2015 in summation, adventures, makings, illumastrations. PART ONE

 Is it 2016 already? 

It seems like only a year ago that I was making that joke about it seeming like only a year since 2013. 

Last year my round up of the last year before that last year went really well, in the blogstats sense, I just went back to reread it and I spotted TWO typos, which I have now corrected, if you want more roundupness after reading this, why not go and read it and see if you can spot the typos I removed. I also added a panda to one of the pictures. I didn't actually do that. 

And if you thought last last year was a busy one, WELL, 2015 was even more busytimes. Or maybe it always feels like that. Like how you are meant to forget the pain of childbirth. No childbirth on the horizon for me btw, although a lot of my nicest and similar agest to meist friends have been taking the parenthood plunge recently. Prompting a range of babywear from yours truly, about more which later. 

In fact I have done so much stuff that I am going to have to release this blog post in several parts. To avoid giving you thumb swipey strain or losing attention syndrome. You know like when you click on a video then you realise it is longer than 3 minutes, so you panic and planbandon and watch five 2 minute videos instead. On the toilet. That's embarrassing. So we don't want that. 

Anyway there have been too many words without a picture already, so here's a picture

This was the only new Christmas card design I made this year,it was made especially for the alternative Christmas fair run by London Below. 

But that's way too recent. Let's cast our brains back into the seas of yesteryear, and January 2015

I don't remember much happening in January actually, I had given up both alcohol and caffeine at the time, so that might be why.

I did do this picture of the wonderful Jennifer King in January. But other that that I was beavering away at the new website and filing my tax return. I have to do that again soon. Yay. 

In February I officially launched my newly revamped illustration website. 

I had streamlined my portfolio into 6 simple sections: Illustration, Drawn Words, Collage Design, Birds, Fashion and Real TV Wisdom 

As an illustrator I've always battled with my creative's desire to do a million different things. What one is supposed to do is streamline one's practice into a cohesive brand that enables clients to see what it is they are getting. And this website is my style streamlined, I worked hard to make sure it all looked consistent and colourful, putting forward the brand of Jenny Robins. And then of course this year, while those featured sections have certainly FEATURED in my practice, I've really made more money doing comics and murals and portraits than any of them. HO HUM.

To celebrate the launch of the new website I did a competition for two people to get a free portion of my time to draw whatever they wanted. The winners drawings are below, as I realised I never blogged them proper. 

Karen Kelleher requested a Granny (who is an international spy) skateboarding with her pet Jack Russells, Charlie and Benny down a London high street. (she has some other specifications too).

Smithy wanted a manga style portrait of his dog.

Your wish was my command, contest winners.

Also in February I did a comic in favour of Marriage Equality, here it is all over again. 

Awwwwww, monogamy eh? Technically this was for the Irish vote, which came out in favour of marriage equality (woo), although I guess you could use it in any pro same-sex marriage context. Although I did Google common Irish names for the gravestone. But big up for Switzerland and Denmark this year guys, and fingers crossed for Australia! I mean, I just looked that up on Wikipedia. so hopefully that's the right countries to big up. Feel free to update me. 

Also in February I had a tube strike adventure. 

It's always best to see these things as adventures I think.

Speaking of adventures, since Alex and I were trying to buy a flat all year we decided we weren't allowed to go on any mini breaks or foreign escapades because money. Being gazumped is expensive. But to make up for this we made an effort to go on London adventures instead and walk places and see things. So we did some of that in February. There are so many good things to do for free in London, some for researching and planning and booking, and also lots for serendipitously happening upon if you just go for a walk around and see what you encounter (It's best to leave space for both plans and serendipity I think, and for the two to combine. In art too). 

Like for example we discovered you can go to the fish shop on Great Portland Street. Which has as many fish as the Sealife Centre (may not be true) and costs nothing to visit. Fish are pretty.

Or this tree that has mysteriously grown up through a star-burst arrangement of gravestones, right round the corner from King's Cross Station. I like how it is called the Hardy Tree, because maybe Thomas Hardy had something to do with it, although maybe he didn't. History eh? 

