love print studio blog

Friday, 29 September 2017

Friday giggles...

Like, all the time...

(image above © Love Print Studio)

Available as desktop and iPhone wallpaper below.

Desktop

iPhone

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Illustration Love...follow the line

A little bit of illustration love in todays 'Take Four' post...

Crayoned line, chalky line, felt tip, pencil, whatever you fancy.

Follow the line!

1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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Colour crush...

The last colour crush post of the week...

Finishing off with another bright combo...you can't go wrong with pinks, corals and red right?

I hope you've enjoyed this week of back to back posts celebrating all things colourful!

(image credits clockwise from top left)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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Colour crush...

I love a peachy blue combo!

So nice with that pop of green too.

(image credits clockwise from top left)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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Colour crush...

Back to the zingy brights for day three of this weeks colour crush posts.

Love these colours together!

(image credits clockwise from top left)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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Colour crush...

Day two of this weeks colour crush posts, and its a somewhat subdued, softer affair than yesterday.

Beautiful blush pinks, dusky blues and greys with pops of navy and a hint of red cheekily sneaking in.

(image credits clockwise from top left)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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A week of colour crushes!

You may or may not have noticed, but there's a little column down the left side of the blog displaying the ten most popular blog posts of the week.

It's always nice to see what you lovely readers are enjoying when you visit this li'l page, and for the first time, I spotted that all ten are colour crush posts! (or atleast they were when I wrote this, ha ha!)

Wowzers!

You do love a good old colour combo.
Well, me too, and luckily it's one of my favourite regular features to curate.

So in celebration of that
(not that I really need an excuse)
here goes a whole week of colour crush posts, yay!

Starting off the week with this beaut..

(image credits clockwise from top left)

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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Etsy shop find... a chat with Amber Davenport

This months etsy interview is with Amber Davenport.
Amber is a textile artist currently studying at Manchester School of Art, just about to venture into her final year.
Inspired by botanical gardens and interesting plants, Ambers paintings are full to bursting with lush colour, exotic foliage, beautiful texture, mark making and pattern.

You can buy some of her original paintings in her etsy shop, but she also sells greeting cards, notebooks, prints and ceramics too.

So, let's get to know Amber shall we...

1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m Amber a plant and cat enthusiast and I’m just about to go into the final year of my degree (so scary) studying textiles at Manchester School of Art.
I’ve always been creative, art was the only thing I was ever good at at school, I was just average at everything else.
When I started college I actually wanted to be a fine artist, I only chose textiles to fill a gap in my timetable. I decided on textiles about an hour before the deadline!
It's safe to say I’m so relieved I did!
Once I’d finished college I couldn’t decide between art and textiles, but finally decided on textiles as I wanted to learn more about screen printing, dying and repeat pattern.

2. What books/ magazines are you currently reading?
And whats your favourite childhood book?

I’m so awful at reading! I’ve just finished Louis Theroux’s book ‘Travels in American subcultures’ which was great although totally unrelated to my work!
My favourite childhood book is definitely ‘The Fat Cat’ by Jack Kent.
I’ve always been surrounded by cats; my Nan has between 10-15 cats at any one time.
She looks after strays which sleep in a very cozy shed in her back garden, she even fills them hot water bottles!

3. Who are some of your favourite illustrators/designers
and what it is about their work that you love?

Ernst Haeckel and Katie Scott’s eye for detail and colour, Josef Frank and Matisse's pattern and form and I’m always hugely inspired by Wes Anderson movies; the way his colours make you feel nostalgic and happy – that’s definitely something which I try to inject into my work!

4. Can you give us an insight into your creative process?

I enjoy visiting botanical gardens, but when I’m not able to travel far I go for walks in a little forest next to my house. It's full of overgrown plants, textured leaves and my favourite colour, green!
I then sketch out an outline using pencil, sometimes I like to draw without a reference image, this allows you to be more creative. I love inventing plant species!

I then begin to mix my paints (I usually use acrylics or gouache) and go for it!
I never really plan my work as I enjoy making it up as I go along, experimenting with placing different textures alongside others.
Once I’m done with the painting I usually scan it into my computer and make it look a little neater as I’m a messy painter. I’m the worst for spilling tea on my paintings.

5. Tell us ten random facts about yourself...

I’m 4ft 11.

I love hot water bottles all year round.

I have three cats, one of which thinks she's a human.

