort on Twitter, but as I was not in the capital I was unable to get involved physically in the immediate aftermath. Then I read a Tweet appeal from Zoe Drew, who asked creative practitioners to donate goods and/or services for a raffle in order to raise funds. It was decided that the money raised by the newly founded Riot Raffle would be donated to the Retail Trust, so that it might help tradespeople and small businesses worst affected by the rioters' trail of destruction.
I donated a couple of prints to the cause, and am pleased as punch to be able to inform that the raffle was a great success! You can read more about this effort at www.riotraffle.org. A blogpost from Becky, one of the winners who received a print from me, is also viewable by clicking here.
Lastly, to anyone who was in any way involved with the resistance effort, or with helping London to her feet afterwards- a huge thankyou and lots of love. If we all work together, we can keep our country wonderful.

TTFN
xx

Deseye and doodling

2011-10-25T21:06:00.009+01:00

Good evening!

Some eagle eyed readers may have noticed a new addition to the motion section of misspearlgrey.com! It was my pleasure to work with Mari of MDLLS again, and (for the first time) Georgina Ferguson on an animation for Deseye, a hand painted eyewear company. I created the illustrations for the animation which was very cleverly designed, directed and animated by the other ladies.

I have been working on a real mixed bag of projects in the last few months- everything from business branding and logos to digital portraits! Among my commercial projects, I was recently asked to create a pitch featuring Barbra Streisand as the Queen! Both things I love, so that project has been great fun!

I firmly believe that practise does make perfect, and I love nothing better than catching little sketches on my travels. I hope you like this latest little peek into my sketchbook!

Stay tuned for a special feature on logos!

TTFN
xx

Happy birthday, Alesya!

2011-08-30T20:19:00.004+01:00

Good evening!

I have something fun to show you all today in the form of a large painted portrait! It was a commissioned birthday gift that, once painted, winged it's way across the pond all the way to the USA! Although I do a lot of drawing, I also work a lot on the computer, so it was great to do a physical painting at this scale again. I forget how much I love to work in this way- hooray for raw paints and making a mess!

TTFN
xx

The Owl in progress

R.I.P Amy (a Nightingale no longer singing)

2011-07-24T13:55:00.007+01:00

Good afternoon!

I was very saddened yesterday to learn of the death of the British singer, Amy Winehouse. Whatever the circumstances of her death, a young woman lost her life and that is a terrible tragedy. I only hope that she is remembered for being a gifted musician and not for her troubled personal life.

I leave you with a little image that I have taken from one of my sketchbooks, completed in 2007.

TTFN
xx

Art and an Article

2011-06-24T22:33:00.004+01:00

Good evening!

Some of you may remember that a little while ago I won a blog award. Well, I was recently commissioned by the lovely Editor at Arts Media Contacts to write and illustrate my very own article about the relevance of illustration. How exciting!
I interviewed the incredibly talented Julie West and Amy Ng (among others), and the piece is available to read in the latest edition of the Arts Media Contacts Directory.

TTFN
xx

Design Time!

2011-06-07T22:17:00.009+01:00

Good evening!

I have been out in the world of commercial design lately! I find the pace of the publishing world very exciting and it's fun to work with different tools and techniques to create fresh work. Would you like a couple of sneak peeks at what I have been getting up to?

Aside from this, I have recently been working with a very talented couple of animators on a really fun project- I will show you all as soon as I am allowed!
I also met David Dimbleby recently ... but more on that story another day.

TTFN
xx

Evolution of a Superhero

2011-04-16T21:26:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

While I busy myself on design and deadlines, I thought I may drop by with a little 'behind the scenes' post for you all! This is a recent commission I completed that had been requested as a birthday gift. Unfortunately, I didn't have the bright idea for this post until I had already mapped out the image and started patching it in, but I hope you enjoy regardless!

TTFN
xx

P.S,
He also ended up with feet and a more defined cape!

Paloma at F-Ashish-ion Week

2011-03-12T19:55:00.005Z

Good evening!

The Amelia's Magazine fashion week coverage continues! I was recently asked to illustrate the sartorially experimental singer Paloma Faith, who was spotted attending the Ashish catwalk extravaganza.

Miss Faith's exciting mish-mash of colours and textures was a delight to illustrate! You can see the full post (including Ashish catwalk photographs) by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

Kokon To Zai

2011-03-09T18:24:00.006Z

Good evening!

I have been out in the real world doing all sorts of things that keep me away from blogging- whoops! In amongst moving house (more studio space- hurrah!) I have completed a few little illustrations for Amelia's Magazine and their coverage of this year's London Fashion week.
There were some utterly fabulous collections this year! One of my favourites, however, was KTZ (Kokon To Zai) for their intense pops of colour and interesting shapes. You can see Amelia's write up and more photos of the show by clicking here.
Stay tuned to see a very special post about one of my favourite places- Paris!

TTFN
xx

Principal Colour

2011-02-11T18:50:00.003Z

Good evening!

A nice little job for Amelia's Magazine to show you today. It was my task to illustrate Amelia's printers, Alan and Martin of Principal Colour, who do wonderful things in the name of carbon neutral production. They were also at the book launch, and although I don't recall seeing them I am now very familiar with their faces after such a detailed illustration!

You can see the post in it's entirety, including another illustration I put together, by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

1, 2, 3... ACOFI!

2011-02-10T18:16:00.014Z

Good evening!

Are you sitting comfortably?... Then I shall begin the blog post bonanza!

I have been busying myself with all sorts of things both in and out of the studio lately. A couple of weeks ago, I attended the launch party of Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration in Shoreditch, London. It was a very chatty, buzzy atmosphere and I was finally able to meet Amelia herself, the Ballad Of team and a few of the featured illustrators.

Illustrators Jo Cheung and June Chanpoomidole

The Ballad Of team (Lindsey, Erd and half of Claire)

Matt Bramford, Amelia's Magazine fashion editor.

