Upping sticks and moving North!

If you follow me on social media then you will of seen my post (or perhaps not) just over a week ago, telling the world of my change of location.  It's quite a big move, but it is reminding me how small our lovely UK is.  I've relocated from London to Crewe to be with my boyfriend, so it's the start of a new adventure for me.

I've already discovered we can drive to visit my parents in under 3 hours, I've survived so far without a car and have made the flat feel like home.  Somewhat surprised how much stuff came out from the tiny flat I used to live in in Hammersmith, but this one is considerably bigger so problem solved!

I'm working on some lovely commissions at the moment and a few personal projects so I will share those with you soon.  If you're interested in me doing something for you, from house portraits to wedding invitations, then have a browse in my Etsy shop or get in touch.

www.charlottevallance.etsy.com

Siblings Home

16 Hemdean Road, Caversham, RG4 7SX

This sweet shop - come - cafe opened earlier this year and I happily illustrated the new shop front for it's lovely owners.  Gavin approached me at Renegade Craft Fair back in November 2014 with lovely kind words about my watercolour illustrations and soon got in touch about creating a bespoke piece of their 'soon to be' open shop.

You can find them on Instagram at @siblings_home where you can see glimpses inside the lovely shop and peaks at what the cafe has to offer.  It's a bit far for me to go on a regular basis but I'm looking forward to being in the area so I can pop in for a coffee!

Autumnal Themed Wedding Invitations

Theme : Autumnal
Colours : Oranges, reds, browns
Pieces needed : Save the dates, invitation, evening invitation, wedding list card, thank you cards

A lovely bespoke set of invitations to work on!  A great way to emphasise the time of year they are getting married, the future Mr & Mrs were after rustic and autumnal feel, with rich colours to reflect this.  The Bride-to-be gave me a few photos of maple leaves to work from and use as inspiration, which I took and worked away on sketches and colours.

Between us we chatted and ironed out technicalities like quantity and budget, and were happily on the same page when it came to the illustrations.  I really threw a spanner in the works when I had a brain wave (as it were) and came up with some last minute new designs.  Luckily the Bride-to-be loved them, so much so that she added 'thank you cards' onto her order so she could use both designs and not have to choose!

Stationary and place names

Feedback like that is priceless, and it's helped me to be bolder with my choices and to really think outside the box with my illustrations.

As with my 'Summer Garden Party Wedding' invitations, I kept consistent with text, typography, images and colour.  And again, it's really paid off!  Everything works well together as a set, or can stand alone by itself.  The theme of the leaves will be continuing on the day itself too.  I've been asked to illustrate 12 British leaves which will be used on table plans, place settings, and note cards for guests to write on, lovely.

Added extra : Stickers - to seal up all those envelopes!

It was so lovely, on the day of the wedding to see my illustrations on everything, pulling it all together and keeping the theme strong throughout all elements of the wedding.  I had lots of lovely compliments, and even got a mention in the speeches!  But I'm just so happy I was able to help them create their special day how they had pictured it.

Photos by Saz Chapman Photography

If you like my style and are looking for some bespoke wedding invitations, or perhaps it's just a special party, get in touch with your ideas.  I'd love to create you something special!

La Maison Blanche - Limoux

It's been a long time coming to share this finished postcard!  You can see some of my work in progress in this post here.  There were lots of elements to take into account and include on the front, as well as keeping the reverse informative.  I was happy with how the design came out, but only working from photos this time, I want to visit and illustrate one while I'm there!

Here they are in a local shop in Limoux, advertising the lovely 'La Maison Blanche' to locals and tourists alike.  Maybe 2015 will be the year for a weekend in the South of France!


Would you like a bespoke postcard illustrated for your business?  Then please get in touch and share your ideas!  Prices are bespoke to the request but start at around £100.

Bespoke House Illustrations

These are my favourite pieces to work on!

It always starts off with quite a bit of pressure (on myself, from myself), to get the initial sketch right, and to then actually get paint to paper.  But the final outcome is always so rewarding, and knowing how happy the person who commissioned it will be to have a one of a kind illustration of their home - priceless.

