I have really loved designing for other people. It makes my day when I'm asked to make a specific design for someone - even more when it's someone close to me (they don't have to be that nice, their support is enough!). Some of my favourite designs are shown below:
A personalised gift of travel memories
Happiness is... travelling with friends
A personalised gift of all sorts of memories!
It seems they had always been, and would always be, friends. Time could change much, but not that.
These just warm my heart. Both customers had given me a list of various memories they‘ve had with the person and asked me to come up with a sort of collage symbolising the friendship. These are exactly the kind of drawings I love to do because people are just fun to draw. I've never been a huge fan of drawing landscapes and the like - I'm impressed with anyone that has the patience for that. I'm trying to develop that side, mind, in fact once when I was living in Ireland as a Mormon missionary, I saw an artwork of a beach at sunset, it really stuck in mind. I found it most interesting because I was currently visiting someone in a psychiatric hospital and the friend I was with was being serenaded by a man who was obsessed with my friend's eyes. He was convinced she would come back to Ireland to stay (she was from America). Anyway that image stayed in my mind and I tried to recreate it. It depicted calm in a place of much chaos! Even though it ended up quite different to the original work I saw, it makes me smile now because of the memories attached to it.
Once in a psychiatric hospital
Capturing emotions
I love trying to capture the emotions of a person, even though I do it very simply. I feel my doodling is very “Jacqueline Wilson” style and I remember a specific memory where as an awkward teenager I was highly embarrassed by my Mum and Aunt. It was already pushing my teen boundaries being out with them but then they had to make a phone call, in a telephone box! Now this was quite an interesting affair - both ladies trying to squeeze into the telephone booth and knowing my mum and her sister they just burst into laughter and all that was left on my Uncle's answering machine was just that - hysterical laughter. Meanwhile my already on edge teenage self had quickly left the scene to hide in a nearby HMV to somewhat regain my 'cool'. I drew a picture of this later and my Mum said I really captured the emotions well, the embarrassment could be clearly seen! I remember being pleased with this - some good had come from that moment of despair after all! And it pushed me on to make more doodles.
Years later here is the drawing re-done for my Aunt's birthday - I'm somewhat over the trauma now
So there you have it, a brief look into why I love drawing, especially custom designs. Already with Alf & Florence I have had the opportunity to design so many designs for people, with my own little unique spin on it. I'm also happy to announce that my cards will now be going on Nicola Downie Florist's website as well as staying in her shop. Along with this I will be including the opportunity for custom designs through her site too. I'm so happy that complete strangers are interested in my work!
Let me know your thoughts from this post, what's your creative journey? Who has pushed you in your dreams? Thanks for reading!
Alex x