She believed she could...

...so she tried her damn best!

My first print of 2014 and I'm really proud of it.  Last year myself and my friend Alex over at youdeer.blogspot.com embarked on what we planned to be a 12 month project, but which unfortunately lasted about 3 months - oh the optimism of the new year!  I've started off this year in the same frame of mind, and last January our theme was 'positive quotes', so here I am starting off 2014 with a positive quote.  Quite a fitting quote I feel no?

It was massively inspired by Nicola Rowlands' 'She believed she could so she did' illustration, so thank you Nicola!  This lovely print is going off to all my girlfriends :)  And I couldn't decide on a colour scheme so I printed two, ten of each in a limited edition of 20.

April : Super

This subject had me stumped for a little while.  The initial thing to spring to mind is 'super heroes' and it's hard to continue thought along a different path once something is stuck in your mind!  However, I did break off from this train of thought and arrived at 'super fruits'.  Super fruits are full of goodness and make you feel super!

I've never branched out into pattern work.  It often doesn't work with what I'm illustrating.  But, this is something I want to try, work at, improve on...therefore 'Super' is my first attempt at pattern work!  Even sticking to fruits that are really similar in colour I've ended up with a 4 colour screen print.

As you can read about in the first post on this project here, I'm using papers I received as presents at Christmas to print onto.  They are lots of different sizes and finishes making each set of prints even more individual.  This month is no different and I've printed onto a lovely handmade, unbleached, super soft, paper.  This one is the largest yet that I've done, so I've also printed onto a couple of sheets of thick watercolour paper as well, these will be cut done to make note cards and smaller prints.

                                           

As you can see in the last photo - the light really catches the pomegranates and cranberries.  This is because I've used a tinted gloss varnish to mimic the glossiness of the real fruit!

March : Beginning

February, March, January

This months subject of choice is 'Beginning' and was chosen by the lovely Alex.  What a challenge!  The subjects you've seen for January and February were quite open not too vague - whereas this is both!  So much scope for directions and ideas, it was tricky to know where to start.

I put my head down and worked hard on this.  I haven't done that much botanical work and certainly not in screen printing, so I was keen to play on the 'beginning' of Spring.  The plan was to make use of Spring buds, but as my idea formed I could only see it as more of a 'frame' than an actual image.  I then had a good ol' chat to my sister and she suggested the New Zealand fern!  Brilliant.  I then check out my paper and decided I could brave a two colour job that wouldn't jump around as much as previously, and developed the illustration for print from there.

The fern represents new beginnings, new life.  But more than that as I went travelling in New Zealand in 2010, such a gorgeous country, loads of wildlife and stunning scenery.  When you're travelling, there are constantly new beginnings - friendships, trips, experiences - the list goes on.  So this print is to remind us that there is always a new beginning where ever we go.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this piece and the project so far, so spare a moment and leave a comment - thank you!

February : Food

The second instalment of the 12 month collaboration with You, Deer.  Have a look on Alex's blog to see where she's up to with her side.  It's so exciting to see how each of us interprets the theme of the month.  We live in very different places (different time zones and everything) so we really don't swap ideas or take a peak over the others shoulder.  Each piece is completed independently from the other.  This is half the excitement with a project like this.

I really don't do much cooking - it's generally baking for special occasions or helping others cook meals.  The recipe that I have illustrated for February is one that I have done the past two Christmases and it has been such a hit!  If you get a chance to try out this recipe then let me know :-)

I have again used gorgeous handmade paper.  It's heavily textured and in fact has a natural wave the crinkles the edges in a lovely manner.  A little note to self : if printing on similar paper in the future, make it a one colour print!  It was a little hard to interpret where the screen would move the paper to - as it caught when going under the screen.  The result of this is a lovely off bonk print on most of the 10 prints I did.

Do you have a recipe you'd like to see me illustrate?  Leave a comment and let me know :-)

This print is now available in my Etsy shop : www.charlottevallance.etsy.com

January : A Positive Quote

'If you can dream it, you can do it' - Walt Disney

You may of heard me talking on Twitter about a collaborative project with my friend Alex Stokes from You, Deer.  In fact I needed some help getting her attention, which you can read about here!  Well, we're now (well) into February and so far so good.  I have my January designs and my February one is taking shape - really happy with them so far.

For Christmas I was lucky enough to get some lovely handmade papers in all different sizes.  I'm using these for each design.  So January's screen print has only 4 of each design as thats all the sheets I had in that size!

I couldn't decide on which design to do so I did both.  I thought that January was a good month for the topic 'Quotes'.  It sort of links in with New Year resolutions but in perhaps a more supportive way.  The ink is a very dark creamy purple in colour.

Both designs are available to buy in my shop and Alex's will soon be up in hers too.  This collaborative project will be running for 12 months, so that's 12 prints I'll be illustrating and printing.  Every month there will be a chance to win one of them through various social media so sign up for updates or keep your eyes peeled!

These first prints can be found in my Etsy shop now and are just £5.00.  They measure 8.5" x 6" and will look great framed or unframed as the paper is a textured thick stock with it's natural edges.  The paper did jump around a little so your print may not be central on the page - it's all in the fun of screen printing!  Each print will come signed and dated by me and cellophane wrapped, posted with a hard back envelope for protection in the post.  Postage costs £1.50 in the UK £2.50 everywhere else.

Be sure to check out Alex's blog to see her design and you'll be able to get them in her Etsy shop if you'd like to buy one of hers.

Collaboration with You Deer

My friend Alex (You Deer) lives, works and plays over in Oakland, California.  She came to visit last year which was amazing and I miss her a lot.  We wanted to do a project together, one that would help us stay creative throughout the year.  This has led us to develop a 12 month project, a brief a month, a final piece a month and hopefully more creative fun every month.

For myself I'm setting the rule of screen printing.  I do not do enough of this!  I love it, and whilst I doodle and use watercolours a lot, I hardly ever screen print.  So this project is in effect giving me that kick up the bum I need to do more printing.  This in turn means more designs - HURRAH!  Designs for me that is.  So much of last year was spent doing lovely commissions that I felt I didn't get the time to develop and grow my style much.  Untapped Cities gave me a helping hand with this in September 2012 in my watercolour work, as I illustrate every 2 weeks for them, it keeps me fresh and gives me a chance to challenge myself.

So I've started on mine, but I am yet to hear from Alex.  I'll be able to share the whole print when Alex has done her piece too!  Perhaps you can do me a favour and leave her a comment on her blog asking when she is starting her side of our project?  Brilliant, thank you so much!  Oh, and if you do, leave me a comment saying so, or Tweet me and I'll send you a little thank you ;-) deal?


Alex's blog : youdeer.blogspot.co.uk
Alex's shop : www.turnipturnip.etsy.com