Here are a couple I've worked on recently, one just before Christmas and the following just after.  Both were commissioned as gifts - such a lovely present idea!

These sweet house portraits are A5 in size and just £35 (no frame included).

Personalised rugby shirt illustration

I love it when someone looks through my shop, doesn't see what they're after, and messages me with their idea and the lovely question of  'is this possible?'

This request came completely out of the blue, as I've only ever done one illustration of a rugby shirt, and it's on a Father's Day card.  But, could I illustrate the back of a thick stripe, white and navy blue rugby shirt with the text '5' (in orange) and 'Finn' underneath?  Of course I can, and I'd be happy to!

I've been lucky so far, my customers are very understanding with distance and the time it takes to ship/post an item as well as for me to actually illustrate it.  If we keep things small, everything is more manageable!

Personalised pieces like this start from just £35.

A gorgeous Mother's Day gift

I had the loveliest request the other week.  To illustrate a family home for a present for Mother's Day!  This is one of my favourite parts of what I do, illustrating peoples homes, favourite cafes or shops(for example).  This particular house is so adorable and has some lovely little features that I hope I was able to catch!  I've added personal touches such as their dog, Frasier, in the downstairs window as well as their daughters tap shoes in her bedroom window at the top of the house.

If this is something you'd like me to do for you, then please get in touch!

A Football Lover's Piece

Another lovely commission to share with you all!  A birthday present for a football loving Dad from my client, the daughter.  I love it when the brief has been thought out and there is room to use a bit of creative licence.

This isn't quite how the actual building looks, more like, all of it's best bits combined for this sweet little memento!  I also included the number gates that the Dad always goes through for an extra personalisation.

An Amsterdam Home

Many of you are familiar with my Amsterdam screen prints, lets be honest, they are one of my favourite pieces and I do tend to use the illustration on quite a few bits...screen prints, cushions, greeting cards, pocket mirrors...the list goes on!

This request, was for a thank you present.  I'm a huge fan of a bit of travelling, the odd holiday etc (well who isn't?), and this client had stayed with a friends parents whilst in Amsterdam and commissioned me to illustrate their home as a thank you for having her and a few friends stay.  Such a lovely, thoughtful idea for a gift!

Bespoke Recipe Screenprint

What a lovely commission I've had to work on in the run up to Christmas.  A recipe that is part of family tradition for my client, hand written and illustrated and then screen printed all by myself.  I love it when customers get in touch after being inspired by one of my products, and the outcome is something that is genuine and personal to them.

With this in mind I will soon be offering a 'bespoke screen printed recipe' listing in my Etsy shop.  How does it work?  You purchase the listing, choose a colour and message me the recipe.  Don't worry if you can't figure it out, I will send you a message which you can pick up via your email  just be sure to check your junk mail.  Your print will be in the colour chosen on A3 paper and will be posted out to you after it's been printed - please allow up to 2 weeks for this, in a hard backed envelope for protection.

Interested?  Get started here : www.charlottevallance.etsy.com  Feel free to ask any questions before hand if you are unsure about anything.

Personalised stationary

Front and reverse shown with brown envelope.

One of my lovely clients recently asked me for some personalised stationary.  She was moving house and wanted something she could use as a 'new address' card but also for general note cards.  As I'd recently printed my lavender print fabric, and my brief was 'olive tree', I tried my hand at another screen printed pattern of olive branches.  I then digitally printed on her name and address across the top of the reverse of the cards.  (You can see in the example where I have used my own contact details).

Rather than design a single greeting card/postcard I put together a pattern for bigger sheets and then cut the cards down to the required size.  Because of this not each card is the same, there are variations thanks to where the pattern falls within the cut of each card - each card is quite individual, and over the 50 she ordered, there were quite a few different crops on the pattern.

All boxed up and ready to send.  

These boxes are great for postage and for the client to keep the cards in.

Illustrated Homes Part 2

You can find 'Part 1' here.  This is the second commission I got from the April House Coffee Morning last October, which you can read about here.

This is such a gorgeous house, it really was a pleasure to illustrate.  If you follow my Untapped Cities illustrations, you will of seen my love of bricks shining though!  My use of perspective was really put to the test, which was good - it needed it.

