Entering the World of Digital Illustration

I have genuinely always been in awe of people who can draw and those who just have a natural artistic flair. I love arts and crafts and all expressions of creativity but have never been lucky enough to have that natural artistic flair. Or so I thought.

During this summer I decided to treat myself big style and splashed out on an Ipad Air and Apple Pencil. I'd never had any form of tablet before and thought purchasing one would help me out with my blog, give me a lighter, more efficient alternative to taking a laptop when I go off on trips and want to watch movies and I also wanted to try my hand at a bit of digital doodling. 

Since buying my Ipad, it's been super useful for all of the above and has definitely proved a worthwhile investment. But one thing that has shocked me, given my lack of natural artistic flair has been how easy I've actually taken to using it for digital art. I bought Procreate and have been playing around on it for no less than a week and it's now my fail-safe happy place. I've found inspiration all around me and have been brimming with ideas for future pieces. I set up a new Instagram for all my work and am even now considering turning it into a bit of a pocket money gainer in the near future. 

The tools and settings available on drawing apps can make haphazard creatives like me feel like they have an expressive talent and it is so good for relaxing, winding down and practising mindfulness. Of late, I've had a lot on my mind, a lot of stresses and a lot to deal with, often taking my brain and my emotions into overdrive. The one thing that has been keeping me grounded and keeping me sane is sitting and experimenting with little creative pieces on my Ipad and it's something I'd honestly recommend to anyone. It gives me the same creative and expressive release as blogging always has (hence why my blog is also my happy place) and I can so easily take it on the go and scribble as and when I please.

The digital art is something I want to expand on and hope to have prints and cards available for purchase soon, with some close friends already commissioning pieces from me. To check out what I do and follow my new journey into the world of digital illustration then please follow my new Instagram account which will specifically be for the promotion and sharing of my blog content and digital doodles. 

A lil low res sneak peek of some of my work^

Portraits of a Nation - Sheffield DINA Venue

The age old saying goes that a picture tells a thousand words. 

A photograph can tell you all about a person, about their story, about a particular time, about an event, about a place, about a feeling or mood.

My colleague and friend, Sion Markham, known by his online handle ‘s.t.marks’, is a Sheffield based photographer who has been using his photos to express all of the above. He has been travelling the country, visiting different places and using his photography to bring attention and awareness to the growing UK homeless situation. He has spent time meeting and chatting to those sleeping on the streets of our major cities and towns and hearing their stories. Over the last year or two, he’s visited an amalgamation of places and met a variety of different people, hearing a variety of different accounts, all of which are tied together amidst the same social issue.

The project, aptly named Portraits of a Nation is currently being exhibited at the DINA Arts Venue in Sheffield from 28th May to the 5th June. Photos from the project are displayed in differing ways with accompanying prose detailing the accounts of some of the people photographed and a range of facts and figures surrounding the homeless crisis in the UK. 

The photographs are stunning as 's.t.marks' brilliantly displays such character and emotion in his work. If you are in the Sheffield area, a lover of photography and a supporter of great causes aimed to aid the development of society then please find some time to visit. 

The exhibit is open from 10AM until 4PM and whilst it is a free event, any support and donations will raise money for the Sheffield Cathedral Archer Project and S2 Foodbank. 

Check out this article from Sheffield Live! detailing more information about the exhibit and featuring a video interview with Sion himself to explain his idea and its purpose.

You can also follow 's.t.marks' via the following channels to see all of his work:

Facebook

Instagram