Flower in a Hailstorm

New! 'Red Shoes' Cupcake Logo Design

2011-12-01T09:49:00.000Z

Here's a revised element from one of my most recent commissions, a retro-style logo and branding for a cupcake shop in the States. Mmm... I love cupcakes!

New! Personal Work, 'La Muertita'

2011-11-04T22:04:00.000Z

Hope you all had a suitably spooky Hallowe'en and a brilliant Día de los Muertos this week :) Happy Friday!

Seven Steps to Utter Fearlessness

2011-08-15T14:05:00.002+01:00

A brand-new illustration for a wonderful piece by Ursula Glitch for the upcoming first issue of Helen Martin's awesome Lionheart Magazine :) ROAR!

To learn more, just visit Lionheart Magazine or follow @LionheartMag on Twitter.

Another Sneaky Peek...

2011-04-14T09:17:00.001+01:00

Packaging Design: A Sneaky Peek

2011-04-12T01:49:00.003+01:00

Here's a cropped and sneaky peek at some label and packaging designs I've been working on recently for a lovely client...

Because Love Shouldn't End With Valentines

2011-03-07T00:41:00.005Z

Here's the love-themed post I created for lovely Andrea Pich's blog "The Art of Staying Up All Night." We posted it in March since we decided that Valentines Day is overrated and Love shouldn't end in February! As ever, for a closer look at the images, just click each one. Please take a peek at all the gorgeous things I found, many are available on Behance to drool over or buy on Etsy for your very own :)

1. Three covers of ‘LOVE’ magazine

2. Three covers (issues 2, 3 and 5) of ‘I love you’ magazine

3. ‘Daleks Need Love Too’ by BrownPaperBunny on Etsy

4. ‘The Silence of Love’ Headless Heroes album cover, by Irana Douer
5. ‘Leash Called Love’ by Si Scott
6. Song Title Canvases by Adam Dedman
7. Love.Type by SHCH Graphics Group
8. True Love Carnival Tickets by vintagebliss on Etsy
9. ‘Ampersand Love’ by Patrycja Zywert

10. ‘Just For You’ The Book by Pablo Correa Wentlant

11. Kissing couple by Juliana Veloso on Flickr
12. Handmade jewellery by ragtrader vintage on Etsy
13. ‘Why We Love Boston in Winter’ by Jessica Hische

14. ‘Lust For Love’ photoshoot by Nicoline Patricia Malina, on Behance
15. Love Bird Pinwheel Bouquet, by rule42 on Etsy
16. ‘Spanish Girl in Love’ by toniwall on Etsy
17. ‘Be Mine’ by Q. Cassetti, on Behance
18. Elementary School Blackboard, by Bettie New on Flickr

19. ‘A Journey of Inseparable Love’ by Nicoline Patricia Malina, on Behance
20. ‘Great Expectations’ and ‘The Start of Something Beautiful’ by Gabriella Barouch, on Society6
21. Red Heart Pin by 2212 jewellery on Etsy
22. 'Love Soars' heart necklace by birdqueen on Etsy
23. ‘Everything Will Be Ok, Love’ by Hindu Holliday on Etsy
24. Silhouette shabby French gift tags by jolipapier on Etsy
25. Love pendant necklace by TheUniquePendant on Etsy
26. Love-themed photos, by Images by Claire on Flickr

27. Love-themed photos, by Images by Claire on Flickr

A Tale to Tell Project

2011-03-05T13:08:00.003Z

A Tale to Tell is an illustrated, collaborative storytelling project where each week a new illustrator/artist will be invited to submit the next part of the story, with a text entry and an illustration to accompany it. Each artist responds to the story as it was left by the previous, taking the story wherever they wish and leaving it open for the next person to continue! Last week I submitted my chapter of the story with the accompanying illustration, which you can also find online here. Enjoy!

Chapter 7 - Jenny Lloyd

"The bag of secrets spilled and spilled, the river flowed and flowed, and the two wolves swam helplessly along behind, clusters of secrets spinning and twinkling in the flood. A chance wave brought Father Wolf closer to the escaping secrets, which seemed to float into the air above the rushing waters; a moment later he realised they were actually rising into the sky. The astonished wolves scrambled desperate and panting onto the river bank, eyes raised to the night, where sparkling secrets were being drawn one by one into the darkness above."

Amelia's Magazine: Interview... Nancy Elizabeth

2011-02-27T11:53:00.001Z

Written by Helen Martin | Illustrations by Jenny Lloyd, Matilde Sazio and Daria Hlazatova

"We have been Nancy supporters for a long while. We were lucky enough to get an interview with the stunning singer, songwriter and multi-instrument playing lady. She's super."

Lovely Things Part III: The Posters of Jules Chéret

2011-02-19T12:53:00.003Z

Look at this beautiful book my boyfriend gave me for my birthday! Jules Chéret is one of my favourite artists, and definitely my favourite illustrator from the belle epoque. You can find out more about him here :)

Three Lovely Ladies, all in a Row

2011-02-17T20:17:00.005Z

I've had a couple of requests recently for three of my most popular illustrations together to buy as a print or canvas. Well I do like to please, so here we are, a triptych of three lovely ladies, all in a row :) available to buy from my studio on Society6.

Interview: Curtains for the Window

2011-02-15T09:21:00.003Z

Last week, the lovely Jules Young asked if she could feature me on her blog, 'Curtains for the Window', and I was, of course, delighted to agree! Jules has very kindly given me permission to re-post the interview and accompanying illustrations below. Hope you enjoy :)

Who are you, where do you come from and what do you do?

