pen head ella

drawings

2008-10-10T03:26:00.004-05:00

Summer has been quiet on the drawing front. See http://www.flickr.com/photos/31045614@N07/ instead.

harley weir

2008-10-03T04:01:00.004-05:00

Amazing. Like a dreamier Nan Goldin.

lizzy

2008-10-01T11:19:00.004-05:00

babs

2008-10-01T11:10:00.004-05:00

magazine spreads

2008-05-30T20:38:00.006-05:00

These are all details from contributions to magazines. The very top one was for Charm Offensive and the other two are for the secret project of a friend of mine's. Will upload the full spreads after publication...

book covers for unit 4

2008-05-27T08:39:00.008-05:00

This was my chosen image;
And the alternatives:

An early idea that led to the above...

Friday's drawing

2008-05-19T07:07:00.002-05:00

Treasure Hunting Part Two; Dougal Wilson

2008-05-15T06:37:00.003-05:00

Remember that superglossy Benny Benassi video with all the sweaty girls suggestively holding powertools? That was him. That tide of kibble rolling into a Big Yellow self-storage box? Him too. Will Young learning to swim, winning the olypics and swimming the channel? Oh yes. All his videos, whether pop promo, advert or recycling short (it's called Rubbish with Martin Freeman, Anna Friel and that handsome one from Teachers) sing imagination. They're so funny, so clever. Look out for the brilliant choppy editing in his Chikinki video, Will Young digitally putting his hand on his co-presenters leg at the end of the poignant Blue Peter themed video and the jumping dog in Goldfrapp's Happiness (an homage to the 1953 film Small Town Girl).
These are two of my favourites. The first is an advert for Orange which I saw aaaaages and thought was beautiful then totally forgot about and the second is what led me to Dougal Wilson today. He's amazing.

Treasure Hunting Part One

2008-05-15T04:18:00.003-05:00

One of my favourite places on the internet is http://www.myloveforyou.typepad.com where you can find all sorts of uncommon illustrated delights. Today I found Lilly Piri.

Her drawings made me think of one of my old favourites, Aya Takano;

I love this coat

And then somehow I found myself looking at Dougal Wilson. It's so good when you find out that loads of stuff you like was done by the same person and you never knew. His work is brilliant and deserves a separate post and so...

Walk the plank

2008-05-05T14:31:00.006-05:00

I think I've forgotten how to draw. What if I have forgotten how to draw? What if it happens with taking pictures? Or writing? Finally I forget how to speak, move or make eye contact? What if wake up one day to find all these hours on youtube and social networking websites has turned me into a big giggling idiot? What if it is already happening?

Gram National

2008-04-05T11:48:00.005-06:00

Today I lost £7 on the Grand National and Tom is spending all day on his computer mixing his various noises into a song so even though I am wearing Going Out shoes and even brushed my hair, I found myself sitting in bed grumpily doing a drawing for Said the Grammaphone instead.

Post-script: This is now up and live, go to Said the Grammaphone and refresh a few times if you don't see it at the top...

Bulletproof

2008-03-26T03:23:00.003-06:00

Very lo-fi music promo made for the lovely Easter Parade (myspace.com/easterparade). Shot with a Sony Handycam and used iMovie to edit and the results aren't brilliant but am looking to master Adobe Final Cut asap. Reading up on Super-8 too...

Bullet Proof

In the meantime I'm looking at videos by the likes of James Copeman (see his Royal Tenenbaums-y Noah and the Whale video and literally off-the-wall Mystery Jets one on youtube.com) and Sophie Muller (youtube The Kills' - Cheap and Cheerful) and feeling quite inspired.

Flyer for Snap Crackle and Pop

2008-03-07T09:20:00.004-06:00

Mind Your Manners

2008-02-19T14:43:00.003-06:00

This is a rough drawing for submission to Charm Offensive. I think I hate it but I'm not sure yet because it needs colour and tweaking anyway...

Evaluation/Assesment Catchup

2008-02-06T16:49:00.001-06:00

The least exciting and most necessary part of doing something creative. Hmm...

