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. 

while I do spend sleepless nights regretting how little I managed to cash in on the put a bird on it trend,

(it is now, apparently too late. I still like birds tho. I liked them before it was cool)

I feel secure in my appropriate and even philanthropic handling of put a moustache on itness.

mostly I put moustaches on people. for Gallery of Mo on the internet and at 2 awesome gala parties. Live portraits are one of my all time favourite things to do, I really should investigate how you get a license to do this on the streets for tourists. Although I might have some anger management issues if anyone asks me to do a caricature. 

here are some photos, all taken by Gallery of Mo photographers, of some of my favourite moustache portraits done at the second of these parties. There was a lot of tweed and cowboy in evidence.

here's me drawing

and here's the drawing

here's the beautiful Jenmon and partner

this was my favourite drawing I did on the night

subtle skills of moustache representation were required

and not so subtle 

to my right here you can see the amazing Cliodhna Ztoical of Irish Comic Superstar fame, she was FAST

      but not as fast on the draw as I'm sure these three amigos were, after that quantity of charity beer

After many hours meeting and drawing moustachioed gentlemen, and adding moustaches for the (mostly) unmoustached ladies, I began to see moustaches everywhere and was confused by the hairless lips I saw in the street on my way home.

I feel so proud to have been a part of such a great project, (I already wrote about it some here) bringing together art, charity and comedy in such a great way and contributing to the raising of now over £11k! 

You still have a little time to get yourself a movember portrait from an array of awesome artists over on the Gallery of Mo website too.

So now all I need to do is actually cash in on the trend in a, you know, less selfless way

sketchbook special summer 2011.

It is 2011 right? yes. good.

so here are some sketches I only just got round to scanning.

sketch of goings on at Paint it Make it

only sketch completed (well, started) at the beautiful Mattlivia's wedding before I became too drunken to doodle. I was a guest not there in a professional capacity, otherwise that would have been very unprofessional obviously.

Sketches from my trip to Dalyan, Turkey

After I wrote that I realised it sounds weird and American, like how they say Paris, France so you know they don't mean Paris, Texas.

I wonder if I could get married in Paris, Texas, just to confuse people.

London skyline as seen from the 'Heath

Sketch I did at the cleanup after the London Riots - it was a strange day.

I make no political statement.

Here you can see Sainsbury employees giving out free donuts to the enbroomed masses waiting for the police to clear the scene.

Jane Ellison at the Clapham cleanup talking into a megaphone at a camera man, hoards not pictured.

so this is my plan:

Jenny Robins - Live Weddings and Events artist.

this is my flagship image - painting of Michael and Lucy outside St Paul's Cathedral.

I really really love drawing from life and doing portraits from photos. Both of these things are joy, and I'm good at them.

So today I revamped my website a bit to include pages on events drawing and portraits. (go check it out, I rejigged the fashion section too to include some of the last crop of LFW drawings).

On offer is live watercolour portraits similar to those done at the ACOFI launch, also a sort of reportage service where I can record your event for posterity in a unique and exciting way, pre or post event paintings from photographs are also on offer separately or as part of an events package.

The next part is me contacting wedding magazines, event companies, venues and such. If you know anyone who is getting married, or throwing a ball, or who might like a portrait commission, please do mention me, I'll be looking to do a couple of bargain basement events gigs to start off with to boost my portfolio.

I think if I can make this work it's going to be super acecakes and awesome. Horay!

Here to whet your appetite is some Royal Wedding sketches I did off of the BBC coverage (some coloured versions featured on Amelia's Magazine here and here), and a painting of Will and Kate from their engagement. There is also a version with laser eyes. You can see that here.

fyi I did not go to a street party. But I did eat a lot of sushi that day.

illustration of Vessels, for Amelia's - don't think it's posted yet, it has shiny collage and ink. yum.

I want to talk a bit about some cool stuff.

one of the good things about the PGCE (the bad things include it being super exhausting and confusing - but there's more good than bad) is that it's making me expose myself to a load more art than usual. This should continue when I'm teaching which is super cool.

Most of the big galleries have special private views for teachers where you can see paying exhibitions for free, yes please.

Also, I'm like, burrowing into the internets looking for hot examples of tonal graduation or reductive lino or aztec patterns or whatever that I can show to the kids and be like, check out this awesome use of tonal graduation. do that. I am happy that I know about awesome art blogs like brown paper bag, Ballad Of featured, Illustration Rally, to name but a few.

I've seen awesome new inspirationstuff like Liesl Pfeffer's awesome photo collages
Lulu Allison's slightly creepy but beautiful papercuts
Anna See's lovely bird lino prints (i loves the birds you know)

I also went to the National Gallery yesterday on an inset thing, and fell in love with Van Gogh's Two Crabs. Little bit more famous. Check out those colours and tonal definitions tho. hot.


While I was there I saw the temporary free instalation of Clive Head's London paintings - if you like London I thoroughly recomend it. super awesome. Makes the point properly that painting wins over photography really, and that London is awesome also.

the lovely and talented Stacie Swift tagged me in this "meme" a while ago.

so now i have time to procrastinate a little. i will do it. They are mostly un-answerable questions for me, so i have given several answers.

Sorry is long. I have put in some videos to keep you engaged. but not over-stimulated. (that's a teaching joke)

1. What is your earliest memory?

I don't know obviously. I remember having a huge fire guard like a child cage and playing in that in the house i lived in till i was about 6. I remember going to a nursery with a giant teddy bear and a cool climbing frame and crying and crying because i wasn't the centre of attention. I remember singing I should be so lucky, without knowing what it was, at Jill's house the night my sister was born. probably.