I’m Jenny Lloyd, an illustrator and print designer from the UK. I was brought up in the West Country, studied for my Illustration degree in Cornwall and then went to live in London for a few years; I’ve also lived in the Greek Islands, Budapest, and am now based in the West of Ireland.

What first started you off with illustration?

I think what first started my fascination with illustration was books I read as a child. I’ve always loved to read, but if the stories came with beautiful pictures inside or on the cover, so much the better. Later I became fascinated with art books and magazines, which I could never afford to buy, but stood quietly in the corner of the local bookshop, leafing guiltily through the pages with charcoal-smudged fingers and trying not to be noticed. When I realised I loved to draw and that I wasn’t terrible at it, becoming an illustrator seemed a natural progression. I thought for a long time I might be a writer instead, but drawing just came more naturally to me. I like that illustration comes from an idea, or can accompany and enrich the written word; I like things to have a purpose, and although more often than not I’m able to use my own ideas, I actually like working for and alongside clients. I enjoy working towards a brief and having a deadline; if I was a fine artist I think it would be difficult for me to maintain motivation and self-discipline.

Who/what influences what you create?

With client-initiated work, often my ideas and influences come directly from the client’s needs. For example, a recent commission entailed my designing the packaging for a range of beauty products whose ingredients come from Ghana in Africa. In this instance, I spent a significant amount of time researching African styles, fabrics, and the landscape; likewise with a series of illustrations I did last year for a Yoga-themed exhibition in New Delhi, India. Although in both cases I feel the finished product still reflects my style, I was obviously heavily influenced by the visual research I’d done for each country/culture. With personal or self-initiated work, however, my inspiration can come from anything. Maybe a set of vintage teacups, a song, or an Art Nouveau painting; a colour palette, a genre of film or music, or something as simple as the weather one day. Anything!

How do you decide on a subject for an illustration?

As I’ve mentioned above, the subject often comes directly from the client; its what you can do with the required subject to make it relevant and beautiful that interests me. I had an obsession with Japanese art and culture for a long while – as you can see from my portfolio – which actually led to editorial commissions. With personal work I always have lots of ideas in my head about what I’d like to do next. I’m currently obsessed with Mexico and Mexican culture; the Day of the Dead festival traditions especially, after seeing a row of beautifully decorated sugar skulls on a necklace. And last year I started watching an amazing TV series from the US about the 20s and 30s travelling Carnival trade, and did some research and preliminary drawings based on that. Neither of those themes have really come to light yet in my portfolio, but I’m pretty sure they will at some point!

If you could have your work published or hung anywhere, where would you like to see it?

That’s a tough one; I’ve had my illustrations published in quite a high-profile magazines, etc., which is very exciting, but sort of sad if its only going to be visible in that magazine for a week or month. I’d love my illustration to be picked to feature in a specifically illustration-oriented magazine, like the Association of Illustrators’ quarterly ‘Varoom,’ but I don’t think my work is groundbreaking enough for that. As for my illustration as prints, I’m not a snob about that in any way, so I’d really just say on the walls in the rooms of peoples’ houses. As many people as possible! Ideally I’d like my work to be enjoyed, I want people to want to live with it every day, not just visit it in a gallery.

What medium do you like to work in and why?

I like to draw everything first, but really my favourite medium to work in is digital. I think ‘digital artists’ get a bad rap because we’re seen as somehow devaluing the currency of ‘real’ drawing, as if what we do is dishonest somehow. But really I just see it as a natural progression; as technology advances, then people are going to take advantage of that to make art. That’s not to say I don’t think illustrators shouldn’t have to be able to draw; they should. But once you’ve learned the skills, its up to you what you do with them. I love digital media, and have taken advantage of Illustrator, Flash and InDesign too at various times, but my favourite application is Photoshop. I’m a terrible perfectionist, so I love the precision of working digitally, the way I can ‘mix’ and use colours so precisely, and create a perfect curve, a gentle glow, a perfectly soft blur. I also love how easy it is to change things at my own whim or at the behest of a client, it saves huge amounts of time and gives me massive amounts of control. I do like to use lots of texture in my work, though, to try and avoid it looking flat and sterile; so I use lots of my own scanned textures and online texture resources. Overlaying textures gives a sense of depth and richness, a sense of reality. Its my favourite kind of fakery.

If you could only eat one food for the rest of forever what would it be?

Well, pie, obviously. But after that, potatoes. You can boil them, mash them, roast them, bake them, fry them, make crisps… I admire their versatility. They’re a very noble food ;)

Whose work do you admire and want on your own walls?

I absolutely love Art Nouveau, so I adore huge Alphonse Mucha prints; he’s one of the very first true illustrators whose work I fell in love with. Also, the gorgeous, vibrant dancing ladies of Jules Chéret’s French theatre posters; I love images of beautiful women and I adore colour too, so I suppose its natural I should like both those artists. I also admire the spareness and gentle feeling of vintage Japanese woodblock prints; their delicacy is just so beautiful. As for contemporary work, my favourite artists and illustrators include Shaun Tan, Charmaine Olivia, Jen Lobo, Alberto Cerriteno, James Jean, Laura Laine, Matthieu Bessudo, Sophie Griotto, Nanami Cowdroy, Gabriella Barouch, Matthew Billington, Zara Picken, Nicoletta Ceccoli, Kevin Tong… there are far too many to mention!

What’s the best thing about being an illustrator?

Being able to do what I love every day.

What’s the future hold for your work?

