an open sketchblog

Putting your work out there, in the big wild world (the internet), is a weird thing. A great thing, but it never fails to surprise too. Specifically what people respond to. And don't. You can be really really pleased with something you've created and it'll get a luke warm response and then there are things that you are in two minds about posting/aren't happy with/don't like and they get a huge response. It's amazing. It keeps you on your toes. It makes you realise you can never predict or presume. Apparently these are my 'best nine' from Instagram (@aheavysoul) of 2015. They wouldn't have been on my list but once you've put it out there it's not just your work anymore, it takes on a life of it's own. Thanks for all the Likes, comments, etc, here and on all of the other places I share my work. I appreciate them all. Even the ones for the crappy drawings!

Happy New Year to you all. I intend to fill January with posts, on my blog, to inspire people to draw. To kick start a creative New Year, if you like. Sure, I know that most of you don't need any inspiration to draw - you're as obsessed as I am - but somebody somewhere may just stumble across it and get inspired. Just as I did, around nine years ago, with someone else's blog*. So, you're all invited to my New Year's party (blog). Call by any time.

(*An Open Sketchbook. It was Suzanne Cabrera's An Open Sketchbook)

something old something new something borowed...

I've a few original artworks, in my Etsy shop, going cheap.

The drawing above is brand new. I did it while waiting in the car park, in a local village, Hayfield, here in Derbyshire. It's the village where the BBC production called, funnily enough, The Village is filmed. Throughout the filming Hayfield was transformed into a village from 1914. Which basically means that they hardly did anything to it. It really hasn't changed much in a hundred years. 

Below, is an oldie.

You can find them both, and some others, HERE.

one of the issues of working with marker pens

That is all.

Bugger.

just a little green

These are my Day Three sketches of the Post Three Sketches in Five Days challenge.

Today I chatted with Koosje Koene, one of the founder members of Sketchbook Skool, on Skype, and we caught up on all sorts of things that had been happening, for both of us, since I went to Amsterdam last year to film my classes for Sketchbook Skool with her. It was good to talk. You know when just chatting with another person who has the same interests and passions as yourself can give you a boost? It can be uplifting and, well, the conversation left me feeling all inspired. So, it felt fitting to post these three sketches, that I made whilst I was there, in Amsterdam with Koosje, today.

If you are unaware of Sketchbook Skool (is there anyone who hasn't heard about it yet?), well, it's this online school where all the tutors are sketchbook artists from around the world. An eclectic mix of tutors who are pretty much obsessed with creating sketchbooks. In fact, there's no pretty much about it, they're totally obsessed with creating sketchbooks. And, that includes me! Yes, I'm one of the tutors on the 'Seeing' course which starts on Friday. Still time to sign up. You can do that, and find out more, HERE.

i drew my friends shoe

Here's a couple of drawings that I made back in the day. When my eyes could see better.

The top one was made with a ballpoint pen and the bottom one with colour pencil.

I'm pretty proud of both of these actually.

There's a little collection of my shoe drawings (if you'd like to peruse) HERE.

penanarama

Here's a piece  made for one of my favourite sites; Cult Pens. I'm often asked to do link swaps or advertise or review products or sites but never do it. It's not my thing. I only ever mention a product or business if I feel passionate about them. And, Cult Pens I do. They, to me, are the best place to buy pens in the UK. Huge stock of millions of pens. Every pen you could need. Plus, the service is excellent. Pens delivered to your door the next day. Fab.

Anyway, the reason I did this drawing was for the banner of their newsletter and because I'm 'Artist of the Month'. So, there are drawings, an interview and, erm, photo HERE.

Plus, this original drawing is for sale HERE.

up the Gherkin

Recently I've been organising the scans of all of the drawings I've made over the past few years and put them into folders and onto memory sticks etc. It's amazing the things you find to do when you have no internet. I came across a  bunch of drawings that I did for a job a few years back. It was for the launch of a new Cross pen (yes, THAT Cross pens). It was a great job. I was approached by Cross to make a series of drawings and to attend their launch night, at the top of the Gherkin (yes, THAT Gherkin). I had to draw a series of iconic buildings and I drew them in the only way I knew how - back then - in the form of souvenirs.

