VILLAGE

Lots of developments since my last post - I've actually been on a freelance roll and am getting quite a bit of work in... so much so that I bit the bullet and had a chat with my managers at work; I think they're going to kindly let me lower my hours, eventually leading to me leaving the job near the end of this year. It was such a relief to say something, as well as being completely exciting and scary! Cue thinking, 'What the hell am I gonna do for money?!' - but after talking with family and friends and mulling/stressing about it for months, I just think I need to give freelance work the best chance I can, which just isn't possible while juggling with a forty-hour a week job.

I'll have quality time to work on my illustration/design stuff, so that will hopefully end up being what I do full time! Argh.

Speaking of illustration work I have lots of new bits up on my website and facebook at the moment; some fashion blog branding, an e-book cover and an illustrated map. I also got the lovely news today that my vintage Asos Marketplace shop application was successful - it might actually be really easy to get one... haha. But I'm still pleased as punch! I've been buying in stock over the past few months and weeks, and last week I had the 'test' photoshoot in my garden. I found two lovely models Cat & Issey through advertising online and they came down to have a few pics taken (shot by my friend Craig)

I'm SO pleased with the photos, I think the girls look amazing! They were so good in front of the camera (not like goofy me) and were exactly what I had in mind. So at the moment I'm planning for the next shoot and designing the shop logo - it's amazing to be working on something of my own :) I love customising clothes and styling, so this is a perfect excuse for me to do that way more!

Sneak peek!

HIGH

Currently on the train back from my illustration job meeting in Sheffield, it went so well! The clients are absolutely lovely and we were chatting for over two hours. I probably shouldn't go into too much detail but it's a long job (completion around April 2014) and is very unusual to say the least...

I'm really excited about it and it's amazing to have the full support of the clients, they kept saying 'It's nice to have a proper illustrator on this job' - And I was just thinking I wish I was a 'proper' illustrator... haha.

It's making me even more determined to leave my 'real' job and just go it alone :) This commission wouldn't even pay for my car each month, let alone rent - but it would be great to have a few regular jobs and maybe just a little part time job to make up the rest. I just need to make that leap I think - I've been umming and ahhing for months about what to do and every one of my friends seems to have a different opinion on it. I guess it can only be up to me!

Here are some quick snaps of Sheffield - I've never been before so it was nice to have a wander round after my meeting.

Documentary festival

 The Winter garden

 Water features near the station

ATOMS

Here is my latest completed commission, a two-sided flyer for the Magpies & I...

They took a little longer than I anticipated, but pretty pleased with the result - and the client likes them which is what matters most I guess!

I'm working on lots of other lovely stuff this week, so hoping to be able to post more work up here and update my site. I'm off to Sheffield on Saturday for the first meeting about my big job, looking forward to meeting the client as she seems lovely :)

Aside from work I had a lovely weekend and some friends cooked a roast today which was amazing, filled me right up! Also watched a bit of Family Fortunes on Challenge, everyone seemed to have a perm and wear pastel... Ha, the best (worst) answer was from a woman who said 'The lamps' when asked 'Name something people take from hotels as a souvenir'. Errr, yeah. 

ESCAPE

I have many thoughts of running away these past few weeks... to Iceland, Sweden, maybe Australia...?! I'm very bored of my office job and would very much like to not have to be somewhere at nine every morning.

Illustration work is actually going rather well at the moment (still not well enough to sack off my day job) but I have got my biggest/longest commission to date - I'll be working on illustrations for a book for occupational therapist workshops; it's a very unusual and cool brief, feel really lucky to have landed it! I may post up a few drawings as I go along, but it's not going to be released until next year.

 

The weather in Cambridge is lovely at the moment, I might go on a woodland adventure this weekend I think...

I do miss Iceland so badly.