Who knows? Commercially, I’d like have similar commissions to those I’m doing at the moment. Just more of them, please! And I’m getting excited again about the idea of doing more surface pattern design… I think its highly likely you’ll see some pretty and extravagantly coloured patterns coming out of my studio pretty soon :)

Lovely Things Part II: Pie Badge

2011-02-12T22:06:00.002Z

Also in the post last week... a gorgeous hot candy-pink glittery pie badge from the ever-lovely Dee Andrews. It came so beautifully wrapped, looks good enough to eat! You can see the rest of the badges from wonderful pie-loving creatives Cat Palairet, Jules Young and Tia of Who Ate My Crayons on Flickr.

Lovely Things Part I: Secret Valentines Swap

2011-02-10T05:46:00.002Z

Just look at the utterly beautiful things I got in the post from the very talented and generous What Katy Did Next. Two handmade, hand-beaded and delicately lovely corsages, one a headband with chiffon, organza and vintage lace flower in pistachio green, one a romantic floral brooch in peach. I can't wait to wear them! And, an amazing calico tote bag with a hand-printed design and fabulous black sequinned heart, perfect as a much-needed new shopping and book bag.

I'm overjoyed with my gifts, which are part of the Secret Valentines Swap, created and curated by the lovely fashion designer and embroiderer extraordinaire Alicia Rose. For regular updates and wonderful things from both Katy and Alicia, use the following links:

What Katy Did Next
Blog: http://katyhowieson.blogspot.com
Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/whatkatydidnextvtg
Facebook: http://hyc.im/whatkatydidnext
Twitter: http://twitter.com/whatkatydidnxt

Alicia Rose
Blog: http://iamaliciarose.tumblr.com
Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/shopaliciarose
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/shopaliciarose
Twitter: http://twitter.com/iamaliciarose

Take a look of the photos of my gorgeous Secret Valentines gifts below:

New! Sacred World Yoga Prints for your Walls

2011-02-09T13:47:00.002Z

eed a little Yoga-related soothing? Just drop by my new Sacred World studio and shop at Society6 :)

New! Personal Work, 'Peacock Heart'

2011-02-08T11:15:00.001Z

vailable from Society6 as a t-shirt, iPhone case or iPhone skin... also of course as an art print or canvas. Love Your Walls!

♥ Valentines ♥

2011-02-08T10:00:00.001Z

f you haven't picked a card yet for your loved one or secret crush, how about some sweet Lovebirds, or a pair of courting Flamingos? Available online at Moo.com :)

Amelia's Magazine: Interview... Icelandic Music Artist, Eliza Newman

2011-02-07T13:37:00.000Z

Written by Helen Martin | Illustrations by Jenny Lloyd, Mina Bach, Avril Kelly and Chloe Cook

"This Icelandic lady taught millions how to say 'Eyjafjallajökull;' she also plays the ukelele like a dream. And we love her quirky, folky pop."

FREE shipping on all orders over $50 at Society6!

2011-01-30T19:32:00.002Z

ffer ends tomorrow, so if you fancy a couple of lovely prints or t-shirts from my Society6 studio, don't miss out!

Desktop and iPhone Calendar 2011 no2. February ♥

2011-01-30T14:56:00.002Z

know you've seen this one before but I think it might be perfect for a still-snowy February... choose your size and download free and sweet!

Amelia's Magazine: Shop Review... Make Lemonade Vintage Fashion Pop-up

2011-01-21T22:27:00.002Z

Written by Jessica Furseth | Illustrations by Jenny Lloyd, Joana Faria and Genie Espinosa

"Emete Yarici takes her online vintage fashion world onto the high street with the Make Lemonade pop-up shop. Guest appearances include accessories designers Temitope Tijani and Louise Dungate, prints from Hato Press and a wall from Supermarket Sarah."

Illustration Friday: Chicken {Topic set 14th January}

2011-01-20T04:27:00.001Z

Amelia's Magazine: Music Review... Frànçois and The Atlas Mountains

2011-01-18T02:21:00.000Z

Written by Helen Martin | Illustration by Jenny Lloyd

"Ah Frànçois! A musical Frenchman with arts skills. His music is much like a French film; serious, yet comical, lighthearted but deep - and full of LOVE. Pow!"

You can listen to some of Frànçois' gorgeous, uplifting music here and watch some of his lovely music videos and animations here.

Desktop and iPhone Calendar 2011 no1. January ♥

2011-01-14T13:12:00.000Z

...choose your size and download free and sweet! Don't say I never give you nothin. ;)

Lunarize Gallery

2010-12-24T01:29:00.003Z

Take a look at my new gallery at Lunarize!

♥ Its that time again... new Christmas Card designs! ♥

2010-12-08T20:00:00.001Z

A little taster of the cute Christmas cards I designed for this year... hopefully available soon on Moo.com; I will be keeping everyone updated. More coming shortly! :)

New Print Work: Sacred World "Planet Health" Exhibition

2010-11-01T00:52:00.005Z

A few months ago I was asked to create twelve flash animations/screen savers and design over two hundred print images for a brand new exhibition on show now in New Delhi, India. The client, The Sacred World Foundation, is a state of the art research and design think tank whose projects explore innovation by building bridges between technological and traditional cultures. On their website, Sacred World describe their "Planet Health" exhibition as follows:

"The 'Planet Health' exhibition is a collection of 'state-of-the-future' multimedia, interactive, digital museum and communication designs that will allow people to explore the concept and experience of health from multiple perspectives and approaches. Starting from the concept of health and alternative perspectives of the body, the project illustrates new visions and tools for a healthy society, to create in turn a healthy country and planet. The project presents this vision across a spectrum of disciplines using many forms of visual and performing arts, ancient sciences and modern design and cutting edge interaction design and computer science to communicate the vision."

