Research and Illustration

Research Resources

Book wise-A great secondhand book shop clearly sectioned just like a library.


I have spent many years collecting resource books for my designing and have spent my time browsing local markets and second hand charity book stores. Luckily for me I have a little town near me called Southwell it has a little market which has a book stall and a book shop which has a lot of donations of second hand books arriving daily. I have taken to buying little
vintage books on nature and foliage which I find really inspiring. The nature of holding an old vintage book gives me a sense of nostalgic references that I am wishing to embellish onto my design work

Books purchased for illustration and theory.

The large Zinc white gouche I have been adding to my Windsor and Newton paint palate to get the chalky dusty rustic vintage colour ways within my work. While I have been printing, whether it is lino print or a screen print I have been creating my own palate and keeping my inks labelled and kept save in the print room. Cohesion with my colour palette across my design developments is important. I have designed a header card for my fabrics for display purposes as I like to see  developments during my design processes. I am also using different size sketch books as I like to work on different areas of my project at the same time.Also when designing I can look at one or more ideas at a time in order to gain more inspiration and direction.
I will be creating a multi colour screen print for wall paper and also for fabric this will mean I will need to create different screens as fabric screen printing requires a different screen type. I will also be creating different colourways for this design.The image will be patterned across on a diagonal repeat. The background will also vary in colour. 

House Martins that fly around Sycamore Cottage.

         I have lined drawn images of British birds that link to my surroundings as part of my project brief. I have photocopied a number of copies and have painted the original drawing ready to create a screen print using traditional methods.

Blue tits and Finches Sycamore Cottage.

The birds I have drawn have been 
using the vintage reference books created for wildlife enthusiasts and bird watchers and therefore give precise information of what they look like and what sort of nests and eggs they have. I am interested in adding more imagery to my fabric and wall paper ideas to explain visually were the birds live and what the environment its like in order to create a country feel and understanding of the wealth of natural beauty available in England.  

Windsor and Newton Paint Palette Water colour. I am loving the painted effect of my This old paint  pallette and would love it as an all over wall paper abstract with lots of tactile influence similar to marble and Agate stone.

I love these birds that I have drawn and wish to also create leafs, butterfly's and insects ,a trellis type of fabric repeat would also suite these images.
The Little Vintage book I have used for reference purposes is called "Intersting British Birds "by Kathleen N.Daly and is illustrated by Eric Tansley and Robert Aitchen. and is published by Blackie & Son ltd.
I must look on line via Ebay or Gumtree for similar books.

Water Colour using 4 colours 5 if I include white

Blue Tits and Finches