A little update with a spaniel

I've had a pretty busy summer and blog got a bit neglected (as well as my social life) so let's rectify it asap!

The latest news is that we have also moved in to our new office space in Edinburgh's former veterinary college turned artists studios and space aka The Summerhall. It is so nice not to have to create a mess at home any more but to come to a specially allocated space for that work frame of mind. Unfortunately it also means that we are seldom at home and when we are finally back after 10 or more hours in the office (freelancing, ha!) all we can do is to cook a simple supper, have a bath and plunge straight into bed to be able to start all over again the next day!

There are several private commissions that I need to update you with and I look forward to hear from you before the Christmas time if you would like to treat your friends or family with an original gift!

Here is a golden background black spaniel painting that I created for one delighted dog owner:

Patisserie du Vin bottle label illustration

As much as a like to work on paintings of cats and dogs for private clients, I like nothing more than working to a tight brief over a short period of time.

One of my favourite photographers Chris Floyd said once that he never has as much jobs to be booked for as when he is just about to leave on holidays and it was the case here: we had to finish everything from start to finish within a very short time as I was flying away for a well deserved break soon after!

The brief was to draw a properly French patisserie. I've had plenty of references from my time spent in Paris so as the work progressed, I've added a French poodle and a bicycle.

Super talented designer Eva Oliver at Stranger & Stranger New York designed the label and you can get yourself now this superb wine, which looks like this:

A cat called Lola

I am allergic to cats but Lola has won my heart despite my constant sneezing in her presence and my  painfully red, swollen eyes! I have photographed her for Stuart Pilkington's The Swap Project  (while my friend Wojtek, Lola's owner took a picture of me with one of my illustrations!) and decided to paint her as a Christmas gift for Wojtek.

Here is how she came out on a slightly golden background:

Mouse

I have never illustrated anything for children before so when I decided to do this little painting for a private client, I was a bit out of my depth, especially that it was all hand painted with water based temperas (Plakkaatverf Gouaches from Talens are my favourite but difficult to obtain in Scotland so I am cherishing my old box full of these jars!) not to mention the subject matter.

I am really enjoying the responsibility that this kind of painting involves, I like that almost meditative process and inability of ctrl+Z, it really sends tingles down my spine when I am working on these little paintings (and yes, there are several others still to come!).

So the mouse has a new home now and has been even christened Jerry!

Hat replacement

Before a client meeting in Glasgow today, I managed to get myself a new hat - a quirky, cat ear hat from Zara (aren't they nailing it this season?) so I am now almost a consoled girl!

Meanwhile, here is my another solution to the lost hat - a different hairstyle:

Lost my favourite winter hat today...

…so I've made a little shout out to help me find it:

Sketchbook from Ukraine part 2

I seem to have skipped another episode of my sketchbook adventures so here are two more pages of Russian culture themed watercolours that I did during my holidays: