Tuesdays Toy

Kind of come away from the products for this week as I was given this extremely hairy/fluffy fabric and wanted to make something with it straight away. After using this material I won't be in a rush to use it again. My whole room is now covered in this fur and keep finding it everywhere even when I'm out. It was quite frustrating to sew with as well as its hard to control it. However, I was very surprised that the sewing machine was fine with the fabric as I was expecting it not to be able to take it at all and that I'd have to hand sew it. But it was fine! I would use it again but I would have to be 100% sure that I want to use it and if it would be worth it. 

Tuesdays Toy

Still continuing with putting my toys across a wider product range I bought a plain black sweatshirt and sewed on a character. Like with the mini marshmallows I do find the little eyes a bit fiddly but they did go better this time. I am pleased with how its turned out and want to make some more to go on clothing and accessories. 

Possible future products I want to put my characters on:
- Gloves, 
- Scarf
- Tote Bag
- T-shirt
- Hoody
- Socks

Tuesdays Toy

After making the purse last week I set myself the challenge of making a more shaped zipper product. I bought a larger sized zip and have made a pencil pencil case. It was a bit more difficult having it shaped, though still quite a simple shape. What I found hard was lining everything up properly and in some areas you can see where it hasn't quite lined up. Also, was hard as you can't see where the zipper ends so when I unfolded it all the zip wasn't sewed in right so had to hand sew them down after. Over all though I am pleased that I test this out and definitely want to develop further on making a range of zipped products such as: purses, make up bags, pencil cases toiletry bags and more. 

Models Finished

After sending Freya the images we met up so I could see the fabric patterns that she had made and then we decided which clothes the fabrics should go on and she put them together on photoshop. 

Drawings Done

Today I've finished off the drawings of the models and edited them in Photoshop. Freya has made the fabrics and patterns and we're meeting tonight to drape the fabrics onto the clothing. I did actually find it quite difficult to draw the models. I'm glad that I have given it my best but feel that in future I don't want to go down the path of fashion illustration at all! 

Tuesdays Toy

During my last session with Patrick I was told to think about how my toys will be seen and in a context.  I had a few ideas for this. One being that I could incorporate my toys with my Greetings Cards brief that I've set and turn them into cards/wrapping paper and tags and another idea I thought of was to actually turn them into products. I bought a zipper from the market and had a go at making a small purse for the first time. I watched a few Youtube videos on how to make them and thought I'd give it a go. I feel pretty pleased with it being my first attempt. The zips not in completely straight and made me realise in future you do have to be really precise for it to work properly. I think next time though I want to give myself even more of a challenge and actually make a shaped zipper product. 

Tuesdays Toy

With it being the first day of Christmas I thought it was only right to get the festivity going and make a Christmas Tree! Actually really pleased with how this went. It's quite a simple design but think that it works. The only difference I would make is to of maybe of had a star on the top of the tree. 

The Carmelite Prize 2016 Competition

Was emailed The Carmelite Prize 2016 brief from Teresa this morning and this sounds right up my street. Illustrations for a story about a cat?!! YES! 

Christmas Cards

I did quite a few mock ups and tested out on different coloured cards for them but they liked the plain white design best with the logo on the side! Which I was happy about as that was my favourite too! They're all printed out now, they took quite a bit of time as had to cut down all the paper. Waiting for the envelopes to still arrive in the post. Hopefully they should arrive today or Monday at the latest! 

Pleased with how they have all printed out. Just need to fold them all now! 

Tuesdays Toy

Finally I have made the big Ice cream. The feet didn't go to plan as well. I put cardboard in his feet so that he could stand up on his own but it didn't work and he still has to have something to lean on. I think next time the surface area of the feet need to be bigger. I think that the two ice creams together look great though. But I do prefer the smaller one I think. 

Won the LCA Christmas Card Competition!

Really happy to find out that I won the competition! Wasn't expecting to be chosen at all. Especially that they have gone for the Mistle Toad one. I spent so much longer on the other design. Not got a lot of time at all to get the mock ups ready so need to see if I can get some coloured cards and get booked into digital print straight away! 

Tuesdays Toys

I really quite liked the sweet little marshmallows that I made last week they grew on me and thought that this week I would make them a big mother marshmallow to make a complete set. I think they look very charming as a set. Might even make a big white marshmallow at some point too. 

