Welcome to Timbalaya - keeping schtum

It's been a strange ole' time keeping my mouth shut! I'm pretty good at keeping secrets, but this was really difficult because it was so exciting to be a part of, and I just wanted to scream it out loud but managed not to, somehow.

So, back in my previous post 'When You Think No One Notices' I mention how I was found by a 'company'. I can now proudly say the company is called www.timbalaya.com. The person who started all of this and owe so much gratitude is the author of 'Timbalaya: The Wishing Tree', Georgina Parfitt. She saw my work in my studio and recommended me to the team. So Georgina, if you're reading this THANK YOU xx (and to the rest of the team x)

The test illustration I had to do for them was of 'Spangle Stargazer' in his Observatory (below). I really enjoyed the process and was extremely excited with the possibilties of where it could lead. Saying that I was nervous I would wreck my chances so I had to give myself a good talking to. I realised I wanted this 'gig' and would give it my all. Fortunately they liked it and I was taken on board. I took the risk of illustrating him from the outside, as if we are gazers too, looking upon him in his tower (looking at us, looking at him, looking at us etc. etc!)

SLXL'Spangle Stargazer' plays a huge part in the Timbalaya story which is explained more on their fabulous website www.timbalaya.com and I loved creating him.

XLLS​​

Here is the selection of Spangle character ideas I gave to

Nick Farmer (my main liason from the company). I secretly hoped they liked the first on the sheet as I'd really fallen in love with his face. I guess that's the main thing about creating a character, really believing in them. And I did. To me he was alive. Spangle's face is full of wonder and that's what i like about him. His hair is parted in the middle because of the amount of times he walks under his telescopes. He wears 'full-moon' glasses to peer through his telescopes and wears 'half-moon' glasses to read. His character is rich in characteristics which helped me find him on my page.

The whole process has been amazing; from being given an illustration to put my spin on it, to creating my wonderment in the world of Timbalaya.

The team are currently at the IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando marketing their idea and fingers crossed they'll get lots of interest. Watch this space peeps.

When you think no one notices....

Back at the beginning of June I received an email regarding my working on a project that 'might just interest me'.

Forward 3 months later and I'm working on said 'project' as it did very much interest me! I can't really say much yet as I had to sign a none disclosure form but what I can say is I'm thoroughly enjoying working with this team and it's been great to get to know them in a short space of time as they've already been working on this for a while. 'Hit the ground running' springs to mind, and that I did!

So, my title brings me on to explaining the situation around being asked to do this project; there was I sitting in my corner studio space, hidden away and oblivious to the goings on in the outside world....

MLXL​​

SLXL​​

Drawing and making has been my routine and people buy what I make or commission me, a nice little stroke to the soul ego, but usually I'm tucked away forming my next whimsical illustration.

When I received the email, I actually thought it was spam or some 'round-robin get as many artists interested' kinda message. But no, it was legit. Here's where the title of this blog comes in, the email said that a colleague of his had seen my work in the studio and told him about it.

This image in particular caught their eye...

 

SLXL​​

Unbeknownst to me, cogs were whirring and discussions being had, which to little ole' me who hides away in the studio is a BIG thing! I had to do a test illustration for them, which got the go ahead and I'm now working on a really lovely project with some great people. Don't get me wrong, it's hard work, I've had to speed up, change my style slightly, use brighter colours, get used to making changes here and there and most of all really understand what the client wants.

It's challenging, scary and fun all at the same time and I'm bloody lovin' it!

I guess the moral to my story and one I remind myself constantly of, is:

'Keep working, keep creating, keep drawing, keep painting; as someday someone will notice, even if it's only oneself'.

'On Reflection' finished illustration...

Finally it's finished, I've kind of been faffing around with different versions but this one is my favourite. We need the other person to navigate the 'relationship' boat with us, but sometimes they just aren't there. This image is about our journey, however scary, and how if we shine our own light we'll come through the other side. Prints available to buy at my Ebay shop

​SLXLM

Illustration steps for 'On Reflection'

A passage of time shown within my illustration. My previous post was the birth of the concept below. Working backwards you can see how I fill out the illustration. I'm a bugger going straight for the biggest thing (the tree) but I did make sure I created a draft piece first (bottom pic) to allow me to understand where I wanted light and shade. Because this piece is for me, I've allowed myself to make changes as I've gone along, I still am! I can be a bit changeable, but that's only when I'm working on a picture for myself, for others I like to get the idea pretty much finalised and if there's some changes they shouldn't be too big. I like using pencil, but this piece is A2 and I feel like throwing all my pencils out of the window! I'll post the finished piece soon :)

SLXLM​​ MLXLS​​ MLXLS​​ MLXLS​​

"Where do the ideas for your illustrations come from?"...'On Reflection'

I get asked quite a lot, especially at the studio, where my ideas come from. This question has lead me to take a look at where 'in me' they come from, because they have to come from somewhere, right?

Sometimes I get a flash of an image, like a subliminal message on a t.v screen that lasts only a mere second (these are little buggers to bring into concept), some images come from listening to music and at times I build an image from what is currently happening in my life or something I say which evokes strong images.

Recently I wrote the line "How can one person navigate a two person boat?" My thinking behind that is when it's necessary to navigate dark unchartered emotional waters, especially in relationships, there needs to be two people at the helm. A relationship is afterall a two way thing. It's hard to steer a two person boat on your own when the other person is needed for their understanding of what they know of those dark waters.

Anyway's, this little picture popped into my head. A very Nordic almost Viking boat, with one person very much on their own having to create their own light and understanding of those dark waters to be able to navigate to safety. It's early days yet but I think it'll be done in soft dark pencil and I'm extremely excited to have a new idea for a drawing/illustration.

 

 

The Big Heart Auction - Chestnut Tree

It's a real honour to work with a charity, even if it's in a small way, just knowing that small thing could help someone in their time of need in the future.

My recent donation of an illustration to the Big Heart Auction  has over £100 bid and that makes me so happy. They get some dosh and I get the ego stroke. WIN/WIN.

So many artists donated work to this cause, it makes me proud to be one. I am a #heartist :)