'Twas the Night Before Christmas

Christmas teaser for Where is Robin?, a children's picture book on the United States written by Robin Barone and illustrated by myself.

Wishing you and your loved ones a fantastic Christmas! Stay safe on the roads!

Gone, But Not Forgotten

So as you can tell, I've been phenomenally busy, so busy that I'm sure my blog is starting to collect cobwebs and breed a new type of spider due to my neglect. But I am back again, clearing away the cobwebs and hopefully will get around to posting far more frequently (definitely one of my New Year's resolutions, along with climbing Lion's Head before this year ends).

In between the busyness I've often been thinking a lot about loved ones I lost early this year. I haven't mentioned them as yet here as I felt too raw at the time to speak about it. Early this year I lost my aunt, the last relative on my mom's side of the family. Every time the phone rings I think it's her calling but then I remember she's gone. Every time I see a ridiculously cute cat or dog photo, or Turkish Delight I immediately think of her. I'm still in shock that she's gone. 

We also lost a close family friend - one of my best friends' gran also passed away early this year. She lived around the corner from us. She was such a loving woman; both my grans passed away when I was still young so she felt like a gran to me. This morning my mom happened to show me a bunch of memorial service pamphlets that we'd kept and hers was one of them. I keep thinking she still lives around the corner, but I know she's not there anymore.

I'm at a loss to say words that sum up and describe these wonderful and amazing ladies that used to be in my life. One day when I'm feeling more ready, I will share more about them, but for now, let this serve as a tribute to their beautiful lives. Gone, but not forgotten.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving teaser for Where is Robin?, a children's picture book on the United States written by Robin Barone and illustrated by myself.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy Thanksgiving! I'm so very grateful for truly stellar friends and family, you are all such great blessings to me! And for all the new and exciting opportunities and projects that have popped up this year, many of which have been dreams of mine! Wherever Thanksgiving takes you, travel safe!

Superbalist Sale!

Alexander's Band, the illustration collective I'm part of has beautiful prints up for sale on Superbalist! There are brilliant and beautifully detailed pieces by Joey Hi-Fi, Alice Edy, Hanno van Zyl, Hylton Warburton, Jade Klara, Rudi de Wet and Adam Hill.

Two of my prints, "Cape Town City Hall" and "Sightseeing" are also included in the sale.

Get your hands on some beautiful limited edition prints here!

Nelson Mandela Day | 18 July 2014

"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead” 
~ NELSON ROLIHLAHLA MANDELA (18 JULY 1918 - 5 DECEMBER 2013)

In honour of Nelson Mandela Day, following is a collection of all things Madiba!

Nelson Mandela Day Google Doodle

Google doodler Katy Wu has really outdone herself with this beautifully illustrated tribute of the legacy of Nelson Mandela! A fascinating look at her process in illustrating the doodle can be found here.

South African National Reserve Bank

Our new South African bank notes feature moments of Nelson Mandela's life. By AmICollective and The Jupiter Drawing Room Johannesburg.

Tribute to Nelson Mandela 

As you drive along the highway into Cape Town, you won't be able to miss the huge portrait of a smiling Madiba! Commissioned by the City of Cape Town and Dreamfuel, Linsey Levendall created an amazing tribute to the legacy of Nelson Mandela.

Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu "a person is a person through other persons"
Tattoo and print illustration for Mark Forrester by Sindiso Nyoni

95 'til Infinity 
Commemorative poster print of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela by Sindiso Nyoni

U2's Ordinary Love music video

I really love U2's Ordinary Love music video, which was written for the movie "Mandela : Long Walk to Freedom". It features beautiful lettering by Oliver Jeffers and also features the talents of Mac Premo. Inspiring stuff!

Puzzle Illustration

So this is a project I meant to share a while ago - I was approached to create a custom illustration for an educational puzzle for a Canadian company!

It was such a blast working on this! Here are some close-up details:

Hey girl, whatcha doing?

When I was a kid I used to draw a crown on every character I scribbled. Even worms got teeny tiny crowns placed on their noggins! Illustration for a project that didn't go ahead.

Le sketch

Featured in Rockport Publishers' 1,000 Dog Portraits book!

6 months in and so far 2014 has been an amazing, whirlwind, non-stop, jam-packed, exhilarating adventure - so jam-packed that time to blog has been absolutely non-existent! But for the next 6 months and onwards, I intend to get better at blogging and let you in on this exciting adventure!

So to kick off, I'd like to share some fantastic news I received earlier this year - an illustration of mine was selected to appear in Rockport Publishers' new book, 1,000 Dog Portraits by Robynne Raye!

With 1000 illustrations of hounds, herding dogs, mutts, terriers, beagles, pugs and every dog you can think of, in 1000 different interpretations and styles (quirky, realistic, collage, paintings, drawings etc) this book is sure to be a great collection for all you canine lovers!

It is such an honour to be featured alongside the likes of Debbie Millman , Marian Bantjes , Robynne Raye (Modern Dog Design Co.) , Jessie Hartland , Joey Ellis , and a plethora of incredibly talented illustrators and designers!

It is also with a lot of mixed emotion that I share this news - at the end of that very same week after hearing such great news of being featured in the book, we lost the very family pet I had illustrated, to tick bite fever - how much life can change in the space of a week.

Sometimes life unfurls in the most mysterious, ironic ways. 

~ For Lily AKA "Lilybug" "Woolly" "Woolligan" ~ 

~ 22 November 2011 - 15 April 2014 ~

Airport Awesomeness III

Don't mind me as I pore over pretty pictures of all things airport and flying related. (Yes, I am obsessed with airports and flying. And yes there are also two previous posts on pretty pictures of all things airport and flying related - here and here).

At the Airport by Marco Goran Romano

A colouring-in page by Miriam Bos for Transavia Airlines

A photograph for Macquarie Private Bank's Brand Book, by SouthSouthWest 

A spread from Graphic Design for Rainy Days by Studio 3

Late afternoon departure by e2kmaster

Illustration by Marc Boutavant

Photograph by Mark Wagtendonk

Hakodate Airport, Hokkaido by Ryo Takemasa

Illustration from the Visual Grammar Student Book by James Gilleard

Illustration by Rami Niemi for Monocle

Love this Expedia print campaign by Ogilvy London via Creative Review

Photograph entitled "Cleared for Landing"

Illustration by Timba Smits

Venetia Scott for Paule Ka's 2012 Fall line, featuring Caroline Trentini

Airport Runway prints by Nomo

Aerial images of famous airports by Jeffrey Milstein. 

Pictured here: Newark Airport.

Airport Code pillows by Airportag

Illustration by Atsushi Hara