Printed Textiles Collaboration

Freya Williams that I know on Printed Textiles said that she saw my Travelling Man poster and really liked it and asked if we could collaborate. What she would like me to do is draw 6 run way models wearing the specific garments that she wants. They need to be a minimum of A4 size. she has sent me images of the 6 different outfits that she wants them in plush given me a range of images of the types of hair styles that she wants them to have. After I have drawn the models in the particular clothes she's going be making her own fabric patterns and designs and then will put them onto Photoshop and impose them onto the models garments. She wants to have a Mexican theme and is inspired by Frida Kahlo. 

I haven't really done much fashion illustration before and quite excited to do something a bit different to what I usually do. I have made a Pinterest Board to help me with some inspiration. Though she has been quite specific and said that she wants the body shape to be realistic. Which from what I have seen on Pinterest a lot of fashion illustration body parts have been lengthened and exaggerated; for instance, tiny waists and elongated legs. 

Mistle-Toad

Christmas Carolling Cats

Not decided if I like the writing or not yet. Overall pleased with the image. Not really worked with textures before but definitely think I will again. Really adds a bit of extra feeling to the illustration. 

Drawing some designs

LCA Christmas Card Brief

Leeds College of Art have sent out a brief to design the College's christmas card. This ties in perfectly with my greetings cards brief that I have set myself.


Important reminder: 
The card must say - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Leeds College of Art’

Greetings Cards

Tuesdays Toy

This week I have made some tiny marshmallow characters. I made these in preparation for my big ice cream toy. The legs for the ice cream I want them to be more 3D made in the same way as these marshmallows would be. I am happy with how they went. I did find it slightly more fiddly having smaller eyes and on the pink one at the end the eye popped out a bit as I hadn't fully clicked it in properly. That was my fault though and will make sure in future that every things secure. 

Ohh Deer Deadline

Todays the deadline for the Ohh Deer competition. So thought that I've got chance to post one more design to the competition! Thought I would do something funny and still relating to food. 


WAIT! 10 Second Rule! 
                                      

Ohh Deer Submissions

http://ohhdeer.com/pillow-fight-competition/mr-kitty-cushion

http://ohhdeer.com/pillow-fight-competition/purrito-cushion

Above are my submissions for the Ohh Deer cushion competition! Really excited about this competition as Ohh Deer is a place where I would really really love to have my work a part of. Though its based on a ranking of popularity based on Facebook likes and shares, tweets and cushions bought. And then the winner will be selected out of the top ranked designs. I've publicised my designs across social media so now I have to hope for the best! 

Ohh Dear Brief - Ideas

Tuesday's Toy

At some point I plan on making a big ice cream toy. With the ice cream like I tried with the small one, you have to put the top half of the body on after the bottom half and sew it all together. I wanted to have a go at doing that again so I made this mushroom character and tried out a different way of putting the two halves together. I don't think the method I chose for this worked as well as it did before with the little ice cream so think I should stick to the method I did before. Though I am glad I did try this as would've wondered other wise. 

Zine Pages

Just realised that this needs to be done by next week so thought I'd put all my pages into InDesign and see how I was getting on. Realised that I've actually done too many and need to get rid of a few ideas, which is a bit annoying. Still need to think of a name for my zine as well. 

By the end of the day tomorrow I want this to be finished and complete. 

Tuesday's Toy

              

Seeing as its Halloween this weekend I decided to go with that theme and made a little bat. Learnt quite a lot from making this. In future before going straight into making it I need to think about how I am going to go about it. I sewed the body together too soon. I should of sewed all the different components  and then all together at the end sewed them all together with the sewing machine. But because I didn't think ahead I had to sew the wings and ears on by hand to the body after. Thought it would be quite fun to use this spacey material for the wings and ears to add to the dark halloween look. 

Tuesday's Toy

Made this monkey as requested for a commission for someone. I am happy with how he turned out and have done it slightly different from the monkey that I made before. The tail didn't curl round as much as I wanted but was hard to push the fabric through with the tail not being very big. 

Statement of Intent

More pages for zine

Zine

Been on working on my zine today. Over summer I decided on what the zine would be about which is: about a giant cat that goes travelling. My inspiration for this cat came from my Simon's Cat books that I found when moving house over summer, and Pusheen the Cat. 

 


These are the pages that I have made so far. They all still need a bit more work but thought if I go the main parts down I can work on them after. 

Nest Magazine

Last night I received this email so spent last night thinking and doing some drawings. And today I've been working into my chosen drawing on Photoshop. I am quite happy with it but feel like the walls are a bit plain so will try working into them more.

Also, I was thinking of submitting the plush toy star that I made a while ago but I wasn't too happy with the eyes so would want to re make it.