After refreshed and ready for action, last night I finished these illustrations for the glamourous London Fashion Week for Amelia's Magazine! Illustrating crazy, psychedelic characters of the fashion show, check out the full article here at on Amelia's Blog! The article also featuresBex Glover, whose illustrations are just pure beauty and works really well together.
Hallo! How is everyone? Did you enjoyed Valentines/Chinese New Year weekend?
Just arrived back from a lovely trip to Amsterdam, little *jet-lagged* maybe, confusion between which country I am in. Especially when Amsterdam is just as multicultural as the UK.
We landed in Amsterdam around 9pm and we got stupidly lost, however we saw the heart of the city. The giant Heinekken, Grosch neon lights and more lights, the long street names. It was intoxicating and very liberating especially you get that hit when walking past the coffee shops.
Numerous times, nearly got ran over if not by car, then by trams or even the cyclists, whose cyclist lanes are generously wider than the pedestrians. At times, the cyclists are invisible, until they will either shout at you or ding you last minute.
Of course, the Red Light District, the main curiosity of the trip. It is beautiful but such different atmosphere at night and in the daylight. I have to admit, it was bloody hard to find but as we walked down the main street of Damrak, and saw SEX SHOP neon sign, I looked like a proper tourist and got giddy.
It was tourist attraction with huge diverse groups and there was loads of Kebab shops, Chip shops, Coffee Shops. Of course I wasn't disappointed, loads of Sex shops, sex shows, peep shows on offer also there was the Hash Museum.
The Red Windows, (you couldn't hide from them), the girls looked at times bored and talking to their colleagues. While observing some tapped on the windows and teased the tourists. At one point I was walking down the street and the client just came out of the window and knocked right into me.
The cultural side of Amsterdam was epic, there was the Van Gogh Musem, Rembrants Museum, Rijksmuseum. The queues were unbelievable long (Tip: Anyone who's going to the mueums, buy online ahead or at Coster Diamond ;)
We went straight back and went to the Troppenmuseum instead, it was a tropical museum dedicating to the colonies and the slave trade that brought Amsterdam its resources. Pretty amazing museum.
I had such an amazing time, evening the cold snowing weather didn't stop the city from bustling. I had numerous amazing moments like Van Gogh's Sunflowers, the RLD and of course, I did all with Robert. It was our 6th Year Anniversary on Valentines and it was a pretty amazing one.
Thanks to everyone who recommended me things to do in Amsterdam, I nearly did them all. xxx
Keeping my resolutions, I've been manically busy and at times, been a bit schizophrenic. Today, I've got the day off to show you another illustration
The lovely team of Sketchbook gave me another talented editor, Helen Jennings of ARISE Magazine, to illustrate. Arise Magazine filled with vibrant fashion, culture and the arts of Africa. It's an amazing magazine, so visually appeasing to look at, from interviews with the Noisettes (Go baby go baby go!) and the Rise of Obama. Go check the magazine out!
Acrylics paints and ink on drawing and watercolour paper.
Twas great fun to paint and I sincerely hope she likes it. Nevertheless it was a pleasure to paint, especially using the browns, sienna and yellow ochre. Definitely makes a change from dark blues and blacks.
Even my paint brushes are so worn out. Need to buy new ones but I can't bare to part with them. (Chocolate is an essential too, especially Montezuma's.)
My Desktop studio. Paintbrushes, glue and chocolate, mmm.....
Next weekend, I'm going to Amsterdam!!!! Just realised and I am so so excited. Going to paint and draw and see space cakes. Also planning to do little valentines painting for my beloved.
Hope you are all well and having a lovely start to the weekend. I am going to show you all what I have been working on these past weeks. Couldn't wait to show you all hehe. Another contribution to Sketchbook Magazine, to the Third Issue; The Editor's Issue.
The team has given me two amazing and talented editors to illustrate: Tavi Gevinson (who started blogging at 11 years of age ahh) and Kristin Prim (editing and creating her own magazine at 15). Go check them out!
The brief was to tell a story between the editors and to capture their personalities, whether it be their clothes, accessories or gestures.
It's a bit weird to start mid January talking about resolutions however I want to be honest. 2010 started off very soothing, bit of a "halting" feeling. The wonderings and pondering what 2010 might mean for everybody.
The year started with the SNOW AGE. The snow just p***ed me off, the traveling, the slipping on the ice (the embarrassment grrr), traffic and the disgruntled grunts. I just hate snow, hate it with a white passion, cried when I was a child and disliked it with a vengence.
But this time while I was at work the snow reminded me of this beautiful scene.
Maybe the snow just an hint of what's to come, to kind of 'start anew,' to cleanse the stresses, heartaches, the struggles the economy brought on or whatever the world had to face last year.
I got into a debate at work, regarding art and science and the person regarded artist as freeloaders with no real contribution to the world.
"How science makes everyone happy and can save lives, art can't save lives, WHY would anyone buy millions for Mona Lisa, blah blah blah"
Everything in the world is visual and perceptive, artists, illustrators and designers are there to bring the economy back up; creative advertising, design buildings, homes, magazines, visual aids.
Art aids Science. The left and the right. ONE BRAIN.
This person told me, that I'm bullshitting myself and everybody, to think (when you put your mind to it, you can do anything in this world.) Black and white.
This year, 2010, I'm going to use my blog more (with gentle push from my friends who know who they are) for myself. Thoughts, drawings and all. The work in progress to get from left to right, A to B. The final outcome.
I wish everyone, You guys, creatives, illustrators, writers, poets, fine artists, designers, artists, graduates, talented talented graduates, a happy 2010. You bring life into this world, colour, textures, concept, dreams, ideas and all.
I'm going to prove this person wrong. Suck on that ^_^
Hello there, I am freelance illustrator. I express my loves, hates, experiences and desires. Feel free to visit my website for more works of art.
Or contact me at mail@junesees.com
