A day in the life of an artist, author and illustrator...that's me!

+ We're ALMOST ready to launch my NEW membership...

Psst…Incase you missed it, I launched a little something special to my online shop yesterday. Scroll all the way down for a sneak peek and click through if you’d like to buy one. 🐾

Hi Studio pals,

How’s your week been?

I thought it might be interesting to tell you a little about how I work?

As an illustrator, author and artist I tend to split my studio time roughly in half between writing and illustrating my books and creating artwork for exhibitions and commissions. I might work solidly on a book for two months and then jump straight in to creating a new collection of paintings and silk screen prints for an exhibition the next day. Somewhere in between all this I’m designing new greetings cards, and popping out visit libraries, book festivals and schools!

There’s always a deadline! This keeps me very motivated.

I love the variety that painting both gallery work and making books brings. Apart from anything, it’s lovely to be able to jump from ‘book sized illustrations’ to huge paintings. I think it’s good for my creativity, and my sanity!

Making my card range sits somewhere between these two sides of my practice and I really enjoy being able to make stand alone illustrations for the cards. Sometimes take illustrations I’ve made for larger pieces and give them a new purpose as a greeting card. Sometimes I’ll use a Daily Drawing. I love cards and I LOVE the idea of an envelope being opened to reveal a surprise image, it reminds me of being excited to turn a page in a book! I also work on a variety of other illustration commissions. Sometimes for large companies and sometimes illustrating people’s pets for them.

I mainly work in my cosy studio in the heart of Edinburgh. It’s an old Victorian sweet shop - close to a park (handy for Otto’s walks!) and it has big windows that look out on to huge oak trees.

I work in my studio every day of the week - unless I’m out at events, of course - so this is where I make pretty much all of my art. I like to have all of my creative things around me when I’m drawing. Occasionally I work from home in the evening, but I prefer to draw and paint here.

Everything you order from my online shop is also sent out from here. Warren the postman pops in every afternoon to collect my parcels. Otto always greets him with a friendly bark, and the ‘UPS man’ (I must find out his name, but it’s bee so long now I feel a bit awkward asking!) often brings him some Babybel cheese! Otto loves being in the studio.

My desk is a muddle of paint, pencils, ink, scraps of paper, books and all sorts of other bits and bobs I use to make my work.

I usually like to draw in pencil (‘H’ Steadtler and Palomino Blackwing pencils are my favourites) and dip pen and ink. But I’ll often experiment with anything to hand which can make a mark on paper; ear droppers to drop ink, sticks dipped in paint and sponges etc. FW liquid acrylic is my go to for ink - the colour is so vibrant. I also have tester pots of emulsion all over the place. I love the flat colour you can get with them - or the spiky texture you can create if you use an old paint brush (plenty of those on my desk too!).

I sometimes use tea, coffee and even red wine to paint with. Even Tippex can make a lovely white thick line! I often save old paint brush water to paint with as I love the shades of brown that can only be made by accident. I know it sounds odd - but the grainy, muddy looking water is precious to me! It’s like magic paint!

I’d love to hear if you find these posts interesting… there is SO much more to come in my behind the scenes membership! I’d LOVE for you to join us when it launches tomorrow.

P.S. - My membership is launching this weekend. If you’ve already pledged a subscription, I’ve just found out you will be upgraded automatically - isn’t that clever! Do reach out if you need to or have any questions. Many of you will be new here (like me!) but I’m sure we can figure everything out together!

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While I’m here…

Introducing…

Otto and Friends - NEW highly limited art prints ONLY available until Tuesday!

Here is my limited edition print drop! Just a quick note to let you know my brand new Otto and Friends prints are now officially available to shop!

The response has been completely amazing (thank you!) and some editions are already close to selling out - but there’s still time to grab one if you’re quick.

Remember, these are limited edition and only available for 4 more days - so if you’ve got your eye on one, now’s the moment!

They make the perfect set with the book, for your wall, or as a special gift. The ‘endpaper prints’ side by side on the wall would be so perfect for a game of spot the difference!

Bye for now! C x