In March I ran a workshop for some 'disadvantaged' children with St Helen's School as part of the Shine Trust's programme in Middlesex. We built a city out of cardboard and paint

Also in March I turned 30 years old. It's like a milestone or something.

I went to God's own Junkyard with my bestest childhood friends Ellie and Frances. That is where they keep the neon. It is the best place. Another example of a brilliant free thing to do in London, although when I go there I usually do buy an overpriced teacake. 

Ellie also launched a new website in March this year. She has a hand drawn text section too. 

Awesome Stuff like this:

Then on the Birthday Sunday I got some more of my peeps together for all you can eat Dim Sum. 

I look well popular here right? But also Dim Sum is delicious. So maybe they all just came for that. 

At one point I emerged from a tower of dumpling steamers like a stripper from a cake.  

In February and March I drew these two awesome artist Jos. As in the multiple of Jo. More than one Jo. Plurals of small words look funny to me. 

Jo Cheung on the left and Jo Lawes on the right.

After my birthday I got heavily into Zentangling. Which is to say, I saw some zentangle stuff on Pinterest, didn't read about it at all and just started drawing patterns. So it turns out I wasn't really zentangling 'properly' which you are supposed to do by only using black ink and 3.5inch squares of card. And you are not supposed to plan anything. 

I didn't do any of that. But I like the word zentangling, and the idea of meditative non figurative drawing with lots of fiddly detail. 

I don't like the idea that drawings have to follow rules. 

Except when I am teaching you in which case you should do what I say obviously.

Mostly I will tell you to break the rules. Although sometimes you have to learn the rules first in order to break them. 

Anyway I drew a lot of patterns. This turned into a thing with clouds and roller-coasters. I am not entirely sure why. (plans and serendipity, control and chaos, intention and inspiration etc.).

Which ended up being the back cover for, and inspiring the front cover of the new zine I brought out in April - What Birds are Really Thinking 2! I blogged about it here.

Some other things I did in 2014 spilled over and emerged into April 2015 as I found out that I had won a place on the second stage of the Europe Fast Forward Comic competition; the booklet and CD sleeve I designed for The New Tabloids also came out then and the found text comic I had in  Meanwhile... was reviewed on the Forbidden Planet blog. 

I wrote about all these things at the time here.

In April we also went to a lovely wedding in Cambridge, I was still off Alcohol. 

My friends weren't.

 Pro selfie by Helen Clarke. 

And I went to Brighton with Frances. Also sober in this picture.

Looking at these photos reminds me that it was REALLY cold that day, and then a week later we were barbecuing in the outdoors in dresses. Thank goodness the weather has been more seasonal this winter. (note to people not reading this in a time near to when it was published: no it hasn't.)

I drew this disgruntled pink elephant.

And made some minimalist valentines cards.  

This is all I am going to write for section one of the 2015 summation because it is quite a lot already. 

Coming soon: part two, in which feature things in the month of May and beyond. Awards, symposiums, sketches, exercise and more. 

In praise of felt tips

Felt tips can get a bad press, Mostly because if you use them badly, they look, well, really bad.

But if you use oil paints badly....  yeah they look really bad too. und so weiter. 

I don't know if the quote is a bad workman or a poor workman who famously blames his tools, a poor workman at least has more reason to own low quality tools I suppose. 

And I could easily go on a sadly un-sponsored (but welcome to offers!) praise singing bent about the virtues of Promarkers, or Sharpies, or Kuretake Brushables. Or reminisce about this really amazing set of felt tips I bought in a french supermarket in my late teens (Ultra-lavable) which just bled perfectly on cartridge paper and blended so nicely. But I think that's only half the battle. 

In fact sometimes rubbish felt pens can be even more satisfying, getting that scratchy half tone with a perfectly uniform colour? yum. 

I've been using felt pens, and yes, specifically but not exclusively Promarkers and Sharpies, in a lot of my live drawing work recently, because they are quick and colourful. And for the tonal work (the shadows) too - yes for realsies, in fact I often like to start with the tones, and add details after (because even with posh pens, dark colours can sometimes bleed into lighter colours if you go over the top, and because as well, it makes people go oooooh). As can be seen in these pictures herenow.

