emilymews

mosaic time!

2010-02-06T22:41:00.001Z

http://harharbonk.blogspot.com/2010/02/mosaic-maker-meme.html

1. Tea Party, 2. Happy Birthday Nicholas!!! *Niko*, 3. Satellite Dish, 4. Patrick Wolf, 5. I'm a Happy Camper, 6. 365 days with the lights too bright, 7. Vintage Black and White Line Drawing--Dorothy Lathrop-Flying Horse in Starry Sky, 8. the boy who lived (not quite harry potter), 9. 153|365 ||| sleep

A Book of Blog Stars!

2010-01-15T13:21:00.012Z

BLOG STARS 10, 11, 12!

2010-01-03T23:54:00.007Z

So here they are, the last three blog stars! I have almost finished the book and I will be trying to make a snazzy e-book affair for all to view! Enjoooooy!

http://www.theblackapple.typepad.com/

"I think a successful blog feels just like making a new best friend. They draw us in from the start and inspire us to think about things a little differently then we might be used to. They introduce us to brand new daydreams and get us acquainted with new found favorites.... My favorite blogs seem to share the loveliest photos that make their magical worlds come to life."

http://thesnailandthecyclops.blogspot.com/

http://blog.krisatomic.com/

BLOG STARS 7, 8, 9!

2009-12-31T00:08:00.006Z

it's a very poor excuse but work has been maaaanic and the dissertation is looming so i have been a rubbish blogger, but here are some more blog stars! i have had some absolutely LOVELY emails from these talented, creative females- i am just so pleased to have talked to them!

I think what makes a blog successful is when the person is being genuine. There are a fair few blogs out there that are just clones of one another, and it all gets a bit redundant. I also think there is a bit of a risk in sharing a part of yourself with so many strangers. However, by doing that, whether it be through your writing, artwork, music, etc. you also are able to form connections with other like-minded people that might not have otherwise been possible without the blogging community.

Marisa of http://missthumbelina.blogspot.com/

"I'd have to say I'm not sure it's any one thing in particular, I think things just all have to spark and you get that blog magic - where the authors personality, authenticity of the content, fresh ideas, photos, site aesthetic, everything, just combines with the right audience at the right time and you really feel a ZING. Then it's a snowball effect from there; if you get a few people excited enough to pass on your message, you can claim blog royalty in mere months.

Failing that: "success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on where others have let go" - Unknown. Keep doing your thing for long enough and people are bound to catch on!"

- Megan of http://www.charadestyle.com

"Blog Stars? How interesting! I never considered myself one but there's definitely some influential bloggers out there."

- Xenia of http://www.doedeereblogazine.com/

it's chriiiiiiiiiiistmaaaaaaaaas!

2009-12-07T11:52:00.007Z

right, so i've decided it is now officially the start of the christmas season! i've had my first mince pie, i have been to three christmas fairs, the fuzzy festive feeling in not far behind! i will need to watch the snowman and listen to wham to properly get in to the swing of things, but ooooo it's a-comin'! therefore, i have decided to post the magic themed christmas cards i have made this year, or at least a couple of them...one needs tweaking, but all in good time. i added little stories and activities on the inside of the card that relate to the illustration on the front so it has a wee interactive element, something i am developing in the enterprise challenge malarky at uni. above is "Hattie's Spare Gloves", a story of Gingerbread Fred getting soggy feet in the snow and borrowing Hattie's potions gloves to use as oh-so-stylish shoes, and below is "The Peppermint Plot" where the Lion and Unicorn Sweetshop is over run with peppermint mice. How many can you spot in the picture? :P

really, i just think they look cute with their little brown paper envelopes and snazzy cellophane jackets. my favourite part it packaging them all up with the wee price sticker (i think £2 is a fair price, would you agree?) i'm probably going to end up giving them all away, but one can hope...merry christmas!

BLOG STARS 4, 5, 6!

2009-12-05T12:34:00.007Z

here are the next batch of blog stars! thank you all for your lovely comments, i wish i had time to reply to all of them, they are so sweet! again, the beautiful blog ladies from the internet have come up trumps again and sent me some lovely replies, so here are three for this week, and there answers to the question 'What makes a blog successful?'...

“As for what makes a blog successful, I think it's the same as any venture: if you want something to be a smash hit, it really requires true passion & enthusiasm. I really believe that like attracts like, & so when you pour love & joy into a project, it attracts people who are similarly loving & joyful. It really is a recipe for brilliance. There will be kinks, of course, but if you have that foundation, you can't go wrong.”
http://galadarling.com/

"I think if you blog about things that you find interesting, then usually other people will find that interesting too; unless it's carpeting or twigs or something - and even then, you've got yourself a niche. The blogs I view as successful, I believe, are so because they have genuinely interesting posts that are inspiring, funny, or just nice to look at. It's also nice to feel like you've learnt something by reading a blog, even if you'll never use that something and will most likely forget in half an hour anyway."
http://harharbonk.blogspot.com/

“In answer to your question I think what makes a blog successful is something unique that brings people coming back... oh and people are nosy, they love to daydream about other peoples lives so you must make your blog personal to you.”
www.fifi-lapin.blogspot.com

BLOG STARS 1, 2, 3!