2. What is your favourite meal to eat and also to cook?

I love eating out, but I am a disaster at ordering food in restaurants, it stresses me out and i get food envy. So my favourite meal to eat is one where i am amazed that i have actually managed to order something I really like. Certain tuna steaks spring to mind. And malasian food. And almost anything with chocolate. Or something cooked for me by someone I love.

My favourite food to cook is food for friends and family and sharing new things i have discovered with them. Or experimenting with mushrooms when Alex is out.

Sometimes when i am cooking I like to pretend I am Matt Prston off of Masterchef Australia.



3. Where is your favourite place in the world?

In bed, when i know i don't have to get up yet.
Brighton's North Laines on Christmas Eve.
Luang Probang walking in the market in the evening, enjoying a Watermellon Shake.
London, generally.
In a cinema, watching a film.

4. Who do you admire and why?

People who go through shit, and come out the other side smiling, not because they are strong, but because they are positive. And kind people. And people who are able to see the big picture and the small picture at the same time. People who make Art that is wise, and true, and pretty.

Dave McKean, Stephin Merritt, Josie Long, Los Bros Hernandez




5. What inspires you?

Walking around London, nice boots and nice bicycles, birds - allways.

6. Where would you take a visitor to your home town? Any hidden gems?

In Henfield, my actual home town, I would take them on a nice country walk, to a jumble sale, to a pub, or 10. That would be all of them.
In London, where I live, right now I would take them to the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Show, probably take them for some Ping Pong, go to St James' Park to see the birds, walk around a bit, see some cool buildings. I would show them Exchange Square on the way to Shoreditch.

7. What do you want to be when you grow up?


Liz Lemon.

Or a bintarung.

And so to carry on the meme here are my questions:

1.Who was your favourite toy when you were little, and are you still in touch?
2.Who is your favourite celebrity chef? and why?
3.How old do you really feel, on the inside?
4.What celebrity do you find really unnatractive, other than Sarah Jessica Parker?
5.What magazines and newspapers do you habitually read?
6.If you could have any animal in the world as a pet, what would you have?
7.What is your favourite song to secretly dance round the room to on your own?

they are different. you have to make up your own.

My questions are directed at:

JuneSees, Paul Shinn, Alice, Ellie Cryer

Heylow.

I want to talk a bit about some awesome stuff that i have seen and done recently.

I went to the Cicus Bookazine blog slam with Amelia ('s magazine) which was a somewhat unique experience. Can something be somewhat unique? yes. I wrote all about it and posted my sketchings here.

this is Bangs and a Bun - one of the contributing readers.

Then on the PeeGeeCeeEee I've been doing some arty project work with kids like this awesome London cityscape they made.
I am not very good at being a teacher yet, but it's early days.

Then on Thursday I attended the Make Space Studios open studios to help launch a design company I'm, i think the best word is affiliated, with Splash Graphic Design.

I love open studio events, (tho I have no desire to go to all of them - you can have too much of a good thing) you get all the different types of creatives hanging out together and you get exposed to things you wouldn't have seen otherwise. They're better than degree shows I think, although the standard of work is just as variable, because everyone that's there is really determined, or at least successful.

Some fun illustrators like Katie Leamon who does, you know, like birds and swirls and pretty stuff. I don't know whether Tom Leamon is her lover or her brother, I could find out but I prefer not to, but I super love his big eye prints check this out


hot eh?

I also got talking to some nice film makers at Unthank who are super aces. here is one of their videos.

Toy Cars & Grave Yards - an unthank ident from unthank on Vimeo.

I get a bit confused when i start putting other people's who are not me work up here, so here is something wot i made to finish off.

it is of celebrities.

SO this week I have been doing some journalisting, for Amelia's magazine;
last weekend I went to Southampton and wallowed in nostalgia of various kinds, my review of Ejectorseat festival is up here
this is Baku Bankai, they make minimal dance/electronica, apparently (music talk is all french to me).

I also wrote a bit about the Nancyboy Decade exhibition I went to on Wednesday, I'm more proud of this one, will link to it when it's up.

All these little scenes kind of freak me out tho, I mean, I'm allways banging on about how I think people naturally form social groups of around 100 people and are happier and more productive that way (It's ironic because I'm a massive globalization junkie), so of course I expect people to mark out territory. The problem is that people seem really prone to acting like their mini group perspective is obvious and natural, and anyone coming from slightly leftfield is seen as a bit suspicious. I didn't write about this in the article, I wanted to be predominantly positive, and talk about the work (possibly not what Amelia was hoping for). But I do think it's really interesting. Part of it is a school days echo of desperately hanging on to a feeling of belonging to the cool clique.
Here is a drawing of hipster punters round a unintentionally distorted table at the Book Club, I really liked the venue, and I really like Liat and Klaus altho they were too busy (understandably) to really chat to me.

I'm not saying what I mean, and I worry I'm becoming London centric. If I put a little effort into it I'm at the stage now where I could go to some kind of launch and drink free wine most every night of the week here, it's a big city, there's allways stuff going on. It's not hard to crash things, they put up rsvps to guest lists on their websites, but that's what I'm doing really, crashing. And I'm a little bit over it.

Journalism is hard you know, I'm glad that's not what I want to do with my life.
I much prefer drawing pictures of Nicola Roberts (I super love her), this one is for Matt Bramford's cover of Graduate Fashion Week's Gala Show Finale


I also am very pleased with these creepy arm spiders I drew for Magpie Market's the Spider and the Fly logo competition. I didn't win, but it's the excuse to draw weird things that counts.