Pencil Doodles

Happiness is a scrap of paper and a newly sharpened HB pencil.

And tea and biscuits. Obviously. 

Runner's woe

I've hurt my left leg and it means my running has had to take a hiatus while it gets better. I'm so impatient. I ran 3 miles yesterday but I had to take it easy and it just wasn't as fun as it normally is. Come on legs, don't let me down. In the meanwhile, drawing will always be the next best cathartic activity for me. I will always have lazy bones under this flesh. 

Weather: It's rain or shine

It's undeniably a natural product from working in a shop, but I love weather talk. I love the British relationship with it, our eternal optimism and general wistful whimsy when it comes to terrible weather. Every year the same unseasonable rain and cold and yet it always takes us by the surprise. 

It is May but the skies are thunderous and grey, leaves are being blown off trees like it's Autumn, this is nothing new but it is all I can think and speak about...Hurry up Summer.

Cold in Brighton

Knit Wit

The only good thing to come out of winter, aside from mulled cider, is patterned knitwear. Just look at my mittens I procured from Oxfam for this year.

I'm currently obsessed and here is my doodle of a poncho clad lady to demonstrate my excitement.

Sketchbook Doodles

Sometimes the best way to build yourself up to a final piece illustration is to think visually rather than just pondering away all in your head.
I find by just doodling away in your sketchbook can really reveal some little gems in your subconscious and you never know what might look aesthetically appealing until you try it.
Of course this means a lot of rubbish too but even the work that doesn't look great can be helpful too.
One day I might be brave enough to scan in all the other terrible drawings in my sketchbook, i have a huge collection and the blog might be titled; How not to illustrate!
But it's all about trial and error and here are some rough sketches scanned in straight from my sketchbook which i thought were okay and I might expand upon in the future.
It might be interesting to see these raw ideas now and see what they could be turned into.
(Click on any images to see them enlarged).