Whose Shoes

Having designed a cover for a 1920s colouring book, as part of a creative bootcamp, earlier this year, I decided that I'd like to create the contents too.

Since May, I've been designing colouring pages for a graphic story colouring book. In it we follow the life and loves of socialite: Clarissa and Podge (her toy poodle), as well as touching on social occurrences of the time. The pages are influenced by styles and themes from the 1920s, but with a modern twist.

Above is a sample of one of the sketches, which go into designing a colouring page.

© Alison Day 

Alison Day Design 

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Story Launch

Today saw the launch of my Alison Day Designs !

In case you missed it, Sam & the Adventure is now available in softcover and hardcover versions. Along with picture magnets, there is also a colouring book, filled with all the characters and scenes in the story—see if you can find the extra one, not included in the story.

© Alison Day 

Alison Day Design 

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Tin Hue

Tin Hue by Alison Day

A little late today, but as they say: better late than never—a quick sketch of some of my art materials

#PaintingSeptember #Paintseptember

© Alison Day Designs

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Abandoned Soul

Abandoned Soul by Alison Day

An ownerless sneaker found yesterday afternoon on a street, near a hedge. It's owner must be hopping mad!

#PaintingSeptember, #Paintseptember

© Alison Day Designs

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Fruits of Desire

"Life was much easier when Apple & BlackBerry were just fruits!"

Illustration: ©Alison Day Designs

Bloom Society

Hollyhocks

'... The mother loved them years ago;
Beside the fence they used to grow,
And though the garden changed each year
And certain blooms would disappear
To give their places in the ground
To something new that mother found,
Some pretty bloom or rosebush rare—
The hollyhocks were always there.  ...'

- Edgar A Guest

Alcea, commonly known as hollyhocks, is a genus of about 60 species of flowering plants in the mallow family Malvaceae. They are native to Asia and Europe.

For prints (watermarkless!): Here 

Illustration: ©Alison Day Designs

Verse via: All Poetry

Stylish Suds

"What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul"- Yiddish proverb

This afternoon, a particularly blustery and grey Sunday, I took off on my Vespa and joined 15 other people curious to learn the art of soap making. Held at the Connect International office, by Stephanie Fermor from Toastie Studio, & Thomas Poortman

During the three hour workshop, we learnt the techniques necessary to create four different kinds of soap. Apart from using different shaped molds, we also 'flavoured' them from a selection of delicious scented oils, such as: chocolate, vanilla, orange, cappuccino, passion fruit and banana, to mention a few. 

The bars of soap could either be clear (like glass), or we could stir in water-based colourings along with curls of soap (created with the use of a cheese slice), brightly coloured plastic fish, or in the case of the exfoliating soap - oatmeal. For each soap we had to work quickly, because once the melted soap mixture left the bain marie, it immediately started to solidify. At the end of the workshop, our four different soap bar designs included: a clear bar with aforementioned brightly coloured plastic fish swimming around inside, a realistic looking ice lolly on wooden stick, a funky cup cake and a square oatmeal bar. And once the soap had finally cooled enough to be removed from their prospective molds, each was individually wrapped - perfectly packaged for Christmas presents.

Interested in making your own soap? Supplies can be ordered from: Soap Queen & You Wish. (Links courtesy of Stephanie)

For a peek at my creations made during the workshop...

© Alison Day

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Almost Alice

'I can't explain myself, I'm afraid, Sir, because I'm not myself you see.'
- Lewis Carroll

A few examples from the Almost Alice collection by digital artist,
Maggie Taylor. For the rest of the series look here 

More about the artist, take a look at her fabulous website, here.

London Fashion Week 2011 - Collection by Tata Naka

Illustration for Amelia's Magazine  plus article about the new collection by fashion designer Tata Naka, for London Fashion Week 2011.


© Alison Day Designs

The Shoe is Art - Wopke Grobben

A shoe has something sensual – 

you’re selling a piece of temptation

– Wopke Grobben

As old, if not older than the ark, shoes have been around in many forms throughout the ages, the oldest known pair of shoes being a pair of sandals and dating from 8000 to 7000 BC. With the rise of wealth in Europe in the Middle Ages, shoes left the realms of being made solely as a protection for the foot and became status symbols, often with over-exaggerated features. By 1800, a sew-on-sole had appeared and shoes consisted of a left and right foot, as opposed to “straights” where both shoes were identical.