It was a lovely venue too, at 123 Bethnal Green Road, which is a Grade II listed Victorian building that now boasts three floors of retail treats. If you find yourself in east London, you should pop in for a visit- it's well worth the trip!

More exploits soon!

TTFN
xx

Tea and ACOFI

2011-01-05T21:33:00.013Z

Good evening!

Well, here we are at the dawn of a new decade- 2011 is upon us! So I shall start the year with some exciting bits of news. Today I received a very surprising but lovely notice... I had received the status of 'highly commended art blog 2010' from the esteemed Arts Media Contacts! The full listing can be viewed by clicking here. Do have a jolly good read because it's teeming with inspiration and I am nestled in among some really fantastic blogs! Honouriffic!

Also, I have received my copy of the beautiful and very fragrant Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration (or 'ACOFI' to the avid social networkers among my readership!). I say fragrant because that was my initial thought when I opened the parcel and all the delectable treats sprang forth. There is just something wonderful about the smell of a brand new book! Amelia had the book printed in the UK using environmentally responsible vegetable inks on FSC approved paper; such is her dedication to ethical production. The publication features the work of lots of other very talented illustrators and profiled designers. If you are interested to read what I have to say for myself about illustration, fashion and park benches, therein lies a sizeable (and slightly self indulgent) interview along with some new work.
The book is stocked at Tate Modern, Magma, Design Museum, Serpentine Gallery, Tatty Devine, Cornerhouse, Arnolfini and many other good independent book stores across the UK (and by early 2011 around the world). Alternatively, you might want to snap up a copy from the Amelia's Magazine shop directly.

Until next time!

TTFN
xx

Bourgeois & Maurice

2010-12-16T16:34:00.004Z

Good afternoon!

A fun little illustration for Amelia's Magazine today, which features Cabaret darlings Bourgeois and Maurice. Their outlandish fashion sense makes them such a delight to draw! Their new show 'Can't Dance' (click for a little promotional video!) is on now at Sadler's Wells Theatre, a venue dedicated to people that can actually dance.

You can read the full interview with the duo by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

Bubbles at the Market

2010-12-10T23:46:00.009Z

Good evening!

This is the last little post about my Canadian escapades, honest!
I visited a wonderful, buzzing market in a place called St. Jacobs, which had indoor and outdoor stalls where the Amish were working alongside 'regular' folk. All of the smells and colours were quite fantastic and it was a really brilliant trip!
I love to 'people watch', and there were some real characters! One such personality was a clown named Bubbles (I think I was drawn over by the balloon animals he seemed to be mass producing). Unfortunately it was very busy so I wasn't able to stand and draw any of the Amish people's beautifully understated outfits (photographing them isn't very polite so I refrained), but I did make a small observational sketch from a vantage point!

If you are ever in Southern Ontario, it's really worth a visit.

TTFN
xx

Update!

2010-12-09T23:54:00.004Z

Good Evening!

I would like to direct your collected attentions to the all new misspearlgrey.com!
New features include a 'Motion' section (which is soon to feature an array of projects in which either my illustrations or creations appear) and a shiny new specialist 'Fashion' section! I'm so excited with the new look and I hope you will love it as much as I do.

Please do pop by and have a look around at your leisure!

TTFN
xx

P.S,

A huge thanks goes out to Andy Tyrrell, who has helped me produce something that looks so lovely!

Cat Aids with Simon Amstell

2010-11-19T19:38:00.006Z

Good afternoon!

Some fantastic news today- the video I put together with fab animator Mari Delellis Lopes is now live and receiving some great reviews already! It was created with my artwork to promote the brilliant Simon Amstell's new stand up comedy DVD.
It features today on the AOL Asylum homepage- please take a look!

TTFN
xx

Oh, Canada!

2010-11-17T02:09:00.006Z

Good evening!

I thought I might share a few of the scruffy little sketches I have been doing whilst on my holidays in beautiful Ontario, Canada! I have been getting chalky shoes by the lakeside (while walking pooches), watching Ice Hockey practice on a rink in one of the nearby Malls, and trying to train a Budgie to say 'ridiculous'. Later this week I shall be visiting Toronto and watching Yentl.
Until next time!

TTFN
xx

Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration

2010-11-08T17:07:00.004Z

Good afternoon!

It's finally time to announce the next book feature! Amelia's Compendium of Fashion Illustration features not only my work, but twenty nine other talented illustrators and the collections of a wealth of ethical clothing designers. It is now available to pre-order (just in time for Christmas) by clicking here! How exciting!

TTFN
xx

If I Was You...

2010-11-01T18:53:00.004Z

Good evening!

I have been finding myself spending lots of late nights at the drawing board recently, but I have been working on a super exciting project with a new client that is due for release soon. I can't wait to share some of the images with you all!
I was also invited to contribute to the wonderful 'If I Was You' project (run by the supremely talented and prolific Sandra Dieckmann), which sees illustrators each submitting a drawing based on their ideas of the last person to be featured. It's trickier to explain than to show you, so please click here to see what I mean!
My subject was fellow illustrator and Cat fancier, Kayleigh Bluck. She was great fun to draw!

TTFN
xx

Go, Team! / Whizz-Bang!

2010-10-09T18:02:00.008+01:00

Good afternoon!

So, Autumn is here and the woolens have come out- I'm currently working on lots of projects in the studio, but it's been a little chilly! I'm also putting together a grand website redesign. It should be live very soon! Last night I worked on some balloon animals that will feature- I just love balloon animals!

Today I took some time out of the studio to head to the local Recreation ground and watch the resident Football team take on outsiders on their home turf. The players were moving so quickly that I didn't even try to capture them properly (perhaps another day), but there were plenty of characters on the sidelines. And an air horn, which I cleverly seated myself next to.

In the evening I wrapped up warm to attend a local Bonfire Society fireworks event. This involved a huge procession with people dressed as Tudors and Pirates carrying flaming torches down the Promenade! Apparently it's a very old custom to the South Coast. Afterwards a bonfire was set alight on the beach and there was a brilliant fireworks display- I was always too late to get a good photo! But I didn't mind because I had a polystyrene cup full of Tea and a lovely (if noisy) day.

