Holiday Snapshot Sketches

Summer holiday in Rhodes, Greece 

Brought a great book, which I planned to finish, and then read another.

I did neither - instead I drew a lot:

Breakfast view

Pornstar Martini, Negroni. Waiting, drawing.

Rhodes Clocktower

Early morning,  sea like a lake, one lady flapping her hands against the water.

Captain's crest

Boat ride queue

Birthday Boy

Lindos Bay after a big dinner

Whitstable (Back in England!)

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Sketches: where IDEAS are born!

Revealing very first sketches (and the notes I made with them!) for the Big Draw poster commission - the first idea can be a winner, or can develop totally unexpectedly! 

1. Flamingo Drawing

Either people drawing flamingos, or the other way around!

2. Cupid

3. Drawing the World

People using art materials to create the world around them, world becoming more realistic in places, maybe a squirrel climbs through…

4. Pencils Don't Grow on Trees

5. Kids drawing

People drawing on the floor on lots of coloured paper, I could make a kind of pattern out of people and art materials. 

6. Pencil sharpener

6. Pencil sharpening

Ants either climbing or drawing on a roll of pencil sharpening that has been dropped outside – possibly grass shoots around. Coloured pencil flakes on ground. Could be quite graphic or earthy.

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However crudely done, I wanted to show how important sketching out ideas is when developing how you think about something! And that I love the 'first ideas' part !

Thank you - and thank you Big Draw!

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

The Big Draw & It's Our World

For this year's festival of creativity, The Big Draw are joining forces with It's Our World and Faber Castell. They have just launched their promotional set of posters, banners and certificates - illustrated by moi. 

I used Faber Castell's beautiful watercolour pencils, and had a little inspiration (above) from the Paul Klee exhibition at the Tate Modern earlier this year.

The Big Draw runs throughout October every year, with 280,000 people expected to take part in over 1000 events across 21 countries this year!

Look on the site for events, and if you can host one, download my posters!

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Lovely Klee colour blocks inspired the top poster

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Crossrail ART

I spend my days at Great Western Studios, which is full of creative people.

We overlook the Royal Oak Crossrail site and this has inspired a group project about Crossrail.

Along with illustrators, artists and photographers, I will exhibit in May this year.

I was incredibly lucky to be taken into the tunnel with Ivor, the Head of Tunnels, to see 'Ada' the boring machine as she dug her way, 27 metres underground, from Royal Oak to Farringdon.

The experience inside the tunnel was unforgettable, I got some great photographs and will be working on material for the exhibition in the next few months. 


As a thank you, I drew a portrait of Ivor, and gave it to him on the day of the completion of the tunnel (yesterday).

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Christmas Crafting

New flat, real xmas tree, hand made decorations.

A tree full of tropical birds inspired by wonderful illustrator Mark Herald's bird cards.
Cardboard star, which I then painted red, with gold glitter.

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Dressing the Queen

My Pappa just sent me an email with this picture, saying "a pic of the coat Nana made for Charles's investiture as Prince of Wales." I thought that was cool. Clever Nana.

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Christmas Wreath Making !

Went foraging with my wicker bike basket and gardening gloves.

Bought ribbon.

Sat on the floor, surrounded by pine needles and berries. And chocolate.

My illustration portfolio:  http://obrotheridge.co.uk

The Big Draw's Christmas Card 2012

The Big Draw's Christmas Card 2012 - OBrotheridge Illustration

Caption inside reads:
"Sharpen your pencils for a creative New Year"

My illustration portfolio: http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Art Auction - Science Museum!

I have a new job - Running Silent Auctions at charity fundraiser's. Last night I had dinner under a giant old aeroplane and hung (out with) Dali, Chagall, Picasso and the gang.

Last night was in aid of Hedge Funds Care, my Gallery is the Broad Gallery.

