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
Showing posts with label colourful. Show all posts
Showing posts with label colourful. Show all posts
Friday, 19 September 2014
Friday, 7 February 2014
Blue Train Mural
Below is a short (amateur) film of a hand-painted mural (1 x 1 metre), I created for the wall of a young boy's bedroom. When asked what he wanted, he said: a blue train, with ten carriages, filled with animals and him driving the engine.
Although the mural no longer exists, I’ve written and published the story to the mural accompanied by a series of illustrations, which will soon be self-published as a children's storybook.
Webshop
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Invisible Body
Recent artwork of Peruvian artist Cecilia Paredes’ has her disappearing into the backgrounds of her artwork like a chameleon to his habitat - not through magic but with paint. Via Design Taxi
Monday, 26 December 2011
Gingerbread from Hell
Looking for presents that will fit
into Santa's Christmas stocking, for Christmas Eve, can sometimes be a trial.
They must be not only be inexpensive, but of course the aim is to fill up as
much space as possible in the stocking, thereby reducing the remaining xmas
shopping trips necessary. The other ulterior motive here is that originality of
ideas aren't too taxing for the brain, as that stress level has already been
achieved, by the all important main present,
waiting beautifully wrapped under the Christmas tree.
Although my son is actually no longer a 'believer' in Santa, he
is still young enough, where, if he pulls the baby-eyed 'pleazzzz, can I have a
stocking?' I will still oblige (In a couple more years, I'll be able to
extricate myself from that obligation totally).
With this in mind, I was delighted by one stocking present I
came across, which happened to be a DIY Gingerbread House Kit, complete with,
yes you guessed it, gingerbread, icing and little kitsch and brightly-coloured
icing-sugar decorations, in the forms of a gingerbread man, a gift, a Christmas
tree, a festive wreath and coloured dots. Assembly seemed fairly straight
forward, 'Fun to Make' was emblazoned on the front, and the end result looked picturesque.
Christmas morning duly arrived as is its wont, and
the stocking was enthusiastically unpacked, wrapping paper tossed
aside on the floor, treasures revealed. Of course once opened the DIY
gingerbread house was top of the agenda, and, had to be made. What could I
say...'sure, go for it, don't expect me to join in, and let me finish my tea in
peace, please... '
In the first instance everything went
fine, the pieces of gingerbread and coloured sugar icing deco's were taken out
of their packaging and laid out carefully, in anticipation.
The minuscule text of the instructions on the back of the box was read, and the images viewed, whilst the packet of icing (for the glue and snow decor)
was softened in a bowl of hot water.
Simple procedure - no chance - the
aforementioned icing softened but instantly solidified again before ever reaching the
gingerbread pieces! This meant my tea and I parted company, as I was roped into
holding various walls and roof bits, whilst the sugary 'glue' supposedly set.
No joy. So, we decided to make our own (from icing sugar and water, what
else?). This was certainly a more appetizing mixture to look at, but would it stick... Hell
No! Was I covered in icing by the end? Yup.
As if the above trials and
tribulations weren't enough, downside no. 2 was taste. If asked to rate this
culinary ruin as to its edibility, I can say without a doubt that is the most disgusting 'gingerbread' I have ever tasted! Not only was it
rock hard but scented with what can only be described
as lavender toilet freshener. The icing sugar deco's were
the same too, equally inedible and tooth-breakers.
As a result, the demolition team was
called for, and, amid peals of laughter, the walls were well and truly
brought down, and the ruins relegated to the bin!
So, be warned, not every gingerbread house is going to end
up looking like the picture on the box it came in, and, as for
tasty, unless, you are a witch, or named Hansel or Gretel, there's no
guarantee there either!
Bombs Away!
The cosy version of graffiti, and sometimes referred to as 'Grandma Graffiti,' Yarn Bombing/Guerilla Crochet originated in 2005, in the USA and is said to have been the brain-child of Magda Sayeg, from Houston. Since then it has become a worldwide indie-art happening.
With a similar philosophy to graffiti, this art form includes the decoration of urban spaces, buildings and found objects, with a view to enhancing their cold, sterile and mundane appearance, but without the socio-political commentary.
Decoration is by using leftovers from previous knitting/crochet projects, or specially created pieces . The difference is that this artwork is not permanent, but for some reason is still classed, although often isn't prosecuted, under the same 'graffiti' law as a offence!
Fun Fact: Since June 2011, the first international Yarn Bombing Day, has been observed.
For more examples of Yarn Bombing/Guerrilla Crochet take a look: here.
Wednesday, 13 July 2011
What's Hot, What's Not! - KATJEE Art Market
Isn’t it funny that sometimes when you actively pay more attention to certain areas of your life, it’s as if they come alive upon request. If you’re lucky, possibilities can offer themselves like locusts, and seemingly unlock like magical doors from an Alice in Wonderlandrian world, as they creak temptingly ajar. From this initial glimpse, it is your choice of follow-up action; do I push it open further and see what lies on the other side, or do I turn on my heel and choose again?
It is with this in mind, when my mobile phone went off recently, and whilst weighing up the pros and cons of picking up yet another unknown number in the display, that my intuition told me to “pick it up.” As a rule, I find being totally accessible to all and sundry by mobile exasperating, and the ensuing lottery as to whether I will pick up or not, is generally based on whether I feel like ‘playing the game’ that day with the over-motivated, opinionated, sales person or purveyor of nonsense at the other end. In this instance, I’m glad I did, as it turned out to be from one of the organizers, Martin Dölle, of the KATJEE Kunstmarkt (Art Market) in Groningen, asking me if I would like to take part in one or all of the five Art Markets, which run from May – September every year.
