Get animated with 'Animates'

If you have children and happen to go into newsagent shops, chances are you'll have seen the new 'Top Dogs' from Animates. If you haven't, but you have children or just happen to go into newsagents shops, chances are that you soon will.
Dusted Design have just launched the newly designed Animates website, a fun environment for children to explore further the 'Top Dogs' world, with online voting, competitions, videos and a shop.

Dusted commissioned me to illustrate a series of doggy buildings, backgrounds and interiors and of course what every doggy needs: street furniture for those little doggy urges... Whilst it was quite an unusual brief, it's been a fun project to work on and I'm delighted to see the end results online. Check out the Animates website here to see the doggyness in all it's glory :-)

Self Promotion is key (I know, I know but it's a little cringey)

It's Spring time. I'm feeling motivated, I really am. Amazing what a bit of sunshine can do. With the new Wallop website launching very soon, it's the time to up things a notch and get out there promoting and marketing and all that stuff. Lovely new interesting clients and projects - here I am!

It's a tad overwhelming though.... huh?

It's all too easy I find, to stick with what you know best and to stay within your comfort zone when it comes to freelancing. So. This week, I downloaded a copy of the new e book from the Red Lemon Club, called :
'10 Steps to Powerful Online Self Promotion', an inspired wedge of advice from a freelance illustrator and designer, Alex Mathers, who also writes for the contemporary illustration blog: Ape on the moon. It's good. Straightforward advise on proven techniques. It's what you need to do and how you can do it. So, I've read. I've digested. Watch this space and let's see if it works...

Go get yourself a copy here, if you too need a bit of a kick up the bum on the promotional front. :-)

Ancient Greece recreated in Papier Mache ...and other things

This term I have been teaching weekly art workshops to a bunch of year 5 artists in the making. The theme this time around has been 'Ancient Greece' and we have had a whole lot of fun exploring everything from myths and legends, to Gods and monsters, to what on earth an Ancient Greek would have painted his shield with, and why...
We've made our own life sized replica Hoplite shields and designed family emblems to decorate them with, we've created a virtual treasure chest of 'ceramic' artefacts, decorated with mythical characters and stories. We researched and designed our own pack of Greek Legends Top Trumps cards and as a grand finale we created a vast Medusa head sculpture, complete with an array of 3D snakes.
I think we can safely say ' we did Ancient Greece justice this term.... and most of all we had a whole bundle of fun. I just hope the children enjoyed the sessions as much as I did... (follow this link to see the School website's photo gallery of some of the artists with their creations)