Winter Illustration

A recent wintry, cozy illustration given the current weather conditions many are experiencing, hopefully we will be greeted to a fluttering of snow soon enough!

Trekking Through Woods #1

A different set of photos from a different forestry shrouded with flora back in rural Ireland. Even in the depths of winter these woods were flooded with green, I would love to return here in the summer to really see the it in full bloom! As I trekked further into the woods I found my absolute dream house – a log cabin nestled and shielded by the trees, oh the envy…

Roosters Rest Woods #5

Some either photography from Roosters Rest Woods. There was a moment where the sun broke through the dull clouds and lit the scenery with orange rim light – painting the wispy birch trees and lighting up the high grasses.

Roosters Rest Woods #4

Some more photography from Roosters Rest Woods. I found this area of untouched water, where the leaf litter formed a miniature galaxy of meandering green petals – like Van Gough’s The Starry night. It never ceases to amaze me the little wonders that are right on my doorstep.

Roosters Rest Woods #3

More explorations in compositions and colour deep within the forest flora of Roosters Rest woods. I love the way the bleached birch trees lines the forestry at the front like quick brush strokes while the darker pine trees bulked out the rear, licked by the swaying high grass.

The Night Before Christmas

This weeks kick about over on Red’s Kingdom is the illustration “The Night Before Christmas” by Arthur Rachham. I found the illustration by Arthur Rachham horrifying, in the best way. To me his art always veers on that polarising view of charming but in an uncanny not quite right way. Something about the blackness of the line work, particularly with the scratchy shadows and the way the sickly stained walls progressively get more bruised towards the top makes me think that old Saint Nick isn’t as jolly as it’s told and could be hiding in those shadows, ready to unhinge his bearded jaw and gobble up those kids as they run right up to him. So keeping in theme to that here’s a couple illustrations.

The Kick About #15 – Eric Ravilious, High Street

This weeks Kick About over at Reds Kingdom is the gorgeous illustrations by Eric Ravilious entitled High Street (1938). I drew one of my favourite places to have a drink or ten with my friends during the Christmas back in my home turf in shop street Galway city – a place that is always bustling with the right amount of life. It will certainly be different this year but Ravilious illustrations made me think back to those bitter winter nights where our bellies would be warm with booze and the sound of buskers filled the cobbled streets.