Illustrating Christmas in a heatwave

It's been a busy few weeks! My daughter graduated from University of Manchester with a first (very proud mum). She had the lovely idea of an illustration of her standing in front of Whitworth Hall in Manchester, where the degree ceremonies are held, and where every graduate gets their photo taken. We were hoping to photograph her in the exact spot, holding the illustration, but hadn't quite bargained for the amount of people and traffic! So we did a little video which is on my Instagram @wall_cities

I've since thought of loads of ways we could've done that better, but you only get that one chance! Anyway I loved doing the drawing and I plan on doing a whole series of universities ready for next year's graduation season and drawing a portrait of each graduate from a supplied photo.

The next project after that was entering the Liberty Beauty Advent Calendar Open Call. A brief made in heaven for me. A gorgeous, intricate building to illustrate, combined with Christmas and beauty...what's not to like! I designed my company's Advent Calendar last year too, so had previous in the field.

I hadn't quite bargained for the short deadline though and the amount of work involved to create finished designs for the front, back and sides of the calendar, plus give a detailed account of my research and workings too. It was a bit strange working on something so Christmassy in a heatwave but I managed to get it done and enter in time.

These are my illustrations. I wanted to make a departure from the cute animals and painterly style of last year's calendar (not a criticism - it was truly lovely) so I was aiming for something quite grown up, sophisticated and glamorous. I stuck to the Liberty purple and gold (was imagining all the gold on my design would be foil blocked) as I like to work in two colours. I was thinking of gilded cages, Tudor lace, Gustav Klimt and the nightlife and daytime in London. 

Anyway, I didn't make the shortlist but it was a dream job. There has been some backlash on social media about big companies doing these open calls. Getting illustrators to spend hours on projects without getting paid for them. And demanding such highly finished work when maybe a single visual would be enough to judge by. I have mixed feelings. I really enjoyed doing the illustrations and it was my choice to enter. I now have a new set of illustrations to add to my portfolio and Liberty got to see my work. But I do think that they could have chosen or rejected my entry just from the one finished design of the front and maybe just scamps of the back and sides.

Ah well, maybe next year...