This huge interactive exhibition will be on show for the next few months and was funded by the Health and Culture ministries of the Indian government, with the support and approval of the Dalai Lama; as the biggest and most work-intensive commission I've completed thus far, I'm both relieved and delighted to say that the client loved the visual style and quality of the work. This makes me very happy. :) I'll also soon be uploading several of the Planet Health screen savers to my portfolio site for free download and easy installation to your very own computer, so keep your eyes peeled for updates!

New! Personal Work: Two Geishas, 'Olive' and 'Rose'

2010-08-13T03:53:00.001+01:00

These two lovely Japanese ladies are also available as gallery quality giclée prints, canvasses or iPhone skins over at the fabulous Society6.

Illustration Friday: Diary {Topic set 9th July}

2010-07-16T03:35:00.000+01:00

Illustration Friday: Giant {Topic set 2nd July}

2010-07-06T18:03:00.000+01:00

Just finished... "giant" dandelions for Illustration Friday! Also Part I of a forthcoming series of illustrations about herbal remedies for pregnancy. Here's the COLOURlovers palette below.

New! Twelve desktop wallpapers to download from my portfolio!

2010-07-02T10:00:00.003+01:00

You can now visit the brand-new download section of my portfolio site to view and save some of my most popular illustrations as desktop wallpapers! These twelve colourful, stylish wallpapers are each available in resolutions to suit any Mac, PC or Laptop desktop, and will be regularly updated with more to add to your collection. Enjoy!

♥ Meet Lily. ♥

2010-06-21T16:00:00.011+01:00

New! Portfolio prints now available at Søciety6!

2010-06-21T13:07:00.002+01:00

Visit my brand new Studio at Søciety6 to buy my most popular portfolio images, not just as gallery quality Giclée prints, but also Laptop, Mac, iPhone and iPod skins!

Design in a Hailstorm #10: Maral Sassouni

2010-06-12T10:00:00.010+01:00

Today we have the vibrant, lively, watercolour-and-ink portfolio of Paris-based illustrator Maral Sassouni...

"Using watercolor, ink, gouache, and the occasional pixel, Maral tackles assignments with enthusiasm and fluency, producing work that has been published widely by editorial and publishing clients around the world as well as some corporate, advertising and design firms."

Maral's client list includes the Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine, the New York Times, the Washington Post, Harper Collins, and Microsoft, to name but a few. Wow.

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #9: Pushmepullyou Design

2010-06-12T06:00:00.001+01:00

Mmm... a lovely Daily Find of printed stationary, cards, gifts and even tees from Eleanor at Pushmepullyou, a design boutique supplying design, illustration, identity, pattern and more:

"Eleanor loves animals; you name it, she's probably drawn it! Eleanor's unique graphic perspective aims to simplify line and playfully arrange form to capture the essence of each animal she draws. She's well-known for her graphic take on our feathered, furry, and fuzzy friends, and her illustration career has grown from its rock poster roots with jobs for clients such as Keds, Giro, Urban Outfitters, and Wilco."

You can follow Eleanor on Twitter, keep up to date with her blog, or buy gorgeous things from the Pushmepullyou shop, which is offering free shipping for Spring. Hooray!

New! Personal Work, 'Bird of Paradise'

2010-06-11T14:00:00.005+01:00

Design in a Hailstorm #9: Josie Portillo

2010-06-11T10:00:00.002+01:00

If you enjoy wonderfully skewed perspectives, whimsical character design and retro styling, LA illustrator and animator Josie Portillo is definitely one to keep an eye on. Josie's interest in subjects as eclectic as UFOs, mid-century design and the songs of Edith Piaf shine through in her romantic, haunted artworks and animations, all mysteriously populated by pirates, thieves, and kissing couples. Some of Josie's brilliant artworks are available as prints from her Etsy shop, and my favourites - full of tiny, engaging details, including the charming 'La Vie en Rose' series - are below.

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #8: Katie Kirk

2010-06-10T16:00:00.044+01:00

Today's Daily Find is from Katie Kirk, a graphic designer and illustrator living and working in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Katie's clean, simple portfolio has been designed in the form of a blog, each update perfectly showcasing a new artwork or project, which can range from print, greetings and graphic design through to children's books. Katie also co-runs EightHourDay - a multi-disciplinary, multi-talented design boutique - with her husband, Nathan Strandberg:

"Our goal is to create work that is honest. Solutions that are exploratory, educational and inspirational. Creative that is conceptually interesting and visually stunning. Design with the belief that process and collaboration should be as exciting as the end result."

Katie's beautiful, clean-edged vector designs translate perfectly into patterns, combining a playful use of graphics with typography and sophisticated colour palettes to create stunning artworks. Some of these are available as hand-screenprinted prints from the EightHourDay Etsy shop; my favourites are below, along with a couple of COLOURlovers palettes inspired by them.

Design in a Hailstorm #8: Jing Zhang

2010-06-10T10:00:00.001+01:00

Today, Oriental ingredients and a Western recipe result in a few delicious excerpts from the scrumptious portfolio of London-based artist and designer Jing Zhang. Enjoy!

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #7: J Fletcher Design

2010-06-09T20:00:00.002+01:00

Jay Fletcher has been working as a designer, illustrator, and art director in Charleston, South Carolina since 2001, and his slick, glossy portfolio is an amazing body of work which includes illustration, graphic design, and design for both web and print.

