Mail art by Maurice Sendak. Credit: Letters of Note
Credit: OpenCulture.com
I remember first reading this quote by Where The Wild Things Are writer/illustrator Maurice Sendak somewhere years ago and it truly warmed me up from the inside. I’m sharing it today to spread some warmth around during this cold, bleak January.
Then I shall stick a copy of it above my desk and return to read it often.
Or perhaps I will eat it?
Pages from my current sketchbook, drawing at locations in Cambridge. I find that in some places you can almost guess the location from the people; what they say, how they sit, what they wear, etc. I enjoy catching snippets of conversations as people pass by, or sitting in the bus, or at a cafe. I have notebooks full of these snippets, discovering what my city is talking about.
Kettle’s Yard Garden Kitchen cafe, Cambridge
Above and below are drawings from Kettle’s Yard Garden Kitchen. After pondering the exhibits I sat in the cafe with a bowl of soup (delicious - recommended!) and sketched the staff and patrons. Then walked up the garden path to the quaint St Peter’s Church.
Kettle’s Yard Garden Kitchen cafe, Cambridge
St Peter’s Church, Cambridge
Quick line drawings of tourists (and birdies) in the rain by the river at St John’s College.
Cambridge tourists in the rain
Selfie sticks ahoy!
Cambridge central library
In Cambridge Central library I had a little sit down and draw situation in the newspaper and magazine areas. The elderly man on the left was a wonderfully curious character to observe, removing his glasses and peering over the newspaper. Sometimes I see people out and about that I am aching to draw but they are already gone by the time the thought enters my head. At least with libraries they don’t move so quickly!
I have pages of drawings of people punting, but they are not great - it’s so hard to draw not only the people moving very quickly - not just their bodies, but moving along in the boat at speed. I need some more practice and to find a technique of capturing that speed and movement using fewer (and more expressive) lines.
If you’re interested in buying one of my Valentine’s Day cards (thanks so much!), I thought I’d show where is best to order from depending on location, postage costs and delivery times.
If you were a bogey, I’d pick you!
If you’re in the UK/Europe, purchasing directly from me via my Etsy shop is the most cost effective way, along with being the quickest! If you’re sending to a UK address, you can order my cards from Thortful and have them sent directly to yourself or your recipient with your message printed inside (I receive a commission/royalty for these and Thortful do the printing/posting.) They also offer add-on options such as sending chocolates, socks, etc.
If you’re in USA, it’s worth looking at my cards on Society6 as they ship from USA so it should in theory be cheaper and faster. Last time I ordered from there my package was shipped from Texas to England. This is another platform that does the printing and posting on my behalf and I receive a commission.
My cards are available on Redbubble with the same commission basis as Society6. They state “we have a global network of 3rd party printers that make your orders. Once you place an order on the site, each item is sent to the independent printer closest to you.”
I love you more than sloths love hibiscus!
I’m sticking with you card.
I also have a Valentine’s mug gift available via Etsy!
If you were a bogey, I’d pick you - mug.
I’m open to suggestions of other platforms to offer my designs via. Please do let me know your favourite place to buy cards by illustrators online!
Hello!
I’ve been squirrelling away behind the scenes uploading my illustrations to websites such as Redbubble, Society6 and Zazzle.
These platforms do everything from taking your product orders, to printing and manufacturing the items, to delivering the orders.
My most recent illustration, available as the printed front cover of ‘my nature book’, a sketchbook/journal for drawing nature finds, mindful musings, fungi identifications, or what ever one decides to create within.
The designers receive a commission from each product sold. Orders are anonymous and are sent directly from the company to the customer.
The range of products on offer varies from site to site. The products I’m personally offering with my designs are varied too depending on the format and size of the original image files and what the fit onto. If it wasn’t for these sites I wouldn’t be able to offer my images on e.g. side tables or duvet covers which is fun!
‘There’s gnome place like home’ cushion. Click image to see listing on Redbubble.
Time for tea? Click image to see listing on Redbubble.
For future reference, my online shop/product links can be found under Shop —> Stockists in the navigation menu of my website.
Thanks for looking!
Some new prints of my illustrations are now available in my Etsy shop! Click on the images to view the shop listings on Etsy.
Thanks for looking!