Great Oaks from Little Acorns grow

If you live in England, you might of seen an Entertainer shop around when you're out and about.  Well, that business started up where I live in Amersham.  Over the years it's been in 3 different locations in the town, the one it's in now being a very recent move.

I was commissioned to illustrate both the oldest and newest shops next to each other, showing the progress of the shop, toys and the Entertainer as a brand.  It's come such a long way!  It was a pleasure to capture these shops in an illustration and it'll make the perfect gift for the recipient at Christmas.

A travel commission

I can finally share this with you! HURRAH!

My latest client commission has been an amazing piece to work on.  Back in 2009 I went travelling with my sister for a year, and if you look far enough back on this blog, I'm sure there are a few posts on it too!  Before, during and since I went travelling many others have done so as well.  One of which was a friend of a friend who went with her boyfriend and did a similar trip to myself.  As a birthday present for him, she commissioned me to illustrate 16 of their top destinations / experiences.  Amazing no?

Going left to right on each row:

1.  Christ Redeemer

2.  Iguassu Falls

3.  Maccu Picchu

4.  Salt Flats

5.  Bunji Jumping New Zealand

6.  Sky Diving and Pancake Rocks

7.  Patronus Towers

8.  Sydney Harber

9.  Angkor Thom

10.  Federation Square, Melbourne

11.  Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

12.  Lanterns in Hoi Ann, Vietnam

13.  Hong Kong Skyline

14.  Terracotta Army

15.  The Great Wall of China

16.  Tori Red Gates

I absolutely loved working on this, although it has given me seriously itchy feet to jet off to a beach somewhere lovely and exotic.  I'll have to resist for now, and enjoy these pieces instead.

Have you been to any of these amazing places?

Indie retail shopping experience

At the beginning of the year Coco Marie commissioned me to illustrate the front of their darling little boutique in Old Amersham (see finished illustration here and in practice here) and over the year we've kept in touch and helped to promote each other on the social media side of things.

Coming up to christmas happenings they got in touch again, having seen my print of Old Amersham (you can get yours here) and were asking to use it for an 'Independent Retail Shopping Event' to take place in Old Amersham at the end of November. Amazing!  I love it when customers come back - the best compliment I can get!

Always one for a challenge and to illustrate something new, I volunteered up my services to illustrate Old Amersham and in particular the shops that were getting involved - rather than have them use something illustrated for a different purpose, plus it wasn't Christmassy at all!

I'll be posting the finished map soon!

A little camera illustration

Jennifer Brookes got in touch via Twitter ( @stripeyflowers ) for me to do an illustration of a camera to be featured on a flyer she was having done for a photography event.  She let me know which camera she wanted the illustration of and sent a couple of photos for me to use.

A lovely commission to do, makes me want to do a few more camera illustrations :-)  Thank you Jen for getting in touch!

A Christening Piece

One of the loveliest commissions I've done ever!  Karen got in touch with me to illustrate a verse/poem for her Nieces who were to be baptised.  The brief was to hand draw the text and illustrate to compliment the script, in a way suitable for children, to go in the girls' bedroom.

' May the long time sun shine upon you




All love surround you




and the pure light within you




guide your way on '

After jotting down a couple of ideas we met for a coffee at the lovely Seasons in Old Amersham to make sure we were both thinking along the same lines.  It's so nice when I'm able to meet with clients to discuss their illustration before I go head on into it.  You can be clearer and get much more across than over email I find.  (If you're on the other side of the world, maybe I can take a holiday?! Or there is always Skype!)

The script is used in Buddhism and while Buddhist imagery would be suitable for adults, neither of us thought so for children.  I focused on the idea of light, and following, being outside (the sun).  I decided to work with a blue (sky) background, with prominent black handwriting text and either kites or butterflies.  Karen loved the idea of butterflies, and we were able to discuss this take on the design and develop it to be relevant for her, the girls and their family.

Do you have a family saying/song/poem that you'd like to see illustrated?  Thinking of my own family, they wouldn't be quite as sweet as this, a bit more jokey, possibly a funny quote from my Nonna that would bring a smile and a tear to the eye all at the same time.

