Jingle all the way...

It's almost time to hang up my pencils for the holidays and enjoy a few mince pies, whiskeys and other festive jollies. I believe Santa is bringing me 'How to train your dragon' on DVD. I haven't seen it yet (shame on me i know!) and I'm very much looking forward to watching it on Christmas day. But first i have to brave a journey up to Yorkshire. If Santa can make it all the way from Greenland, hey, I'm hoping i can make it to Yorkshire... we'll see.

I hope you all have a wonderful time with your nearest and dearest and have a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year. ♥ :o)




A 'Snappy Christmas', a personal card i did for friends and family.

No business like snow business.

Brrrr, it's snowy and cold out there but I'm all tucked up with my pencils and enjoying a large hot chocolate with marshmallows.

Above is this months illustration for the HMIR internal mag based on ice skating at Somerset House by the Thames in London. For anyone who might be interested in visiting the rink, head on over to the Somerset House website.

Christmas Greetings

If it's hard to choose your nearest and dearest a card because they insist on it having a ninja on the front, or maybe someone catching snow on their tongue... or birds wearing hats from Primarni, then look no further! I have lovingly scribbled up some cards for your posting pleasure.
You can purchase the designs in packs of 10, or if you have a favourite you can buy just that one. All cards are printed on silky card and inspected by one of Santa's special helpers.

Just click here to have a peek.

Ahhhh -CHOOOO!!

I thought i'd managed to avoid the cold that everyone seems to be coming down with, but nope. So i look a lot like the above at the moment. I've been tucked up in bed with sketchpad and pencils working on a few things for my portfolio.

I've eaten my weight in soup over the last few days, all orange in colour, so today's little scribble is inspired by that. This guy is eating bubblegum flavour soup instead.

Louis The ♥ Bird

Love Boat

I started this months ago, but not had time to finish it until today.

Grumpy Little Monsters

It's been a very busy month, only leaving the house 4 times (3 for emergency food and 1 to the dentist!). I am very pleased to have completed 4 educational children's books and a few other little projects. I also managed to scribble up a little Halloween greeting for friends and family.

Have a spooky dooky, Happy Halloween everyone! Have fun!

The Unfortunate Chef

A recent illustration for Take a Break magazine. Droopy leeks = bad day in the kitchen!

October Illustration.

This months illustration for the HMIR internal magazine. Last year we focused on Halloween and this year we thought we'd go for an October harvest.

Sock monkey!

Had to post a picture of this lovely sock monkey made for one of my friends by Kirsty Seidler. I love it!♥ Her name is Sally Sox ;o)

Sock monkey and photo both by Kirsty

Back to School

Here's a little illustration i did for this months issue of the HMIR internal magazine.

Augustus Octopus.

Augustus has gleaming white pearly tushy pegs (teeth) with no cavities. He brushes his teeth 8 times a day which may seem a little excessive but he likes each tentacle to take a turn. He loves doughnuts, playing retro arcade game 'Daley Thompson Decathlon' and spotting jet skiers with his binoculars.

He is also currently playing 'doorman' on my website and welcoming everyone in.

Mummy Fish, baby fish.

W is for Whale (and Whiskey)

Ive had a much needed weekend of fun inspiring things, including reptiles, large lanterns, giant cupcakes (and whiskey). It's helped give the imagination a little stir, and me draw a few images with baby books in mind (none of which are related to any of the things i saw at the weekend).

Great news for The Creative District.

I recently had the pleasure of working with Olly Sewell again and the team over at The Creative District. You can read more about the winning pitch and other great projects they're working on by clicking here.

Made with love...

I'm going to have to run out and get cake as soon as i post this. Check out this mountain of cup cakes made by Kirsty Seidler (who also makes the best sock monkeys - see my sock monkey page!). I'm not sure how she makes so many, my oven would surely explode. Kirsty makes cup cakes for all occasions and having tried and tested some of these, i can honestly say they are very very yummy. I'm now pleased to say that my little cakey bird is going to be the new 'beak' of Kirstys' cupcake empire! Where there is a cakey bird, there will be a yummy cake also!

Right, I'm off to find me some...

Busy Lisa

I've been so busy for the last month I've forgotten to update my poor blog. I can't really post anything that I'm working on until it's finished.