"My bedrock philosophy is simple – it’s all about the work. I believe in the power of visual communication. To tell you the truth, I really believe in it. Frankly, I’m sort of in love with it. Whether you’re a mom & pop or a Fortune 500, design is the face of your business and the foot you put forward. It makes your first impression and speaks volumes on your behalf. When done correctly, it’s money in the bank. From the quick project to the monumental challenge, I believe nothing is routine and everything is an opportunity to shine."

My favourites of Jay's work include these fantastic posters, which brilliantly combine warm and cool colours together with typography to create a contemporary spin on the classic vintage travel poster. You'll also find COLOURlovers palettes based on these gorgeous designs below...

Design in a Hailstorm #7: Jen Lobo

2010-06-09T10:00:00.004+01:00

Well, we're well overdue for a blog update... so here's another not-so-daily (but very beautiful) update featuring Californian illustrator and painter Jen Lobo:

"Jen Lobo has a great affinity for all things feathered and furry, avian and aquatic. Her work is a testament to that love for the natural world with a blend of human themes of love, loss, tragedy and triumph."

I've been a fan of Jen's work for a couple of years and have been meaning to feature her on the blog for some time. Represented by the Jennifer Vaughn illustration agency in the States, her illustrations have the traditional, handcrafted feel to them unique to those who draw and paint from scratch to create their artworks. Jen's gorgeous paintings, however, also benefit from rich, quirky, humorous attention to detail and a genuine sensitivity to (and obvious love for) flora and fauna alike.

As well as her online portfolio, Jen also runs a very sweet and funny blog - with updates not only about upcoming exhibitions and brand new artworks, but also engaging stories about her family - and a Facebook page, on which she amusingly reveals: "I was trying to explain what I do to a parent at my son's school the other day. He looked at me a little confused and said, 'So you paint stories about relationships about people, but you don't paint people, you paint animals?' Well. Sort of."

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #6: Lovely Package®

2010-05-30T18:18:00.003+01:00

Lovely Package's posts feature frequently on FFFFOUND!, and a good thing too. The site is a fantastic resource for visual artists and designers of all kinds, showcasing the best, most beautiful packaging designs to be found today. Designing packaging, of course, is an art in itself, but the designs on Lovely Package combine graphic design, typography, illustration and form to create little works of art that are not just visually appealing, but also functional. Lovely Package also offers readers the chance to submit their own designs, leading to brilliant work by young designers also being featured.

You can follow Lovely Package's tweets, add them to your likes on Facebook, follow their feed, or simply keep up to date with their FFFFOUND! posts. I do all of the above; wouldn't want to miss anything! Below you can find some of my favourite recent Lovely Package posts, along with COLOURlovers palettes inspired by the designs.

Philippe Becker

A-B-D

Cari Caldwell

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #5: Melissa Haslam

2010-05-29T14:16:00.008+01:00

A gorgeous Daily Find today from Melbourne-based visual artist and painter Melissa Haslam:

"With an emphasis on narrative theme and a romanticized, escapist view of the world, Melissa's paintings are populated by beautiful females in fairytale-like scenarios. Influences include botanical drawings, the pre-raphaelites, japanese illustration and contemporary fashion photography."

Melissa's beautiful artworks have been exhibited in Melbourne, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and, more recently, at the Spring London Affordable Art Show. She also runs a blog, Cherry Fields, and a Facebook fan page here.

Here are two COLOURlovers palettes based on the above paintings by Melissa, "Desert Field" and "Laundry Service"...

Design in a Hailstorm #6: Geninne Zlatkis

2010-05-28T10:00:00.005+01:00

Geninne Zlatkis - a watercolour illustrator and artist living with her family in Queretaro, Mexico - runs a lovely art blog and Etsy shop showcasing her beautiful paintings, prints, and decorative mixed media artworks. Geninne's gorgeously coloured jewel-like birds and flowers are pretty enough to keep me browsing her shop for hours, and her blog is full of lovely sketches, journal entries and paintings. Take a look!

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #4: Wallpaper by Dan Funderburgh

2010-05-27T19:27:00.002+01:00

Featured today on FFFFOUND! are some beautiful surface pattern designs by Brooklyn-based designer Dan Funderburgh. Available at Flavorpaper, Dan's screenprinted 'Farmers Market' and 'Chinatown Toile' designs are my favourites; intricately detailed, beautifully coloured and designed with a charming sense of humour, anyone would be lucky to have these on their wall.

Here's a palette inspired by Dan's 'Farmers Market' design in the Tangerine colourway.

Design in a Hailstorm #5: Laura Laine

2010-05-26T19:06:00.001+01:00

Fashion illustrator Laura Laine's portfolio comprises dozens of exquisitely detailed pencil-drawn figures for a variety of clients, including the New Yorker, as well as many fashion houses and high street brands. Her whimsical, elegant, gorgeous girls make me want to pick up a pencil again... here are my favourites, a wallpaper project for Kitsune Noir:

...and an amazing logo design for Wunder fashion store in Helsinki.

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #3: The Artwork of Mike Dornseif

2010-05-23T11:16:00.001+01:00

Multi-talented Chicago designer Mike Dornseif's wonderful retro style caught my eye on FFFFOUND! this morning. The gorgeous warm, autumnal colour palettes and simple geometric shapes used in Mike's designs for Yael Meyer's 'Heartbeat' EP are my favourite...

-but I also love the quirky animal characters from his 'Illusive' series.

Finally, here are a couple of COLOURlovers palettes inspired by Mike's work. Enjoy!