After a very interesting conversation, blind panic replaced euphoria; I had nothing I wanted to sell, no clue of what was required, or how much to charge, and May was far too early for me! Once I had regained my composure, I decided that it would be a smart idea to go to the May market, to answer my questions, and with a view to taking part in the September market.
Sunday 8th May turned out to be a gorgeous day for the Art Market, and I probably would have appreciated it more if I hadn’t been out dancing into the small hours the night before. Little stalls were lined up in rows like soldiers under the protective shadow of the Aa-Kerk, sporting the creations of the artists: brightly coloured canvases, creative jewellery, black and white line drawings as well as the currently hip, fused glass jewellery. Artists sat on little stools behind their stalls, or mingled with potential clientele. Prices from what I saw were reasonable, and the work would make great any occasion presents.
If you would be interested in going to one of these markets, the next Markets will be: 12 June, 10 July, 7 August and 4 September. (A little tip…I will be at the September one, as Alison Day Designs!)
First published in the Connections magazine #32 Summer 2011
View all issues of Connections HERE (editor, designer, illustrator: 2006-2013)
Thursday, 9 June 2011
Central Saint Martins London - BA Fashion Graduate Show 2011
Central Saint Martins, London: BA Fashion Graduate Show 2011 Review - Menswear. First published in Amelia's Magazine June 2010.
Alison Day Designs
Monday, 7 March 2011
London Fashion Week - Lako Bukia
I enjoyed illustrating the clothes from the Lako Bukia show at London Fashion Week and for this experimenting with two different digital styles.
For the article on the show, written by Amelia Gregory - visit Amelia's Magazine
First published in Amelia's Magazine, March 2011
Saturday, 4 December 2010
Shoe Is Art
My
submission for Dune's 'Shoe is Art' competition. My participating piece
was one of my papiermaché creations, photographed hanging from the bark of a
particularly rugged tree in park near my flat. Let me know what you
think!
© Alison Day
Alison Day Design
Alison Day Design
Saturday, 13 November 2010
What's Hot, What's Not - Rainbows
Somewhere over the rainbow, way up high.
There's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby
There's a land that I heard of, once in a lullaby
Rainbows are an occurrence of optical beauty and a
meteorological masterpiece, caused when the sun shines on droplets of moisture
in the atmosphere. It is no wonder then, that this natural colourful phenomenon
creates pleasant and positive mental associations in all who view them.
Aside from the natural world, it was the English
physicist, Sir Isaac Newton, who developed the theory of colour, when he found
out that if white light was shone through a prism, its refraction produced the
colours of a rainbow, particularly those of the colour spectrum visible to the
human eye. Clever chap for sure and that discovery was but one string in his
masterful bow.
As far as mythology is concerned, the world over,
the rainbow is seen as connecting heaven and earth and in the Dreamtime of
Australian Aboriginal mythology, the rainbow snake is the deity who governs
water.
In the film of The Wizard of Oz (based on the tale
written in 1900 by L. Frank Baum), the rainbow becomes a central theme when
Judy Garland sings the unforgettable song ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’, during
which we are led along a road of fantasy and colour as the characters each
search for their heart’s desire and ultimately their destiny, ending at the
Wizard's castle.
Finally, if you look around you, these days rainbows
can be found on a multitude of things. Rainbow flags for example, have been
around for quite a while. Many cultures around the world use a rainbow flag as:
‘a sign of diversity, inclusiveness and of hope and of yearning.’ Rainbow flags
of past and present include South American (Inca origins), Buddhist,
Co-Operative and Peace movements as well as Gay Pride. In the case of the Gay community
(LGBT), it is also known as the ‘Freedom Flag.’ Established as a symbol by
artist Gilbert Baker in San Francisco in 1978, the different colours symbolize
the diversity present in the Gay community itself.
Source: Wikipedia
First published in
the Connections magazine #29 Autumn
2010
View all issues of Connections HERE (editor, designer, illustrator: 2006-2013)
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Lulu
Lulu - 9-Women
Womankind
are in themselves chameleons and this series touches on a few of the great
variety of different qualities present in womankind:
Beautiful ~ Empathetic
~Adaptable ~ Versatile ~ Crazy ~ Loving ~Diverse ~ Multi-taskers ~ Nurturers ~
Supportive ~Adventurous ~ Funny ~ Creative ~ Role Models ~ Formidable ~ Wild ~
Colourful ~ Stylish, to name but a few qualities.
I refer my
works to as papiermaché-mosaics, made from, yes you guessed it,
papiermaché and using re-cycled anything that seems appropriate to illustrate
the picture. In the 9-Women series and (now that I think about it), in other
works too, there are re-occurring objects used for decoration, for example
the shells, flowers and mirror.
View all 9-women
HERE
© Alison Day
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
The Sketchbook Project 2011
The Sketchbook Project Tour 2011
'Face in the Crowd' by Alison Day Designs
'Face in the Crowd' by Alison Day Designs
It’s like a concert tour… but with sketchbooks
Starting in Brooklyn NY in February 2011, 10,000 sketchbooks take to the
road and travel around the USA for a period of five months visiting a total
of 8 states, stopping at various galleries and museums for public viewing.
Alison Day Designs: www.alisondaydesign.com
I received my moleskin in May this year, with the idea that I fill it however I want according to a theme chosen from a long list thought up by Art House Co-op - 'Face in the Crowd' appealed. Now in September I'm pretty much finished, just last minute touches and I want to scan it in for my records.
Shortly, I will be sending off my completed moleskin to New York, USA to join the throng of other sketchbooks for the 2011 tour around the United States. The books can be seen and borrowed (like a library book) in various pre-selected galleries and museums before finally ending up in the Brooklyn Art Library for posterity.
UPDATE: July 24, 2012
The finished sketchbook 'Face in the
crowd,' can also be seen here: Behance account.
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© Alison Day 2011
Alison Day Design
Alison Day Design
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