I live and work just around the corner from Out of The Blue Drill Hall so when the invite to take part in this came along, I thought I would finally make the effort to get a little more involved in my community....
Monday, 12 March 2012
Monday, 5 March 2012
Life is Good Workshops
For the Spring, I have been working with Jill to provide a series of creative bookbinding workshops at her lovely shop 'Life is Good' in Morningside, Edinburgh.
It is a great chance to meet some other creative folk and pass on some skills, and of course have a good natter along the way. Last month we focused on beginner skills, introducing a pamphlet stitch and step stitch in addition to some simple and useful flutter books. This month we are stepping it up a gear, making a hardbound photograph album using a traditional Japanese stab binding. I am really excited about this workshop as it is always great to see amazed students go away with a finished book at the end of the evening.
In April we have shedding the rules slightly and making a slightly sculptural hand bound journal, one for those who don’t like straight lines and gluey pages!
Details for the two evenings are below, to book on either workshop please ring Jill at ‘Life is Good’ on 07903585682 to pay a deposit. Thank you!
Not Tonight Darling........i'm making a Hardbound Photograph Album using a Japanese Stab Binding technique. Tuesday March 13th at 6.30pm. Cost £18 includes all materials and glass of wine/cup of tea! The ideal Mothers Day gift.
Not Tonight Darling…. I’m making a Beautiful handbound journal. During this evening up will create a sculptural and seductive journal to collect your thoughts and ideas. Add some new bookbinding skills to your bow, whilst playfully bringing together beautiful papers and materials into a unique book. Tuesday 17 April at 6.30 pm. Cost £12 includes all materials and glass of wine/cup of tea!
‘Life is Good’
384 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 5HX
March mailers
Employment as an illustrator is a funny business. When new friends ask what I do, the answer is often met with the response, so what is that then? I suppose this is a great conversation starter, however sometimes it might be less frustrating to simply answer with ‘I’m a postman’, less confusing! Having said that, I was asked a few weeks ago what my ideal job would be, and after a moments thought I could only answer with, an Illustrator, an enlightening and reassuring moment.
It is easy to use a blog simply as a notice board, and I am certainly guilty of this. However then I started this enterprise I wanted to use this space to show you what happened day to day and behind the scenes in a creative industry. This should demonstrate my inspirations, discoveries, exhibitions seen and places visited, as well as work in progress, what happens between the point a brief is commissioned, and the time it goes to print. Every project is of course different though, so this should actually be a very busy space.
The role of an illustrator is a freelance career, therefore by nature the job description changes and morphs from month to month. There is also much more to the role than drawing, unfortunately perhaps! In any week I spend hours undertaking admin, planning workshops (and yes maintaining an online presence.) Students often ask how they will ever get any work when they leave the safety of university, it would be nice to direct them to a website full of invitations to put their skills into practice. In reality there is no formula, however there are actions an illustrator must take to draw in clients, and ultimately work.
I used to love designing and making mailers to send out to existing and new clients, showing new work and ideas, and inspiring them to employ me. The last year left me slightly discouraged, despite the opportunity to work on some really interesting commissions. In a new year though I have picked myself up, and this week I am striving to rediscover that love sending out work to designers and agencies. The result is a small selection of portfolio pieces printed and packaged up intriguingly winging their way through the good old Royal Mail, a small sample at first, but a bigger mail out is quickly forming in my head as I type. It shows off my loves of packaging, paper, inky lines, lettering and printmaking. I hope it brings a smile to the recipient when it lands on their desk this week.
If you are a commissioner of illustration and would like to request a portfolio please email me at lucy@thebooktreepress.co.uk or give me a ring on 077 969 20533.
Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Valentines Papercutting Workshop
Valentines Workshop in Papercutting
Saturday 11 February 2012
2 – 4.30pm
As an alternative to all the red and hearts adorning the shops ready for Valentines Day, and after many requests I’m offering a papercutting workshop at The Book Tree Press HQ in Leith.
Spend the afternoon creating a beautiful paper cut framed artwork inspired by this great tradition. Take inspiration from a quote, poem, song lyric, intertwining lettering with your illustrations. This might be a creation for your loved one, or a treat for yourself.
All abilities welcome – honestly!
£22 (frame included)
Places are limited so please book your place by emailing lucy@thebooktreepress.co.uk or give me a ring on 07796920533. Ta!
Lucy 
Monday, 30 January 2012
How to Use a Spirit Level
This week’s blog post is an illustration I have been working on over the last week. Cut+Paste are a student design agency from the Graphic Design department at Edinburgh College of Art. They invited me to create an illustration for an alternative ‘How to…’ guide they are designing and printing to raise money for the Lake Victoria Disability Centre in Musoma.
The book will be available as both a silkscreen edition and a digital version later in the year. The brief I was given was to illustrate ‘How to use a Spirit Level'. I felt that something a little bit comic was appropriate.
If you are curious for more information on this project visit their blog at: http://wearecutandpaste.tumblr.com/
Monday, 16 January 2012
In the press....
The frost is settled in a lovely white layer on the roofs opposite my studio window reflecting what felt like a quiet start to the new year, until one afternoon three phone calls brought with them three intriguing enquiries...
Firstly I was reminded that I had sent of an image of my paper Carriage Clock on request to Living Etc a month or so ago, it seemed the issue had now finally hit the shelves. A wander down to Tesco (very glam) revealed an exciting mention in their Best Buys of 2010 (February Issue). A later call brought the information that the clock had already been featured in Homes & Gardens the previous month, and as a result of this exciting press coverage I was approached to sell a range of products from The Book Tree Press with CultureLabel – the online shop for the arts selling artworks and products from organisations including the V&A, Tate and The British Museum.
Before celebrating these developments, I had to rush down the workshop to get printing, cutting and folding more clocks, all safely boxed and lined up on the studio shelf as I type. Rush over now though, and I think it deserves to mark the moment a little, so I decided to start a brand new shiny year by popping a few btp favourites into a January Sale for a short time only – Sale ends 31 January so get in quick!
Monday, 12 December 2011
Happy Christmas!
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