Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!, originally uploaded by janicejs.

A time for too much chocolate and Xmas TV! Enjoy!

V & A Friday Late

Well, I went off to the late opening and activities of the Victoria & Albert Museum's monthly Friday Late "Metal Rocks" last week. As you might be able to tell the theme was jewellery and music.

Here's some bits'n'bobs I picked up on my way round - a decorate-it-yourself edible ring, a t-shirt charm, a little wooden fish (that I fished with a rod from a barrel) and oddly enough a spring.

A tower of shiny discs each personalised by a Friday Later. Mine's the one in the middle, not that you can make out anything much in the photo :) And in the most beautiful room in the building which is part of the cafe people were playing RockStar (below).

It was great to be in the museum late and a DJ in the foyer playing 80s/90s power ballads was pretty fab.

pretend

pretend, originally uploaded by janicejs.

For this week's Illustration Friday theme. I drew this a while back but it seemed to fit.

Two Cities

My latest illustrations are a pair of fanciful takes on Hong Kong where the streets are a hodge-podge of styles and air-conditioners are everywhere.

In the shop now, City Blue & City Pink!

Vacant

vacant, originally uploaded by janicejs.

My interpretation of this week's Illustration Friday theme Vacant. One of life's little frustrations.

Umbrellas at the Ready!

Umbrellas, originally uploaded by janicejs.

On a cold, rainy November day some colourful umbrellas might just cheer me up.

My latest Etsy treasury!

Repair

It's that time again! Illustration Friday is here! This one's for the theme Repair.

Late

For this week's Illustration Friday theme Late. I can see their weekly challenges being pretty addictive.

Strings

Something for this week's Illustration Friday theme strings.

Paper N Stitch!

Just opened today is Paper N Stitch, an online exhibition of "fine art, handmade, and vintage shops" and I'm lucky enough to be amongst them! It's been wonderfully put together by Brittni and Jeff who've brought together over 80 artists and designers a few of which are in the screenshot above.

I'd definitely recommend a browse :)

Pink Power!

A very pink treasury, originally uploaded by janicejs.

My latest attempt at treasury making on Etsy. Hot pink can pack such a punch so I scoured my favorite Etsians for examples of it doing just that.

Hot Hot Pink!

Back to Class!

classroom, originally uploaded by janicejs.

As promised, another one from the sketchbook. Ok, it's not on the 'home' theme as before but it's another little everyday interior scene. Back to the days of times-tables and spelling tests and waiting for the bell to ring for break time.

A Big Moo!

New Moo minicards, originally uploaded by janicejs.

My new minicards from Moo, 100 cards in total. After first coming across Moo a few months ago I finally decided to get some of my own as a replacement for my earlier batch of business cards. It took a bit of thought but I settled on these 4 of my illustrations to feature on them. As tempting as it was I decided against the option of having a different image on each card but I think 100 all different cards laid out would have looked pretty impressive.

Coffee, amusements & chips

Coffee, amusements & chips, originally uploaded by janicejs.

Here's what became of my earlier "Work-in-Progress". All bright and colourful, not exactly how I'd describe my own high street even though it was the influence for this. A yellow sky is always nicer than the grey one that's been hovering over London the past couple days.

Coffee, amusements & chips, pretty good things to have.

Now in the shop.

London scribbling

Something from an old, old sketchbook today with a little added colour. All pretty obvious bits of London in a quick scribble.

This weekend I'll be heading into the city to check out the annual Open House weekend when 100s of buildings both old and new that you wouldn't usually have access to open their doors to the public. The hard part is choosing which ones to go to in such a short time.

Kick back & relax...

Living Room, originally uploaded by janicejs.

A few days ago it was the bedroom, now it's the living room. The sideboard on the left under the clock and the sofa are actually straight out of my own living room. And also the sheepskin rug. That tall thing between the sofa and sideboard is a shelf with a record player on top, a flash from my childhood. I used to rumage through my dad's LPs, there was a colourful one I remember in particular by a band called Sky, at least I think that's what it was.

In a little while I'm going to be sat on that sofa.

A sweet Parisian treat

Paris Desert, originally uploaded by janicejs.

I feel a craving for something sweet and I think this bit of extravagance would do the trick. Shame this photo was taken a long while back and across the sea in Paris.

I really fancy that chocolate one in the bottom right corner.

★ Illustration Galore ★

Exciting news this week. The new issue of Design That Design This is online and it's an absolute treasure trove of illustration! There's such a variety of illustrators with their diverse styles and subject matters stuffed into 176 pages and I'm thrilled to be featured on p120-121.


Here's where to check out this fab mag
===> Design This Design That - Issue 2

I'll be heading back myself to pour over the wonderful artwork on display.

A place for sleepy-heads...

Bedroom, originally uploaded by janicejs.

