Princess 1/2/11 Princess 1/2/11

Happy February!

Well, well, one month of 2011 gone already! I’d like to welcome you to February with this picture from my calendar. It is the cover of the ‘Late January’ 1918 issue of British Vogue, the ‘Lingerie Number’. The illustration is by Alice de Warenne Little.

I love the qualifier, ‘late’ – as opposed to the extremely early publishing we are more accustomed to today: our January magazines are more likely to be on the newsstands in mid December of the previous year. In fact, just yesterday I passed a convenience store that had tossed a huge pile of ‘old’ magazines in a box outside its front door. In an unaccustomed exhibition of scumbaggery I nipped the top one off the stack to take home: the Jan/Feb issue of Australian Harper’s Bazaar. Still current but yet considered old news – how bizarre!

But February is a delightful month: not only is there Valentine’s Day to celebrate (if you’re so inclined to submit to gross commercialisation); Groundhog Day (tomorrow); Chinese New Year (the day after, on the New Moon); and Waitangi Day in New Zealand on Sunday, but it is also my birthday this month. Happy birthday to meeee! Enjoy your month.

Princess 23/1/11 Princess 23/1/11

Judging a book by its cover

Second edition, published by Mills & Boon, 1936.Aren’t these vintage books wonderful? Often when scavenging in charity shops I stumble upon quaint vintage books, falling in love with their worn bindings, the torn paper dust jackets with their retro designs; even the foxed interior pages hold charm. I totally judge them by their covers and buy them – but rarely read them (except in the case of the Georgette Heyers, which are so much fun).

But I am intrigued anew by Love Pirate. What a title! First published by Mills & Boon in 1935, it was obviously part of a circulating library at one time, as it has numerous stamps on the inside front cover, indicating that it had been lent out between September 1936 and February 1950. After this time it must have been withdrawn, and then the book passed through two different newsagents in Sydney Rd, Brunswick before it somehow made its way into my hands.

It has languished for years on my bookshelves, buried behind a front row of books, but it may now migrate to my bedside table to be dipped into one sleepless night.

Amongst the selection below are two versions of Frederica, by Georgette Heyer, both published in the same year, and an interesting comparison of two different imprints.

Published by Hurst & Blackett, 1960. Inscribed: Diane Roberts

Princess 17/1/11 Princess 17/1/11

Saltwater

I’ve been experimenting with watercolour painting in the last couple of days, creating textured effects using salt. I’ve never tried this before, but the results are not as expected.

I looked at a few tutorials online, and supposedly the salt should lift off the watercolour and leave white speckles. I don’t know what’s happened with mine, but the salt has the exact opposite effect! Instead of white speckles, the salt seems to concentrate the paint, and creates darker spots.

Salt scattered on the surface. Click on image for larger version.At first I thought this was happening in the pink section because I had impatiently brushed off the salt before the paper was dry, so I left the green sections alone for hours until it dried – but still no joy.

It’s either type of salt I’m using (ordinary iodised cooking salt), or the type of paint: liquid watercolour. Regardless, it is still an interesting effect, but it requires more experimentation. Back to the drawing board!

More textural effects to check out at Fountain Studio.

Princess 7/1/11 Princess 7/1/11

Avant Card Arts Project

Rainy-Day BoyThis is rather belated news, but late last year I submitted some illustrations to Avant Card’s Arts Project, and was thrilled when they chose one to be printed as a postcard. It will be distributed at participating venues around Australia, and is of course great self-promotion. The only catch is that the postcard won’t be in the stands for another 4–5 months.

The illustrations started as a concept for a series of greeting cards, and the first one I did – ‘Rainy-Day Boy’ – is my favourite. It was also the favourite of the people at Avant Card!

Initially I had wanted to experiment with the gradient mesh tool in Illustrator, and my first random shapes turned into the beret Rainy-Day Boy is wearing. I had already designed the retro fruity surface patterns, inspired by something cherry-themed that I saw online somewhere, and decided to use them as backgrounds. They are a cheerful counterpoint to the doleful Rainy-Day Boy and Broken-Legged Girl. I suspect Balloon Boy is a less successful illustration though because he is too happy! I couldn’t decide between the banana pattern and the grapes for him. (Scroll down to see these.)

It amuses me that something that started as an experiment evolved into a postcard that will be seen around the country. However, I do feel lucky, and very grateful to Avant Card for giving the opportunity to people like myself to have their artwork seen far and wide. Thanks, Avant Card!

The call to artists is still open if you’d like to participate.

Broken-Legged Girl

Balloon Boy

Princess 1/1/11 Princess 1/1/11

New Year’s Inspirations

So it’s the first day of the new year, and here is the January page of my new calendar. Pierre Mourgue’s Paris Fashions featured on the cover of British Vogue, March 1929.

The Twenties and Thirties are my favourite periods for fashion illustration. I love that in this case the medium, watercolour, is confined to the stylised shapes and geometric lines typical of Art Deco, rather than bleeding outside the lines in its usual haphazard way (although this can also be good, of course).

I am so pleased I chose this calendar in the end; I’m sure that it will be a continual source of inspiration throughout 2011. One of my resolutions will always be: Draw more; draw more!

I hope that your new year is similarly inspiring!