Since the mid-20th Century, with modern day techniques, machinery and the added use of synthetic materials, most people nowadays possess at least one pair of shoes. Mass production, has led to the time honoured craft of the shoemaker, like so many things, becoming a dying art.

It is with this in mind, and a curiosity as to how a good quality pair of shoes are made that I decided to pay Wopke Grobben’s studio a visit. The shop, is one that I have passed many times, so it was a treat to finally set foot inside. Tools lined the walls, machines both antiquated (his favourite a German Pfaff) and modern, were waiting for action, whilst a portfolio of finished shoes lined the walls, each waiting for the appropriate wearer to come and claim them. As I entered, Wopke, sporting a Dali-esque mustache, greeted me and we sat down at the enormous central wooden worktable with steaming cups of tea.

I asked him what made him become a shoe designer. It seems that ten years ago, unable to find a particular style of pointed boots he decided to take matters into his own hands and learn how to make his own. There followed a period of study where he learnt not only the trade, but the business side too. A stint as a trainee with a court supplier meant that he learnt his trade literally from the basics up. This included the mundane sharpening of tools and sewing of paper patterns. This he says was an invaluable lesson, and has enabled him to produce a perfect end product.

To make a shoe, a ‘last’ (wooden shoe form) has to be made from a casting of the wearer’s feet. This is carved and shaped until it is a perfect blueprint and can be used time and time again. Combine this with details about the wearer and the success of the shoes is assured. ‘Shoes compliment the person’ says Wopke. He explains that everyone has their own tone colour and personal palette, which when combined with lifestyle details, and not forgetting the time honoured principle of the golden ratio, results in the creation of the perfect pair of shoes. This sounds like a magical formula reminiscent of a fairytale, ‘The Elves and the Shoemaker’ by The Grimm Brothers.

Wopke says he has no shortage of ideas of what to make, it’s a question of which he would like to make next! For inspiration, he looks to the era of Louis XV, the 1940’s, books and films. Colour he said, he has had to learn. Materials and leathers, he acquires from a supplier who brings him sample pieces from Italy. One by one the shoes and boots are brought to the table and shown to me to illustrate points of style and how the same shoe can look in different materials. Shoes where he has used the horns of a cow for the heels, a radical pair of red and black boots (perfect for a party), a shoe whose design consists of one continuous line and (my personal favourite), a beautiful pair of purple high-heeled court shoes with Marie Antoinette heels, where every gold-coloured tack is visible on the soles. The latter I held, and can only say that not only is the workmanship perfect, but these shoes have a real weight to them, unlike their commercially produced counterparts. 

With at least a hundred man hours in the making, it’s no wonder that you may pay a little more for these, but the advantage of handmade shoes is that they fit the foot perfectly, improve with age, last considerably longer and have been made for no one else but you!

Wopke’s Shoes, Boterdiep 44, Groningen

T: 050 318 8366

W: Wopkeshoes

Photos: Jan Kruize

Sources: The Shoe

© Alison Day
First published in the Connections magazine #31 Spring 2011

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Women of Clay - Hilda van Popta

Flying through the streets on my Vespa, destination Paddepoel, for my next artist interview in Northwest Groningen. I arrive outside an ex-office building from the 1970’s, which whilst waiting for new tenants and in the care of anti-squat company named AdHoc, it is filled with a number of small businesses. Number eight on the eighth floor are my directions, as I gingerly step into a rather antiquated and scary looking lift, which reluctantly shudders and shakes me up to the eighth floor.

Each level of the building is built around a central lift house, the rooms of which are large and spacious. Hilde van Popta, favourite colour pink, greets me; she loves bright colours, and has a smile to match. She shows me around the different rooms: one where she conducts regular workshops, (filled with partially finished female figures on tables and ledges), another that exhibits examples of her finished works, followed by a large room, which is the photographic studio of her sister, (a photographer and visagist). The rooms are filled with images and trinkets, masks, beads, clothes and scarves; a feast for the eyes, but what makes me smile is a bright pink, feather-covered Barbie-esque 1960’s telephone, pontifically placed on what must have been the reception desk in days gone by, and, it actually works!

Over a cup of coffee, I find out that Hilde is a trained nurse and presently still works in the health sector (in an administrative capacity). With no formal art training she dabbled in acrylic painting as a hobby, but it was a six month clay-modeling course that became the turning point, and her women in clay figures emerged. Her figures then developed further as although she found them interesting in shape they lacked something. Out came the acrylic paints, and she proceeded to paint them in bright colours to “pimp up the images” as well as decorating them with fabrics and other miscellaneous objects.