Here's another drawing from the sketchbook following up the couple of 'home' themed sketches I've previously posted. This time it's the bedroom. I used to dream of a wooden 4-poster bed as a kid, they seemed so grand and straight out of fairy tales.

Stay tuned for more snippets of the home...

An old monster of London

A few of months ago I got to see Battersea Power Station up close during a public consultation for it's redevelopment. I've seen it from a distance so often and it was so fascinating walking around and a little sad to see it's demise from suprisingly lavish and detailed architectural feat to this shell. Although, for a shell it's pretty impressive.

Incidentally you might recognise the interior from The Dark Knight.

Work-in-Progress

Work-in-Progress, originally uploaded by janicejs.

It's been a little while since my last post so here's a look at what I've been working. This one's inspired by something a little closer to home, my own high street where a new amusement arcade has recently opened in an old bank building.

Above the Rooftops

Above the Rooftops, originally uploaded by janicejs.

I posted the drawing for this a couple of weeks ago and here's the final piece. After going back and forth on ideas I went with a minimal contrasting colour sheme. It would be quite something to see a city looming over orange water in real-life.

Pick up the mail!

The Orange Box, originally uploaded by janicejs.

My latest finished piece, The Orange Box. One of the many things that go hand-in-hand with living in high-rise cities, mailboxes. A new one for the shop.

Shout it from the rooftops!

Here's one of the latest pieces I'm working on at the moment. It's now scanned into my computer and in the midst of colouring. Below are a couple of photos of it's build up.

The inspiration for this one is Hong Kong and flying into the city when it's airport was on the harbour. That and all those helicopter shots of every city in the movies.

Who lives in a house like this?

Interlaken House Mural, originally uploaded by janicejs.

Here's a wall in Switzerland - Interlaken if I remember correctly. I just think it would be fantastic to live there.

Curious Things

Here's my latest piece Curious Things, something to suit the summer months and thoughts of holidays abroad. I've taken a little inspiration from Porto, Portugal.

Scrub-a-dub-dub!!!

Bath Time, originally uploaded by janicejs.

A little more from my little sketchbook.

Secret Postcard Revealed!

It's been a little while since my last post, but now as promised a few posts back I'll reveal my contribution to the Music as Therapy Secret Postcard Sale held in May.

A little sneak into a good old British shed; home of many a creative or inventive endevour at the bottom of many a garden.

Everything and the kitchen sink!

Pots, Pans and Dirty Dishes, originally uploaded by janicejs.

Introducing my latest creation. An ode to busy kitchens.

This is from another one of my little drawings in my little sketchbook that I've just finished colouring on my computer. After a bit of thought I decided to name it Pots, Pans and Dirty Dishes.

Multicolour Mayhem!

It's been a long, long time since I made a treasury on Etsy but today I was in the right place at the right time.

Just a few exciting things I've seen.

Voila, colour colour colour!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=46945

My Dream Studio...

The Workspace, originally uploaded by janicejs.

...sort of.

I made this little drawing in my little "goes with me everywhere" sketchbook a couple weeks back. I only wish I had such a dedicated and organised little space to do my creating.

Lonely Metropolis

A while ago I posted a little snippet from a drawing of a little girl transported to a Tokyo-esque landscape. Well here's the finished piece, Lonely Metropolis.

The Return of Chuck Cat....

....formerly known as the cat.


Chuck Cat is brought to you by my sister.

Secret Postcard

Last night I got down to work on a little piece of illustration for a secret postcard sale for the charity Music as Therapy. Once the event is over in a couple of weeks I'll reveal what I did.


In the meantime, here's a pretty bad scan of what I drew last year for it. You may notice similarities between this and my piece The Streets of the Dream. That's due to the fact that they were both inspired by the same piece of writing from Italo Calvino's Invisible cities.


This year's one is quite different.

Introducing the Cat...

For a change, just something my sister drew that made me laugh.

And, if you happen to be a watcher of Gossip Girl, do you get this?

Making Minor Music

So I found this fab site, Lost at E Minor, this week that's jam packed with the arts and just had to see if I could get in there. And today I got an email letting me know that I'd been posted. Thanks Zolton!

Oh, my piece is the big pic on the far left.

Childhood Nostalgia...

This weekend I took a trip to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, London, and spotted a few familiar playthings from my past.

The 1st is the Fisher Price Schooldesk which is now hidden in an ocean of newer toys in an aunt's house.

The 2nd is the Sega Game Gear which I took pride in having chosen the competitor and underdog to the Game Boy. My favorite game was Disney's Aladdin because I got to run over market stalls to the tune of One Jump Ahead in digi-sound. Amazingly, my parents still have it in their flat with all the old games.

Lastly, there's the kiddie record player that was passed down from my big sis, I've no idea what happened to it.

Some picture slides for Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland, obviously not from my childhood.

And, of course, what toy museum would be complete without a dollhouse (or several in this case).