Post Run

Day 11 #MarchMeetTheMaker is #PostRun 

As regular followers will know, it's very early days for me so I don't have a regular post run yet. 

However, I adore post and posting things to others and always have, which is part of the appeal of designing greetings cards. 

One of my favourite things is addressing envelopes- sadly many can't be photographed as they are private addresses. 

Here however is a card sent to a very lovely fine stationery shop & pen emporium that people can only benefit from knowing the address of! Have a look here... Bartrums Stationery and Fine Pens

Favourite Small Business

Day 10 | #MarchMeetTheMaker is #favouritesmallbusiness 

For me this is Alice Palace . I was sent one of Alice's cards in about 2008 by a friend. Since then I've read the blog, been a customer and enjoyed seeing how the business has grown and developed. 

Before Christmas when I decided to try and take the idea of developing my own illustration into a business I asked Alice Palace if I could come and help in their Christmas rush as work experience. 

Alice and Liz are just as lovely as they appear in the blog and were so welcoming, helpful and encouraging- I had a fab time. They also helped give me the confidence to give Alice Draws The Line a real go. (My visit features on their blog here...)

Do check them out- personalised gifts, greeting cards, illustration, prints, wedding stationery and more! ... Alice Palace Shop!

Here is a perfect example - a bag they made just for me! (it is full of my creative kit!)

Goals

Day 9 of #MarchMeetTheMaker looks at 'Goals'.

I've given myself a year 'to try'... to see if the dream of earning enough through illustration and hand lettering to supplement my part time job can become a reality. Otherwise the reality is finding another part time job...

How and why...

Day 7 of #MarchMeetTheMaker is 'How and Why?' 

I draw because I enjoy it. I also love to draw so that others enjoy it. Usually this is in the form of a birthday card - I like thinking about where it is going and what the receiver might like. I particularly like trying to do something that is particular to them. Sadly it isn't always possible or I don't leave myself enough time to do this. 

This is a recent card for a fabulous five year old who really knows his sea creatures. I had to look up Angler Fish to draw it - this is another element I like - finding out about things through drawing them.

More recently I've been working on a couple of commissions - more about that soon!

Another 'why' is that due to a reduction in hours in my day job I'm now looking at whether my love of drawing can become more than a hobby - there is only one way to find out!

Raw Materials

Day 6 already of #MarchMeetTheMaker and we are looking at Raw Materials.

Here is a picture of the table the other day when I was working on drawing buds. I had been collecting them from different species as I saw them and keeping them in water at home to draw. 

The initial drawings are done straight into the drawing a day book, as a study, drawn in pen and coloured with watercolour. I can then scan them and use them all together is designs using the computer. I'm also working on a couple of bigger pieces and am collecting seasonal studies to work into the final composition of these. 

Can't live without...

Day 5 of #MarchMeetTheMaker...

Can't live without - I think I'd be really lost without my Drawing A Day book now. I first did my Drawing A Day challenge in 2008. I filled two books during that year. I then had a 5 year break and in 2013 I started it again and have continued since. Last year I used 4 books - it was fun to experiment with different size and shape of book every few months. 

I try and take my sketchbook with me when I venture anywhere, with the aim of sketching whenever and wherever. If I don't manage to sketch when I'm out I like to try and collect something from wherever I am to draw with a cup of tea when I return. The challenge of drawing something there and then is one I'm trying to embrace and do more of.

Tools

Day 4 of #MarchMeetTheMaker... today it's tools...

These are my current favourites (although this changes!). I love the colours in this mix. 

A closer look...

1 - 0.38 Pen from Muji (lovely thin, even line)

2 - Water brush - this comes everywhere with me in my pencil case

3 - Paintbrushes, a lovely thin one and a slightly thicker one

4 - Small watercolours - these fit in a handbag easily. I've topped these up with tubes of watercolour. there is a pink where a paintbrush should sit, and black and purple share a square too.

5 - Black India Ink. Waterproof. (Dr Ph. Martin's)

6 - Water pot - this was in a seconds box in a pottery I visited on holiday once. Sadly the label has washed off it and I can't quite remember where I got it. I often take this with me if I'm going away. 

7 - My Grandmother's watercolours. These mainly stay at home, partly because they are quite big, but mainly because they are special to me. I'm not a fan of cleaning this, I like to think there may be a colour that she mixed still on the palette somewhere.

8 - Two dip pens - the wooden one and the green nib holder. 

9 - A mechanical bic pencil - nice and soft to draw with but nice and dark when I want it to be