I remember it was a real quick turn around job and that I went right down to the wire with the deadline. Hell, I was still drawing them on the train down to London! So, unfortunately I didn't get to scan all the drawings. I'm particularly annoyed that I didn't scan the New York Museum of Modern Art in a snow globe. Still, it was one of those gigs that was a joy to do (and, let's be honest, it's not often you get to say that). Plus I got to watch the sunset at the top of the Gherkin and to see all the lights go on over London town. 

i heard his whisper in the summer breeze

 Above is a brand new drawing. It's actually the second stage (step?) in another of my projects (no, don't roll your eyes) called Little Acorns. I made the first post, about this project, a couple of weeks back but didn't explain it then. I wanted it to start with a whisper. So perhaps I should explain now...

Do you remember the one red paper clip project from a few years back? It was the brainchild of a Canadian dude (note to self, Google him) and basically he started with a red paper clip and traded up and up until he eventually got himself a house. Well, don't worry, I'm not going for a house - unless anyone has a spare one knocking around, that is. Nope, I just really loved that idea and have always wanted to adapt it, so, I came up with my own idea.

 I began with this little drawing of this little acorn, above, and, I put it on Ebay, at a starting price of a penny. Then my aim was (is) to invest every penny I make into the next 'thing'. I assumed it would make a fiver, a tenner at the most, and I'd buy, maybe, a new pen or something. Now, a new pen probably doesn't sound that exciting but times are tough, and I haven't bought any new pens in at least a year. Which is okay, I have LOADS of pens that I can use (pencil cases full of ballpoints etc) but the pens that I use most, the building blocks of my drawings, the black and brown fine liners, had all run dry. And, I just know, that in this Little Acorn project the brown pen is going to feature strongly - as you can see from the new drawing.

Anyway, to cut a long story short (ish), my first Little Acorn drawing made a surprising £24 (plus p&p of 3.50)! So, I had made £27.50. And, this is how it was spent;

Postage £3.00
Envelope £0.40
Ebay fees £2.76

Leaving me with £21.34 to invest. I asked via my blog, and Twitter, for recommendations of brown water and light resistant pens and bought one of each of those recommendations.

Pens £21.28.

I cannot even tell you have good it felt to have that money to spend on gorgeous brown pens (and a couple of other bits). I now have all the pens I need for wherever this project will take me. I will do a brown pen review to tell you what exactly I bought and which I'd recommend in the near future.

But, in the meantime, the drawing at the top of this page, my new acorn drawing, is currently for sale HERE. I hope you'll join me on this journey. Where will it go? Now, that excites me.

Oh, and the Canadian dude is Kyle MacDonald.
Oh, oh, and obviously I used the pens to make this drawing. That was obvious right?!

have you got a pen?

 For those who have asked, over the course of last weekend, I do indeed sell greetings cards with my drawings on. Well, I personally don't but Moo.com do. And, there's 30% off until next Monday. With an offer like that I'm getting some myself!

They sell a range called 'have you got a pen?' which include these drawings amongst others. Here are the links; greetings cards, postcards and mini Moos.

And don't forget these limited edition Andrea Joseph bracelets are also available at Wristpix.

 

Excuse me for peddling my wares. But, I haven't done it for sometime. You'll forgive me, won't you? Cheers.

have you got a pen?

Some of you may know that I am a Moo designer, which basically means that you can purchase Moo cards, and other products, with my drawings on. I had been meaning to update the work I had on the Moo site for such a long time but for one reason or another that never happened. Until now.

Moo have recently been making some changes to their business and to the way they use the designer's work. So, this seemed like a great time for me to make some changes of my own, which resulted in this lovely set entitled 'Have You Got A Pen?'.

You can now have these three drawings, plus a number of others, printed on mini cards, postcards and greetings cards. I rather like the greetings cards myself.
See the new sets here;

Have You Got A Pen? mini cards

Have You Got A Pen? postcards

Have You Got A Pen? greetings cards

Cheers, my dears.

might take the car up to the hills

Well, guys, I seem to be passing these milestones at great speed at the moment. Here's another; 2000 followers of my little ol'sketchblog! Thanks to each and everyone of you. You make me very very happy.

I should have come up with a giveaway to mark this occasion. I will. Just give me a few days to come up with something.

For now, here's some little sketches I made while in Tideswell yesterday. I love this village for drawing (and eating). I love the houses. Each one is different from the next. Many are ancient. I went a little wrong with the composition of this so, as I said in the last post, the best way of dealing with that is to throw everything you've got at it. That way, nobody'll ever notice a slip up.

And, one more thing; can you spot the three cats chilling out around Tideswell? Click on the drawing to find them.