Sunday, January 10, 2016

Watercolour eyes

Watercolour eyes


- Artwork created 09/01/16 -
Sketched with a pure graphite 9B pencil.
Coloured with a Winsor & Newton watercolour palette.
Outlined with a Muji 0.5mm black ink fine liner.

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Thursday, January 07, 2016

Cow Speedpainting

Cow Speedpainting


Over the Christmas holidays I painted a watercolour cow, and filmed it on my lovely little japanese camera with the help of my new tripod from Santa. :) 

Speedpainting - pure graphite 9B pencil, watercolour paints - unbranded, muji fine liner 0.5mm black pen and sketchbook - unbranded.

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Wednesday, January 06, 2016

2015 in Review

2015 in Review

2015 was ace - for the most part.
During this year I wanted to travel abroad on holiday, read at least 30 books and start an Etsy shop. And woo hoo I managed all three of these! We visited Japan for the very first time and I blogged about it, I read 57 books (my wrap up here) and this is My Etsy Shop.
I also kept up my drawing challenge until around September. :D

Here is my year in review 2015


January
We spent New Years Eve and day just me and Tom alone and cooked a gorgeous hog roast. I had my first day in my current job (Photo Studio). I read and hauled a lot of graphic novels, and I continued to draw for my daily drawing challenge.

 

February
I had my birthday and grew a little older. :(

 

March
We had a visit from this beautiful Proud Face! and continued the story of one of my favourite graphic novel series - Alex and Ada.


April
I did a spot of gardening.


May
I visited the Doncaster Wildlife Park with my family and went to see Mad Max Fury Road at the cinema twice! We also booked our flights and accommodation for our Japan trip later in the year.


June
I took Moby for his annual check up and shots at the Vets, he was not happy about it. I went to see Jurassic world in the cinema and loved it! (I have a little obsession with the Jurassic Park movies) 


July
All about books - I set up my little bookshelf on my desk and started reading the fabulous Amy Poehler book YES Please!


August
I had to say goodbye to someone very dear to me, and Moby posing again.


September
I spent a week on holiday in Bude Cornwall with Tom's family and a very Proud face, and chopped off my hair to be the shortest I have ever had it.


October
I went to see the Martian in the cinema.
Tom and I went to Japan! We visited many places, it was an amazing trip. My first visit to a Disney resort, Universal Studios resort, Kyoto and Studio Ghibli. I cannot explain enough just how much I loved our holiday.


November
Autumn had arrived when we returned to Britain and it was beautiful. I took part in the Gallery of Mo again this year raising money for the Movember charity.


December
I had a fantastic festive period with colleagues, family and friends.

2015 you were awesome - Here's to 2016 and new adventures.
I also have reviews for 2014 and 2013.

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Sunday, January 03, 2016

Reading bug 2015!

Reading bug 2015!

During 2014 I read a total of 30 books, after only really getting into it around May. 
This year I set my goodreads goal to be 30 but I always hoped to beat that target, and I have with the help of a lot more graphic novels filled with fantastical short stories and beautiful illustrations.

My 2015 reading list is as follows:
(All books are marked out of 5*)

*****
Alex + Ada by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn
****
Revival Volume 1 You're Among Friends by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton
****
The wicked and The divine by 
***
Shutter Volume 1 Wanderlost by Joe Keatinge, Leila Del Duca, Owen Gieni and Ed Brisson
***
Hinterkind The Waking World by Ian Edginton and Francesco Trifogli
**
***
Beautiful Darkness by Fabien Vehlmann / Kerascoet (Illustrator)
***
Scarlet (The Lunar Chronicals) by Marissa Meyer
***
Alex + Ada 2 by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn
*****
Outcast by Robert Kirkman and Paul Azceta
*
In Real Life by Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang
**
Seconds by 
****
Ms Marvel No Normal by G. Willow Wilson and Adrian Alphona
**
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin (Marvel Adaptation)
***
Amulet Volume 1 by Kazu Kibuishi
*****