New! Book Cover Design, 'The Other Sister'

2010-05-12T02:58:00.011+01:00

I've just finished the colour artwork for Cheri Paris Edwards' new book, 'The Other Sister,' due to be published by multicultural literary publisher Plenary Publishing in June. I illustrated one of Cheri's books before, a Warner Books hardback version of 'Plenty Good Room,' a few years ago and its been a pleasure to have a little more contact with the author this time. I can't wait to read it!

-here's a very simple version of the colour palette I used:

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #2: Kevin Tong Poster Design

2010-05-11T00:18:00.004+01:00

Here's our second 'Daily Find' from FFFFOUND!, this gorgeous limited edition colour print from illustrator Kevin Tong. Kevin, a Los Angeles based designer, creates gig posters, paintings and narrative illustrations with wonderful retro colour palettes and lush detailing, any of which I would be delighted to have on my walls. My favourite part of Kevin's website is his Poster section, which includes stunning gig posters for bands such as St. Vincent, The Decemberists, and Camera Obscura; when I grow up, I would love to learn how to printmake like this!

-and here's the palette, 'Wildbirds and Peacedrums.' Enjoy!

Design in a Hailstorm #4: Lissy Laricchia

2010-05-10T14:07:00.002+01:00

I've just stumbled upon the work of Lissy Laricchia, a photographer whose many incredibly beautiful, enchanting images can be seen within her fairytale Flickr sets. Lissy's amazing photostream is made up of whimsical, elaborately arranged scenes, with dreamlike, feminine characters carefully arranged in lace-draped boudoirs, bare rooms, forests and cornfields. Some photographs are even innovatively taken through sheets, with a gorgeous use of lighting and swathes of fabric; the 'Get Back in your Book' series features models 'hanging' in the air, fictional characters still firmly attached to the stories from which they came, yet simultaneously attempting escape. My favourite of these neo-conceptual photosets is 'Let's Play Pretend,' starring a modern-day Alice amongst surreal, magical 'Wonderlandscapes.' Here's Lissy's Flickr profile:

"I live in Canada, where the moose are. I take pictures of anything that will stay still long enough. If you asked me if I would rather see one of the seven wonders or Las Vegas, I would always say Las Vegas. I admire Dr. Seuss and Chuck Palahniuk more than you (sorry), and you bet your ass I would sooner tear out my own eyes then spell Panic! At The Disco without the exclamation point."

Need I say more?

Design in a Hailstorm #3: Felicia Atanasiu

2010-05-10T02:14:00.004+01:00

I was recently contacted by Felicia Atanasiu, an illustrator and fine artist from Toronto, Canada, looking to exchange links on our portfolio sites; her work is so gorgeous that I was delighted to agree. A stunning collection of richly illustrated figures and decorative motifs, Felicia's portfolio contains some of the prettiest fashion illustration I've seen, as well as exquisitely observed portraits and vividly coloured lifestyle and business illustration.

Felicia's describes her work as follows: "My style is inspired by avant-garde fashion and native European culture. I specialize in both traditional illustration and digital illustration however most times my work reflects a combination of various mediums, using traditional illustration techniques & new media techniques (such as digital and vector illustrations.)"

Follow Felicia on Twitter, connect on LinkedIn, or add her to your favourite Facebook pages for regular updates from this highly talented illustrator.

FFFFOUND! Daily Find #1: Dick Bruna Book Covers

2010-05-10T00:50:00.016+01:00

Here's the first of - hopefully - many "Daily Finds" from design blog FFFFOUND! FFFFOUND is a site made up entirely of contributors' image finds from across the web, be they illustration, photography, typography or graphic or packaging design, and every day I'll be picking my favourite to add here. I'll also be adding the colour palette of each image to my profile at the wonderful COLOURlovers community site:

"COLOURlovers is a creative community where people from around the world create and share colors, palettes and patterns, discuss the latest trends and explore colorful articles... All in the spirit of love."

So here it is... our first 'Daily Find', a wonderfully simple, beautifully composed and coloured vintage print designed for a book cover by famous Dutch illustrator and creator of childhood icon 'Miffy,' Dick Bruna.

-and here's the palette, 'Moravia.' Enjoy!

Design in a Hailstorm #2: ilovedust

2010-04-14T20:47:00.007+01:00

I absolutely love these guys. A multi-disciplinary design boutique, ilovedust specialises in creative solutions from graphic design and illustration to animation and trend prediction. The boutique is split across two studio spaces, one in exciting, hip, arty, and still-up-and-coming Shoreditch in East London, and one in a rustic former butcher's workshop in the Hampshire countryside. ilovedust claims that "the blend of both environments provides us with a unique and inspiring perspective," and as far as I can see, something must be working, because their portfolio site is fabulous.

My favourite section is, of course, the illustration work, but some of the typography and graphic design is stunning too. I especially like the retro styling and soft, limited colour palette of the studio's re-branding of No.6 Cinema; and the amazing chaotic detailing and scale variation in the below editorial for Spread Magazine NYC and Colete.

Design in a Hailstorm #1: NEW! Post Daily!

2010-04-14T00:44:00.016+01:00

The title to this post may seem a little strange - since one of the basic principles of blogging is to update little and often - but recently I've felt that my blog is getting a little neglected, what with all the illustration work, self-promotion, film watching and tea drinking I feel obligated to do daily. So from now on I'm going to make more of a concerted effort to update every single day with lovely, funny and/or interesting snippets of design miscellany.

Here's the first: Sam Potts' 'Tax Form for the Marginally Employed,' published by the New York Times today. To view full size, here it is at http://su.pr/1xROKv TARGET="_blank". This is very, very funny if you're a freelance designer, illustrator... or something. In the future my tax return will list all 'medical and dental expenses: naps, toothbrushes, prunes, garlic dill pickles, elixirs an tonics, etc.' as tax deductable. Wait, does 'elixirs and tonics' include alcohol?