Drum roll please...!

HURRAH!

Thank you all for your entries, your RT's (re-tweets) on Twitter, the shout outs, passing it on, spreading the word...etc etc etc.  I really appreciate it.  My little online shop has been a bit 'bish bash bosh' since I first opened it, and to be honest I've found it hard to get people to let me know what they think.

Therefore, I have loved reading your valid points you've shared with me and look forward to putting it all into action.  Thankfully a lot of the points boil down to the same thing,.  Otherwise I would have 15+ different areas to work on within one little shop and that may of broken me (I would of got there eventually of course!) but two main issues, is what I've summed up and that's great.

I am proud to announce the winners - woohoo!

The grand winner is Jodi of Art by Wiley.

My lovely runner up's are Juliet of 'The Crafty Green Poet', Audra of 'Audra James' and Jasmin of 'A Couple of Photos'.

I'll be working closely with Jodi to complete the illustration she wants and the runners up will be sent goodie bags in the post this week.  One of which will contain a lovely necklace by Naida Crystal.

I was going to share with you all what I put in the goody bags but got so excited with my new packaging that I completely forgot to take photos - drat! 

The Diamond Jubilee comes to Old Amersham

You may remember that last year I designed a lovely 'British' themed flyer for Old Amersham's Royal Wedding street party celebrations.  You can see the designs here and here.  I was so chuffed with the finished design and so was Old Amersham as they've come to me again this year to design the Diamond Jubilee street party flyers!  I'm so touched to be asked again, I really enjoy being able to design for my local town.  

This year, as you can hopefully see, the theme has gone towards '1950's Britain' in keeping with the Queens Coronation 60 years ago.  This was a nice challenge as I've never had such a task!  I enjoyed being able to illustrate from original photos from the day and researching into colours and fonts.

The only specifications for this flyer was the layout - how it's set up as a folded flyer rather than a flat 'A' size, and for it to be in keeping with 1950's design.  I'd love to hear your feedback on this.  I'm rather proud of the background colour myself, I think it was the icing on the cake for these flyers!

 

Last weekend I took a lovely walk down to Old Amersham and was greeted by this great banner put together by Manor Signs with my illustrations on it!  It looked so lovely, the sun was shining and there was the plant market in the market square - perfect.

Are you local to Old Amersham?  Come and say hello if you make it on the day!

Private, staff only

Typography for the Artichoke restaurant

Recently I was contacted by a restaurant local to me in Old Amersham called 'Artichoke'.  It is a lovely little restaurant across the street from the cafe where I used to work.  They have a great colour scheme going on both inside and out of soft natural colours, an amazing open kitchen, so if you're close enough you would be able to see them preparing your dinner!  Find them online here and follow them on Twitter for quick updates here.

They were wanting me to do some signage for them for within the restaurant.  The dining areas have a lovely feel to them and standard signs just wouldn't fit in!  'Please mind your head' and 'private, staff only' are self explanatory and save customers the embarrassment of having to ask or going the wrong way.

Along with the guideline of using lower case font for the two signs I tried to compliment their colour scheme with my choice of typography design.  I stuck with a simple, yet elegant font, and added in a few twists and flicks to make it their own.

'private, staff only'

Up these little stairs is another kitchen (not the toilets as you may think) so this little sign will save customers a tricky climb up the higgledy steps.

'please mind your head' Cropped view

This sign is quite self explanatory, the beam is pretty low (I just had to stand on tip toes to draw out my design comfortably!) and they were fearful for their customers heads.  This sign is now on both sides of the beam so you're sure to 'please mind your head' from both directions.

'please mind your head' Full view

'please mind your head' Up close view

I loved doing this commission, something new and a bit different from my 'normal' at the moment.

Do you need a sign painting and quite like this style?  Get in touch via email charlotte_vallance(at)hotmail.com or leave your details in a comment on this post and I'll get back to you.

This post needs a special mention to the lovely ladies Laura Manfre and Anika Starmer.  They helped me to continue posting images on my blog posts.  Please check out their lovely work (click on their respective names for the link to their work).

Thank you!