Macmillan Entry 'Sneaky Peak'

This mock book contains some full colour completed illustrations and some sketches as I felt it was important to include both stages so Macmillan could see my progress though out.  I have used a spiral bound for the competition to make the pages open flat to enable easy viewing of the double page illustrations and demonstrating the flow of the storyline even more.

By using acrylic textured paper for my illustrations gives the book a tactile texture on a 2D surface. I mainly use watercolour and pen for the background and outline, then by using both pencils and colour pencils to emphasise key areas enabling the grain of the paper to come through. 

Below is some of the original illustrations with clear overlays to show where the text will sit on the double page spreads. This was sent  off in my portfolio. 

The Finish book will be exhibited at the Drawing & Applied Arts Degree Show at Bower Ashton Campus in Bristol, on the 10th June 2011.

 For more information about the book or prints please feel free to contact me through this blog or  email kjiggens@hotmail.com

Story Board

As you may of may not know, I’m currently completing my third and final year project where I am creating a children’s picture book, that I’m illustrating and producing myself.  

My theme is how dogs look like their owners, humor is always important in my work and I hope my story will convey this.

Recently I have blogged my two main characters Fergus and Rufus, the young boy and dog (some say twins?!?)

I have written the story and now working on completing all of the double page spreads. Once the book is complete I will be entering it in for the Macmillan Prize for children’s book illustrations.   

So fingers crossed. 

Below Is a sketch of page 10 and 11, playing about with were the text will go and scales. This is done all before the final colour goes on. 

Photography by Belle Thomas

Today I've got a real treat... some brilliant photography of my current sketchbook taken by extremely talented housemate Belle.

These are a few of my favourites... 

..if your interested to see more visit and to see what else she’s been up to click on Belle’s Blog.

Todays Handy Work

Fergus and Rufus 

Sketchbook Drawings

Yesterday a good friend of mine Rhi Vaughan came over and we spent 8 hours sat on the sofa watching films and drawings.  Here are some of the out comes.  

 I’ve used some the photos and sketches from the last blog to draw in more detail.

Current Exhibition

As we speak three of my illustrations are being exhibited at Bristol, South Bank Centre in Bedminster until Friday the 18^th of February. 

The exhibition is being held to raise funds for Drawing & Applied Art Degree Show in July.  There is a variety of artist from the course, from photography to painting to etching.  Worth a look for more information contact me.

Heres my three illustrations I put up. There from my last project of working with putting animals in humorous situations. The two on the left are illustrations done in watercolour and ink.  The illustration on the right is a silkscreen print 1 of 8. 

Dogs

Here is some of my most resent illustrations, all of which are for my final project at university were im studing dogs and the bond with their owner.

Jack Russell

At the beginning of my summer holidays I saw an advert for a commission job of a children’s storybook on a Jack Russell. I sent off 8 full coloured illustrators of the Jack Russell and one with his family. I spent a lot of my time researching Jack Russell and watching and observing my own dogs. Also thinking of the character they wanted from this cheeky chap.

After a long wait I received a long letter in the post saying this time it was a no but I was in the some of the final conservation for the final 4. With lots more encouraging thoughts that I do have something I should stick at. I was disappointed but I couldn’t expect too much as it was my first commission I had tried for and with such a hopefully, personal and uplifting letter it hasn’t down hearted me and if anything wanted to try again.

Screen Prints

This one of the illustrations which i took forward into a screen prints.

Printed onto Somerset Satin Printing paper A2 x 10 limited addition.

3 colour Screen Printed. Contemporary Block Colour Finish.