Photography by Rod Walton
Now, if you visit this blog regularly, you'll be aware that I do bang on about Dr Sketchy every now and again. Well, not only am I hooked on the whole concept of these alternative life-drawing events, but, I also co-run the Dr Sketchy Sheffield branch, with my partner in crime, Lara Gothique, so, you know, a little banging on is allowed, right? And, to be honest, when we create these kind of amazing events I think we have every right to bang on. They're great!

Drawing by me
The photo, at the top of this post, is of me in action - or, more to the point, is of Tallulah in action. The drawing, above, is the end result. We are so lucky to have a couple of great venues to hold our shows. This one, the Old Clubhouse, Buxton, is a former Victorian genlteman's club. To say that it worked beautifully, as the saloon bar, in our Wild West themed evening last Wednesday, would be an understatement.
Photography by Eric Murphy
I have to say that seeing these images makes me hugely proud of what we achieve; the whole Dr Sketchy Sheffield team, that is. The models, the guys who volunteer their services - in the way of music and photography - just everyone. So, we don't make a penny out of it. But who cares? Success can't always be measured by money, right again??
Drawing by me
Which brings me on to our sketchers. Not only are the photos stunning, but the artwork produced on our evenings is insanely good and so varied too. You can see what I mean in our Facebook Group HERE. Plus, when all the sketchers leave saying they had a great time then that's how you measure success, I reckon.

Photography by Rod Walton
Oh, and making scenes like this, above, happen to.




@темы: Burlesque, illustration, illustrator, andrea joseph, Andrea Joseph drawings, Buxton, Dr Sketchy Sheffield, Dr Sketchy, Buxton Fringe Festival, Burlesque art, Burlesque artist

 I've just made these really quick sketches whilst watching a series of interviews with Bette Davies. They took a couple of minutes each. It's by doing these fast and furious portraits, from the tv, that I've become comfortable with drawing faces and people. I've made hundreds and hundreds of them over the past few years. They're not amazing. They're not going to set the world alight. But that's not the point. I've learnt so much from doing them, and more than that I really enjoy creating them.

There's another blog post HERE, from two-ish years ago. Back then, it seems, I was still not confident drawing 'real life people'. Which just goes to show how quickly you can build your confidence through practice. Jeez, I'll draw anyone and everyone now - from the big screen to the real life.



@темы: AJ, portrait, illustration, illustrator, andrea joseph, Bette Davies, portrait practice



Cropped photo of an old painting from June 2009, this was the first attempt at a series of paintings based in this old lady I saw in Sydney feeding birds, I was 22 and lacked experience in painting my own work so it was a real struggle. #throwbackthursday #tbt #birdpoop





@темы: tbt, birdpoop, throwbackthursday



Some more preliminary drawings I’ve been working on for future projects every now and then. Mostly pencil, with coloured pencil, and the progress on the background is acrylic, it’s 8” x 10” or 20 x 26cm.





@темы: drawing, moleskine, rod luff, originals

 Books for sale! Books for sale! Andrea's book for sale!!

Excuse me for peddling my wares, but you know, being a freelancer in the creative industry really is as reliable, financially, as it sounds and sometimes you just got to shout about what you do. Usually, when you've just got a couple of big bills in.

Anyway, you can get my book HERE. It is full of drawings, thoughts, sketchbook pages and what have you, from the last eight years of my obsessional drawing.

I'll shut up now. Fangyou very much.





@темы: Etsy, for sale, illustration, illustrator, andrea joseph, Andrea Joseph drawings, Andrea's book, sketchbook



Working out these areas roughly in pencil and enjoying getting lost in the owling, shroomery and plants, gonna be a gooey neon owl emerging from the soil, summoned by that group of three #workinprogress





@темы: workinprogress



Here’s a close up pic of the larger drawing I posted a couple days ago, still in progress. Hope you’re all having a good weekend, I’ve been working on a few different pieces including this one.





Back to the bookbench. So, after spending all that time doing all the work on the front (a lot more work than I'd anticipated as it just seemed to grow and grow and grow) I had to do it all again on the back.
Now, because I'm terrible at updating (or not updating?) projects, I just leaving them hanging midway like some cliff-hanger and annoyingly you never get to see the final episode, I thought I'd post the end result of my bookbench. Well, this isn't quite the end result, this the penultimate stage. So there's still scope for me to leave him hanging off that cliff.
These two photos, above and below, are a couple of moments that I like. Apologies for the quality of the photos. I took them all on my iPhone and have still not got to grips with the camera.
The drawing on the back of my bookbench was the tidier version of the one at the top of this post. Our girl has interrupted her reading to tidy up - by shoving everything under or behind the sofa.
And so, my bench also came with instructions (below). All the objects that you could see on the front of the bench can been found on the back, tucked under cushions, etc. You've got to search for them. Yes, I really did draw it ALL again. I like to bring that interactive element to drawings. It was what rocked my world, about books and illustrations, when I was a kid.
My bench is now actually out on display, with the 49 others, in London. There is a trail and map so you can go and see them all. Mine is on the Greenwich part of the trail in this churchyard. I've been told that the church backs onto a couple of schools, and they have already planned school visits to the bench. I hope the kids have fun finding all of the objects and stuff and nonsense.
I'll post the final stage soon; which was adding a little colour, and then the most nerve-racking bit of all adding the varnish. Until that point I had no idea how the marker pens would react to hard core varnish/resin. Would all that work bleed once the varnish hit it? Would the whole drawing be ruined? 
DUN DUN DUNNNNN!!!!
 
