Tuesday, May 13, 2008

this woman's work

As you might imagine, it is a rather sophisticated and professional setup here at AJ head-quarters. Recently, I have relocated my studio - from the armchair to the kitchen table.

Also, recently, I have been rediscovering the work of a childhood hero of mine Ronald Searle. His work had such an effect on me when I was a kid. It was around that time I fell in love with illustration - the magic of illustration. I was thinking about all of that when I did the bottom of the two drawings.

Anyway, you know the drill; click on image to view.

34 comments:

Unknown said...

love these drawings! they are especially good clicked to enlarge. you have inspired me... i may give this a try :)

Ken Foster said...

Yes, I agree - great drawings. enlarged is best - enjoyed reading the text, but I have to ask - what's with the dead bugs!!?

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Cheers folks.
Ken, all will be revealed, soon!

Capt Elaine Magliacane said...

I think you've done a great job here... and the cat nose lines... well ... they are the cat's meow... love it.

wagonized said...

The juicy cat nose touch!!! Oh Andrea, this is one of the very many, many brilliant details about this illustration. I particularly am drawn to the shift of style in this one -- though it is unmistakably an AJ.

Margaret McCarthy Hunt said...

oh boy do i love this one...all that detail and journaling to make it even better...TERRIFIC job!

Ann said...

Delightful!

Sherry Pierce Thurner said...

Brilliant! (me sounding English)

Anthony said...

I love both these drawings. I agree, a different style for you, especially the top one. The descriptions are hysterical. My son was asking what I was laughing at. Can't wait to see what you do with the dead bugs!

E-J said...

Love the drawing, love the lettering, love the outlining ... Love it love it love it! And did I mention I love it?

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Thank you all, chaps.

I was undecided about posting these. The first drawing is defiantely a change in style. In fact, it was only half finished but I liked it like that. So, amazingly, I left it rather than cross-hatch it to buggery. That's why I had another go at drawing it - which turned into the second drawing.

Cheers y'all (that's me sounding American).

E-J said...

OK, I have stopped dribbling and jibbering and shall now attempt a slightly more articulate comment.

You are so skilled at integrating the written stuff into your drawings that, had you not posted the first drawing, it would have been impossible for me to visualise the scene without the annotations!

The first one's great, but when you're spoilt by having the second version to compare it to, it's rather like a vase with no flowers in it.

E-J said...

PS. I'm sure I have that same pencil case.

Karen Sandstrom said...

Gosh, I haven't been here in a while, Andrea, and these drawings are wonderful. I loved looking at every little thing on the labeled version of your desk. (And I clicked on the link back to the green armchair, too.) Wonderful work.

Pippa said...

WOW! I love them both. I always like drawings with your handwriting in them. You have such lovely handwriting and the things you write make me laugh. This going to become a flickr fave!

Jennifer Lawson said...

What it treat it was to visit your blog and see these wonderful drawings. The first one startled me and then I scrolled down and WOW! Just amazing!

dinahmow said...

Ah! The great Ronald Searle.
Trouble is, I can't draw like that!All his inspiration has flowed to you!

littlemithi said...

Can I just say "love" again? I'm at a loss for words ...

Teri said...

Gee, even a simple thing like a table is awesome after your pen gets through with it!!

Vero Navarro said...

You allways amaze me!!!

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Thank you all, peeps. Your support and encouragement is much appreciated. Really.

Mithi, don't let me stop you!

joseph's art and stuff said...

once again great work, I enjoy every visit to your site.

Sandy Maudlin said...

Better than any movie I could watch. Love your exploring and creating.

Gillian Mowbray said...

Absolutely amazing. I don't know how you do it but you keep your art so fresh and fun.
When are you going to start selling on Etsy?

Anonymous said...

Hello! I passed by a few days ago and spent a long time loking at your first table drawing. Then I read your words. Then I went to pick a pen and some paper and made a drawing. It was my first since I was a kid, maybe twenty years ago. Apart from being great, your drawings remind me of what used to inspire and make me happy when I was a kid. I'm very happy now! Thank you!
Delph

Anonymous said...

Oh, I love all the commentary. and somehow I can easily picture you right there, doing your work.

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Thank you all folks.

Wow, Delph, gosh I'm so touched by that. Really. I feel humbled. Hope youkeep on drawing, maybe even join us all?

Sandy, another really touching comment. Cheers.

Thanks everyone for all the encouragement. You really make my day. Cheers, peeps.

suzanne cabrera said...

Eeek...please tell me my drawing bug isn't among the dead ones! Does this mean I'll never get him back???

Ahhh! What will I do?

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Nope, Suzanne. It's not one of the dead ones. Those are the casualties along the way. Our drawing bugs are HARDCORE. I like to see mine as the Keith Richards of drawing bugs!

In fact it's probably like Keith Richards, Iggy Pop, Ozzy Osbourne and Shane McGowan on a night out, when all those drawing bugs get together.

Felicity Grace said...

Andrea this drawing is amazing! It inspired me to organise (yes indeed!) my pencils!

Unknown said...

Such great stuff! I really like your work. Simple, but so detailed. It seems like you really put yourself into it.

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Thank you both.

Felicity, that is amazing! I wish it would inspire me to get organzied. It still looks that much of a mess today.

Rob, thanks. I do feel like I throw myself into these drawings. I'm really pleased that you see that.

Cheers.

Jennifer Phillips said...

I just stumbled onto your blog and it is wonderful!
Where have I seen this image before? It has been published somewhere that I remember seeing it... a book perhaps???

andrea joseph's sketchblog said...

Thank you Jennifer. This drawing has featured in so many things now, I can't keep up with it myself. They did a feature on it on the Moo blog. Maybe there?

Thanks again.