Day 6: Instructables

I am a frequent visitor to http://www.instructables.com/. There is a fair bit of tat on here but every now and again there is something that is very clever and imaginative. Today for example I found this http://www.instructables.com/id/moresque-lampe/#step1

It is well explained what you have to do and the patterns are provided...very generous I'd have said to give away such hard work? the patterns are in PDF form...which means that I can import them into Adobe Illustrator and send them to print on the Graphtec robo cutter that I mentioned in an earlier post...only in card not ply...but still I suspect that it will when I find the time be very effective.

Day 5: Une Pomme

My brother is off to Australia at the beginning of February...so I've created this stencil that I will put on a t-shirt for him so that he will be easily identified! (I appreciate that the Aussie slang isn't spelt the same as the French for Apple!)...I also appreciate that my brother probably won't take the T-shirt to Australia!

I have to admit that I have had to look up why the Aussies call us english POMs...seem to be a number of possible explanations...all of which are believeable...

I created this in Adobe illustrator from a stencil that I found on the internet for the apple. The text I copied from a 1930's french advert and reproduced in illustrator. I have a Graphtec Craft Robo that I bought for a project a couple of years ago...it is basically a printer but instead of a print head it has a craft knife...cuts card incredibly accurately...in a way and speed that would just be impossible by hand...sure I'll post some more examples of what I have done with it up here in due time!

Day 4: Sole Trader

Today has been a long day...having left the house at 6.15 for work...kinda results in a lack of creativity...glad it's not like that every day! Back to the office tomorrow!

However I have registered as a sole trader today with HM Revenues & Customs as a freelance illustrator. It was gratifyingly easy to do...I guess they should make it easy...they want our money more than ever I suppose! I am suspecting that keeping track of my accounts might be the tricky part in relation to this!!! Admin has never been a strong point...confirmed by the 6 inches of paperwork that is currently waiting to be filed.

I have also heard back from Ponoko in realtion to changing the thickness of material for laser cutting...yes they can do it but only in a clear acrylic...humph...not the answer that I was hoping for...I will persist!

Something properly creative for tomorrow!

Day 3: Face

This isn't strictly speaking a picture that I did today but I really like it and wanted to talk about it. It was the first picture that I did using pen and ink. It was also the first freehand picture that I had done since secondary school...8 years or so. I'm not sure what it was that made me decide to draw it but that moment has changed my life ever since...though the picture has no eyes...it really opened mine for me.

Day 2: Beech Leaf

I went for the first run of the year this morning...another new years resolution that I am going to try and stick to! On the way back I picked up this beech leaf...it is in colour almost uniformly mid-brown but when a light is used to put some of it into shadow it's shape is lovely.

Using points to describe shape and shadow is a technique that is often used to draw archaeological finds for publications. As a style of illustration it is very flexible in how it is used.

Day 2: Snow Flake

Just before christmas I sent my first design to be cut using a laser cutter. I used a website called Ponoko.com. They are an american based outfit that have recently set up UK base in London...which means that I can collect it from their offices...which is brilliant as their postal costs are astronomic!

Anyway the design I got cut before christmas was for a set of earings based on a design for a snowflake done in Adobe Illustrator...very appropriate for christmas presents! The only option to get cut from plastic was 3mm acrylic...which for 20 earings cost just under £10...so pretty good value when you take into account that includes the acrylic! But it turns out that the earing findings that I have are really difficult to use when the item that you are hanging is as wide as 3mm...so I am looking into getting them cut in thinner acrylic. I am optimistic that this might result in the cutting time being considerably less which as this is the main way in which they determine the cost has got to be a good thing!

Anyway I'll keep you informed!

Day 1: Banana Loaf

Day 1 of doing something creative everyday...new years resolution...see how we get along!

Anyway made a banana cake and then made a recipe sheet based on some photos that I took of the ingredients and the results.

I like baking but don't do an awful lot of it...mostly because most things that I bake tend to be bad for my waistline...victoria sponge, cookies etc...
Every now and then though it has to be permitted hasn't it! Anyway...the cake is lovely!