Studio work 2016

Since November I've moved to the Isle of Wight for 5 months. While I'm here I'm working on a few projects and a new book.

I'm also entering the Folio Society annual competition, which I enter every year. This year is Mansfield Park. It's a very difficult novel to get to grips with. Firstly, the heroine - Fanny Price - is a very problematic character. She is shy, quiet and often makes things more difficult for herself by being very passive, and willing to take the backseat. On the other side of her character, she is very judgmental of people she finds 'unworthy' or lacking 'moral fibre'. 

On my first reading of Mansfield Park (I actually started by listening to the audio book) I found it very hard to have any sympathy for Fanny. Then, on reading it again I came to the realisation that Fanny may be acting in this way because she is depressed. Constantly sidelined by her wealthy relations, made to sleep in the cold attic, having only one true friend at Mansfield Park could be the result of her mental state. 

Finally, I read the book one more time with this idea in mind - Fanny Price is suffering from depression - and the whole of her character opened up to me. I began to understand her - I could see where she was coming from. She had a deep pain inside her, and she needed to let it out.

This understanding of the central character in Mansfield Park has definitely influenced my drawing style for this project. I'll post the final spreads when I can.

L xxx

'The Magical City' published today!

Here it is! My first book with Penguin 'The Magical City' hits the shops today!

Here is an interview I did with the lovely Neil Bennett at Digital Arts Magazine about the book. 

Interview with Digital Arts Magazine 

Photo credit : Digital Arts Magazine

Urban Mapping at the V&A

Illustrating by the sea

It's 4th Jan 2015 and I've come to a small fishing village in Cornwall. The idea is to buckle down and get some serious work done. 

There's not much here - I saw a dog and a seagull fighting this morning on the beach. That was quite interesting. Right now, I'm looking at the expanse of the sea from my room, it's pretty immense. 

While I'm here, I'll be working on some odd jobs for various people, but my main purpose is to create my submission for the annual Folio Society Book Competition - more info here - http://competitions.houseofillustration.org.uk/book-illustration-competition-2015/

I don't agree with unpaid spec work but this is a different kettle of fish. This competition has been running for a few years, and offers a chance to create a book for the Folio Society (one of the most beautiful book publishers in the world.) It also offers people (like me) who aren't too experienced in the world of book illustration to have a project to dig their teeth into. 

This year it's a collection of ghost stories. Since I'm alone in this desolate sea front, (so much so that walking around on my own gives me a creepy Meryl Streep from French Leuithenant's Woman vibe)  I'm hoping to only read these stories in the day, or I might scare the crap out of myself late at night. Alone. By the seafront. In the middle of nowhere. 

Latest commission

I've got a super fun commission on at the moment.  I can't reveal too much about my client just yet but it's a great brief : )

I'm using a mix of rapidograph pens (0.25, 0.3, 50.5) and Faber-Castell PITT artist pen Big Brush. These are great for adding colour if you're more of a traditional illustrator,  like me ; )

Follow my progress @LizzieMCullen for more info!