 

I ask her about her colour use, to which she says that she loves bright colours; the colours pink, red, black and white feature regularly in her work. Also, she uses acrylics because one knows what the outcome will be, unlike glazes, which are generally a surprise until they leave the kiln. However, she would be interested in experimenting with the latter in the future, as she believes that it is important to continue to develop oneself as an artist.

Subject-wise she chooses women, due to the fact that women in their diversity are a great source of inspiration, and also her clientele often recognize themselves in her work. There is no deep and meaningful message behind her figures, with a lot of them coming into existence quite intuitively, often making her laugh.

I ask her if finance was no object, whether there is an artistic project she would like to realize in the future. Quick as a flash she tells me of an old empty factory she drives past every day, by the side of the motorway. She would like to buy something similar, do it up, and convert it into an enormous artists’ market. With her as the owner, it would be a hive of artistic creation: with artists at work, little individual shops, workshops and music would pervade the air. 

If you would like to become the proud owner of one of Hilde’s ‘Women of Clay,’ why not take this opportunity and use the 10% discount voucher on this page? The offer runs from 01 January 2011–30 June 2011.

Alternatively, if you would like to take part in one of Hilde’s workshops you can contact her via: hilde@vrouwenvanklei.nl / 06-21955117

To view her work: Vrouwen van Klei

© Alison Day
First published in the Connections magazine #30 Winter 2011

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Annejoke Luiting & Mango Murals

For as long as can be remembered ancient civilizations have painted murals as a records of their existence, or as an enhancement to their living space. Today the mural is still popular as an artistic decoration in our interiors, in urban spaces to revive the greyness of modern architecture, and also in the anti establishment decoration of graffiti art.

My visit this time took me to Beijum, Groningen to the house of Annejoke Luiting. With a little mobile help and a lot of cycling around I finally found her house. The reason being that the numbering of the houses seemed to bear a striking resemblance to a thought process conceived by Dali, aimed to confuse and infuriate.

Upon entering Annejoke’s house I came into a hall the floor of which was decorated with a swirling mural. A staircase led up to the living area where another mural could be seen just before we entered of a decidedly Art Nouveau influence. The background, a warm orangey colour could be found to repeat itself throughout the decor of the apartment. The area was filled with the scent of aromatic oil, and three cats strolling around or sleeping in specially prepared baskets. Central to view was a large painting of a rose in warm shades of yellow. We sat down to coffee accompanied by a rather heavenly chocolate and Annejoke began to tell me about herself.

As a child Annejoke’s interests were with fashion, which led at the age of twenty-five to fashion school in Amsterdam. Here although she enjoyed the study it became apparent that she was not commercial enough for the fashion world. Confirmation of this was to be seen when she produced a painting for her end examination! After this she changed artistic direction and there was no stopping her, she had found her passion. Painting backdrops for a musical, mural commissions via friends and acquaintances as well as painting for her own pleasure began the build up of her portfolio.

Working part time as a telephonist/receptionist at Eelde Airport, Groningen brought in her first major commercial mural sponsored by Dutch Bird. Her assignment was to jazz up the rather boring departures hall and at the same time make it child friendly. This she managed to do not only by her use of colour and subject matter but also by the interactive nature of the mural, complete with drawers that can be pulled out of the wall. Since then she has had a lot of private commissions.

Her colour palette consists of warm oranges, reds, pinks and yellows and a major influence is the decorative style of Art Nouveau and the artists from that period. In particular including Gustav Klimt, J W Waterhouse and Lawerence Alma Tadema. The classical and marble renditions in the work of the latter intrigued her so much so that she has tried to reproduce the technique in her murals. Her use of shape is generally curvaceous and flowing, and the overall effect is graphic but painterly.

When asked about her philosophy on life Annejoke believes that there is a central “rode draad’, (red line) that we all follow. We are confronted by hardships, illness and problems to make us look at what we are doing, to accept change and thereby learn from it. This is also true of her personal paintings; she believes she still has a lot to learn about expressing herself in her work in order to more than scratch the surface of who she is.

More information about Annejoke and her work can be found here. 

© Alison Day

Alison Day Design

First published in the Connections magazine #11 Spring 2006