TTFN
xx

Illustration Rally

2010-10-01T12:11:00.005+01:00

Good afternoon!

I was interviewed recently by the fantastic Illustration Rally blog. In addition to rolling illustration projects with which to to get involved, Illustration Rally also has regular features on new artists. I was very privileged to receive an incredibly flattering write up, which you can read in full by clicking here.

Thanks, Natsuki!

TTFN
xx

Relax- It's Nothing Bad!

2010-09-29T20:42:00.003+01:00

Good evening!

Still along the lines of fashion based imagery tonight (it's almost over) with a little something I produced for Nothing Bad magazine, where I was touted as 'one of their favourite illustrators around at the moment' (aw, shucks!).
I was asked to illustrate a piece from the latest Giles Deacon collection. I must say that the colourful ensembles and jazzy knitwear patterns made this a pleasure to work on.
You can read the full article by clicking here .

TTFN
xx

Gold Leafed Goodness

2010-09-28T17:35:00.004+01:00

Good afternoon!

I recently worked on an especially fun piece for Amelia's Magazine. Philip Levine (the man behind Lazy Gramophone) is famed in fashion circles for his head designs (which you can see at www.philsays.com). Amelia snapped him at London Fashion week taking care of the goody bags for the very talented designer Ada Zanditon- this time with a gold leafed head. A perfect illustration opportunity!

You can read the full article by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

Fashion for Boys!

2010-09-24T03:10:00.004+01:00

Good morning!

I was very pleased when I was asked to illustrate a menswear piece for Amelia's Magazine. The patterns and shapes in the Lou Dalton collection really grabbed my attention, so she was my designer of choice! London Fashion week posts are drawing to a close, but I do have a few more to show you yet!

See the full article by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

Magnificent Millinery

2010-09-22T23:10:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

This is the second sample of images I have produced for Amelia's Magazine during their London Fashion week extravaganza!
This time looking at some pretty fantastical hats, the full article can be viewed by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

London Fashion Week

2010-09-21T04:03:00.003+01:00

Good morning!

Lots of hip young things have hit the Capital this week, with the advent of this year's London Fashion Week! Among other things, I have been busy helping out the writers over at Amelia's Magazine by speedily illustrating in response to their show reviews. First up, a designer by the name of Louise Amstrup. I was impressed by the Beekeeper style swathes of fabric, which were particularly fun to draw. You can read the full article by clicking here.

I've heaps more to show you- stay tuned!

TTFN
xx

Lovely Loot!

2010-09-17T23:49:00.002+01:00

Good evening!

I've lots to show you over the next few days, having worked on a few more pieces for Amelia's Magazine! But today something lovely arrived on my doorstep. No, it wasn't the Stork (thank heavens) but it was a Flamingo! Well, among other things! All courtesy of the very lovely Emma at Emma Cowley Illustration. I felt like all my Christmases had come at once- thank you so much Emma! I'm so lucky!

Please do have a nose around her fantastic blog, which is full to the brim with delightful illustration and words woven with her witty charm.

Until next time!

TTFN
xx

AOI Images 34

2010-09-13T22:14:00.007+01:00

Good evening!

Last week I was privileged enough to attend the private view of the most recent book release from the Association of Illustrators. 'Images 34' features not only my work, but the work of two of my illustrator friends, Cheism and Emma! It took place at LLC (London College of Communication) in Elephant & Castle on Tuesday evening, where I also received a copy of the annual.

It was really wonderful to be a part of this great exhibition (which is still on, but finishes on the 14th!).

TTFN
xx

One Man and His Libertine

2010-09-08T11:49:00.003+01:00

Good morning!

I was given the task of illustrating the Libertines for an Amelia's Magazine article about Reading Festival. It was really good fun! Since I was given free reign to interpret the topic, I decided to focus on Carl and Pete. As this reunion was so eagerly anticipated after trouble within the band in the past, I created a theme to the piece where the boys appear on the same 'wavelength'. You can view the entire article by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

Glamour at the V & A

2010-09-06T19:18:00.003+01:00

Good evening!

Another piece for Amelia's Magazine tonight, this time illustrating an article about an evening of Vintage Hollywood inspired glamour at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London. A lovely theme, if you ask me! You can view the rest of the article by clicking here.

TTFN
xx

Don't Forget to Write!

2010-08-31T01:54:00.007+01:00

Good morning!

I thought I would share the final images for my Ballad Of Magazine submission, after having posted a rough sketch a little while ago.
Since the theme was sending letters, I decided to illustrate this by drawing a Postman doing his morning round. Unfortunately for him, his post has attracted some undesirable attention from the Neighbourhood Canines!
I have since learned just how tricky it is to work on opposite sides of an envelope when the lines are supposed to join up. I also used watercolours for this piece, but discovered after roughing out the design that I have lost my most favourite tin! So I had to make do with a cheap emergency set.

I'm hopeful that the Watercolour Goblins will return my tin soon. Perhaps this will happen when I tidy up the studio a bit...

TTFN
xx

Collaboration with Cheism

2010-08-25T14:55:00.004+01:00

Good afternoon!

In amongst preparing for various impending deadlines, I was able to meet up with the lovely Che of Cheism. We put together a couple of little collaborative doodles over drinks in the sunshine, which you can take a peek at by clicking here.
In other news, I will be working on some 3 dimensional projects very soon, so keep your peepers peeled for those!

TTFN
xx

The Rules of Attraction

2010-08-13T14:25:00.005+01:00

Good afternoon!

I recently created some illustrations to accompany an article for Amelia's Magazine. The illustrations were done in a relatively short space of time- hopefully all this practice means that my digital painting is improving! There are several things I would have liked to have changed (and several ideas for pictures that I still want to do! Honestly, the article is loaded with fodder!). Still, after so long on the computer I am looking forward to getting my watercolours out again.