2009-11-27T11:31:00.007Z

hello munchkins,
these last weeks, i have been working on the dreaded dissertation (boo, hiss!). fortunately, i chose a most interesting subject- blog girls! for the practical aspect of my dissertation, i will be making a book/collection of trading card type objects (like pokemon or top trumps, just more glamorous :p) of 12 blog girls who i view as blog stars! this will make a year of blog stars, with each girl assigned to an appropriate month- miss september, etc.

these will be painted in the style of these beauties (http://www.flickr.com/photos/picture-perfect-designs-jewelry/sets/72157614730957132/) as i have been fascinated with their gentle ethereal qualities since i found a set at a car boot sale about 5 years ago. i also feel the way in which paintings were used instead of photographs creates a sort of character around the person which kinda links to the idea of creating an online identity.

anyhow, i have sent out three of the portraits so far, and got overwhelming responses from the lovely, lovely ladies who run the respective blogs. the portraits are below, each with an answer to the question "what do you think makes a blog successful?" thank you again for your replies, and also many thanks to the lovely sophie of http://harharbonk.blogspot.com/ for being my debonair and most distinguished translator in this adventure.

"I think a successful blog has to be updated with quality posts frequently, and it must be aspirational! You must come away with something new after reading and feel like you could never read the same thing anywhere else. Whenever I write a post I try to fulfil these as much as possible but I'm always too picky so don't post as much!"
- The Flying Saucer (http://flyingsaucer.typepad.com/)

"I don't know exactly what makes a blog successful. I guess that to me a successful blog is one that inspires other people and other blogs . .. my favorite blogs are the ones that really get me thinking or that inspire me or that make me excited about something, whether it's fashion related or not."
- Liebe Marlene (http://liebemarlene.blogspot.com/)

"What makes a blog successful ? I don't really know, I'm still very surprised mine works ... I guess it's quality and regularity that makes all."
- The Cherry Blossom Girl (http://www.thecherryblossomgirl.com/)

these are just the straight portraits, but when i have done all of the 12 portraits, i will be adding backgrounds and jazzing them up to compile in to the final book/ card arrangement with extra illustrations and whatnot.

more coming soon!

A Tale of Two Tails- Part Four

2009-11-14T18:43:00.000Z

A Tale of Two Tails- Part Three

2009-11-13T11:10:00.000Z

A Tale of Two Tails- Part Two

2009-11-12T11:45:00.000Z

A Tale of Two Tails- Part One

2009-11-10T13:58:00.001Z

here is the first part of my entry to the observer graphic story prize, it is a sort of fan story i based around some of the beautiful images on the blog http://thesnailandthecyclops.blogspot.com, i hope the lovely francesca doesn't mind! the story was inspired by this post : http://thesnailandthecyclops.blogspot.com/2008/05/wake-up.html and the idea of finding something significant by serendipity, and discovering you actually have a past with it- a garbled notion of the original concept but i hope you enjoy! i will be posting the other pages over this week, if francesca doesn't mind.

long time no see...

2009-11-04T22:52:00.000Z

ooo, i have been a busy bunny. very busy indeed! i have lots of lovely things to show you all which i will unveil in the coming weeks! for now, here is a lazy link to a music video i put lots of time and effort in to...

ttfn!

puzzle competition design

2009-08-24T20:21:00.000+01:00

here be my entry for a competition by tigerprint.com in which entrants were asked to design a children's puzzle along the themes of either numbers/ counting or the environment. the puzzle is aimed at children aged 3-6 and should be designed with the marks and spencer's customer and range in mind as they are the "client" for the brief. i went for a fairytale theme with quantities of fairytale/children's characters from 1-10 to actually demonstrate how to count in a way. i'm not too pleased with my final design, but i fussed over it for hours and hours and hours and it looked no better, so here it is!

doe deere blog banner

2009-08-23T15:15:00.001+01:00

recently i saw that one of my favourite bloggers, doe deere is running a banner design competition! there are some amaaazing designs entered already so i d

on't think i am really a contender but i am such a fan that i really wanted to give it a bash. the theme for the banner is candyfuture, so i decided at first to go for a kind of gem encrusted, hollywood future dressing room thing where i draw doe as a doll in a music/make up box that is surrounded by her cosmetics with a candyfuture cityscape in the background. however, i had to simplify it for the size of banner required (760 x 180px) in to the wee design above. that meant i couldn't fit in the lovely doll version on doe i created, so i thought i would pop it on here!

the alice game!

