Category: Artists’ Insights
We have a big announcement. PLUS: need a happy distraction? We’ve got a puzzle for you.
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Top tips on working from home from the pros: our artists reveal their best secrets!
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Meet Katie Vernon. See why art directors from Porsche to Anthropologie love to commission Katie.
Here’s why we went nuts the very first time we saw Katie Vernon’s work: We loved her original style and her mastery of watercolor mixed with a dollop of charming weirdness, and we think this is why so many art directors–from Porsche to Anthropologie–commission her work.
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You are about to see the cutest dog-in-a-chair illustration.
We’re delighted to show you work one of our busiest artists, Rebecca Jones. Below, enjoy her newest books, illustrated toys, games and tableware for kids, and the even her latest fabric collection.
Contact us to assign or license–we’re happy to help!
Illustration for puzzle by Crocodile Creek
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
I love to drink tea, stare out of my studio window and draw and paint the imaginary creatures that wander by.
–Rebecca Jones
Doggies! Available for license as of this writing
Books
Campbell Books
Just released! Buy it here.
Series of coloring books for Nosy Crow
Buy them here
Stationery & other fun products!
A mix of greeting cards for various companies
Fika packaging
Galison/Mudpuppy unicorn puzzle
Buy it here
Rebecca Jones’ work is applicable for so many types of products
Tableware for Crocodile Creek/Petit Monkey
Illustration for puzzle by Crocodile Creek
Puzzle illustration for Galison/Mudpuppy
Buy it here
Bolt Fabric Collections
Clothworks “Dreaming of Snow” Collection available now
Clothworks “Oceans Away” Collection
Available Spring 2020
Clothworks “Dreaming of Snow” Collection
Buy it here
Beautiful birds
Available for license as of this writing
Meet Clairice Gifford and see why she’s asked to illustrate so many book covers. Studio sneak peek.
Today, we’re delighted to present a number of stellar pieces by our artist Clairice Gifford, a master of illustrated typography and a brilliant colorist.
Understandably, she is often commissioned to create sensational solutions for magazine spreads, book covers, greeting cards, fabric collections, and even cookie packaging.
Clairice’s clients include Clarkson Potter, Editions Auzou, Papyrus, Real Simple Magazine, Workman Publishing, The Boston Globe Magazine, and plenty more.
Contact us to assign or license–we’re happy to help!
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
“I especially love vintage lettering and designs, traveling and textiles. Besides art, I enjoy good food, books, interesting podcasts and traveling when I get the chance.”
Clairice’s workspace. Why are we not surprised that it’s neat as a pin? And that floor!
Books
Cover of “The Little Women Cookbook” for Quarto
Buy it here
Cover of Flow’s “A Book That Takes Its Time”
Buy it here
Cover of “A Year of Reading Aloud” for Hodder & Stoughton
Buy it here
Cover of “The Happiness Project” for Clarkson Potter
Buy it here
Magazines
Three images above for Flow Magazine
Map illustration for Entertainment Weekly
Cards
Cards illustrated by Clairice Gifford for Pinhole Press
Available for license as of writing
Products
Cookie Packaging for Fika
Calendar for Amber Lotus
Buy it here
Bohemian Garden collection for Cloud9 Fabrics
Buy them here
Below: Personal Pieces available for licensing as of this writing
Hand-painted Holiday Ornaments
Vintage Tins
Party Set
Mod Mystic Home Decor Pitch
The one question Kendra Binney would love to be asked, plus incredible new work
Today we’d love to share some highlights from Kendra Binney’s portfolio. We’re delighted with how, in such a short period of time, she’s taking off in children’s book illustration and getting loads of card and stationery gigs, among other commissions.
Kendra writes: I’m a nature loving painter, draw-er, pet collecting mess maker. All of my best clothes are covered in dirt, paint, and animal hair.
What’s the strangest work experience you’ve ever had?
I randomly met a woman one time who had tattoos of my artwork completely covering both her arms. There are probably odder experiences, but that one stands out. It was pretty flattering.
What question would you most like to be asked?
“Kendra, can I please clean your house everyday, forever?”
Contact us to assign or license. We’re happy to help!
Animation by Natasha Dewitz
World map commissioned by Oopsy Daisy
Buy it here
This piece was created for my Illustrating Children’s Books course for the double page spread assignment. The text for the course was “A Girl Who Said NO!”, a story about Greta Thunberg written by co-teacher Zoë Tucker.
Kendra submitted this piece for our Global Talent Search and it sealed the deal for representation with us (along with her incredible body of work).
Kendra illustrated this lovely piece for Poses week for my
Illustrating Children’s Book course.
Kendra created this magical and moody piece for Folktale Week.
Various products for Roger LaBorde
Buy them here
Calypso Cards
Buy it here
Original wall art
A beautiful editorial piece by Kendra Binney
Join me! CLASS STARTS MONDAY, OCTOBER 28TH. In this four-week live course, you’ll find out how to get work in this cool and lucrative market, whether you have previous experience or not; what to show on your website or Instagram to get magazine work; how to come up with concepts in your own style; and much more.