Unfortunately, due to a misinterpretation, I illustrated the magazine's creator, Amelia- who didn't actually attend the event! But if you squint very hard you can pretend it is someone else. And she liked it anyway, which is always a plus.

TTFN
xx

Don't Forget to Write...

2010-08-10T17:38:00.005+01:00

Good afternoon!

I have been posting an awful lot of 'behind the scenes' work lately, but I hope it has been interesting for you to see how the final images are put together.
This piece is a magazine submission in a most primitive state! But hopefully it gives some idea of the concept I am working on.

I wonder what they're chasing?...

TTFN
xx

Stop, Woah Yeah! Wait A Minute, Mister Postman

2010-08-03T21:55:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

I received the loveliest post this morning! A parcel straight from the talented illustrator, Jamie Mills! Post that isn't a bill! That's a winner in my book. Thankyou so much for the original artwork and goodies, Jamie! I'm having the acetate print framed, and the popping candy is fizzing away as I type! If anyone else fancies commissioning a day, so contact Jamie via his blog (link above).

TTFN
xx

Face-fuzzed Gentlemen

2010-08-02T23:05:00.007+01:00

Good evening!

Another glimpse into my sketchbook today, with these examples of follicle face adornment! I'm currently working on a piece that involves a rather dramatic moustache, so these are some experimental pieces I put together in order to settle upon my final design.

TTFN
xx

Sleeves that flutter...

2010-07-30T03:10:00.004+01:00

Good morning!

I've been a busy bee in the studio of late. In return for my disgraceful blog absenteeism, I'm offering up a little sneaky peek of a current project- finished artwork will hit the blog soon, so watch this space!

TTFN
xx

364 days and 1 pour moi

2010-07-18T10:39:00.004+01:00

Good morning!

This is a special thank you to the sublimely talented Jamie Mills of 365 days , for his extra specially themed birthday illustration!
You can view his work and (details of his 365 days project) by clicking here, and do check out his other work as it's brilliant!

Thank you again Jamie!

TTFN
xx

Switzerland

2010-07-12T16:53:00.004+01:00

Good afternoon!

This piece was created for an Illustration Rally project. For their latest theme, artists were provided with a country and asked to interpret however they liked- mine was Switzerland. We haven't reached the letter S yet, but I was keen to share my piece with you all!
The mountain became my absolute nemesis and I have decided that they are one of the hardest things I have set myself the challenge of shading. So I had to admit defeat! But the result isn't too far off what I had envisaged.

TTFN
xx

Proof in the pudding

2010-07-11T22:08:00.003+01:00

Good evening!

What's this? Two posts in one day?! Yes indeedy- I though it politic to let you know in light of my competition results that the last recipient of an illustrated envelope (through the Hello You Creatives scheme) was pleased as punch with his!

You can read his review here.

TTFN
xx

Results!

2010-07-11T19:03:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

Tonight was the prize draw for my giveaway. It was actually a trick question because the little mouse appeared in a couple of blog posts- but everyone who entered was right! So I popped all of the names and a special 'wildcard' into a summery hat...

and then picked a winner at random! And wouldn't you know it...

...it was only the wildcard! Well done to all of the contestants! You'll all be receiving something special in a personally illustrated envelope! Please email me at hello@misspearlgrey.com with your addresses!

TTFN
xx

Almost time to Moove on...

2010-06-30T16:34:00.002+01:00

Good afternoon!

Anybody else want some free goodies??
This is the last call for entries into my competition! I had a lovely bit of coverage this week from Hello You Creatives so I might give it a few more days in case I have any late arrivals. A little hint for you- the question has already been answered in the existing comments!

In other news, this is a little sketch from something I have been working on recently. I can't show you the whole piece yet, but I will when it's ready!

TTFN
xx

Competition Time!

2010-06-03T18:58:00.004+01:00

Good afternoon!

Here is the announcement... the competition is now officially open!
Have a look at the little fellow below. Do you recognise him?

Eagle eyed readers will spot that he features in a blog post from the archives. But which one?
Comment with the title of the post and you will be in with a chance of winning something lovely (in a personally illustrated envelope!) If you answer correctly, your name will go into a hat to be decided at random at the end of the month.

Good luck!

TTFN
xx

Project Friendly #2

2010-05-22T18:47:00.006+01:00

Good afternoon!

As promised, this is the back and front of the last Project Friendly envelope I have completed for Hello You Creatives.
I painted it in Acrylics which was probably not the best idea as when I went in with the fineliner and marker, the ink decided to just sit. Needless to say, I ended up with a fair few smudges to fix.
I hope the receiver likes it!

TTFN
xx

Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty, Peggy Sue

2010-05-19T18:24:00.007+01:00

Good evening!

The sun is shining, the birds are singing, it seems that summer is starting to creep into my studio! I am happy to say that I have multiple projects on the go, so I have been squirreled away working on lots of little treats.
My work featured again today on Amelia's Magazine, along with the lovely Amelia's interview of the band Peggy Sue. You can check it out by clicking here.

I am also going to take this opportunity to announce that I will be holding a giveaway in June, so keep an eye on the blog for further information very soon!

TTFN
xx

Election Fever

2010-04-29T20:08:00.004+01:00

Good evening!

This is a little something I quickly put together in light of UK Election frenzy! It features on Amelia's Magazine and is now up during the televised leader's debate.
The concept for this piece is the fact that the Lib Dems are doing well in the opinion polls- but can they maintain this after tonight? Only time will tell!

TTFN
xx

Ballad Of...

2010-04-21T16:33:00.003+01:00

Good afternoon!

Today I was featured by the lovely ladies over at 'Ballad Of' Magazine (www.balladof.co.uk). You can have a looksie out by clicking here. And do spend some time on the rest of the site if you can, because it's chockablock with delicious little treats!