I just drew the brilliant Jen Conroy in this very style and thought to cunningly scan the process in three simple stages, so that you toooo, can ooooh. If you like. 

Negative Space first!

Tones!

 

Detail, and some whimsical pattern.

Here are some portraits I did a few weeks ago at the Jumble and Pearls Christmas Fair.

 

In the summer, I used felt pens for a few other more exciting live drawing instances, which I did not get around to blogging about at the time, due to excess of thesis.

In September I went to an OffLife quick draw event at The House of Illustration, a newish graphic arts gallery in that newly developed nice fountany bit at granary square across the canal from London St Pancras. Which I like to call London St Pancreas and pretend I'm a tourist.

We were given a theme to illustrate every 15 minutes, so we literally did have to draw quickly and think quickly too. I sat with the always excellent value Gareth Hopkins aka GrthInk, he did a blog of the event (in a much more timely fashion) here.

I like having to think on my feet, or perhaps with my fingers in this case, and I had a great night, although not all of the drawings I did are ones I'd necessarily want to show you. One I'm holding back because I want to do a properly worked up version for my portfolio when I get time. I left the original drawings taped to the wall, so apologies for the phone photo pictures

The first topic was 'How I'd get my five minutes of fame', I started straight in by drawing a newscaster standing in front of a TV frame, hopeful that by the time I'd drawn this I would have come up with a good idea. I didn't really come up with a good idea, but I'm happy with the image because of this early attention to framing and composition innit?

Here's my drawing for the brief brief 'What I'd do if I had only one day to live'

I've always wanted to become an epic street artist and commit nefarious acts of beauty, but I've never had the balls. This is also one of the many answers to the question what would i do if I had Bernard's Watch. But that's another story.

I really do not know what was happening in my brain when I drew this in response to 'What's really down the back of the sofa'

Off Life actually run an online Quick Draw every Thursday, if you're interested in getting involved with some speedy illustration.

Now on to the final felt tip adventure I want to chronicle. Way back in May I pitched a live art idea to an events manager I've worked with a few times doing live portraits with Cult Events, what I ended up doing was not exactly what I pitched (I'm keeping that one under wraps still, I'm going to make it happen sooner or later) but was possibly the most fun I've had with felt tips.

Over the course of an evening at Dive Bar beneath Hoxton Seven titled Peep Show, I filled two enormous boards with live sketches of the performers of the evening, amassing together to make one large record of the event. 

Did I mention that a large number of these performers were burlesque and drag artists? 

Similar to my cowardice in not so far becoming an internationally renowned street artist, is my persistent lack of dressing up in feathers and face paint and shaking my thing. The spirit is willing but the flesh is lazy. I adore anything OTT and sparkly and tongue in cheek, but realistically, I'm not going to be the one on stage singing about my sexploits. That would be inappropriate. 

Because I am a teacher. 

And afraid. 

But I can DRAW them. 

This is what I drew that night.

I started with the mirror ball, and added atmospheric light splashes with the square end of my Promarkers.

Of especial note was the mesmerising musical performance of Kristal Sisodia,
I almost captured her elegance.

Also in evidence were several members of The Family Fierce, some of whom you may have seen on Drag Queens of London. 

Including but not limited to the enigmatic and effervescent Mx Ruby Wednesday (centre, Jokeresque makeup), the compère par excitement Rubyyy Jones (singing and pink opera gloves, bottom left) and I'm pretty sure (should probably have made notes) that the figure top left is the ineffable art queen Bourgeoisie.

I also enjoyed meeting Fairyprincessmermaidbarbie  although I didn't get to draw a detailed picture you can see her here in profile.

Have I convinced you that felt tips are brilliant yet? Or perhaps of your future career as a drag artist?

If not me, then why not someone else, here are some other awesome artists I like using felt tips. 

Holly Wales

Ellie Cryer

Lucile Prache

Philip Dennis

Maya Bee

Ahh the wonders of felt tippery. Next week: why I really like filing cabinets.