If I wasn’t doing my degree in textiles, I would love to decorate cakes.

I’m Hall and Oates’ biggest fan.

I'm rubbish at sports.

I’d love to illustrate a children’s book one day.

I’m currently saving to go travelling with my boyfriend next year.

I'm happiest with a cup of tea.

I paint better in Pyjamas.

6. How would you describe your work?

Narrative, colourful and playful!

7. There's a lovely Moroccan influence coming through in some of your pieces…
Where else have you travelled that inspired your art?

I recently visited ‘Jardin Exotique’, a botanical garden in Monaco,
its one of my favourite places I’ve been!

8. What makes you laugh?

Any movie with Will Ferrell in, I have a silly humour.

9. What would be your dream job?

My dream is to be a Freelance Illustrator and designer.
I'd love to focus on expanding my etsy shop into a full time business selling illustrated patterned goods!
Hopefully one day I'll have my own screen printing facilities too!
It would be amazing to have a job which allowed me to work from anywhere in the world also.

10. What are you currently passionate about or fascinated by

and how is it inspiring your work?

Plants and nature!
Always has been really!
I'll never get bored of the patterns and textures I find in plants!

11. What’s the most popular item for sale in your etsy shop?
And your personal favourite?

The most popular item changes all the time, but if there’s one stable variable it's cats! Whether it be a Jaguar or domestic kitty!
My personal favourite changes constantly also, I’m very critical of myself so anything I created more than a few months ago generally bugs me.
My favourite at the moment is my Jungle Leopard Painting!

A big thank you to Amber for taking the time out to be part of the etsy interview feature.

If you'd like to Follow Amber on instagram, click here...

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Take Four... Belly Baskets

I know belly baskets have been around for a while now but I've spotted more and more of them recently on my scrolls through instagram and pinterest.

Here are four things to do with these multi tasking baskets...

I'm a bit partial to the 'dipped' bottoms, with a lovely big plant inside, so nice!

A very quick search on pinterest will give you an array of DIY tutorials
if you fancy giving them a go, or some of the below can be bought exactly as they are from some fabulous online shops, so no fuss.

1 | Pop in a plant

2 | Paint and decorate

3 | Dipped bottoms

4 | Storage for your kiddos, or yourself of course!

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Creative Quarters... Claire Wilson

The next designer to be featured in Creative Quarters is Claire Wilson.

Claire is a freelance illustrator and surface pattern designer, working from a small studio in her countryside home in Northamptonshire.
She enjoys creating fun, colourful and illustrative designs to make people smile and absolutely loves what she does.

After studying Design Crafts at De Montfort University in Leicester, Claire graduated in 2007 and began her creative career as a homeware product designer for Next.
She worked on a wide variety of projects including 3D design and surface pattern.
In 2012, Claire decided to set up her own design business, focusing on surface pattern design and illustration, and has since worked as a freelance designer for a number of companies, with her designs being used across a wide variety of products, including nursery and children’s bedding, home textiles, dinnerware, stationery and gifting as well as nightwear apparel.

She finds inspiration everywhere, from simple everyday household objects to all things bright and beautiful outside.
Naturally drawn to illustrative styles and bright colours, she enjoys creating designs with lots of lovely little details.
She loves to draw and often starts the process by hand drawing motifs or lettering, working in pen and pencil before scanning them into the computer and adding colour digitally.

After completing all four modules of the acclaimed “Art & Business of Surface Pattern Design” e-course, Claire decided that she wanted to develop her design portfolio and began producing prints and patterns for licensing opportunities.
She recently launched a brand new website which features her own range of art prints, bespoke gifts and greeting cards, as well as showcasing some of her latest print and pattern designs which are available for licensing.
Claire's also very happy to collaborate on commissioned work and freelance projects, so please feel free to visit her website or find her on Instagram here.

Claire has thrown in an extra little freebie for readers of loveprintstudio.
Click here to download this lovely 170mm x 120mm landscape wall art, print away and pop in a frame...simple!

Thanks Claire!

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I hope you've enjoyed reading a little about Claire,
and seeing a selection of her work.

To get in touch with her, please visit her website for details.

If you missed the last Creative Quarters post featuring Ellie Green, you can read it here.

And don't forget, if you'd like to be featured,

please send examples of your work with links to website portfolios,

and some info about you and your background, etc...

to Louise at loveprintstudio@live.com

Look forward to hearing from you!

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