Oodles of Doodles

2012-02-16T20:29:00.003Z

2012-02-16T20:29:00.001Z

2012-01-10T13:19:00.005Z

2011-12-23T21:39:00.001Z

Red flower hairclips, made with knots and stitches.

Quite enjoying playing around with unusual colour combinations...

2011-12-19T17:22:00.002Z

2011-11-25T09:07:00.002Z

2011-11-25T09:07:00.001Z

2011-11-23T23:13:00.000Z

Storybirds-galoreybirds!

A peeky sneak at what I'm working on at the moment...

2011-11-17T11:10:00.001Z

2011-11-15T09:37:00.002Z

I made this necklace last night. Finally used some beads that I've had for about 14 years! No joke, they were from a hairband I had when I was 8!

Woolacombe Bay

2011-11-13T10:39:00.004Z

I've recently done this commissioned oil painting of a view of Woolacombe Bay, North Devon. I don't paint in oils very often, so this was really nice to do - and on a fairly large scale as well, so it was nice to get some big brushes out for it!

NEWS

2011-11-12T11:53:00.002Z

I now have a profile on Drawn in Bristol's new website, amongst some brilliant local illustrators.

2011-11-11T14:20:00.001Z

A couple of Storybirds

2011-11-10T10:49:00.002Z

A couple of new Storybirds.

First attempt at using Illustrator

2011-11-03T18:58:00.003Z

Papillon

2011-10-24T17:38:00.000+01:00

2011-10-21T09:40:00.002+01:00

I made this bag to go in one of my boxes for this year's Operation Christmas Child, a worthy cause - have a look at their website!

Summore ducks

2011-10-20T21:34:00.003+01:00

Ooh!

2011-10-20T10:46:00.004+01:00

Also must mention I'm contributing some images in the Sixbyeight charity exhibition for Hop Skip and Jump children's centre in Warmley, Bristol. It's open for general viewing from 12th - 13th November at the Bristol Gallery.

Secret Garden

2011-10-20T10:41:00.003+01:00

Here' a design that I was working on a while ago, based loosely on William Morris patterns.

2011-10-20T10:10:00.005+01:00

Firstly, I must apologise for being recently absent from the illustrative Blogosphere (or Blogotangle, Blogolellogram etc.), I've been as busy as a bee working with Forever England, to develop new design ranges and fabrics for Spring!

Meanwhile I'm currently exhibiting an image at Drawn in Bristol's Big Boat Little Boat exhibition, which runs until the end of this month at Grain Barge, Bristol. There's some really lovely and hugely varied illustration there so have a look if you can!

Today!

2011-10-03T14:39:00.003+01:00

Head over to Klectar TODAY, where you will find this image of mine for sale.

Have a looksie!

Here's the blurb to accompany:

Like Apple research and developers trying to innovate and stylise the way we communicate, these birds are reinventing transportation for baby birds.

This piece was originally an entry for a competition with the theme ‘we succeed together’. Rebecca says: ‘I wanted to have a simple but narrative idea in it and the result is quite ‘uplifting’. The idea in the brief for the competition was that the image should be motivational, but I think it can also be read as a bit of a joke — the birds here probably haven’t thought things through as there’s probably many an easier solution to transport the chick’.

This reminds us of the adage, ‘For every good idea there are ten bad ones’ but at least this little chickee can travel in style. And let’s just hope it took advantage of the Young Birdie’s Travelcard discount.

The Giclée print is first hand-drawn using watercolours, pencils and oil pastels, then manipulated with Photoshop. ‘First Flight’ is printed on Somerset velvet, and it measures 42cm x 25cm.

Postage and packaging

The print will be mailed unframed and rolled in a cardboard tube.

It will be sent via Royal Mail 1st class within the UK.

2011-09-30T16:38:00.005+01:00

A couple of things I've finished/ roughed up on work experience at Paperclip cards!

Redlight Skateboarding

2011-09-02T08:44:00.005+01:00

I've just revamped the blog of Bristol based skateboarding group Redlight. Managed to get a retro television in amongst my images, despite James Harris telling me he wanted a widescreen one (i.e. a rectangle)

Poppies

2011-08-17T10:06:00.003+01:00

This is an experiment from this morning with envelope patterns.

More Storybirds

2011-08-15T17:15:00.002+01:00

2011-08-12T10:55:00.000+01:00

2011-08-09T15:40:00.004+01:00

New look website:

2011-08-05T19:35:00.001+01:00

www.rebeccashepherdillustration.co.uk

Some Card Designs

2011-08-03T17:01:00.001+01:00

2011-08-03T10:40:00.000+01:00

2011-07-29T13:11:00.001+01:00

Having a go at some fashion illustration.

More storybirds!

2011-07-29T08:48:00.002+01:00

2011-07-26T09:46:00.001+01:00

Things!

2011-07-25T20:58:00.002+01:00

More Storybirds!

2011-07-25T16:04:00.002+01:00

Storybird

2011-07-24T18:22:00.006+01:00

Here are some of the first images I've added to Storybird. The links on the images are a bit funny so click on them to see the full image! Go to www.storybird.com/rebecca-shepherd if you feel like making a story or two from them!