TTFN
xx

A Very Friendly Envelope

2010-04-01T22:51:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

Would you like a look at some post I will be sending tomorrow? It all forms part of the wonderful idea of Hello You Creatives. I thought this Pirate Lady deserved more barnacles in her hair, but gave her a parrot travelling companion instead. He has since had more colour added to jazz him up a little. I have another to send, so keep those peepers peeled!

TTFN
xx

Marathon Fun!

2010-03-31T15:00:00.006+01:00

Good afternoon!

It may be a crop, but this is the end result of a collaboration between myself and Plunge Productions on behalf of the Rockinghorse Appeal. These beauties will soon be seen cavorting at the Brighton Marathon to raise money for this worthy cause.

I apologise for the apparent lack of activity, however it is quite the contrary! I have been working on some big super lovely things. More details soon!

TTFN
xx

Wuthering Heights (for Celine)

2010-03-18T21:58:00.010Z

Good evening!

I present to you a series of rough sketches of the wonderfully theatrical Kate Bush. I was inspired to pull out the pencils by the very talented Celine, after her post about the very same high pitched songstress!

(My favourite moves come at around 2.25)

There may be a Babooshka post coming this way at some point!

Memoirs of a Momentous Road Trip

2010-02-22T02:48:00.004Z

Good morning!

As promised, I release some doodles from the confines of my sketchbook! Here is a little something I have put together with images completed for a recent book competition. They are mounted atop the grainy photograph of a carpark in Southern England which actually inspired the theme of my entry.
'Peoplewatching' provides plentiful fodder for me- just because the setting is drab and grey doesn't always mean the characters will be too!

TTFN
xx

Liz Lomax's Blog

2010-02-12T14:16:00.004Z

Good afternoon!

I was recently interviewed by the wonderfully talented Liz Lomax for her 3d illustrations blog, http://www.3dillustrations.blogspot.com.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Liz, she is a phenomenal three dimensional illustrator from New York, and is widely recognized as one of the leading figures in her field. It was an honour to be featured.

So thanks, Liz, you're a treasure!

TTFN
xx

Rocking Horses and Some Spiffing News

2010-02-03T23:30:00.007Z

Good evening!

So, I have been waiting until I knew everything was tickety-boo until I announced this, but here is the scoop...

I am going to be featured in the prestigious AOI Annual, Images 34 alongside fellow illustrators Chetan and Emma. A pretty big honour, if you ask me! This annual will also feature work by the fabulous Ralph Steadman.

On another note, I have lots of illustrations just itching to be released from my sketchbook! But in the meantime, here is a cropped image of a sketch for an interesting and terribly fun commission I have recently received from the Rockinghorse Appeal (following on from their ball in the winter).

TTFN
xx

What I Wore

2010-01-19T01:51:00.005Z

Good morning!

Deary me, what a neglectful blogger I must seem! Welcome to the first post of 2010, everyone!
I have lots of new things to show you, so let's start with a little something from my current sketchbook to set the ball rolling. I have been sporadically producing images for Gemma Correll's 'What I wore Today' illustration group on Flickr.

This ensemble was for a soiree with some of my best friends on Friday. The illustrations need completing regularly or I have a tendency to forget what I was wearing during the week!

TTFN
xx

The Dead Issue

2009-12-28T19:20:00.005Z

Good evening!

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas! This is a little update to let you know that my illustrations have been featured in Duck and Cover magazine's 'Dead' issue.
It is available to purchase from UCA, Canterbury (in Mediatech), The B&B Gallery, Folkestone or by post from Duck and Cover themselves (just email and then send a stamped , addressed envelope).
Alternatively, you can look at the pdf online by clicking here!

TTFN
xx

Creative Boom

2009-12-04T10:00:00.005Z

Good morning!

With the Charity Ball over, I am now working on little projects on the run up the Christmas. I was also interviewed by the lovely Tigz for a feature post on Creative Boom. You can read it by clicking here.
Thanks very much, Tigz, it was a pleasure!

TTFN
xx

Back in Business

2009-11-14T20:03:00.004Z

Good evening!

Roll up, roll up, one and all!

As promised, I am proud to present to you my new and improved website. With some clickable little features and more images to peruse (although my keen eyed blog readers will be familiar with a few!), you can mosey along now and see it for yourself!

I do hope you enjoy your next visit to www.misspearlgrey.com.

In other news, the Charity Ball is almost upon us, and I will have some more sketchbook based treats here very soon!

TTFN
xx

Site revamp

2009-11-01T15:57:00.003Z

Good afternoon!

Just a little note to say that my website is currently down as it undergoes a revamp! It will be back up shortly.

TTFN
xx

Something Delicious

2009-10-21T12:04:00.004+01:00

Good afternoon!

This is just a little something I have put together recently- I thought I ought to put up a sample from my current sketchbook! I am still working on the big charity ball artwork in amongst commission pieces and it grows ever more exciting by the week!

TTFN
xx

Busy, busy, busy!

2009-09-28T21:12:00.010+01:00

Good evening!

I must apologise for the lack of update! I have been very busy in the studio for the last few weeks with commissions. I am working on something rather exciting at the moment, having also been invited to contribute artwork for theming a charity ball. Since the concept is Alice in Wonderland, this means I must work very closely with the illustrations of Tenniel, which makes me very happy indeed!
These are some cropped images of the various projects I have been undertaking. The black and white illustrations will be unveiled in a grand way at the ball in November, so watch this space!
TTFN
xx

Papereciation (Paper Appreciation)

2009-09-08T21:00:00.011+01:00

Good evening!

I was having quite a slow day yesterday, pottering through some commission roughs... that was until I received a brilliant phone call from a friend of mine (Che and then later Vinesh and AnnaLisa) advising me that my playing card design for Shelter had made it onto the pages of the daily London paper, the Metro. It was featured in an article alongside the winning design.

Thankyou very much to everyone who voted! You can take a little look at the actual spread here!

TTFN
xx

Heralding Harald

2009-09-04T11:05:00.003+01:00

Good morning!

I will be posting some new personal work very shortly, but thought it was high time I bought some attention to the illustrative talents of a dear friend of mine- introducing Harald Donoghue.