My illustration portfolio: http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Nativity

I was asked to create a company Christmas card... but with some added characters - I included bosses and employees in their childhood nativity roles. So along with your standard Mary and Joseph, we have "Martin, A Rock, Age 7" and "Chris, a Chestnut Man, Age 6"...

Christmas Card - OB Illustration

For the 'traditional' look, I went out and bought a lovely dip pen and ink.

The finished illustration will now be foil pressed onto the cards - Can't wait to see!

Development Sketch Illustration OB Illustration

Development Sketch OB Illustration

My illustration portfolio: http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Dark Christmas Tales

Dark Christmas Tales by James Dwyer - Illustration by Olivia Brotheridge

I knew from the title that I HAD to illustrate this book !

I wanted to give 3D illustration another go for this project -(click to see last year's) 

Reference photo, sketched over with tablet and start of model making

After agreeing the sketches with my client, I started with fairy lights, cameras, paper cutting, drawing, scanning, blue tacking and talcum powder snow... 

As well as the book cover, I was asked to produce two small grayscale illustrations for two other stories inside. The papercut style pulls it all together. 

Revolution - Illustrated by Olivia Brotheridge

A Dog is for Life - Illustrated by Olivia Brotheridge

A few bits that didn't make 'the cut' - but I like:

My illustration portfolio: http://obrotheridge.co.uk

A Question of Taste? Varoom 19 launch event

Three very inspiring creative industry leaders discuss a question of taste at the Association of Illustrators launch for Varoom 19 ...

The best bits:

Tara Doogans 

Art Director and Illustrator

• " Illustration should be honest, authentic and make the viewer feel something! It should surprise and delight. Beauty and technical ability are not enough to interest me, it needs heart and soul.

• Curiosity and observation are a natural remedy for creative block.

• GIFs are great - they tell a story in seconds. People have short attention spans. They are hypnotic too. 

• Let your personality shine through your work. "

Michael Salu 

Artistic Director of Granta Magazine

• " Illustrate the Concept not the Content of the text. The illustrator should expand the narrative, draw what is between the lines of text.

• A good Art Director taps into the way an illustrator works, don't try to change their creative process.

• A good illustration should generate discourse.

• The genre of horror takes something you think you understand and changes it, it is mysterious and compelling.

• Brands want to buy into the personality of the artists, they are therefore becoming less restrictive. "

Ben Jennings 

Political Cartoonist

• " Cartoons can be used to knock people down a peg or two when they make mistakes at the top, it would be in 'poor taste' to kick someone when they are down. 

• Apart from distinguishing features, cartoonists can adapt physical characteristics to reflect personality.

• Sometimes if a cartoon is viewed as too outrageous by one client, another (perhaps with different political views) may choose to run it. 

• If you allow an Art Director to make too many amendments  they can dilute the point you are trying to make and ruin the illustration. "

If you don't know these guys - give them a google - they are all brilliant.

My illustration portfolio: http://obrotheridge.co.uk

East London Illustrated Map

One piece of paper, a knife, some ink.

As a London based illustrator, I created a map of East London for an editorial brief from Boat Magazine. My illustrated map shows my first six months in this amazing city. The pubs, markets ( Columbia Road Flower Market, Broadway Market, Ridley Road ) London Fields, Victoria Park, the canal, derelict buildings, new towers in the city - and the Rio Cinema, passed by a continuous stream of buses and whirring police sirens.

My illustration portfolio: http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Movementum

I was asked to produce this illustration in response to 'Movementum' by band: Jack In Water. <- click
It was exhibited recently and will be part of a touring exhibition around the British Isles in 2013!

My illustration portfolio: http://obrotheridge.co.uk

Illustrations, Soho

Hello, this morning Finn and I filled a few walls in a beautiful Soho bakery - Gail's - with Paper Jukebox artwork for your viewing whilst eating pleasure.

ADDRESS 128 Wardour Street London W1F 8ZL
(Click here for map)

See my illustration portfolio here: http://obrotheridge.co.uk