2009-08-23T15:10:00.000+01:00

there has been a bit of a delay in getting it here, but ta da! here is the final alice in wonderland game! well, final in that its the tester version of the game so there are still a few hitches in it, but you get the rough idea! enjoy!

http://megaswf.com/view/b0375c1a607c5a788d94ef61beb8b316.html

other game screens

2009-07-20T23:08:00.000+01:00

eat me level...

2009-07-18T20:31:00.000+01:00

this level of the game requires you to select enough cakes before the time runs out (demonstrated by the sliding white rabbit timer) to make alice tall enough to reach the key on the table. alice herself is missing again, but would be shown on the left.

idea for the opening screen...

2009-07-18T16:26:00.001+01:00

however, alice is missing! she will be sitting on the grass next to the hole, ready to topple in...

the garden of live flowers

2009-07-17T15:36:00.000+01:00

the white rabbit, lounging and more defined...

2009-07-13T21:49:00.000+01:00

the white rabbit drawn for leaning against the throne in which alice sits at the end of the game, and a little more defined so he can be made smaller for a timer image!

the queen of hearts is a fat little thing!

2009-07-13T21:45:00.000+01:00

catch the looking glass insects- level two

2009-07-12T22:34:00.001+01:00

bread and butterfly, rocking horsefly and snap-dragon fly! not so pretty, but vital for the second level of the game!

game over!

2009-07-12T19:01:00.001+01:00

idea for the design of playing cards...

2009-07-12T17:38:00.001+01:00

the white rabbit

2009-07-12T16:07:00.001+01:00

it's you-know-who!

2009-07-05T16:46:00.000+01:00

no, not everybody's favourite noseless baldy bad guy, tis moi, emilymews, returned after a term and a bit of all sorts of happenings! expect more posts, as i am making a vow to post at least three drawrins and scribblins a week, so keep your one of your shiny mince pies looking this way!

the first of these installments is not too fabby but it will kick things off. the above image is a concept drawing for an online alice in wonderland game competition held by the theatre royal in jolly old portsmouth. i am entering the competition with my friend mr hewitt who will be the animator, so we will be talking back and forth and hopefully the end product will end up on here!

it's nice to be back.

they will tear us apart

2009-03-18T19:01:00.001Z

front cover

inside cover/ character vignette

a sample page in an experimental style

and flying in the sky!

longer letter later :)

sitting on the naughty stair...

2009-02-09T22:46:00.000Z

i haven't been a very good blogger recently... all the things i've been doing are 3d and pop up so a bit hard to post. i just finished a zines unit at uni in a group which was ok, all about quirks and below are my contributions!

they are about one of my favourite blog ladies, selina of the flying saucer and her delightful quirky style. she was so so lovely to talk to and was nice enough to mention me on her blog, and post my designs as her blog header! i am so pleased! i am deep in the ju ju at the moment, all inspired about the new project i am doing with the incredibly talented and inherently witty

khyan of electric buzzsaw (check it out, the last post put tears in my eyes, the good kind!) so possibly more on all that to come! ciao for now!

portfoliooo

2009-01-26T17:05:00.000Z

my portfolio should be up and running from the uni site by now, but it is not. i thought about adding a page with portfolio stuff on here, but it keeps going wrong, so...

this is my myspace portfolio!

this blog is all spangly new and empty looking (after i got bored of the layout on www.emilymews.wordpress.com...) so i thought i would post a link to my myspace portfolio!

Zephirum and A Story About Nothing In Particular

2009-01-17T17:08:00.000Z

my most recent uni project "number in print" involved producing four printing based illustrations along the theme of a number. i chose nought as my number, and looked at static as as a visual representation of nothingness, creating a nought character called zephirum. the outcomes also explored number in relation to dimension, as they were all pop up pieces, and therefore 3D. above is the first outcome in which the stairs pop up, and you are able to pull the creature down from the ceiling by the speech bubble. also, the door under the stairs can be opened to show a cloakroom cupboard, complete with wellies, a ginger cat and mysterious sets of eyes peeking out of the darkness!

back door- the mystery jets

2009-01-17T17:03:00.000Z

cloudbusting

2009-01-04T19:20:00.000Z

"i know that something good is gonna happen. i don't know when, but just saying it could even make it happen"

la Saint-Sylvestre...le Jour de l'An!

2008-12-30T22:38:00.000Z

happy new year, one and all! here is my new blog for the new year! i felt it was time for a change, so here it is. 9 things i plan to do in 2009:

1. lose weight
2. give blood
3. be more organised
4. be confident in myself
5. produce some work i really love
6. enter some illustration competitions
7. buy quality, not quantity!
8. keep reading- a book in my bag keeps me happy
9. start an etsy shop, probably in the summer

so let's open the front door and the back door, get a handsome dark person to cross the threshold with a lump of coal and, most importantly, out with the old and in with the new!