UPDATE

2011-07-23T10:07:00.002+01:00

I now have a Storybird! I'm in the process of building up my images on there mostly at the moment using my dancing cats. Follow the link to have a look and have a go at making some stories!

2011-07-16T23:37:00.004+01:00

Having just been to Tate Britain's Watercolour exhibition and seeing the botanical illustrations on view there I felt slightly inspired to do some myself. I interpreted these images of the lily family from 'The New Concise British Flora' by W.Kemble Martin. There was a particular image at the watercolour exhibition that made me consider this as a pattern, namely, Rachel Peddar-Smith's image. Just a thought at the moment!

2011-07-15T18:42:00.001+01:00

2011-07-15T13:18:00.005+01:00

Lemons

2011-07-11T21:21:00.000+01:00

2011-07-08T18:13:00.000+01:00

Jammy

2011-07-05T21:00:00.002+01:00

2011-07-05T20:03:00.001+01:00

2011-07-04T18:19:00.002+01:00

I've set myself the task of designing a cover for every book I read (and love enough to grant a new cover). I thought it might be nice to make a little note of how I came to the outcomes (will go down and edit entry for 'The Go Between' to include explanation). Here is my interpretation of 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' by John Fowles. I've played around with the idea of the Victorian obsession with flower pressing, which in some ways reflects Fowles's idea of victorian restraint and repression. I wanted to play around with text as well so have done some different versions. In the first one I aimed to link the victorian aspect with the fact that the book was written with a 1960s outlook. The other two I wanted to express through the wonky copperplate, a breaking of convention through the main characters.

2011-06-25T21:34:00.001+01:00

Twelfth Night

2011-06-25T11:56:00.004+01:00

Book cover design for Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare. Based on yellow stockings with cross garters - the hilarity of which I never quite understood in GCSE English lessons.

Like a little weed invading the internet...

2011-06-24T11:06:00.003+01:00

I now have a Facebook and Tumblr if anyone is interested and finds the Blogspot a bit difficult to follow.

www.rebeccashepherdillustration.tumblr.com

and on Facebook I'm Rebecca Shepherd Illustration (I don't know how to find the link to my page)

2011-06-20T18:03:00.001+01:00

Illustration Degree Show

2011-06-17T16:02:00.002+01:00

Here is my (rather dauntingly large) wall at the UWE Illustration Degree Show at Bower Ashton. This is all packed up now, ready to go on its merry way to London for the Break a Lead exhibition at The Gallery in Redchurch Street (scroll down for more info).

2011-06-17T15:50:00.003+01:00

As the elephants have kindly pointed out I have 8 copies left of my picture book 'The Sea Monsters' Picnic' and these are on sale for£12.95 each (+ p&p). If you are interested in making a purchase please email me at bekkeran@hotmail.com.

2011-06-13T20:51:00.000+01:00

Would like to share this...

2011-06-10T15:10:00.002+01:00

My finished Sea Monsters' Picnic picture books!

The Go-Between Book Jacket design

2011-06-10T14:35:00.002+01:00

The story is that a man and woman of different social standing have a forbidden relationship and a central character conveys messages between them. The woman is described as 'hawk like' and the man as a golden field of wheat or something similar. So here I played around with the similarities between fans of feathers and sheafs of wheat.

Plum

2011-06-04T20:27:00.003+01:00

Here are two roughs from my picture book-to-be 'Plum'. These images aren't going to be exhibited, but I have several finished ones that will.

Spreads from a new book

2011-05-27T09:55:00.005+01:00

This picture book that I have recently started working on is about two cats named Plum and Victoria who love to dance! These spreads I have completed for uni, but my aim is to finish the book for myself as practice.

More sketches

2011-05-24T10:19:00.003+01:00

2011-05-19T13:50:00.001+01:00

Some early sketches for a picture book project I have just started.

Some invite designs

2011-05-19T13:21:00.006+01:00

Here are my designs for invites to a couple of the shows UWE Illustration is putting on. In fact, I shall also post the details for them, in the absence of any official invites.

Just uploading this for the BreakaLead tumblr

2011-05-15T21:56:00.001+01:00

So don't look!

2011-05-06T23:40:00.001+01:00

Slightly altered colours on this one - a colour scheme for another project perhaps?

The Sea Monsters' Picnic

2011-05-06T23:36:00.002+01:00

These are some crops from spreads in my picture book 'The Sea Monsters' Picnic'. I didn't want to put full spreads up because they're usually best seen in context when the book is complete.

A Little Update

2011-04-20T17:52:00.002+01:00

Working towards final outcomes so not a lot of blogging going on at the moment. I'm currently working on a music video for this song by Kloudbreak with my partner in crime James Harris. Here are just some images that have come into being from a lot of experimental (ie. low budget) film making and a necessary bit of imagination!

Aaand....

2011-04-02T10:10:00.002+01:00

...a cover design for James and the Giant Peach.

2011-04-02T09:43:00.005+01:00

Cover design for the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology. Plus a few things that didn't quite work out. I really wanted to have a semi 3D set up, as below, but I couldn't get a high enough quality photograph or lighting. Probably requires a slightly different method.

