“Quick-DRAW!”

Quick-DRAW! The just for fun, however you feel – whenever you feel – illustration game!

How the game will work:
At the end of each challenge specified time I will roll one six sided dice to determine the number of cards I will draw from my double deck of random people and places. (More can and will be added as the combinations get used and the game developes.)
Some examples of what could be drawn from the card deck: Snow Man, Back to the Future and John Snow.
** Disclaimer – there will be spelling mistakes on this deck of cards (it is a working prototype so take it easy guys.)

Timings will be specified on the day of draw, but it will be an average of every two weeks. Though this first one will run for the month of March so you can take your time, and admire what others want to draw.

I created this game for fun and to practice illustration in a happy and positive environment.

What you will need to do to join in with the game:
When you see a post (even if you see it a few days later) take whatever you see on one of my Tweets or FB status (links at the bottom). Take what you saw and draw it (or make it) it is really up to how you like to express yourself.
For example, I delt myself a hand of two cards just to try out my game. What I got was the following; “Fantacy” (Which in this case I took as Dragon) and “The Mad Hatter”. I chose to let my mind mull it over for a while. When I had a long phone call where you end up waiting to that ‘cheery’ elivator music. I just picked up a biro and doodled this…

You can take 5 seconds or 5 days, it is really up to you.
You can Tweet your illustration with the hashtags #QuickDRAW or you can post directly to my FB wall and we can enjoy eachothers creative-ness together! 🙂

So who is the game for?
It was created for anyone out there who wants to stretch their creativity and have fun by going out of their comfort zone. (Weather that is by doing a random challenge, or publishing your work for others to see.) Fans and lovers of art are also welcome to help artists who are trying something new, feedback is always lovely.
Colaborations are allowed and encoraged!

I must stress: CONSTRUCTIVE critisizm only!
Remember there is a real person with feelings who created the artwork that you can’t see just on the other side of the computer screen. Be nice like I know you all are! 🙂

The Rules:

• Use whatever media you like! A pencil, Biros, Crayons, Acrylic paint, Clay – The limit is your imagination. (You are only limited if a card is drawn that suggests a media to be used.)
• The size of your creation is up to you, anything from a 5p size upwards.
• Complexity is up to the artist, if you want a stick man with antelers cooking waffles… just do it, this is just for fun!

So really the only rule is to be respectfull of others work.

I will be drawing the cards on my FB illustration page & Twitter account tonight, links below:
FB (TJ Creative Illustrations): https://www.facebook.com/TJ-Creative-Illustrations-327199084071162
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TortusTor

I hope to see you all there!

TJ Creative
xXx
Until next time folks!

TJ.Creative favourites Feb 2016

If you are anything like me, you find it really interesting to look at what other people love to use creatively and how they organise themselves; what techniques others use and when they’re trying of a new product. Not in a copy cat sense of course! The curiosity (for me) is more of a nosey variety; “What is everyone else doing?” and “What can I learn from them?”

I am not ready to show anyone my working desk/zone as it changes all of the time. Though I will do a “What’s in my bag” Blog in the future, for all of you who are like me and enjoy seeing how others create on the go.

Sometimes I enjoy working in a local Caffe or Library, sometimes at the dining room table or on my desk which is in my bedroom currently. It depends on many factors (like most people my age, I am still living at home with the family – and family life is loud and rambunctious for 90% of the time! Which is fine for relaxing and having fun, but as far as working goes you can wave good bye to concentration!)  If it is too mad at home I prefer to pack light and go out and find a little bubble of peace to just let the creativity out. Does anyone else do this too?

What you can see in this image:

• G.F.Smith Colour Plan guide.
• Small Charcoal Set.
• Chalks.
• Water-Pencils + Brushes (these hold water in their handle).
• Graph’it black and grey brush pens.
• “Graphic” fine-liner set.
• A4 Layout pad.
• 30cm Steel Ruler.
• A range of Copic Ciao colours (I have been testing out recently).
• Staedtler Coloured Fine-Liners.
• Pencils (and other bits) storage tin.

Don’t forget the half used Gell-Pens (for list making of course) and the range of pencils between 6H-6B for sketches, a light pad and a cheep digi camera, which I use more to capture the essence of something to illustrate later. I do have a badge machine that I must limit myself to using because I get carried away and make far too many! (These are not in this picture.)

Technology wise I am experiencing a lot of trouble in the form of my Mac (Eddy) going to silicone heaven. I am back old schooling for the time being, however until this point I had been using a MacBook Pro with a Wacom Tab for vector illustrations.