Not really. 

Maybe.

I mean. I do really like filing cabinets. I just might not blog about it.

it's the most wonderful time of the year again.

I went to the Solipsistic Pop launch party, cos I'm in it and all that. Few weeks ago. Nice night, drew Owl and Mouse on a postit. I always have postits about my person as a rule now. It's a thing. Anyway I gave it to them so you can't see it sorry.

I had to leave before the end cos it was a school night, I was well grumpy about this, although thinking about it, I'm pretty sure I mostly used to leave these things about 10 o'clock before I was a teacher as well.

This week sees the launch of the The memories project although I'm not sure if I'll make it to that one.

Check out this sweet commission I did for Ellie from Bristol (not the smelly one) inspired by my friendship alphabet, but with a food/kitchen vintagey theme,

here are some of the paintings a bit bigger for your eyes to see. I will probably be doing this as a prints series at some point - let me know if you are interested and I'll make sure your in the know you know.

here is a joyful pop triptych of Emma for the facebook project, slowly getting there. Facebook just recently made it so photos go backwards in time, instead of forward. What will they think of next eh? Jackanapes.

here is a consumer rage anecdote. Two days ago, I was seduced into GAP by their 30% off of everything sandwich board attack strategy. I tried on some stuff, apparently I am a size 8 in there now, which is not to say I am a size 8 anywhere else, just that Americans are fat. Anyway I enjoyed some purchases which I was looking forward to wearing about my person, but when I got up in the morning I discovered that they still had the security tags attached.

Instantly, I was consumed by consumer rage. I felt righteously wronged and wrongfully denied my new clothes experience of the day. Forced to go to school in clothes I had already owned. I'm over it now. When I went back in the girl on the till wordlessly removed them for me barely glancing at my receipt. I'm now not sure why I was so angry. It probably says something profound about our society. Or my state of mind. There was this interesting speech by Ben Hammersley that is not really relevant but you should go read it anyway.

OK yes.
stuff and things.

scroll to the bottom of entry for competition

Once again you may purchase my beautific text based christmas cards from last year, i have plenty left, they are in packs of 8 on etsy but feel free to make a specific order of quantity and type and i will quote you happy.


I wanted to write a big ranty blog about how i hate christmas gift recommendation emails but i can't really be bothered. They annoy me in magazines and stuff too although they are usually a bit better. It's just ugh, you know, no, if i had someone in my life who wanted a digital camera or a newly released dvd, or an insulated jacket for christmas, i'm sure i would already be aware. Or for that matter a £500 teapot. no.

wait did i say i was not going to rant?

anyway my point was more that i am a big believer in supporting small businesses and charities and creatives with your christmas spends. (not just like me i mean). Rather than getting something mass produced that looks kind of unique and quirky but actually isn't.

So here are a few of my suggestions for christmas gifts that i think you should buy for other people.
for friend who enjoys hot drinks and is not a raging bull; fetching mug, helps MAG disarm unexploded ordinances. and is red.
for friend who is or is not able to speak, you can get a speach bubble felt broach by Ellie Cryer.


For any friends that like science, or have a sense of humour get Martyn Warren's new book about weird fish.
For friends who enjoy to have pretty things in front of their eyes. or who may have a passing interest in beautiful garments and where they come from, i recomend Amelia's compendium of fashion illustration. Because i am in it. obviously. but also. because you should get it. because horay for fashion illustration. And there is a pre-order offer.
for all of your friends and aquaintances you should also get a copy of Tokyo Godfathers, the greatest christmas movie ever made. It is cheap. I GUARANTEEEEEE it will give you oodles of christmas cheer.

other products are available.

actually, you know what? i'm going to have a little competition.

please post your alternative or just generally awesome christmas gift ideas bellow for a chance to win a pack of my 8 beautiful illustrated christmas cards.

you can also be entered by tweeting a link to this blog and making your gift suggestion,
use #robinsgiftcomp so i can find your entry

you have until the end of Sunday 5th December midnight GMT