A new challenge

The finalists have been announced in Lilla Rogers Global Talent Search.  The top 50, out of 999 entries can be seen in an online gallery here.  Sadly, I'm not amongst them, however when you see the style and caliber of the finalists, it's obvious why.  My style just isn't what they were looking for.  Hmm, wonder if I can fake it next year?!

Anyway, here was my entry.  The brief was 'little terrariums.'

 I've just finished the next SoulStrike poster, showing the elements of the Flame series.  I'm not sure if I have a name for the other one yet, but there will be a black and white and a paisley series as well.  The name of this post is referring to a challenge I've somehow set myself by putting forward an expression of interest in a twilight designer fashion market.  SoulStrike is going to be a collection of t-shirts and bowling shirts, which have been altered, or 'hacked,' which feature the SoulStrike logo, in it's various forms, and other designs based off the posters.  There will also be coordinating accessories and, as previously mentioned, jewellery.  The market is called hustle and scout, and is held regularly in Canberra.  In June next year, they intend on having a day market and twilight market here in Hobart (given the timing, it would seem to perhaps coincide with Dark Mofo).  Expression of interest are being sought at the moment and applications will be called for in February.  This give me about 5-6 months to develop SoulStrike into a brand, have product and a marketing plan in place, ready to impress the organisers of the market enough to let me attend.  Easy! 
Below is the Flame poster (pic taken on iPod, so not great).  Both posters have been completed on A3 sized paper, meaning I can't scan them at home (and frankly, I'm not confident in my ability to get a decent scan of a pencil image from my scanner anyway), so I'm going to try a few of the copy centres around to see how well these drawings can be scanned, and how well they are reproduced as posters and on t-shirts.  Watch this space for the results!

Last weeks' Illustration Friday theme, Journey, didn't move me to think of something to draw about it.  This week's theme of Skull is much more straightforward.  Knocked this out during a break at work.

Emma

Upload Successful...now comes the hard part

So even after creating mood boards and putting together most of my initial idea for my Global Talent Search entry, of course I ended up scrapping the idea and just drew something!  The following is part of what has been submitted.  The deadline for entries is this coming Monday 18/08/2014, then the waiting begins!  The shortlist  of 50 entries is released on 26/08/2014.  Out of what is possibly a few thousand entries, it will be hard for the judges to pick just 50 people to go through to the next round.  There will be a public gallery later in the competition, once the top 50 have completed a second submission, and it will be interesting to see the sort of work that makes it through.

With the entry put in for the talent search, I've been able to rush a submission for this week's Illustration Friday.  It's been a while since I've done a portrait, and I wasn't entirely happy with this one.  Also, because of being rushed, I wasn't able to rough out ideas for the background as I would have liked to, so what's there is my first attempt.  I don't think I really conveyed the space theme very well!  The topic for this week was King, so I was going for a universal feeling.  A king needs to have a mind on the big picture, but an eye on the details.  And yes, that is G-Dragon.  Well, an approximation of him anyway, as I said, not entirely happy with it, but it's done and I can move on.

I'm getting a solid picture of what SoulStrike is going to be, and I'm looking forward to getting it into reality.  Chainmaille is still definitely on the agenda, as well as clothing, posters, stickers and accessories.  Stay tuned!

Til next week,
Emma

Illustration Fridays

Thanks to the direction from a friend and amazing artist, I've started creating work in response to themes suggested on Illustration Friday.  I didn't get to uploading last week's entry, Fragile, despite the extra time that was inadvertently given!  However (if the website lets me EDIT: Well, I did manage to get it uploaded, right at the moment the theme changed!!!  This weeks' theme is "Repeat") I hope to have the following image "Invisible" uploaded shortly.  I'm finding the challenge of trying to match my style to the theme really interesting, and a big help in defining what Liliflora Pretty should be, how it should be recognisable.

Despite the online silence, I've been working hard on coloured pencil works.  As you can see from above, I still need to master the art of scanning a coloured pencil drawing (any tips would be welcome!) so they look as close to the original as possible.  Once I can do this, I'll upload my new collection, Soul Strike.  Based on Kustom Kulture and intended for bowling shirts (some of which I'm hoping to make myself and have for sale on Etsy).  I'm thinking it may even lead me back to an old love, chainmaille, completed in anodised titanium or niobium jump rings to match the vibrant colours of the collection.  Stay Tuned!

Emma