Being an illustrator : How to get inspired again

Hello again from (stormy and sunny) Cornwall!

One thing I get asked a lot by illustrators/friends/tweets etc is what happens when you're creatively stuck? What happens when your style seems jammed up, and you can't produce anything good?

I think it's really important to remember we've all been there - staring at a blank page and having no idea what to fill it with, and even wondering if we want to fill it. My advice is always this: step away from the page, and give yourself a break. Go for a walk, do something else, read a book, go to a gallery. Be aware that you might just not want to do any work, and forcing yourself to produce something below your usual standard will just make you feel rubbish. Many artists who work alone, writers, musicians, illustrators etc will often beat themselves up with damaging inner monologue - 'why can't I work? What's wrong with me?' The truthful answer is - nothing. Nothing's wrong with you - the minute you substitute unkind thoughts for kind ones - 'you're doing great, you're OK', is the moment ideas become more free, and work starts to flow.

I often find that pushing yourself out of your comfort zone helps also.  Maybe try something different. After my time with the Beehive Design Collective, I've been inspired to do work with washes and inks much more. It's brought a depth to my work that's slightly different, and it's something that I find really exciting. 

Inks from Atlantis art shop, Hanover Street, Brick Lane

 For those who know my usual personal art work, I use lots of pen and ink and specialise in urban cartography (see below image of Chinatown © 2008) 

Chinatown © 2008, pen and ink

But recently I've been looking at lots of different ways of exploring my surroundings with my pen. Working on my new solo show with the Serena Morton Gallery, I've been researching and drawing London's lesser known treasures and committing them to the page. Below is the start of my piece of the Necropolis Railway near Waterloo, and below that is the Guy's Operating Theatre and Museum. 

Necropolis Railway, work in progress 2014/2015

Guys Operating Theatre Museum

So next time you're faced with this...

...then pop down to the art shop and try something different. 

You never know what could happen!

L x

Weekend drawing in Soho Square

Cover Illustration for Financial News!

How I Create Black and White Illustrations

Hey guys, just thought I'd do a quick blog update on how I create my black and white London city illustrations. This one is the 453 bus route, which I got from New Cross Gate (South London) to Trafalgar Square. In this particular piece, I used an A1(841 x 594 mm) piece of tracing paper, and I began in the bottom left corner. 

453 Bus Route, London

So, here are at the bottom left of the page. I'm starting my journey at New Cross Gate. If you don't know London that well, New Cross is located in the South of the City. You can get to New Cross on foot pretty easily from central London, if you walk through Lambeth, down to Elephant and Castle and head down the Old Kent Road.

I'm using my pen to create a sense of texture in the line work. I like to draw so that I can feel the bricks on the walls, and the feel of the pavement. I also like to capture the light with white space in the drawing.

New Cross

Next stop in the London city illustration is Elephant and Castle. I've travelled down the Old Kent Road, onto the New Kent Road off Tower Bridge Road, and now we're heading into Elephant and Castle.

I have mixed feelings in regard to Elephant. On one hand, I love it. The London College of Communication is there, and I always love visiting the students, and seeing what work they're getting up to. Plus, there is the beautiful old tube station, covered in original maroon pre-war tiles.

HOWEVER: there is also the horrific murder alley underneath the concrete roads - the pedestrian subway. If there were ever worse signage, and a more dangerous thoroughfare, I have yet to see it! (below pic)

In the sky over Elephant, there's is a dark cloud, and strong pen lines indicating heavy rain. Plus, I've added a lot of texture detailing the different kind of buildings in Elephant.

Elephant and Castle

 

Next stop! Lambeth!

My favourite thing in Lambeth is of course, the Imperial War Museum. Any visitors in 2013 will unfortunately be disapointed as it's currently closed for a refurb. However, it's a beautiful park to go walking in, and lovely surrounding architecture.

Plus, there's a load of these bad boys!

UK Heritage Blue Plaques

Lambeth

Next we're on to Westminster Abbey, and round the houses of Parliament and onto the Mall and Horseguard's Parade (below)

From Lambeth, through Westminster and the Mall up to Trafalgar Square is one of my favourite walks. It's a little hectic on weekends, but at dusk and in the early morning, there's nothing lovelier than walking alone under the Houses of Parliament.

 

Almost done! For those wondering, here's the pen I used. 

A rapidograph 0.3 and 0.5

Best Drawing Pens

After many years of constant drawing, and innumerable hours of covering paper in inky lines, I thought it would be a good idea to put together a list of my favourite pens for drawing.

I get so many emails asking me for advice about best materials to use for my style of drawing, so here we go! 

My top 5 drawing pens!

1) Rapidograph

A pricey investment but with these bad boys, you get what you pay for!

A radiograph set will cost you around £45. But if you look after them, they'll last you a lifetime.

 This includes 3 pens of different weights: 0.10, 0.25 and 0.5.
You also get a ruler set, and the draftsman pencil set.

TIP: CASSart in London have constant sales on these sets, so check in there first!

2) Steadler 

Cheap and trusty, they may wear out quickly however they're super fast drying, and give a true line.

Usual RRP around £6.

3) Faber Castell 

Pwoar!!

These pens are amazing - they last for a long time and they have a true line. The only slight issue is the nib tends to bend a little too easily.

But still in the top 3!
TIP: Buy online! You'll save a penny or two.

4) Artline

A while back, the lovely Artline team in Australia sent me a treasure trove of merchandise for me to get lost in for a few weeks. In the package was a set of these pens. The Artline drawing system pens are similar to the Staedler range. Cheaply priced and good quality, they are well worth a go.

In weights 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, 0.8

5) Q-Connect

This is a fairly recent discovery for me. The Q-connect fineliner with a nib width of 0.4mm.
Hardy and resilient, it's worth a go!