His passion for fashion is quite obvious from his beautiful studies. But he doesn't just draw ladies, oh no. I can only see his portfolio moving from strength to strength.

That's all for now, but I shall be back with work of my own doing later on!

TTFN
xx

The Letter B

2009-08-29T18:54:00.006+01:00

Good afternoon!

I have been working once again on a little piece for a Flickr illustrative collaboration. This piece, the letter B, is my contribution to an alphabet book for children aged between three and six. I may add more to it should I have time, but can you find all of the things beginning with B? Good luck- there's a few trickier ones in there too!

I have lots of commissioned work on my to-do list at the moment, so I will try and post updates for a couple of those projects very soon. Hopefully I will eventually get round to posting updates on those long awaited narrative roughs, and perhaps even the leprechaun concept images from a little while ago!

TTFN
xx

UGG in da Club

2009-08-20T09:54:00.011+01:00

Good morning!

This duo form part of my very last-minute entry to the Shelter House of Cards competition.

Since the brief was to design the 8 of clubs, my mind (addled with cold and flu medicine, cough cough) started working around the idea of Cavepeople- the 'original Clubbers'. So here they are, bopping away.

...I do love a good pun.

Update: Voting opens on the 22nd of August here so if you fancy voting for my design, the code is DH8O158. Merci beaucoup!

TTFN
xx

Undead Bar Staff

2009-08-12T20:18:00.008+01:00

Good evening!

This is part of a piece I have been working on about the Undead. I will post the more as we approach publication day! Hopefully it just goes to show that Zombies come in all shapes and sizes.
I am aware of lots of little problems with it that need tweaking, but I hope you like her regardless!

TTFN
xx

...and here's one that I played about with in Photoshop (please note- I don't normally colour digitally so it's still a skill I need to develop!)

'Ave a Banana!

2009-08-12T01:26:00.005+01:00

Good morning!

Everyone likes a cute monkey, right? I believe that the humble Baboon is commonly overlooked in terms of cuteness. Sure, it's not conventional cuteness... but as long as they aren't screeching (that sight is pretty fearsome!) I think they are pretty sweet.

TTFN
xx

Bear-iffic!

2009-08-11T00:22:00.006+01:00

Good evening!

Wow! It has been ever such a long time (especially after a stint of somewhat prolific updating) but here is a little tidbit from a project I have started working on. I do have things to unveil to you all that I have been working on in the time I have been away, but I thought that the image of a little bear with a balloon was just right for the beginning of the week!

TTFN
xx

A little Bread & Honey...

2009-07-25T18:46:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

I am just so excited to share more details of this with all of you, but I am afraid all I can do is offer a teaser image! Oh, and advise you to keep an eye on http://www.breadandhoneydesigns.blogspot.com! I am in the process of collaborating with a briliantly talented jewellery maker- I promise I will reveal more when we are out of the design stages and the shop is ready to be fully stocked!

TTFN
xx

Mufferlump

2009-07-21T15:58:00.006+01:00

Good afternoon!

This is an image I created recently as part of a collaboration with a group of illustrators involved in the Waterstones competition, which I entered earlier in the year.
The story is starting to centre around a character called the Mufferlump- I say 'starting to', because each illustrator can only work from the last image provided. Each page also needs to rhyme with the one before it, so the story is unfolding unpredictably! My image is only page four, as I am at the top of the list, so it will be exciting to see where the story goes from here!

It was rather challenging drawing a character from someone else's visualisation, as the creature has very specific markings, but I would like to think I was able to inject a little of my personal style into the page.

Watch this space for narrative roughs, leprechaun faces and news of a fledgling collaborative design venture!

TTFN
xx

Leprechaun

2009-07-09T10:14:00.004+01:00

Good morning!

He is by no means finished, but this is a work in progress shot of the wall mounted leprechaun face I have been working on. Milliput is difficult to manipulate but necessary in this instance as the piece will be living outdoors. It's quite tricky to actually define a Leprechaun as everyone has a slightly different idea about how they look! However, this is my visualisation.

TTFN
xx

Wowzers and Schnauzers

2009-07-05T16:46:00.008+01:00

Good afternoon!

What a lovely week it has been! A little while ago, I wrote a poem for the very talented Julia Pott because she was far away from home on her birthday. Well! She kindly sent me an A3 print of one of my favourites of her images. Thankyou very much, Julia! It's going on my studio wall.

In addition to this, here is a grumpy little schnauzer from my sketchbook. His tail is supposed to be stumpy so you can't see it at the angle I have drawn. Maybe that's why he looks so cross.

TTFN
xx

Global Grey

2009-06-29T15:13:00.010+01:00

Good afternoon!

Last week flew by with no blogging! I do apologise. I decided to create a mini test show-reel and plonk it onto Youtube. Be warned, it is quite clunky because I am familiarising myself with the software! But hopefully once I am better versed in it I should be able to produce some good work.

In other news, I have been featured on Steve Rack's 'I Like Characters' blog again. I have also been featured on Yvonne Perry's 'Writers In The Sky' blog under their list of illustrators. A big thankyou to both Steve and Yvonne! Please feel free to visit and comment on my work, if the mood strikes you.

I am currently working on a leprechaun commission (pictures to come soon!) and oodles more sketchbooking has been going on that I will share with you soon. Oh, and keep an eye on my website, as it's soon to be overhauled and revamped with lots of exciting little features and things to look at.

Phew! It's all go!

TTFN
xx

Oo, Chee-wah-wah!

2009-06-19T19:18:00.003+01:00

Good evening!

Here is a little guy I have been working on in my sketchbook (where else?) I almost wish I had a little Chihauhau myself, except I wouldn't make him sit in my handbag. If nothing else because I would have to clean it out afterwards. I can imagine that's not too pleasant!
I hope you're enjoying these little glimpses into my project book as much as I am enjoying doing them!

