Happy bloggy birthday... six years on and a bit of creative reflection

I had a very spooky moment yesterday... well, a tiny bit spooky. Ok, not spooky at all but a massive coincidence! I had been thinking about blog post ideas and it popped into my head that I should look at what date it was when I started my blog, as it might be nice to look back at how much has happened since then. I looked and would you believe it, today is the anniversary of my first ever post.

My first post was made on the 14th June 2011. I was preparing for my degree show at the University of Huddersfield and was soon to go to Hallmark for two weeks, on a work placement. The work placement was a real kick start, as I was kept in as a freelancer after the placement and it set me along a path of being able to pay to live by doing something I loved, which was the first and most important goal!

I really don't encourage you to trawl through my old posts, they were random and a little cringey as I still finding my way - I was experimenting with styles and ideas that didn't always flow very well. Luckily this wasn't a problem for the greetings industry - the more styles I could do the better - and it has been fun to keep practising at this into my current position at UK Greetings. After taking a permanent position and in the meantime, completing an MA, the style of my 'own work' was still unformed, though looking back now, there were elements there that have become clear staples in my work today.

The project that made me realise just how much I loved
illustrating houses, tiles and bricks!
2011

A crazy colourful illustration from my earlier BA portfolio,
still with little houses and shops in there.
2010

My freelance career had turned into my employed career, so when I finished my MA in October 2014, there became a vacancy in my life again for 'my own stuff'. After a year of going back and forth with a few children's book agents - trying things, making changes, waiting to hear back - nothing was happening and I was feeling a bit lost. I had added to my portfolio but still felt unsure of what style was working best. But things finally started to fall into place... when I decided to stop trying.

Pieces I made for my children's book portfolio,
between finishing my MA and starting my business.
2015

DISCLAIMER
I must say that the phrase 'I decided to stop trying' should not be taken lightly. I don't recommend that anyone does this in most senses of the term. Especially teenagers and new graduates. I definitely don't mean 'stop trying, sit back and do nothing, I'm sure it will all work out'. This was about my style and I felt like I had enough experience and commercial eye to take a chill pill and let my drawings lead the way.

I had booked to do a screen printing course in September 2015 and eventually decided to draw some shopfronts to print from. I knew I had always loved drawing houses and shops and they had always appeared in my drawings at different points. It felt pretty unrelated to my children's book portfolio, so it was a relaxed break from the pressure I'd been putting on myself to get published. I really didn't know where it might take me, but after a little reassurance from some supportive friends that people might buy my drawings for their walls, I kept on drawing. My 'stopping trying' idea was literally to just draw the things I liked to draw and take a break from trying to get published, with the loose thought that I could make prints of my drawings and see if people buy them.

I kind of did a full circle after drawing buildings at uni in fineliners,
eventually coming back to doing what I love.
'Town' illustration, 2015

A print from my screen printing course at WYPW
I took some deep breaths and just drew shops.
2015

This was all definitely a turning point, not just for my work, but for my own interpretation of creativity. Things fell into place as I let go of the end goals and made way for an organic process. I have built up a pretty big collection of work now - which I take to art markets and print fairs - but even with the amount of planning that takes, I am loving not knowing what it will lead to or what I might be working on this time next year.

Screen printed tote bags

A Colouring Book of Houses and Shops

Illustrated mugs, totes and colouring books from my etsy shop.
My little collection is building...
Do what you like doing and it will come together on it's own.

Some exciting things that have come up so far have been having my own pop up shop/artist showcase in The Civic, Barnsley; being asked to show work in an exhibition of Yorkshire artists and makers (details to follow soon) and selling at some lovely markets like Etsy Made Local and Peddler Market in Sheffield.

I've found my own way to get my work out there, feeling long since freed of the notion that I needed to be published. I get to communicate directly with all my customers, which is a joy every time. As for my 'style', it naturally formed itself quite quickly once I relaxed and just kept drawing. I wasn't going to stress anymore - I'm doing it for fun, because I love it.

Sheffield Town Hall screenprint in tonal blue and pink

The added process of screenprinting and my love for it
shaped a purpose and place for my drawings

Well I think that was suitably deep and reflective for a six-year-on post. Hope it wasn't too fluffy! Thankyou very much to anyone who reads my blog. Let's call a spade a spade - there's been some silly times and some boring times. But I think it's got more interesting lately and my blog finally has a purpose. Here's to the next six! (Or four rather... 'ten years on' would be way more catchy).

Screenprinting Sheffield Town Hall - experiments!

