Post feasting activities...

Traditional competitive play with the family on Christmas Day...

Self indulgence

Decided to update my banner as the previous straightforward name in pencil was a bit stale...

Wanted a bit of colour and pattern so after a couple of doodles along the lines of below... the new framed name was the winner (see top).

Next stop, website... although don't hold your breath.

Bit by a dog...

Simon asked me ages ago if I'd like to design a kind of poster for one of his short films. And so, as a result of productive procrastination to avoid death by assignment, I've finally got round to playing about with some ideas.

The film is about addiction, so I started by thinking about being attached and unable to escape.  (For a glance at the teaser trailer click here...)  

Was hung up on drawing a dog for quite some time due to the title.. But finally settled on a belt as the main object which I figure has dog lead connotations, as well as functional associations with heroin use.  The belt is in a snake shape, as though loosely discarded after use, to link in with ideas I had about being hypnotised through drug use, with smoky swirly patterns in the design...  And I've tried to blend a subtle snake head onto the end of the belt to hint at the grand biblical ideas of temptation, deceit and evil, which all seem relevant to the film.  Backgrounds vary between carpet, snakeskin and smoke... My current favourite is the carpet and snakeskin blend on top right, but this may change depending on what Simon says...

Islington Plants

Working on a sign for a plant business today.  They asked for it to include a fuschia, so I've been drawing the dainty dancing shapes all day...

Want to see inside my studio?

Thought i'd share a photo or two from my studio space.  Tis going to change shortly as i'm moving at the end of Sept, but for the time being, this is where I get my creative on...

Talk at Wollaton Hall and Deer Park...

To coincide Heritage Open Days, this Saturday 8th September at 2pm, I'm doing a bit of a talk (Eeek!) on the inspiration behind my drawings of vintage Nottingham lace machinery in The Yard Gallery in Wollaton Stables at Wollaton Hall and Deer Park, Nottingham.  Nottingham's Industrial Museum is next door, where the Leaver's Lace Machine below resides... and there's a exhibition of vintage lace draughtsman's drawings and blueprints taking place too... So plenty to see and do if I'm a bit dull!  And designer Debbie Bryan will be giving a talk on her heritage collection the following day if you're not free until Sunday...

Sticky Note Set...

Recently designed an office themed set of sticky notes for Parragon Books.  Was a great little project that has vastly improved by indesign software skills!  The set of 8 sticky notes (some of which are below) fit together in a rectangular block and will be presented in a tin with the above diecut label... making the perfect gift!  Can't wait to see the finished product in the shops!

 

Cinco Digital Wall

Spent last weekend drawing the above on the wall at Cinco Digital headquarters, which was both fun times.. and seemingly v.well received.  For those that know Leeds, you may recognise some of the buildings, and that's Cinco's logo in the middle.  

The photo (taken on my phone) is a bit shoddy and doesn't really do the scale justice.. but you get the idea.  Did try to time-lapse the creation, but the camera for this was suicidal and kept jumping around, causing the video to be a bit jumpy/distorted.. So here's a work-in-progress photo that documents mid-creation instead... 

Zizzi Fresh Talent...

Super-fresh exciting news... I'm one of five shortlisted in Zizzi's fresh talent competition! Eee!  I designed the plate above for their ‘deliciously stylish’ brief, with a hidden vegetable repeat pattern in a contemporary colour.  Inspired by traditional damask wallpaper, the design is intended to make any food look well-presented and sophisticated, whilst the vegetables in raw form link in with Zizzi’s use of fresh produce.... See the other delectable shortlisted entries here. And eee!

Happy Father's Day

Here's a print of my dad as a little boy that I created using gum arabic and a photocopy of the original photograph.  There's 3 layers of ink in grey blue, olive green and crimson.  

Wedding Invitations for Miss Henry

 

 

Finally finished wedding invitations for Miss Lana Henry and Mr Adam Donald Walsh.  They wanted a little booklet for all the information with a handcrafted aesthetic, so I collagraph printed the bunting design onto ribbed card from Eco-craft, typewriter-ed the inside text (which was jigged around in Photoshop to fit the appropriate page of 10 then printed out) before hand stitching all 40 of them together...
   

Drawing life into drawings from life...

Encouraged by Woolgather Art Prize to do something that breaks from the norm to feed my creativity, I spent Sunday 25th March at Nottingham Industrial Museum drawing their collection of lace machines.  Most of these have been redundant since the 1960's but my quick observed scribbles hopefully capture some life...?  The developed drawings, hand finished with watercolour and collage, will be available to buy as limited edition prints from Wollaton Park soon...

To dry for...

Wanted to join the line up of terrific tea towels at to dry for, but my submission to their 2012 design competition didn't compare to the winning design.  Think my design lacked humour and playfulness... but I enjoyed drawing it regardless so everyone's a winner!

Tweet tweet...

Have ventured into the technological unknown by signing up to twitter... Should you wish to follow my twitterings you can do so by searching for @drawinglaurie.

Birdy Workshop...

 

 

 

Did a little crafty workshop a couple of weekends back with a bunch of weeny year olds.  It’s meant to be spring.. and Valentine's Day was imminent, so we collectively made some hanging-fledgling-love-birds...

Wood Street Whimsy

Should have posted about this eons ago… 

For a challenge, I did some out-of-my-comfort-zone drawings for @thepinkbearclub to be used on their website, including these delightful bear heads, who appear when their lifeless alter egos are stroked (or rolled over with your mouse).  The brief was for a pink bear that appears “foul, animalistic, impulsive, grumpy, perverted and filthy".  I also designed a damask wallpaper for the background with some some discreetly hidden requested items...

From today, they’re holding a four week fiesta of all things pink bear-y at Wood Street Indoor Market, E17, London... So if you live dahn south, go and delve into their forest. 

I've organised the production of some merchandisey bits from the genuinely @awesomemerch...  So if you’d like to get your hands on a badge, magnet or pocket mirror branded with your favourite bear, send me an email and I’ll organise a method to get one to you.

Swapsies...

Taking part in the International Postcard Show at Surface Gallery in Nottingham… Submitted a little Russian matryoshka doll with a slightly human face, which I drew after thinking about feeling trapped, as it fitted quick nicely on a 6x4” piece of card… 

The gallery is open Tues to Fri 12-6pm and 11-5pm on Sat, with the cards on show (and on sale for a bargain £15 squid) until February 11th... so go looksee at the collection.

Then afterwards, it's time for the exchange! ...when I'll most likely receive another postcard gem back in return for mine. Exciting!

In homage to the capital letter...

Recently realised that this blog was lacking all signs of punctuation... So here's an upper case letter 'a' to make amends...

hippos at the harley

new year started well... my hippos got in! so they are now temporarily residing with all the other 'h is for...' entries at the harley gallery, welbeck, worksop s80 3lw. the exhibition's on from 7th Jan - 5th Feb so go visit and vote for your favourite entry thank you please.