Peek inside the Studio, my garden, and see our artists’ Show and Tells.
We recently showed you highlights from our 3-Day Annual Retreat, and now I’d love to show you a few photos of the activities that the artists participated in, from our Sketch Scavenger Hunt to Vintage Bingo.
Thought you might like to see photos of the Studio and back patio set up and ready for the arrival of the artists, Day One.
Above: Breakfast on the patio.
After a Studio update to discuss all of our exciting new plans for the future, it was time for a vintage Bingo break.
Above: Vintage Bingo break!
Below: Our Snoop Groups. The artists broke into small groups to discuss a particular topic. Then, they reported back to the larger group with tips and thoughts.
Sarah Papworth, Anke Rega, Åsa Gilland, Jessica Allen
Erica Root, Mara Penny, Kendra Binney, Bambi Ramsey
We devote a load of time at the Retreat for the artists to do teach-ins, where they show something like an art supply that they love, share a tech hack, or anything else they want to share.
Above, artist Kendra Binney (Portland, OR) shows some of the ‘cheap’ art supplies she uses in her art, which was surprising to all of us, because her work is so elegant and fancy. For original art that she sells, she covers the work in light-fast resin.
Artist Anke Rega demonstrated how she incorporates digital work with her traditional media work.
The Sketch Scavenger Hunt was new for this year. I gave our artists a list of things to look for in my garden (like “Draw an unusual leaf” or “Draw something purple”) and then they were free to roam and sketch.
Anke Rega, left, and Sarah Papworth
Thank you, artists! See you next year!
You’re going to love seeing some of our artists’ favorite art supplies. We asked them to share their favorites. Read on!
Recently, we were super-curious to find out what art supplies are the faves of our artists. Here’s what they said! (And check out Katie Vernon’s jellyfish!) Read on.
Contact us to assign or license–we’re happy to help!
Anke says, “I think you can guess…my favorite all time go to is blue watercolor! I just love indigo. You can use it dark and light (I rarely use black, mostly just for the pupils and sometimes hair) and cobalt is another favorite blue. I think these two go so well with a lot of other colours like pink, reds and so much more.”
From Jennifer: “My favorite of my art supplies is my sketch kit. I keep it small and minimal so that I can easily stuff it in my backpack when I travel. I use a small 4×4 inch watercolor sketchbook by Field Artist, and a tiny watercolor palette filled with Daniel Smith watercolors, which I made out of a business card holder. In a pinch, I can get by with just that and a waterbrush, but I also like to bring a Blue Q pencil case stocked with different size travel brushes, a small mechanical pencil, an eraser, a binder clip, and a few colored pencils like this set of Faber Castell Polychromos I picked up in Germany earlier this year.”
Examples of a favorite art material, gouache, on paper, for a personal piece.
Procreate using the IPad Pro and Apple Pencil for the cover of Oncology Nursing Magazine
Mara says, “My favorites are Micron pens and plain ol’ printer paper.”
Katie writes, “I couldn’t pick just one art supply, so here are my faves that I use almost daily:
Sarah says, “Currently…the humble pencil, although I like to mix my media, so perhaps I’d add coloured pencils, fine line pen and acrylic paint as little friendly team. With Photoshop as administrator.”
Kelly Anne writes, “My iPad Pro has been my favorite art supply (obsession) for the last three years, but I’m slowly getting back to working with more of my traditional favorites: colored pencil on wood and gouache, and finding ways to implement them into my digital work.
“This is an illustration I made for MATS Bootcamp of what my current work bag looks like and what I carry in it. Minus a few bobby pins and odd receipts. :)”
Lots of new books and meet the artists
There’s nothing like illustrating a book or a magazine; it’s wonderful to sink into a manuscript. Today I want to show you work that our artists have done. Enjoy! We’re happy to help you find the right illustrator for your project.
Here’s a lovely illustration by Trina Dalziel for BHG Secrets of Getting Organized Special Interest Publication.
Meet Sarah Walsh
Sarah says, “I dream of owning a time machine someday but until then I enjoy cinnamon rolls, animals, art making, world culture, vintage children’s books, music & coffee.”
Meet Anne Bentley
Meet Tara Lilly
“I am inspired by something new everyday. I love to thrift shop, go to the library, or take walks in nature to get inspired,” says Tara.
Meet Flora Waycott
Flora says, “If I weren’t creating art I would love to own a cafe and tea shop, filled with flower posies and vegetables from the garden.”
Find out more here. Sign-up ends June 21st and my first assignment is released June 25!
Peek into Sarah Walsh’s sketchbook!
When Sarah Walsh was here, I took some photos of her gorgeous and fascinating sketchbook pages. I thought you’d enjoy a peek inside. It’s always interesting to see what work an artist does purely for herself.
Follow us on Instagram for more fun.
