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Archive by category "illustration"

Art Through Symbols: The Moon

The moon doesn’t just move our seas, and mark time through its phases, but is an ever-evolving symbol in the visual arts that has collected a broad net of meanings. From rebirth to madness, and introspection to immortality, our fascination with the moon is imbued with the reassurance that it’ll be in our sky as long as we are. The Art Through Symbols series explores the interpretation of symbols throughout art history – be they cultural, religious, folkloric, or personal. Each article analyses a series of artworks, before detailing an art-making tutorial inspired by the symbol for you to try. Art Through Symbols: The Moon Interpreting the Moon The moon has hung bright on our collective visual consciousness throughout history. Perhaps we are so enchanted by it because it’s our closest planetary neighbour in an endless universe, or that its cycles plainly mark the passage of time. The moon has always been associated most broadly with eternity, appearing to every living being for as long as our planet has existed and will remain. Our tides roll because of its constant tugging, and folklore and mythology both suggest the full moon pulls people into madness or beastly …

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How the the magic of fairy tales inspired this children’s book illustrator

Manelle Oliphant tells us about the inspirations for her dreamy watercolour illustrations.

Artist Review of the Stillman & Birn Zeta Softcover Sketchbook

Stillman & Birn Zeta Softcover Sketchbooks are praised for their thoughtful design and quality manufacturing, making them a popular choice for artists and illustrators alike. In this article, Amy Sharp shares her love for the smooth and durable paper surface of the Zeta Sketchbooks, and their exceptional handling qualities, adding comfort and ease to her drawing practice. Artist Review of the Stillman & Birn Zeta Softcover Sketchbook by Amy Sharp This is my absolute favourite sketchbook, one of the few that I’ve managed to fill from cover to cover, and I’m currently on my third one! One of the biggest reasons for this is the paper. I’ve tried several other sketchbooks with ‘smooth’ paper, often finding the paper to feel thin and cheap, with a strangely slippery quality. Stillman & Birn’s Zeta Softcover Sketchbook balances the smooth surface with thick, high quality paper, creating a much better drawing experience. This allows pencils to glide across the surface, but with enough tooth to allow controlled and detailed lines. In addition to this, the paper is sturdy enough to withstand vigorous erasing; this is a very important quality for me as I constantly revisit and edit ideas. …

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Inside the Sketchbook of Katie Moody

Katie Moody is a mixed media artist based on the south coast of England. Her work takes a joyful approach to absorbing the world around her, favouring playfulness and experimentation over the pursuit of perfection. In this article, she discusses the vastly important role sketchbooks play for her as an artist, the broad range of materials she uses, and how her intuitive approach leads to finished pieces within her sketchbooks. Inside the Sketchbook of Katie Moody I have so many sketchbooks on the go! I fill them all with a variety of subjects rather than ones with specific themes, though I do love the idea of seeing the progression more clearly that way. They are very mixed, and I reach for them based on media and size. There are some I know work better with wet mediums, with paper that holds up to the amount of layers and materials I throw at it. Others work better with thicker paint layers or dry materials. Most have smooth hot-pressed paper, which I love for brush pens. Sometimes I just want something small that’s easy to carry when I’m drawing outside. I have many half-filled sketchbooks, but they’ll get …

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