PS, if anyone is in London, and visits the bookbench, please take a photo of yourself there. I'd love to see it. Send it to me.




@темы: London, AJ, illustration, illustrator, Andrea Joseph drawings, book bench, Books About Town, Wild In Art, around the house, childrens



Drawing in progress but it’s a little too big to scan, doesn’t fit properly. It’s about 50 cm x 73 cm, (19.7 x 28.7 cm).







Radiator on my drawing table in progress from my solo show “Aurora” at @thinkspace_art gallery July last year, it’s been a year already!









I’ve uploaded a more finished drawing, “Entwine” to the online store here: http://rodluff.storenvy.com/products/8493567-entwine-framed For those curious, the artwork measures approx. 8.6” x 13.4” (22 x 34 cm) and the media is pencil, pastel, acrylic, coloured pencil on paper.





@темы: art, original, drawing, rodluff, entwine

Okay, so these may not be the greatest sketchbook pages. They're not going to set the world alight, but, I just needed to shout about the fact that I went to see Neil Young on Sunday!!! Damn, I love that man. He's the most inspirational artist to me. So, we may work in very different fields but how he continues moving on and changing creatively is so very inspiring. I wish I were that brave.

 Above is the inner cover of the little Moleskine sketchbook that I took with me. I drew it as the arena was filling up. And, I drew it over the page where I created THIS VIDEO (the one that shows you how to write your name!). I cannot leave a blank space alone. I just can't stop fiddling.

 I'm often asked about what I do if a page in a sketchbook 'goes wrong'. My answer is usually 'collage', but it's also where a good quote or lyric comes in handy. The page above didn't so much 'go wrong' but the girl I was drawing moved away, just as I got my pens going, so I was left with just a few squiggles. You can see them behind these Neil Young lyrics; behind the top two lines on the right hand page.

 Anyway, you know what? Not every sketchbook page should set the world alight or be all singing and dancing. In my opinion. To me the unremarkable, quiet little pages act as a comma or a pause in a book. Some time for a brief reflection. A page to get your breathe back before you dive back in.

And, the lyrics and quotes; a great place to practice your handwriting. Or better still, make up a whole new kinda handwriting.



@темы: journal, sketches, ink, Liverpool, Neil Young, moleskine, AJ, andrea joseph, mini Moley, Andrea Joseph fonts, sketchbook







Birthday card for my girlfriend! Happy Birthday Jess! <3







Big thanks to artist @archerdougherty for picking up these oils hand studies that I painted on moleskine paper through @spoke_art gallery. It’s cool to see these go to a great home. This is cropped, the full size is 8” x 10” or 20 x 26 cm.







I’m thinking of uploading some art I’ve received back from galleries to my online store at http://rodluff.storenvy.com/ to have some options for larger and more finished works. I guess it beats just leaving them in box storage forever, maybe someone will give em a home or something. This one’s cropped, it’s a pencil drawing about 12.6” x 21” or 32 x 53 cm.





@темы: art, original, drawing, birds, rod luff, pigeon lady



Close up of my piece for the “LAX/TXL” exhibition in Berlin with @thinkspace_art is closing Sat 12th July, so last chance to see it all in person if you’re in town. This artwork is available, please head on over to http://thinkspacegallery.com/works/?exhibit=231 for more. Info on media: Pencil, Pastel, Iridescent media, Coloured Pencil, Acrylic, Oil Paint, Iridescent Media. 16 x 16”/41 x 41 cm





@темы: drawing, rod luff, Thinkspace Gallery, owls



Cropped image of Nebula for the Suggestivism show curated by Nathan spoor a couple years ago which was at Bold Hype Gallery NY. (Media is pencil, coloured pencil, acrylic with iridescent medium and pastel.)







Working on some other new stuff at the moment…so in the meantime here’s a zoomed out look at that piece I posted earlier, still in progress. I’m using pencil, pastel, acrylic, iridescent medium (liquitex brand) on paper. What you’re seeing is about 14” x 15” or 35 by 38 cm and the total piece is 29” x 14” (73 x 36 cm).





@темы: work in progress, rod luff, owls



This is an 11” (28 cm) square cropped scan of the drawing I’ve been working on and off, still in progress. I’m using pencil, pastel, acrylic, iridescent medium (liquitex brand). The total piece is 29” x 14” (73 x 36 cm).





@темы: work in progress, rod luff, owls



I was cleaning out my studio yesterday and luckily I found this recent preliminary drawing amongst papers I was going to throw out, I thought I’d lost it! It’s available here if you want to give it a home http://rodluff.storenvy.com/products/8324783-triad For those curious, the media features pencil, pastel, coloured pencil, acrylic combined with iridescent medium (liquitex brand).





@темы: drawing, girls, rodluff, owls