Follow Sam Potts on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/sampotts, and view his graphic design work (he's currently in China 'in search of points unknown') here: http://www.sampottsinc.com.

Brand new Portfolio site online!

2010-03-01T20:27:00.006Z

"A Reluctant Cinderella"

2009-09-29T00:04:00.006+01:00

...new cover design for Penguin Books, just finished.

'Advanced Photoshop' Magazine: Gradient Tutorial

2009-08-24T02:53:00.013+01:00

My third 'A.P.' tutorial; I think this will be in the October issue.

New Editorials for "Candis" Magazine

2009-08-20T12:08:00.014+01:00

I've recently completed six editorial illustrations to accompany short stories in two editions of Newhall Publication's "Candis" magazine; short deadlines mean these aren't as intricately detailed or subtle as my normal work, but they're bright and colourful, and were fun commissions to do. Below is one of each of the editorial sets. First up: 'The Truth of the Matter'...

...and lastly, 'Santa's Little Helper.' Its a bit early, I know, but then recently I heard that Selfridges on Oxford Street already have their annual Christmas range on sale! Has anyone told them its SUMMER?

"No Way to Say Goodbye"... the book cover, continued

2009-02-17T17:43:00.012Z

Revised version...

"Spring Clean" Final Cover for US Magazine

2009-02-16T17:11:00.009Z

Finally finished the cover design for 'Her Nashville' Magazine. Here's the design in context... no idea when this will be published, but I'm hoping they'll send me a copy :)

Radio Times Editorial: "The Last Smoker"

2009-02-04T14:11:00.010Z

My second editorial for the Radio Times "Radio Choice" page. Here's the blurb:
Afternoon Play: "The Last Smoker"
Friday 20th February
2.15-3.00pm BBC RADIO 4

Acclaimed, middle-aged novelist Haruki doesn't see why he should give up smoking to satisfy the PC brigade. But Yumi, a journalist and activist, whips up a frenzy of hatred towards Haruki because of his habit.

Draconian laws are unearthed and a vigilante mob incited to murderous action in today's Afternoon Play. Finally, the police themselves get involved, with the ultimate aim of stamping out smoking once and for all.

In the end, Haruki avoids execution for his smoking sins, only to be used for educational purposes and exhibited as an artefact from the "Tobacco Age" in a museum.

Based on the story by Yasutaka Tsutsui, Haruki is played by John Byrne and Yumi by Madeleine Worrall. The Last Smoker is set in Japan, translated by Andrew Driver and adapted by Julia Dover.

"Spring Clean" Approved Rough for US Magazine

2009-01-28T14:06:00.009Z

...one of three rough pencil sketches for Tennessee-based magazine, "Her Nashville."

ARTBOOK 2009!

2009-01-26T17:56:00.011Z

...so at the weekend, I received a copy of this year's beautiful Art Book from my agent. Which would be exciting enough in itself; except that this year, I'm actually in it! Here's a picture of my page (in the Phosphor Art section, page 199) below; the Art Book website hasn't been updated with 2009 entries yet, but hopefully it will be soon!

Little Peach

2009-01-23T15:06:00.003Z

Illustration Friday: Pale {Topic set 16th January}

2009-01-23T11:48:00.005Z

New Work for Penguin Books

2009-01-21T16:02:00.009Z

The blog resurrected! Regular updates are my New Year's Resolution. Well, that ...and a few other things I won't mention here. Anyway. So! Lo and behold, here are two new images for book covers I just finished for chick-lit author Anna McPartlin's forthcoming fictional stories, "Pack up the Moon," and "No Way to Say Goodbye." Available soon in all good bookshops!

Perfume

2008-04-29T10:40:00.004+01:00

Illustration Friday: 100% {Topic set 4th January}

2008-01-09T22:18:00.001Z

~ New Work! Surface Pattern Design ~

2008-01-05T16:13:00.001Z

Chekhov's Jokes

2007-12-12T11:25:00.002Z

Ok, so I've been very naughty and haven't posted for ages! But I've been really busy, honest. Here's one of my recent commissions, a flyer design for fringe theatre company, Luminous Arts. I love cherry blossom!

New! Buy Jenny's art prints online at "Lulu.com!"

2007-11-10T14:14:00.001Z

Beautiful, affordable art prints: perfect for your own home or for that special gift.

Eighteen images available and more coming soon
A wide choice of various sizes and framing options
Large, high resolution poster sized designs also available
Prints in all colours and designs to suit any interior colour scheme or themed room
Purchase easily, safely and quickly online, and have the prints delivered right to your door
Email Jenny for custom print options or to request a portfolio image not currently available.

Illustration Friday: Grow {Topic set 19th October}

2007-10-22T14:55:00.002+01:00

Hire an Illustrator

2007-10-15T18:58:00.002+01:00

"Hire an Illustrator" is a new project from Little Chimp Society's Darren Di Lieto. Its a portfolio site but with a difference, here's the blurb:

"Hire an illustrator was created by Darren Di Lieto, former freelance illustrator and current editor of the illustration news portal – LCSV4.

The aim of the Hire an illustrator website is to provide art directors and commissioners with an easy to use point of contact for job seeking or available freelancers, along with an easy to use interface for the freelancers to issue immediate updates and edits to their profiles.
Hire an illustrator is not just a portfolio portal. We contact art directors and companies directly via the telephone to promote individuals. We collect samples (postcards or other promotional material) from profiled members to be included in targeted mail shot packs, and a bi-monthly email newsletter is sent out to promote our clients.