TTFN
xx

A sack of Cats

2009-06-17T22:17:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

Another sketchbook instalment for you- here is a bagful of Kitty shaped deliciousness. There are a few more in the works, not kitties this time but other anthropomorphic characters (which may or may not be clothed). I am also mapping out characters for a new story which is top secret at the moment! I will tell you, however, that it is based on an imaginative and adventurous little boy and his very bossy little sister, with illustrations inspired by my Waterstones pitch (see older blog post entitled 'Waterstones Picture This!').

For now, please enjoy my sketchy kittens.

TTFN
xx

Some Moleage

2009-06-16T16:59:00.008+01:00

Good afternoon!

As promised, here is the little Mole that was lurking on the pages of my sketchbook. As you can see, originally I had planned to give him great big spectacles. I am still not sure whether I will. I'm not sure about his nose from the front either- I think he may need some more work! But he's right out of my doodlebook, so please do enjoy.

TTFN
xx

A Vole and a Mole (almost!)

2009-06-14T23:16:00.006+01:00

Good evening!

After a lovely weekend I thought I would pop another character concept sketch up on the blog.
The reason for the post title is that there is a funny little Mole sitting in my sketchbook too, but he is only a pencil sketch at the moment. I will finish him off tomorrow and then present him!
This drawing was my preliminary concept for the Mole, but I really didn't think he was quite right. So the Mole was roughed out, and I can't wait to paint him so that I can introduce him properly!

TTFN
xx

True love & Gentlemen of the Road

2009-06-12T19:04:00.007+01:00

Good evening!

Whilst reorganising my portfolio, I came across some work that had not seen the light of day for some time. They bring a smile to my face and (from what I can tell) other people's faces too, so they are now here for your viewing pleasure.

I'm currently working on some more concept sketches, so please watch this space as I'm about to finish them off!

TTFN
xx

Cats, Dogs and little green Frogs

2009-06-05T12:02:00.006+01:00

Good afternoon!

I have been mixing up the dimensions lately, haven't I! Between 2 and 3d work I find myself a busy bee- here is a taster of some concept sketches I have been working on.

On a side note, I had decided to go and sit on the Southbank with some Peppermint Tea and sketch today, but the despicable weather has foiled my plans. However, this does mean that I am holed up in the studio. One of my puppets needs some fingers, pronto, and I am making lots of yummy little frogs to go into the shop. Snap them up quick when they get there though, I have had orders before they've even been finished!

TTFN
xx

'The Frog Princess'- Book Preview

2009-06-01T14:04:00.008+01:00

Good afternoon!

I know it's a little delayed, but I thought I would pop a few of the spreads from my recent picture book project on the blog.
I re-scripted the text to be completely in rhyme (which makes pacing easier during storytelling with younger children). It also has a moral to the tale and an exciting twist at the end!
'The Frog Princess: A Cautionary Tale' will be available in my Etsy shop very soon!

I hope UK readers are enjoying the beautiful sunshine we are having- long may it continue, eh?

TTFN
xx

Tee-tonic

2009-05-23T19:49:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

Just a short note to bring to the collective attention that I have a t-shirt design here, for your voting pleasure. If you like it, that is. I personally love the dancing robot that's featured in the same list. He's adorable! (And you can see what I am talking about here!)
Also, you may have noticed, I finally have something on sale in my Etsy shop! It's been a long time coming, but I have been jolly busy! There will be plenty more coming soon.

TTFN
xx

Waterstones 'Picture This!'

2009-05-18T00:27:00.004+01:00

Good morning!

I have recently been working on a contest entry for the Waterstones 'Picture This!' competition for the chance to illustrate a new book by Julia Donaldson. I must say, it has been good experience, as it has meant that I have had to communicate visually with fewer details than I would ordinarily use in an image.
And here they are (the colours aren't as vivid as they appear in real life, unfortunately!) featuring the second incarnation of the Fairy Queen I included in my last blog post!

TTFN
xx

Cartilage Paper

2009-05-12T21:29:00.003+01:00

Good evening!

Apologies for the obscure titling of this post- it refers to the fact that the image I am posting is something that sits between the 'bones' of paid commissions in my sketchbook. I am sure I know what I mean.
For this personal work I have produced a variety of drawings (this lady being one of my favourites) in a couple of different styles- so I am trying approaches that are new to me. My last commission required me to work quickly with loose black ink strokes. Since I ordinarily work a lot finer it was a challenge, but I must say that I really enjoyed working this way. It was a liberating experience!

TTFN
xx

Pesky Vermin!

2009-05-07T15:09:00.004+01:00

Good afternoon!

I am now holed up in the studio working on a few commissions and projects, but thought that while I took a tea break I would give a little glimpse of my sketchbook.
For some reason I hate looking at my roughs. It always feels to me (in some small way) like they will be judged as if they are the final product. Obviously, this is not the case.
Anywho, I'll post again soon when I have emerged from under the reams of paper and pencil sharpenings.

TTFN
xx

www.ilikecharacters.com

2009-05-05T09:30:00.008+01:00

Good morning!

Here's the scoop- today I was featured in a lovely little mention by Steve on www.ilikecharacters.com! Thanks, Steve. If you like character art, then this site is for you. Why not have a little look?

TTFN
xx

Latex faced Lady

2009-05-02T20:33:00.005+01:00

Good evening!

Presenting... The Latex faced Baba Yaga! Gruesome, isn't she?!
Here she is being held by the suspension hook I installed in her head (nestling underneath that ghastly mane of hair!), so that she can be hung as well as used as a traditional puppet. The mouth-plate took some refiguring as the face is latex and the mouth is considerably smaller than those I have worked with previously. I also chose not to apply the protruding tooth of the smaller model version and original illustration as this would have caused difficulties with the operation of the mouth.
Something I discovered (should you ever decide to work with latex I hope this is of some use to you!) was that Stretchi paints that are specifically made for this type of material made the puppet skin awfully glossy. I wanted more of a sallow look, so mixing various types of everyday foundation and eye shadows seemed to work beautifully. Liquid foundation in 2 shades was applied first, then a creme powder, and then a plethora of eyeshadows mixed to suit.