Above is something i've been working on inbetween jobs. It's not quite finished yet either, but here is a small section that i screengrabbed. :o)

Colour Test

This young little man hates eating fish with icecream, to be honest i don't blame him!
Week 2 of drawing the books and a couple of other things. Haven't left the house in 3 days! Downside of Freelancing sometimes when it gets busy but small price to pay for doing what you love. Treating myself to a walk out tomorrow though!

Busy week!

No new work to put up at the moment as it's all in progress. I'm really excited to be working on 4 children's educational publications and it's keeping me very busy. All great fun though!

More Odosketch Fun

Oodles of doodles on Odosketch

odosketch - lease

http://sketch.odopod.com/users/31674

There's a great website i often visit to doodle called Odosketch. 'Odosketch is a flash drawing application created by Odopod, a digital agency in San Francisco. Create sketches, watch sketches replay, or simply view recent and our favorite featured illustrations.'

There are some really talented artists using this site and although you can replay peoples work back and watch how the sketch is built up, i still don't quite know how they manage to get such control over their mark making. Maybe i shouldn't use my wacom tablet as a place mat...

The lovely people over at Odosketch featured my doodles this week and called me their 'artist to watch' which is really kind of them!

If you haven't seen the site, head on over to Odosketch, create an account and get sketching.
Happy doodling!

New Work

I've been busy the last few days working on new stuff for my portfolio. Bit different as i've lost the usual black outline around the character.

Silly Moo's

Congratulations to Debs and Ben on the opening of Silly Moo's mobile coffee! Last September i designed the cow logo for their business and on Friday the new van was delivered. I even got to have a go inside! I wish them every success and with the big Silly Moo on the side they're sure to stand out!

Cakey Bird

A lot of the time i scribble something in my pad that has nothing to do with anything. This little bird and cake was one of those nothings but i felt i had to colour him and he might come in handy for something... like a tote bag!

This caught my eye...

As i was heading home to draw crocs i saw these biscuits in M&S and the illustrations made me buy them. Such a sucker for packaging.

Snap!

I'm drawing a series of animals for a friends daughter, first up on the list is a crocodile. I've just roughly coloured him but I'll clean him up in illustrator when i colour him properly. I can imagine his little hands flapping at the sight of a string of sausages already.

A load of old Birthdays

If you turned another year older this week like a couple of friends and myself, Happy Birthday to you! Due to several celebrations and the weather being so lovely for a change, I spent some time away from my desk and had a good old much needed stretch. I've been trying to keep my camera with me (something i'm hopeless at) so if i see any inspirational things on my outings i can snap them. I've only spotted drunken people and birthday cake over the last week though.

A late night with Mr Humbugs

I've always been a night owl ever since christmas 1985 when my parents bought me a ZX Spectrum along with my very own colour TV to play it on in my room. 25 years later and i still haven't kicked the late night habit. But it's in the early hours that i produce most of the nonsense i do. From today's early morning scribblings this little man was created. Say Hello to Mr Humbugs...

Invitation illustration for the nation (well, not quite).

This week, i was honoured to create a little illustration for my friends marriage blessing party in summer. With the layout and type by the groom himself, i'm so pleased with how it's turned out and more importantly, that the bride and groom like it! Quite a new way of working for me as the figures aren't contained within a black line (also a much quicker way to work).

Lyrics and Type Exhibition

Lots of work to do this week, but i'm looking forward to getting out to see the Lyrics and Type Exhibition which has it's opening night on Thursday April the 8th at the East Gallery, Brick Lane, London. Some of my favourite scribblers are exhibiting including Stephane Tartelin. This coupled with a coffee and a bun (♥!!) will make my week!

The Electric Sausage plays out on my desk...

Chickie Doodle Doo says...

Oliver Jeffers Interview

Oliver Jeffers at the LCC

I had a great afternoon at the LCC last Friday when i attended 'Oliver Jeffers in conversation'.
Took me a while to navigate the Elephant and Castle walkway system, but after much back-tracking and walking around in circles, i made it with 20 mins to spare! It was a very inspiring talk and afterwards i managed to get a few things signed by the man himself.

Lisa went home very happy and had a beer.

A trip to the gallery

This was for a personal project for which i plan to do a few more images with no text, a small series of drawings telling the story of a young girl out with her Nana.

Dusting off the cobwebs.

Wow! Long time no blogging! Thought it about time that i gave some love to my neglected blog.
Since my last entry, I've become freelance, working from my beloved cluttered desk accompanied mostly by a mug of tea and a bowl of shredded wheat (and the odd biscuit).