After returning to screen printing at West Yorkshire Print Workshop, the next piece I screen printed was another experimental run, using a drawing I showed recently of Sheffield Town Hall. I printed some block colours digitally and then screen printed the linework over, to see what colours and options worked best. I had also experimented at some hand coloured techniques again and chine colle (tissue paper collage). 

In the end, the prints with coloured sky were my favourite. Because the town hall is such a finely detailed building and the drawing is so delicate, I found it worked best staying in black and white, with a block colour in the sky behind to frame it and contrast against the detailed line drawing. 

My next plans are to make more prints of Sheffield Town Hall, this time with the colour also being screen printed, now that I’ve found what works best. I’m also working on some other new drawings of places in Sheffield that I’ll be making into screen prints in time to sell at the Etsy Sheffield fair in December. 

I haven't put these prints on my etsy shop yet, but please email me at jd@josephinedellow.com or message on etsy, if you would like one.

The Saltaire Review magazine cover illustration

I was really happy to be asked recently to design a front cover for the August/September edition of the Saltaire Review magazine, using my illustrations of Saltaire shops and houses. I was also asked if they could feature an interview with me... I hope the readers found it interesting! Below is the full interview and you can view the magazine online here.

Don't forget you can keep up with all my adventures through whichever social media stream you prefer! I am on twitter, instagram and Facebook. I have also started publishing newsletters, please click here if you would like to join my mailing list.

How would you describe your artwork?

I often get told my work is quirky, cute, very detailed and neat. My passion for children’s literature comes across in a storytelling nature to my drawings, along with a love for graphic detail. Combining real life documentation with my imagination, the way I work probably reflects the way I live and see the world – appreciating the joys of what’s in front of me while also spending a lot of time in a different, daydreamy place!  

Do you have a preferred style or medium?

Fineliners have been integral to the way I work since I was a small child! I use them in different thicknesses and love drawing tiny details with the smallest nib I can find. I like to draw in pencil too, which can suit more emotive subjects like people and animals and can be very versatile once it’s scanned in. I then scan in and usually colour digitally, but I have also started screen printing, which is a process I fell in love with as soon as I tried it.

When did you decide you wanted to become a full time artist? 

I always wanted to work in a creative job and tried a few avenues when I first left school. I started studying fashion at university before eventually realising all I wanted to do was draw. I transferred to an Illustration degree and never looked back!

Who are your biggest influences?

Looking at other artists, my main inspiration has always been children’s books. I am inspired in different ways by Shirley Hughes, Richard Scarry and Janet and Alan Ahlberg, to name just a few. My university lecturers were very influential in the start of my practice and most importantly, my supportive - and creative - family. My Dad was a skilled joiner who could make anything out of wood and my Mum is a fine artist, so I now see traits from both in my design approach to art.

What inspires your work?

My main inspiration is my happy and colourful childhood. With four older brothers and sisters, our house was always vibrant and busy and my parents were brilliant at keeping us entertained. Our home was the perfect backdrop for my imagination to flourish as we played and drew and made things. Maybe that somehow links to my other inspiration which (you can probably tell from my work!) is architecture. I get excited at the sight of characterful houses and shops and want to draw as many as I can! I go through stages of working out, spontaneity and repetition when I am drawing buildings. Each stage feels fresh when I get to it and then therapeutic in the process.

What's your relationship with Saltaire?

I lived in Leeds for five years and used to visit Saltaire regularly after first discovering the arts trail in 2009. I can spend ages looking at children’s books in Salts Mill and used to drive over specially for that. In May this year, I showed my work for the first time in the open houses of the Arts Trail and it was a great weekend. I made a trip over when I found out I’d been accepted and took photos of some of the lovely old buildings to draw and make prints of. It was really good to see firsthand what people thought to my work.  

What are you working on at the moment and what are your plans for the future?

I had just started screen printing before breaking my right (drawing) hand in a car accident earlier this year. It has been a long process and I am still having physiotherapy, but my hand is finally feeling much better and ready to get back to printing. So that is my focus at the moment. I always have ideas for children’s books ticking over too (I have a masters in children’s book illustration) - I like to write my own stories as well as illustrate them. I have also been working on some commissions, including house portraits - which I will be updating my social media streams with as they progress.

Where can we find more of your work?

I have very recently set up an online shop on etsy, where some of my prints are for sale. I will be adding more screen prints here along with some other ideas I’ve been developing for products... https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JosephineDellow

Saltaire Arts Trail 2016

Here are a few photos from when I recently exhibited my work in the open houses at Saltaire Arts Trail. It was a brilliant weekend - so nice to meet lots of people and see their reactions to my work. I am really looking forward to starting screen printing again soon, now that my hand is feeling stronger! So hopefully if I return to Saltaire next year, my work will have moved on again and I'll have some more exciting pieces to show.