We currently target the US, UK and Europe, but we are happy to target any international company. So if you’re an Art director or Commissioner and would like to be included in our voice, mail or email list, click here.

Although the site is called Hire an illustrator we understand that not every job calls for an illustration, so we also profile animators, photographers, fine artists and designers."

If you're a member of the LCS, you can get a free two week trial membership. It sounds good, so I've signed up, will let you know how it goes! Here's my link:

http://www.hireanillustrator.net/illustration/08a/

Illustration Friday: Open {Topic set 5th October}

2007-10-08T16:12:00.001+01:00

Illustration Friday: Juggle {Topic set 21st September}

2007-09-22T19:03:00.001+01:00

Retinal Dope - The Illustrative Designer Podcast

2007-09-22T09:28:00.002+01:00

...So I got this really cool email last night from Von Glitschka, the creator of IllustrationClass.com. Illustration Class is a massive source of information and inspiration for any creative, providing advice, creative exercises, pdf handouts, step-by-step tutorials and more. In the 'Shared Creative Processes' section, you'll find working methods shared by nearly forty contemporary illustrators and designers, including Illustration Mundo's creator, Nate Williams; also Jorge Alderete, Pietari Posti and Saul Rosenbaum. Let's just say that, as online creative resources go, its pretty amazing. Von is also the creator of The Illustrative Designer Podcast, another great site providing "Fun, informative and inspiring discussions about illustration, design, creativity and everything in between."

Anyway, I could enthuse about these sites for ages, but what I really wanted to say was: YAY! I'm going to be featured in the next edition of The Illustrative Designer Podcast... in the super-cool Retinal Dope section! Thanks Von! I will post here when the new edition comes out.

Here's some links to Von Glitschka's illustration, design and creative resource websites. He's obviously a very, very, very busy man - add these to your favourites! Also deserving of special mention is Texturebook: "Created by a professional for professionals, these organic textures are timeless in application and will quickly become a favorite resource that will spark the imagination, inspire creativity and infuse your art with an authentic, organic flair." Nice.

Resources: IllustrationClass.com, The Illustrative Designer Podcast
Illustration: Vonster
Design: Glitschka Studios
Blog: Art Backwash
Fun: Keyboard-Characters
Texturebook Site
Buy Texturebook

Jenny won the AOI Pricing Survey Prize Draw!

2007-09-18T20:27:00.002+01:00

From the Association of Illustrators website today:

"This Spring AOI sent out a call for information on fees for recent commissions to enable us to update our Pricing Report - the incentive? A whole free year's membership to the AOI, worth up to £150! AOI are very pleased to announce that the winner of the Prize Draw is Jenny Lloyd.

'When I filled in the AOI Pricing Survey, I did so because I knew the information is important to the AOI and vital for the reference of other illustrators. I certainly never expected to win the competition! I'm so pleased to win a year's free membership, because the services that the AOI provide are essential to me and to my business, and I always renew my membership without fail. This is a great bonus for me as now I have more in my budget for other forms of self promotion. Thank you so much!'

Information on fees sent in from illustrators revealed that in general fees have not gone up in the two years since the original report was published, however we have been able to update the actual examples of prices received, giving an accurate historical report of fees up to the beginning of 2007.
This updated AOI Report: Illustration Fees and Standards of Pricing 2007 can be seen here."

Hooray!

:{Custom52}: ... Playing without a full deck.

2007-09-17T21:20:00.007+01:00

So, I gave in and created this blog yesterday - something I've been thinking about, on and off, for a while. But its just been one of those items on the neverending list I have called: stuff I really should do. I've been working on Christmas card illustrations though, and to be honest, am feeling completely devoid of inspiration - being surrounded by beaches and sunshine is not helpful when trying to design a snowman which is both stylish and innovative - so I decided to distract myself with something useful for a change. Et voila! At 4am this morning, post-bar-drinking and pre-sleep, I wrote a first post which was intended to be witty, concise and fascinating; obviously, when I looked back at it this morning - well, afternoon - anyway, when I got up - it was, of course, complete and utter rubbish. So please forgive me if this still doesn't make sense.

I thought I might start - if you don't mind - with a really cool site I stumbled on yesterday called Custom 52. Its a playing card design competition. Here's the blurb from the site:

"Quite simply, Custom52 is our brainchild, meant to inspire and bring together the artistic community in a new and exciting way. We thought, what better way to showcase many many artists work together in one collection than a deck of cards. It's compact, convenient and functional as well.

It's also an experiment... to put something out there that everyone can enjoy and spread across the land. We wanted to facilitate and be a part of something that really takes off and grows to worldwide communities... but we'll see, that's up to you guys! so best of luck and ENJOY!

Custom52 is an online design community using playing cards as our canvas. Entries are graded by your peers and only the strong will survive. The top design for each playing card will be chosen to go to print and a deck of the top submissions will be produced. The deck will then go on sale for the world to enjoy..."

Nice idea, eh? I had a look at some of the designs submitted and they're great; competition is seriously stiff. But I've entered for fun anyway - my version of the Queen of Hearts. Here you go:

Those of you who've seen my portfolio might recognise the image; its an old Valentines card design. But pretty much perfect in this context too, so - lazily - I avoided creating something new. We'll see if I get anywhere with it, I'll keep you posted if I hear anything. But its a great website to visit for ideas and inspiration even if you're not planning on entering. As the competition info enthuses - dramatically, several times - ENJOY!