Introducing the USA word map

Good morning.
Back in October last year I hinted at having just finished something involving small paint brushes and a bottle of Indian ink. Finally I am very excited and proud to be able to announce that after being kept under wraps for the last few months the Word Map of the USA has arrived!
The statistics make interesting reading....
6 months of research
73 hours of hand painting
919 words
&
x1 pencil
x1 rubber
x4 01 size paint brushes
x1 bottle of black Indian ink
&
well over 100 cups of coffee!!

As with the previous maps this has been a commission by Angus at Snowhome and he was the one one who tirelessly researched the whole of the USA to seek interesting facts and titbits of geographically based culture and history before passing those lists to me to transform them into a typographic hand drawn map of the USA.

I am extremely happy to say that the Word map of the USA along with the whole of the Snowhome Wordmap range will now be exclusively distributed worldwide by giftware brand Luckies of London.
The USA map was launched by Luckies at New York International Gift Fair last week and I've heard that the response was great. I can't wait to see where they go from here....

Other map-replated news..... I've been asked to do a talk at the upcoming British Cartographic Societies 50 year anniversary event in London talking about the typographic maps I've done over the past couple of years. They're looking at a fresh approach to maps and have asked me and a couple of other contemporary map creative people to talk about our work. Scary but exciting!

My week...

It's been a busy week of designing in the studio. I've been fulfilling orders on evenings and spending my days working on my new Christmas card designs for 2013! (Very early I know but some stockists need the samples early so they can begin the choosing process...). It's made a very welcome change to dedicate my time to creating and I've really enjoyed the week. I even managed a tiny bit of screen printing also. It feels like I've achieved the right balance in my working week for once.
Designing the cards and producing samples is quite a different process from this time last year when I was still screen printing them. Now I produce the artwork (in the same way as before - brush and ink, cut outs and mac) and then instead of heading to the print room to begin the colour mixing process I reach for my pantone colour chart. I did think it would make me enjoy the process that bit less but it doesn't seem so - I love looking at colours so whether it's mixing them by hand or choosing them from all the lovely colours on the chart it's still very much a creative process for me.
I've been favouring the warming burgundy and orange combination which will be a bit of a theme running through some of the new Christmas cards. A snuggly 'keeping warm by the fire' sort of combination I thought....!

Snowy school run

What a beautifully snowy and sunny journey back from dropping Martha off at pre-school this morning. Despite the hazardous and very slow driving along small snowy and icy lanes I had to stop and take a few photos with my phone. I love the stark contrasts of lines and shapes against the blanket of snow in the fields in the background coupled with the bright sunshine casting lovely shadows. And to think we had reservations about moving somewhere so rural and isolated....... - yes it is quite isolated but so beautiful also that it hasn't bothered me once. I feel very lucky to have all this on my doorstep.

I've moved into my new studio now and been working here over a week already. It's a bit of a tip but I can organise as I go along. It feels like a weight has been lifted off me being able to close the door properly and switch off my computer at the end of the night and walk down the path and leave work behind a little. I was getting into bad habits of leaving my computer switched on all the time when I worked in the house. That meant sneaky checking of emails around the clock and no clear distinction between work and home. It feels better already - just that bit of distance makes such a difference. 

Pulse is booked for May and I've begun on new designs and new products. This is always my favourite time of year when I can really get on with new things and feel I have a few months of creativity ahead. (Then it gets to April/May and I realise I've run out of time.. and the frustration sets in....!)

Anyway for now I'll continue with my optimism....

Nearly there...

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a relaxing Christmas and New Year. I'm springing into January with a flourish - no January blues here.
My fantastic long desk is installed and I'm tantalisingly close to moving all my things over from the house to the studio... - that's my goal for this week (as well as getting back on top of orders and my huge long list of things to do).

Other less immediate goals and plans are forming constantly in my head it's going to be a busy but hopefully fulfilling 2013. There's nothing quite like a new year for a good old kick up the bottom work- wise!

See you in the New Year!

Hello all

The studio will close today and re-open on the 7th January. All orders and enquiries will be replied to upon my return. I'm having my annual break - hopefully relaxing and enjoying some quality time with family and friends.

I hope you all have a fabulously warm and sparkly Christmas break and a Happy New Year.

I'll be back in 2013 with a new studio (fingers crossed), new designs and hopefully lots more......

xx

Illustrated Calendars

I hope you're all well and in the festive spirit.
I thought I'd share with you two lovely calendars from fellow illustrators/designers. The first 3 designs are from Hanna Konola. She's currently running an illustrated Christmas calendar featuring a new picture for each day up to Christmas. The colour combinations are all warm and snug and make me feel very Christmassy.
The 2013 Calendar is from the very talented Darling Clementine. I have my eye on one of these as a 'welcome to my new studio' present for myself in January!!

Designing new Christmas cards for 2013 is keeping me very busy along with sending out orders and preparing ones which are to be sent over the festive time (the more prepared I am the less pain this will cause me I'm thinking/hoping!!)
I'm also hoping to finish some jobs in my studio and move in for the new year. Hopefully I can start the 2013 afresh with a beautiful new studio.

A quick reminder that the last posting day for orders to be received guaranteed for Christmas is Thursday 20th by 11am.
I'll be having my annual holiday from 21st December for 2 weeks. I'll be returning to my desk officially on the 7th January. All orders and emails received in this time will be replied to when I return on the 7th.
Enjoy the rest of the week.

'The Best Is Yet To Come' print .... now available in blue

Following the success of 'The Best Is Yet To Come' in olive/ochre I have a new edition in a brand new colour. The edition of 100 comes in an equally calm and sophisticated mid blue and is the perfect Christmas present (or wedding present...or engagement present.... or just to be nice to someone and give them a touch of optimism and a bright and sunny outlook present).
You can find them in my shop and on Not On The High Street.