21-30 Books
Cress (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
****
Not a Drop to Drink by Mandy McGinnis
*****
Amulet Volume 2 by Kazu Kibuishi
****
Amulet Volume 3 by Kazu Kibuishi
****
In a Handful of Dust by Mandy McGinnis
*****
Dead at 17 Volume 1 by Josh Howard
****
Rat Queens Volume 2 by Kurtis J. Wiebe, Roc Upchurch and Stjepan Sejic
*****
The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
*****
Low Volume 1 by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini
****
Wayward Volume 1 by Jim Zub, Steven Cummings and John Rauch
****


31-40 Books
Lumberjanes Volume 1 by Noelle Stevenson. Grace Ellis and Brooke A Allen
*****
Revival Volume 2 by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton
****
Sex Criminals Volume 1 by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
*****
The Little Android (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
****
The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black
**
Miss Peregrines home for Perculiar children by Ransom Riggs and Cassandra Jean
*****
The Woods Volume 1 by James Tynion IV and Michael Dialynas
***
Attachments by Rainbow Rowell
*****
Sex Criminals Volume 2 by Matt Fraction and Chip Zdarsky
*****
Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
****



41 - 50 Books
Manifest Destiny Volume 1 by Chris Dingess and Matthew Roberts
****
Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
*****
Yes Please! by Amy Poehler (Book and Audiobook)
****
Morning Glories 1 by Nick Spencer and Joe Eisma
***
Alex + Ada 3  by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn
****
Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel
*****
You're never weird on the internet (almost) by Felicia Day (Audiobook)
*****
Saga Volume 5 by Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples
****
The Martian by Andy Weir (Audiobook)
*****
172hours on the Moon by Johan Harstad
****

 
51 - 57 Books
RunLoveKill by Jonathan Tsuei and Eric Canete
***
Ready Player One (Audiobook) by Ernest Cline
*****
This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki and Jillian Tamaki
***
Bee and Puppycat by Natasha Allegri and Garrett Jackson
****
Self Inflicted wounds: Heartwarming tales of Epic humiliation (Audiobook) by Aisha Tyler
****
Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
*****
Winter(The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer
*****

I have reviews of a few of these books featured on my blog and good reads page.
Check out last years wrap up here!

This year I have read a total of 20 books, and 37 graphic novels.

So for me the best book I read this year was Not a Drop to Drink by Mandy McGinnis
The best Graphic novel I read this year was The Fade Out by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips
The best Audio book I listened to this year was The Martian by Andy Weir (Audiobook)
The best series of books or graphic novels I read this year was Alex + Ada by Jonathan Luna and Sarah Vaughn

I still keep up to date with quite a few book-tubers on Youtube. I find it to be a great way to discover new books while getting a quick synopsis, concise review and recommendations.


Here are a handful of my favourite Book-tubers:
Booksandquills / Katytastic / Littlebookowl / KristinaHorner / PeruseProject 


What were your favourite books of 2015? Do you have any recommendations?
Let me know in the comments.


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Saturday, January 02, 2016

Instagram December

Instagram December


1. I had my department Christmas meal feeling festive
2. Moby posing all distinguished - all he needs now is the pipe and slippers.


I had a painting day with my mum and nan and water coloured:
 3. Peacock and 4. Cow


5. I visited London train station St Pancras and saw the disney plush Christmas Tree
6. I went on a work trip to sunny rainy Brighton.


7. Tommy had a birthday - and we went out for an Indian curry and bowling.
8. My eclectic Christmas tree.


This is just a little snippet of my favourite images from this month. 

My Instagram in 2015:
JAN - FEB - MAR - APR - MAY - JUN - JUL - AUG - SEP - OCT - NOV
My Instagram in 2014:
JAN - FEB - MAR - APR - MAY - JUN - JUL - AUG - SEP - OCT - NOV - DEC

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