New work....

Hey long lost dudes!!  Im sorry for the 6-monthly update on this blog, Im so busy beavering away, it doesn't get much love over here!! Must try harder!! Ive got lots of new giclee prints in my Etsy store, and am also starting to add original OOAK work too and custom portraits etc.  So please do check it out.  My website is all brand new and shiny too, so please take a ganders and if you'd like to keep up with what Im making and designing, you can see lots and lots more on my Instagram page.

Etsy shop now open for biz

Apologies for lack of posts over the last year...I've been beavering away designing some pretty new prints (among other things) which can now be purchased through my Etsy shop.  You see these and more in the shop which I've just updated, ideal for home and nursery wall art.  Hope you like them!!

New work

I've been working like a crazy woman the last month to create some new work for the website.  Here is a sneaky peak! 

Feature on Print Pattern

Yay!! I was super-excited today to see that my work had made it onto Print Pattern's awesome surface pattern design blog.  I'm even having a cheeky glass of wine later to celebrate.  You can see the post here

HAPPY

I know Christmas is a way off but Im taking part in The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Module 3 and these are couple of assignment pieces I've finished.  The Christmas card is more my normal style but the mark-making is a new experiment for me.  I'm pretty happy with the fonts Ive been making, feel like I found a style that feels very 'me'. 

Fiesta Fiesta!!

Well, the last assignment of Make Art That Sells Module B is finished (I missed 2 of them due to illness) but was pretty happy with how this one turned out.  Based on Folk style we were asked to come up with some party paper ware.  Not sure how much a cockerel says 'party' but it was good fun to do.

Happy Mother's Day to an intrepid traveller

For my Mum, a fearless adventurer, who is somewhere on the other side of the world right now, probably traipsing through jungle.  This isn't my finest work but it's the thought that counts:)

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Make Art That Sells Part B

Last year I took Make Art That Sells Part A, and now I'm on Part B so I thought I'd show you the 2 assignments I've completed so far.  First assignment was a Christmas Card with a toy train theme and second was a kidswear design based on seahorses and seaweed.

This little mog playing needs a playmate

A little bird for my Winter Wren

Second attempt - a pink bird for my little girl, Winter Wren xx She will probably ask me to add Rapunzel hair and an Elsa cloak though and put Little My peeping out the bushes! #wren #winter #gouache #adesignaday

A photo posted by Lucia Kempsey Wilkinson (@bettyjoydesignstudio) on Feb 6, 2015 at 5:34am PST

Land of Make Believe

I love maps and wanted to try and make a fun one for my daughter, although her bonkers imagination could probably come up with some more imaginative places than I have. Maybe I'll do one with dragons and ice bears next! Went a bit overboard with the photoshop textures!  Probably need to work on it a bit more but I think Im hooked on making maps!

Birds of a feather...

...stick together, especially when they are both stuck in a party belljar! I think this print needs some text but not sure what yet. (Cant really use 'free as a bird' as they are are captive in the jar!)

I've got a pair of nasty bird ornaments that I sprayed gold for a DIY project that I keep in a belljar with some fircones and when I'm at my computer they stare at me from across the room. The other day I thought it might make a good picture. 

Lilla Rogers MATS A course

Here are a few of the assignments I did for the Lilla Rogers course in the Autumn.  It was a fantastic course and really helped me find my style.  There were some incredible artists on the course which was a bit daunting but I think it helped in a way, you don't want to be the most accomplished designer on the course or you havent got so much to aim for.  With all the awesome working flying about, it was so inspiring and made me try that bit harder!

Suzani-inspired tableware

Bird Life

Hare and Tortoise bookcover

I know, I know, Christmas is over...

But, I never got round to posting these bad boys that I created for my advent series.  I never got further than 10, so maybe by next Christmas I'll have it finished!  Here are a few of them.

I'm back!

Phew!  I've been so busy the last few months, the poor old blog is neglected again!  I did Lilla Roger's Make Art That Sells Part A course in the Autumn, after doing the first module of The Art and Business of Surface pattern Design last Summer.   I've learnt so much and those two courses really helped me find my style so now I'm working on honing that more and hoping to start selling work this year.  Last year I had my first forays into selling my designs but I really want to make a leap this year into making design for a living.

Things are about to get super-busy again as I'm doing The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design Modules 2 and 3 this Spring aswell as Make Art That Sells Part B all on top of my two part time jobs (Am I an idiot?). 

I've been trying to create more placement prints, as I have previously only really made repeat patterns.  I'm having a whale of a time, just like these little forest folk!

Tigerprint birthday card comp.

Here are a couple of birthday card designs I made to enter into the Tigerprint birthday card competition.  (YAY!! they made the short-list!!)

Mocking up

Having lots of fun mocking up my designs onto all sorts of things!  Maybe one day they will make the light of day in a shop or two (fingers. toes, everything crossed)

High Tea

A first stab at a collection, still don't feel like I've nailed it style-wise, feels a bit like the style got sucked out of the co-ordinates a bit but its a start.

Secret Garden

A little garden-inspired seed pattern to welcome summer (and the beginning of the dreaded hay fever season - tissues at the ready!)

Hola mi amigos

Here is some more character-type design for the ASPBD course.  This times my design is inspired by Mexican 'alebrije' (painted wooden folklorish animals).  I first saw them on holiday in Texas when I went to visit my American family a few years ago and was really taken with the bright little creatures. 

I tried a more sketchy style for this pattern.   Love the joy and energy that come from all things mexican -inspired and hope to create a whole collection, but I'm not sure whether this more sketchy style is too full on, compared to my other designs below?  What are your thoughts?  Which style do you prefer?

Terrarium Spoonflower challenge

Spoonflower, a fabric printing service, run weekly surface pattern contests online.  The upcoming competition is on the subject of terrariums.  This is my offering for the competition. If anyone is feeling particularly generous and would like to throw a vote my way, you can do so here, I'll be eternally grateful:) You may need to scroll down a bit to see it.

If you go down to the woods today...

One of our exercises on the ABSPD Module 1 was to create some character designs.  I've always had trouble drawing animals and people but finally created some girls and woodland creatures that I was fairly happy with as a start.  

I have a habit of throwing everything including the kitchen sink into my designs and this design was even busier until my husband cast his eye over it and said it might be a bit full on.  So this is the pared back version - believe it or not.  The colours have become a bit muted when I've uploaded them this time but you get an idea.  

Which version do you prefer?  Would you like to see anything else added/removed from the design to improve it?  All suggestions welcome.