Saturday 24 June 2017

Dreaming Spires




I've been wanting to create an illustrative map of my hometown, Oxford, for quite a while now. After a little research I came across plenty of interesting things to draw. With a total of 38 colleges on offer (13 appear on my selected slice of Oxford's city centre), Oxford is filled with an varied richness of: restaurants, shops and enough pubs for a jolly good pub crawl.



That was a few months ago and then other projects took precedence and I lost my momentum. Fast forward to two weeks ago and what should come across my path, but a map making course given by Nate Padavick (They Draw and Travel) on Sketchbook Skool. Perfect, it was a no brainer. A week long course, with the potential of a completed map (for me, of Oxford) at the end of it. So, I dove in (add to a the other three courses I'm was already doing—I'll never learn!)
The course was inspiring and the instruction from concept to finished map, clear and easy to follow. I've uploaded my map to TDAT's website, with a feeling of achievement. If you'd like to see the whole map, you can here

You may also be interested to hear, as an artist, and in the light of environmental challenges, I'm currently writing a creative E-Course. Due to appear later in the year or early 2018.
In it, the problem is addressed through hands on creativity, along with sources, resources and an informed environmental awareness.
It's an E-Course for adults wishing to take time for themselves creatively as well as meet others of a like mind. Regardless of artistic experience or creative level—so that includes you!
If you'd like to be kept up to date on my E-Course as it progresses, or have always wanted to take part in a creative class, with an environmental flavour, please, sign up for my newsletter to be kept up to date on my progress: here
The newsletter is a digital feast that will arrive in your inbox monthly, it also includes my most current illustrative work.

Thank you for reading.

Friday 16 June 2017

Ocean's Bane



Is it me, or has the ocean of plastic we use in our daily lives increased exponentially over the last few years?

A regular shop at the supermarket and the scenario when I get home is always the same. Remove the plastic wrapping or container and throw it away. What could I do with it anyway? Even stranger and I am ashamed to say, some of the aforementioned items, before being put into the refrigerator, are then transferred into a box from the plastic box drawer—yes, we all have one!

Above are some examples of plastic wrapping from food stuffs I bought recently. It's hard to find anything in a supermarket without a plastic covering these days. Even a cucumber has a plastic wrapping—can someone tell me what that's all about?

Eventually, the empty packets, yes you guessed it, get thrown away in black plastic bags and buried in dumps for all eternity. Or their contents find their way out into the oceans, to float around like macabre algae, until they end up inside and killing marine life and birds.
Did you know most plastics will take anywhere from 450 to 1000 years to biodegrade? There are even some that won't biodegrade ever
—so, what are we thinking?





Mild attempts to reduce the plastic bag flow are made by some supermarkets, with a money back incentive, to encourage you to reuse the bag on your next visit. Methinks this is merely lip service and a ploy to make you revisit their shop.

As remarkable as I think human achievements are and continue to be, when it comes to destroying the planet we seem to be experts in it and turn a blind eye to its ever increasing plight.

So, from now on, I've decided to change my shopping habits. I'm going to use the little shops and markets more often and go in search of food that isn't wrapped in plastic—who's with me?

You may also be interested to hear, as an artist, and in the light of environmental challenges, I'm currently writing a creative E-Course. Due to appear later in the year or early 2018. In it, the problem is addressed through hands on creativity, along with sources, resources and an informed environmental awareness.

It's an E-Course for adults wishing to take time for themselves creatively as well as meet others of a like mind. Regardless of artistic experience or creative level—so that includes you!

If you'd like to be kept up to date on my E-Course as it progresses, or have always wanted to take part in a creative class, with an environmental flavour, please, sign up for my newsletter to be kept up to date on my progress: here

The newsletter is a digital feast that will arrive in your inbox monthly, it also includes my most current illustrative work.


Thank you for reading!

Thursday 25 May 2017

Jardin d'Amour


The love of Gardening is a seed that once sown never dies - Gertrude Jekyll


Roses journal cover and quote by Gertrude Jekyll: garden designer, artist and writer.

See my new work by subscribing to my monthly newsletter: HERE
For more illustrations: Instagram



Sunday 7 May 2017

Wednesday 26 April 2017

Art of Courage


Life takes Courage by Alison Day



© Alison Day 2018