My Illustration Portfolio

I do believe it's time for somewhat of a re-invention of this blog.  With these crazy busy days with two at home and an active boy toddler being one of them, I have found little time for planning and executing arty projects.  I haven't wanted to force it for the sake of 'keeping up the blog' and know that things ebb and flow and no doubt in time we will be back again in that place. 

However, after some years of tinkering around with my illustration work in the 'margins' of my life, things are starting to come together, and its time for me to bring in centre stage.  So I have created a new 'gallery' at the side of this blog where I will be showcasing some of my illustration work as I compile my portfolio to submit to publishers of childrens books.  I'll also be writing some posts about how things are going and my working process.

I've been exploring some different approaches in my work and usually end up working in mixed media.  I make and dye my own paper sometimes, other times using found papers as well as fabric.  Recently I've been making use of some lino and rubber stamping in my work and think there is lots of scope to develop this further.

I'll stop talking now and show you some pictures, hope you enjoy them.

I also have a new page on Facebook which you can go 'like' at CathHughesArt.  In time I will figure out how to put one of those nice little buttons on this blog!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book of the Week: 'Last Night' by Hyewon Yum

I introduce to you my 'Book of the Week' slot, wherein I present a book to you on a weekly basis a children's book with which I am enthralled.  I'm not going to promise a particular day of the week... my available time slots are too erratic for that.  

This week I bring to you 'Last Night' by Hyewon Yum, a picture book for ages 3-6 without words.  I love books without words, see 'Wonder Bear' and 'The Zoo' in my kids booklist for other great books without words.

In 'Last Night', a little girl scowls at the vegetables on her plate, and is sent to her room by her mum.  There she takes consolation from her teddy bear and cuddles up to sleep with him, whereupon, he comes to life and takes the little girl out on an adventure into the woods, where she meets his friends (wolves, lions...) and spends the night dancing and having fun.  She falls asleep beside the bear, and wakes up back in her bed, her teddy bear once again just that.  She rushes downstairs to hug her mother.

I have come across other quite similar storylines to this in our regular library  visits, but the images in this book are so full of spirit and playfulness that they mark out this book as unique in my mind.  The illustrations are rendered in lino printing, which is one of my favourite mediums, but I am totally in awe of Hyewon Yum's techique.  I have only done quite simple lino prints, but these ones use many colours so I am assuming that she uses either a reduction technique, or multiple plates, or both.  I would love her to give me a lesson!  I also love the texture created on the images.  I am imagining that this is created by using a baren, which is a tool you can use for printing by hand.  This is inspiring as I just recently bought one, and it means you can print without a press, to which I don't currently have access.

 
 This book is so inspiring.  I'm just off to dust off my lino tools and pull open that baren (well actually I'm not sure Boo will tolerate that right now, but I promise I will... soon!)