Review of the year!

Here's a quick review of my 2012. Happy New Year you lovely lot!

In January. I won ad space on Illustration rally as part of their fashion rally, the Red Rock competition. I also did an illustration for Secret 7" in aid of Teenage Cancer Trust. My submission for Secret 7'' Florence and the Machine's "Only if for a Night" inspired. I started a new job. My friend came to visit and we did lots of fun, touristy things around Dublin including drinking Guinness, visiting the oldest pub in Ireland, live music sessions, shopping in Grafton street, visiting Temple Bar. Yes! A very busy month!

My ad space on Illustration rally went live in February. Did some valentine card designs for Tigerprint competition and they were featured over at Illustration rally.

Pretty much a workaholic March, nothing too exciting going on. Much of this month was spent working, lusting over clothes I can't afford and dreaming of Summer.

April gave me the chance to do some illustration in my spare time. My work was published in Peculiar Bliss magazine. I even had time to do an illo for Amelia's magazine, a Cate Le Bon review.

I went to a few gigs in May, one of them being Keep Shelly in Athens gig, an electronica-downtempo band from Athens. I did an illustration you can see here inspired by the song Our Own Dream. With this illustration I experimented using outline and shadows. I did some illos for illustration friday, like this 'Hitched' one above. There's a theme set out every Friday and you have a week to do it, its really quite fun.

In June my illustration was published in New Empress magazine. I was commissioned by the editor Helen to illustrate an image to accompany a review of the film Angst, a 1983 horror film. Bit out of my comfort zone, the theme was so different from what I usually do which was a challenge but great fun to do. I tried to incorporate flashbacks from the film, plus elements and little details while still keeping with my own style. I do love a challenge! You can read about it here.

For July, I was commissioned by a new mag, Commas&Colons to do a series of illustrations for their first issue. Julys' illustration for the first issue accompanied a short story by Sara Hirsch called Rubber Dust.. about a girl who works in a stationary shop.

August. My illustration accompanying The New Animal by Scott Morris was published ‪for Comma & colons magazine. I was published in JAPAN! Exciting was not the word. I was contacted by an art publishing company in Tokyo a few months previously to see if I'd like to have my illustrations published in their new book. It was a great honour to be asked and to have my work featured in this book. One of the highlights of the year. See more of my work is Art Box here.

Then I also took a little trip to Bristol. Such a beautiful city. The buildings are beautiful and there are random pieces of street art around every corner. We also sampled some local cider... as you do. Busy excellent sunny weekend. I booked a Summer holiday when I got back. My final illo for Commas & Colons "The Bird Stretches Out Its Wings And Becomes Beautiful" was published online.

September - was like woah it's September. Meet Kit! When not drawing crazy cat ladies I was working on a family portrait commission which took most my time. And it was my birthday month. My illustration was used on the Commas & Colons contribution page for illustrators.

October was holiday month. When not enjoying the sun, reading books and general holiday-ness, I spent time on a gift commission.

In November gift commission unveiled. Painting, illustrating, printing, running around like a headless chicken and getting card stockists. Yes!! I have stockists for my illustration (...to be continued in the new year :)

December - end of the year! Seen the XX live, amazing did this little illo of them. Lots of social occasions you know, the circus and the likes, winning competitions, going to crafts fairs, raiding a food fair and getting inked up (nice way to end the year).

Wishing you all the very best for 2013. Hope it's a great one for you all xoxo