If you take away the technology blues, you could see this problem as a blessing in disguise. It has been lovely removing myself from the “rainbow wheel of doom” and kicking back with a simple pad and pen and going about things in a more traditional manner.

What do you guys prefer to use creatively?

This is…
TJ Creative
Until next Sunday guys!
xXx

February 7th 2016 UPDATES and RELAUNCH!

Hola!
That’s right guys I am back and trying to rebrand a bit to refresh myself creatively. I have missed you guys loads and doing my blogs – though they were quite infrequent back then. If I am completely honest I have been a bit nervous to get back to the keyboard and tip-tap-type away once more.
So a big happy hello to all of you who are currently reading this!

I will be changing up my blog some more this week – taking out some old posts I feel are not relevant anymore and generally giving “Illustrate-Tor” a make-over. (Just like my overall branding which is still mid brand.)

So without further waffling on my part, I will now jump into the rest of todays blog! (Which is basically explaining what I plan to do here in my little space on the internet.)

What can be expected from my blog posts in the future:

• Illustration bits … and by ‘bits’ I mean an eclectic mix of “How-To’s”, what adventures I am currently doing (like websites, promos ect) and Creative Hauls! These are some of my favourite subjects to look at when I browse the web and have always jokingly said “I will be brave enough to join them one day”… So here I am… Hi!
• All kinds of gaming! Board gaming or PC/Mac or anything really, again hauls are probable here as well as tips and tricks and unboxings.
• Advice (usually learned the hard way): Sometimes I have random insights that I wish I knew a long time before, or learn something I wish was covered in a class or handed down in wise words. It is definitely better to learn mistakes from someone else than keep making them yourselves, so if I can help you guys, then that is amazing!
• Challenges, arty creative fun things, silly things and just some random fun stuff. Who said you have to work all the time? sometimes you need to have fun too! 😉

Thank you for sticking with me guys! I would love to hear what you guys would like to see me attempt – challenge wise. Or maybe you would like a tutorial? Just let me know in the comments, or send me a message on Twitter (Linked below).
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TortusTor

This is IllustrateTor (evolving into TJ-Creative) signing out just for now!
xXx

Ps – Don’t forget Pancake Day is Tuesday the 9th! Enjoy!

 

From The BA Looking Out – And Future Stares Right Back

Good afternoon!

Warning – About to talk career and future – my plan because I feel better when I plan things out and if I help or inspire others along they way then awesome!

Today (and the last week leading up to today) I have had the slow realisation that this is it; “swim or sink”, “now or never” as far as the career is in question.

I think No, I know that being in a creative career means you need a cash injection (which I don’t have) – or very generous parents or family (and the willingness to sponge)… Which I am not happy with even entertaining the thought of. This thought actually makes me feel uncomfortable.

Option one: if I stumble upon a graphics job or illustrations job I will no doubt go for it – but if I am lucky enough to actually get that job, I will carry on keeping my art and craft as a hobby, just for fun because I find it food for the soul. We all know the hours are not fun for us Graphic Designers, some companies expect you in at 8.00am and stay until the job is done which could be 5.00pm or it could be 11.00pm. I think you must have to really love your job and the company you work for to give up that much of your life, after all there is a whole world to see!

Option two: Get a job that still makes me happy, preferably around people so I don’t turn into more of a hermit that I currently am! Anything that pays the bills, but also keeps me happy. I think my perfect “calm” job is in a coffee shop. Maybe not a big chain, a small family business – or any friendly environment – four to five days a week, standard 8.30-5.00pm, home to cook a dinner, then relax creating typographic works of art, books, branding for friends and family or whoever wants it. A small and friendly home run business is my ultimate aim.

Equipment and Storage

So I have enough trouble organising my clothes, books, shoes and handbags let alone the art and crafts! I could easily fill another room! In fact that would be fantastic! A room to work in…

Ok so dream scenario and perfect outcome: Get a job, make do with the space for (up to) a year then somehow find a mortgage and move out. Preferably a minimum of 3 beds (you know, not to aim too high….)
1 bedroom for sleeping, clothes, relaxed environment, 1 bedroom as an art/craft (shared creative room for the other half) with a wall for a white-borad/cork-board to plan new arty ventures, space for an A3 printer, scanner, light box, paper storage and other deign essentials, and a minimum of one more for a spare room for friends or family to visit.
This is all before a medium sized kitchen – diner, sitting room and 2 bathrooms AND garden, garage AND driveway… I probably won’t get all of these but no one can stop me dreaming and aiming high!