...Now all I need to do is replenish my make-up supply!

TTFN
xx

Hooray!

2009-04-23T18:27:00.011+01:00

Good evening!

Well, now is the time for a dose of images of the children's book and characters that I recently made! Big Baba Yaga is prepped for photographing now, so expect some pictures of her in a little while.

TTFN
xx

Baba Yaga Sneaky Peek

2009-04-21T21:44:00.010+01:00

Good evening!

Continuing in the sneaky peeks vein, I thought I would give away just a little bit more before the main images are revealed. Here she is, Baba Yaga from initial design to book character 'sneakypeek'. They always change a bit, I have come to terms with that! I've been toiling recently, with many cups of tea (which I am not complaining about because I really like tea) and not enough shut eye... so hopefully the results will be worthwhile.

Oh, and the Baba Yaga puppet pictures will be up soon, too, so it's all very exciting!

TTFN
xx

Something for the Weekend

2009-04-18T20:30:00.003+01:00

Good evening!

I won't ruin the surprise (since it's on the horizon) but I thought I would pop a few little sneaky peeks of my project up here since I promised I would. Plus I am just so excited about it myself!
Watch this space, dear reader.

TTFN
xx

Another dollop of faces

2009-04-08T21:36:00.013+01:00

Good evening!

I've been doing a fair bit of uploading and thought I would spread these development images over a few posts, that ought to keep everyone busy. They're looking rather lovely painted, but that's going to be a set of pictures for another day.
I'm so excited by the pre-order of the new Lunartik figure- it's just my cup of tea! Have a look here... http://www.bigbadtoystore.com/bbts/product.aspx?product=DMC11135&mode=retail
I'd also like to introduce you to my very lovely studio assistant, who today smelled a lot like prawns and wouldn't keep out of my plastic bags.

TTFN
xx

Sculptastic goings on

2009-04-06T19:51:00.012+01:00

Good evening!

There's been no resting on laurels of late, and it's all go-go-go in my sunny studio! I thought it was about time I posted some images to show what I've been getting up to. These are only the development stages, mind. I wouldn't want to ruin any surprises that are headed this way!
The little lady is one of a series of developments from character designs I completed and featured in previous posts- this was her in the beginning and I thought it might be nice to give a small insight into how she was created. Oh, and there's a little Baba Yaga update too.

TTFN
xx

How about another morsel?

2009-04-02T14:32:00.007+01:00

Good afternoon!

In amongst all the business of late, I produced an illustration for an exciting project. I won't reveal details of the project (it will have its own website soon so I'll post a link to it when it's up and running) but in the mean time here's a look at my small contribution.

TTFN
xx

Drumroll please...

2009-03-25T19:37:00.007Z

Good evening!

Well! It's time for the reveal! Better late than never, eh? I've kept this relatively under my hat recently, but the news is that I have been working on exhibition pieces to be featured in the APW group exhibition in New York (which starts next week). It has been a very long process, mostly because I decided (in my infinite wisdom) to needlefelt not just one but 2 Munny vinyls. Although there are plenty of things I would change/wish I had had the time to add, I believe it was a valiant effort!

TTFN
xx

Voila!

2009-03-22T02:06:00.003Z

Good morning!

This is just a teensy peek at how Baba Yaga's face is shaping up. I think she's coming along quite nicely. There are quite a few things in the pipeline at the moment, so it's mostly development work that I will be posting, but there will be some tasty finished pieces heading this way shortly. With regards to one particular project that I am working on I am learning an awful lot. Suffice to say, when working with material placing tactful darts on puppet faces is a tricky business. Make sure you create them symmetrically and your life will be a lot easier.

TTFN
xx

Putty based Faux Pas and a new puppet

2009-03-17T13:03:00.010Z

Good afternoon!

I am currently swamped with work, but in my efforts to multi-task I have started a new puppet based on my character designs for Baba Yaga. In the spirit of 'experimentation' I decided to work with a latex face, and so I needed to make a plaster mould. Needless to say, this is not without it's own set of problems.
I have become very fond of epoxy putty (despite the stench) and chose to work on top of a paper mache base so as to hopefully eradicate the need to use alginate and work on the face of a real person.

'Hurrah', I thought, 'let's get you into a plaster mould'. Alas, my joy was short lived because I ran out of plaster halfway through filling the tub. I managed to get hold of some more plaster, and allow the mould to set but I did not predict this...

Oh no! The nose was stuck fast. So it was time for Plan B. Something I could easily peel out and that wouldn't set. Plasticine!

The image above doesn't depict the very end mould, but let me assure you that it actually works and disaster has been averted. Now it is time for a hand soak, because all of that moulding has taken its toll on my thumbs!

More to come soon (and never fear, I'll reveal all about the post below this week).

TTFN
xx

Ooo...

2009-03-11T20:25:00.003Z

Good evening!

Ooo! What is it?...

All will be revealed, very very soon!

TTFN
xx

Strike a pose...

2009-03-01T16:13:00.007Z

Good afternoon!

Here's a few updates on recent models (there are a couple more exciting projects underway but they're temporarily under wraps). For the book I have been working on, I decided to try a new approach. It was my concern that with repeated use the wire armature inside the felted models would be prone to snapping, and this would present a problem for future repair (being that it's an awfully fiddly job and I would rather not have to snip into one to fix something). Ball joints were the best solution, but as an experiment I decided to obtain a couple of pre-jointed wooden mannequins and model on top of these.
One model has been quickly sculpted with epoxy putty on the head and hands, so as to still give flexible movement of the ball joints and the other I have started to sculpt onto with needle felting. Obviously, it's very early days for both so check back for more updates as they progress!

TTFN
xx

Tidbits

2009-02-17T23:35:00.006Z

Good evening!

With the end of the character design segment near at hand, it seemed fitting to post a few morsels from the old sketchbook.
It's almost plush time!

TTFN
xx