2011-03-24T14:41:00.003Z

These are a couple of spreads in progress for my Sea Monsters Picnic picture book. The second one is cropped because I'm still working on the other half! I do reedit images I put up on here...not sure if that's blogging sacrelige, but I like to change them as they improve. Please don't think your eyes are deceiving you!

The Sea Monsters' Picnic

2011-03-17T09:03:00.007Z

Some bowwowruffruffs from my picture book in the making.

2011-03-11T18:10:00.003Z

2011-03-09T22:26:00.000Z

SEA MONSTERS

2011-03-02T16:31:00.003Z

I'm posting this up because, although it's a rough, it's kind of the direction I want to go in for my Sea Monsters' Picnic picture book. I'm not sure if the colours are a bit too earthy rather than sea themed.

UNEARTHED LOGO

2011-03-01T16:44:00.002Z

PIRATES

2011-02-25T12:02:00.002Z

They arrrrr more agile than they look.

I don't actually know what pilates is, and I don't believe these pirates do either.

2011-02-22T17:19:00.001Z

Bits and Pieces

2011-02-18T11:31:00.004Z

I thought I'd upload a few things. And I did.

This is a Black Swan mask I made for my sister for a very formal masquerade ball she will be attending (ie. a drink, natter and inevitable dodgy bit of dancing at her mate's house).

I'm not sure what these are...but I liked the way the patterns turned out.

This is my sea shore chess set. I had the idea when I visited Rockham beach in Woolacombe, Devon and noticed that there were lots of distinctly black and white pebbles - perfect for a chess set. The only way I can win a game of this is by not telling my opponent what piece each sea creature/object represents. The board looks a bit lumpy because it's actually a Dick Whittington style bag for the pieces to be carried in!

2011-02-17T21:17:00.002Z

From last year's project. Gosh it's bright.

2011-02-17T16:04:00.000Z

2011-02-17T00:07:00.000Z

Practice editorial illustration about strategic driving in traffic jams!

2011-02-15T08:25:00.001Z

Just a couple of cropped areas I've filleted from the spreads in my Sea Shoe book last semester.

2011-02-11T09:11:00.001Z

Some early sea monster character designs. Just felt like I should post something new up.

2011-02-10T14:52:00.000Z

2011-01-29T21:07:00.000Z

I don't know if this is going too far but I really like it!

Decided to do some fashion illustrations today

2011-01-28T17:03:00.006Z

This is the first time I've done fashion illustration, come to think of it, since I was 8. Then it was dresses copied from a china doll catalogue, each looking a lot like Belle's from Beauty and the Beast. I still want that dress.

Elephants

2011-01-24T23:02:00.000Z

I thought this might make some perdy wrapping paper!

Cards

2011-01-24T09:21:00.002Z

I'd like to share with the world what happened one day when my sister Jess had too much sugar and went into a bit of a creative frenzy:

The outcome was some very lovely greetings cards.

Drawn

2011-01-19T11:05:00.003Z

Just made a new banner for the Drawn Recordings site:

A card design and and a book cover

2010-12-30T12:49:00.006Z

The book cover here is my design for 'One Hundred Years of Solitude'. I'll enter it into the Penguin book cover prize when the competition opens. 50p if you spot the typo!

Editorial illustration - Good dancers make the fittest mates

2010-12-23T20:35:00.000Z

Move to the City - editorial illustration.

2010-12-20T21:24:00.002Z

The top one here could be a little xmas card. The bottom one is meant to be the illustration for the article about city living being greener than country. Needs working on as I think the meaning is lost. Note to self - only have two houses on the left.

Three Christmas Cards

2010-12-18T11:54:00.002Z

I made these (or rather this one, it's just different colours) for the Thali Cafe in Bristol. I don't know if they used it. Either way at least I got to use them! Otherwise had no idea what design to do for cards this year.

Mothboy cover

2010-12-18T11:37:00.003Z

I made this cover for Drawn Recordings. Here's a review of the EP.

http://igloomag.com/reviews/mothboy-yield-ep-drawn

Lloyds Art of Nurture entry No. 1 - we succeed together.

2010-12-16T17:28:00.000Z

We sure do.

The Late Pictures a' Plenty

2010-12-04T13:24:00.003Z

As I've just started a properish webby I've deleted my Pictures a' Plenty blog. It was neglected anyway to be fair. I did like the title though so Im putting up up here to as to keep it somewhere.

2010-11-15T22:09:00.002Z

2010-11-15T17:39:00.004Z

For its purpose this image isn't quite finished, but I like it as it is here.

Jellyfish

2010-11-05T13:07:00.002Z

When I grow up...

2010-10-30T10:05:00.003+01:00

Two images for a calendar on the themes of growth and development.

2010-10-17T23:05:00.003+01:00

Slightly embarassing reason for this image existing - I'm entering a drawing competition, the age range for which being 7-24. I'm hoping to win in the 7-12 category.

Update (27.10.10) - I did as well!

2010-10-14T11:26:00.004+01:00

2010-10-07T08:29:00.001+01:00