So here is to loads of “Ifs’ Buts’ and Maybes'”! If you guys have any plans it would be good to hear what others are thinking after leaving their uni’s / colleges or just wanting a change in career.

Loads of hopeful wishes and big plans for the future!

Illustrate-Tor Signing Out xxx

YEAY for Bristol Book Fair (BABE)

Hello! As some of you may already have known from my second blog (still not sure weather to close it and move fully here), I was at Bristol Book fair this last weekend! Showing some work with others from my Uni course, needless to say it was a packed weekend! For those of you who don’t know what Bristol Book Fair is; it’s a place for artists, illustrators, graphic designers, creatives of pretty much anything to come and show and sell their works. While there I saw all manor of books and in a huge range of sizes! From teeny-tiny matchbox size books (and some even smaller!) to giant A2 and when opened obviously A1 sized books. Hard covers, soft covers, pure leather covers, no covers – even BARK (yes I mean actual tree bark covered) books! And a whole range of medias were made for the content within! Just to list some processes I spotted while walking around were; letter press, ink-jet, screen-print, rubber-stamping, wood cut, hand painted (I am assuming acrylics from the visual texture – I didn’t want to touch), laser cut, collage and pen illustration! Needless to say I was in awe! It is something I would love to do after finishing my uni course, either as a back up for my uni, with a group of others or on my own. It is an experience I would like to extend! Here are some images form our stall… After leaving the event it has made me realise what inspires, what sells (and what doesn’t) to help shape what I will make. In short it has given me some guides – If there are any of you who are like me (loves to make but needs a little guidance for fear of over designing/complicating a piece of art or design) I strongly recommend that you go and see this or other shows like this. Heres to optimism! Lets go create! Illustrate Tor – Off to create something! xxx

HND End of Year Show (June 2014)

“Me, Myself & I” – The last project of the HND!

Illustrate-Tors show from side on.

Designed on a (student) budget with the aim of getting people to interact with the individual facial features and take an ironic and non permanent way of looking at themselves in a non permanent way. The style that I chose was a fun cartoonist and very unreal form of illustration – almost “cutesy” but not quite because, even though the collection is meant to be light hearted, fun and entertaining – it has a darker more sinister side.

“I am more than just a selfie” Mirror.

“Am I happy in my now skin?” Mirror.

The darker side came about when I detached myself from culture by not using my technology for a short while and observed how everyone (and I do mean everyone with varying degrees of course), was and still are focused on how they look. Some dealing with is as simple as a bit of mascara or a flick of hair gel, this is the tamer end of self vanity and is generally accepted by the consumer and their close friends and family (There are obviously varying styles within this). The tougher more extreme end of self vanity twists into the plastic surgeon sector, with shocking numbers of both men and women opting for some kind of surgical enhancement. The most shocking figures being split between the younger (18-25 years) and middle aged (40-50 years). After researching though different means (observation, question airs and experimentation) shows the younger age groups “main” reason being they are not comfortable in their own skin because the standards of how people “should” look has been raised thanks to the wonder of Photoshop. Of course we can just blame everything on Photoshop, like anything technological – it is never the technologies fault but the drivers, so the button pushers and the head of fashion and media have been focusing on this look and people getting skinnier and skinnier. So children and the younger generation even though they may insist on not being – they are impressionable. The “middle-age” group is more trying to keep what they had and keep in contact with their youth instead of ageing graciously, which who am I to say “you can’t do that” to? It isn’t my place to assume a role of command as an Illustrator/Graphic Designer, but rather offer them (the public) the facts and to let people make up their own mind about the facts presented to them.

The Typography / Illustration Poster

I however didn’t show all the hard facts more as an experiment to see if the general public wood look for a deeper meaning in my work. Which I will have to be honest, only those tho are used to looking deeper saw what I was trying to say, where as those not used to that style of presentation just saw my show as a bit of fun and to get their photo taken with the Polaroid camera. (which seemed a huge hit on the opening night!)

Polaroid photos of people interacting wit my space.

Over all, I think if I touch such a personal subject again in an artistic manor I will defiantly show the facts some how, perhaps it could be used more as a shock and remember system, than the fun and reminisce on a moment in time – like how I approached the subject.

A mix of Illustrate-Tors business cards (non permanent – for this show only).