In retrospect the last term has been very productive and exciting. I've learnt a new skill (etching) and am keen to learn more (a screenprinting induction is on the horizon and I've signed up for some workshops in the I.T. department). I developed my drawing skills and super-developed my editing skills (albeit in only humble iMovie). I've searched for opportunities outside of college and intrepidly explored the world of contemporary illustration on and offline. I've made use of the bountiful resources at Camberwell College and throughout London. The only thing I haven't been terribly good at has been keeping a record of all my goings on. I haven't mentioned for example, the brilliant talks from Jiro Bevis and Nick Waplington I have attended. Or the possibility of doing collaborations with Grégory Houzé (see one of his illustrations below) and some friends at college. Aaand at some point this year I'd like to help curate a group exhibition...

I think the most noticeable improvement in my work has been my attitude towards it. I am feeling more enthusiastic and ambitious than ever. There just isn't enough time for everything I want to do...

Imperial War Museum

2008-02-06T16:10:00.000-06:00

A little while ago I went to the Imperial War Museum to battle more tourists and do some new drawings...

There's a chance some of this will be used for a band e.p. but nothing's been pressed just yet and I'd like to do some more onsite drawings before I put anything together properly.

Etchings, Exhibitions and Apes

2008-02-05T08:23:00.000-06:00

I haven't updated this for a while because I've been keeping pretty busy. I made an etching using the image below:

I did some more drawings and sent them off to Shirted Ape who really liked them (hopefully some will be used over the next few months):

I made a short film for the last task at college (and went an amazing shade of plush crimson when Geoff said it was 'super-cool') :

...aaaand I had a meeting with the lovely Sarah at Jerwood Space about maybe showing some work in the Café Project Space. Hurrah!

Sicko

2008-01-21T18:02:00.000-06:00

Just submitted something to Don't Panic/Sick of Nature's poster design brief. But I'm thinking now it looks rubbish. Got a bit messed up trying to change the file size...also spying on katemoross.com hasn't helped. She's only 21 but her work/client list is incredible. She's at Camberwell too. Arrrrrgh jealous jealous jealous...

But...vote for me anyway!

VOTE HERE

or click;
http://www.dontpaniconline.com/designbrief/entry/?id=2413

New Website

2008-01-20T19:04:00.000-06:00

I've been meaning to get a 'proper' website for my portfolio for ages. This is going to have to do until I can afford a more exciting one. It's not finished yet but have look anyway;

http://penheadella.carbonmade.com/

Lots of new drawings to go up here too, asap...

More Spying

2008-01-14T17:48:00.000-06:00

Went for the Imperial War Museum instead. Need to go back, need to draw more tanks.
I have a big new illustrative crush on Jody Barton.

Spying

2008-01-14T06:45:00.001-06:00

The above two are nicked from http://www.kentrogowski.com/. The first is from this project called Bears ("Bears, is a series of portraits of the most unusual sort: ordinary teddy bears that have been turned inside out and restuffed.") and the second from Love=Love (" Flowers and skies were taken out of over 40 store bought puzzles and combined to form a series of spectaular landscapes.")
I've also been spying on photographer Arnauld Jeunie (http://arnaudlajeunie.carbonmade.com/) and illustrators Julia Pott (http://juliapott.blogspot.com/ and see My First Crush on youtube) and Amy Brown (http://www.amyillustration.com/). All of whom have made me feel very jealous and unprolific so I'm off to the V& A to do some drawing.

For more good stuff see http://www.itsnicethat.com/

The British Museum

2008-01-09T11:01:00.000-06:00

First post. Hope this doesn't sound too forced...
Went to the British Museum yesterday and then Gosh comics (I got The Iron Tonic by Edwad Gorey and can't stop looking at it). I really liked the Assyrian bit (in the British Museum. Not in Gosh. Obviously.) The drawing above is from one of the gates to the ancient city. And the two below are from these amazing friezes about lion-hunting ("the sport of kings").

Here are the rest; The last one is of an etching in the prints and drawings room by Jan Sadeker the Elder. Really want to try and do some etching but I missed the induction last term. There was some other good stuff in that room by Thomas Rowlandson, George Cruikshank, Lilian Lijn, Seb Patane, Bill Woodrow and Kiki Smith (at least those were the names I wrote down).

detail from Kiki Smith etching 'Two'

Pleased with the day's haul anyway, especially compared to my pathetic offerings for the Christmas project (London Pug Club stuff). More on that later.
I really wanted to go to the V&A today to do some more drawings but spent most of the afternoon scanning, cropping and editing from various sketchbooks. Until recently my methods were totally dinosaur (a combination of paint shop pro, MS Paint and Word) but I braved photoshop today and saved quite a bit of time. Still love paint more than ever though.

a drawing made in ms paint