MUSE.

 There are a few guys in the celebrity world that I think just ooze that special something when it comes to menswear fashion. I'm really into that sexy bad boy image, you know like Russell Brand kind of style. I think

he's so edgy it's almost insane. His wild mane of hair and his skinny jeans just make him so individual, you can spot him a mile off. I'm not the biggest fan of skinny jeans on men (if they're skinnier than his girlfriend's I think there's issues) and I think very few can pull it off. Russell Brand is part of the small minority. I think if you draw a basic  line silhouette of him and ask someone who it is, they'd probably guess correctly. And that, I think is a real key sign of authenticity.

He's also prone to wearing the same colour pallet - neutrals, mostly black white and grey.

  You rarely see him in colour, which I tend to agree with. I'm really not the biggest fan of bright colousr, I adore monochrome, it's just classic - everyday and every night.

  Another key muse of mine is Johnny Depp. OK, it's not the most original because I know the whole world is in love with him, but in terms of his style and choice of clothes, I think he is amazing. He really has nailed his own signature style with his glasses, hats and kooky layered shirts. I love the fact that he really hasn't changed his style over the years, he's always been the way he is. The way he dresses comes from his core, which I believe is very important and a key element to standing out. It's like he completely ignores fad trends and sticks to the clothes that reflect his personality regardless of them being in 'fashion' or not. After all, fashion is whatever you make of it.

 He really is one of the few guys in the celebrity world who really step out of the box and is willing to experiment and just have fun with styling. He portrays that bad boy/laid back/eccentric part of his personality so well. Not just a pretty face eh?

This is one of my own designs using water colour paints and pens, just adding an extra something to an image of Johnny Depp I found just browsing google images (as you do) Here's the link to the original image. (Useful if you need a new screen saver on your computer.) 

 http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=johnny+depp

 Again, these are some of my sketches, experimenting with more of a loose, fluid style of illustration.

The difference between style and fashion. Fashion is what you adopt when you don't know who you are. Style comes naturally when you realise who you are. 

JUNKER JANE

Whilst not even looking for something art related on the internet, I stumbled across this really quirky artist called Catherine Zacchino otherwise known as "JUNKER JANE"

She makes these really eccentric doll-like characters out of, well junk basically, which I think is just really cool. She uses recycled materials, vintage fabrics and anything else she can get her hands on.

I think they look like they're auditioning for a Tim Burton film!

I like how she's highlighting the fact that you don't necessarily need money to create something wonderful. Just a few scrap materials, a sprinkle of imagination and a big dollop of talent and your ready to go.

I think it's the sort of art that not everyone will appreciate because the faces are not the most aesthetically pleasing to the eye. If you really understand creative thinking, you'll appreciate the core beauty of the dolls. They are just really creative and authentic characters that are yearning to be loved!

Her blog is worth a visit if you love quirky art.

http://junkerjane.blogspot.com/

 

Don't be so BIG HEADED.

We like our girls with ATTITUDE.

Sometimes, I sit down about eleven in the morning to do some "five minute" sketches and before I know it it's six or seven in the evening! Well this was one of these days in the summer. I made these "larger than life" characters with my new pro-marker pens! I started off with the first one - the red head, then thought hmm.. she definitely needs company!

For me, there's always a big emphasis on illustration. It's something I absolutely love and like to practice and improve each day. I'm filled with new ideas and am always itching to get them down on paper. If I'm feeling down I reach for my paper and draw dark things that express my mood. If I'm feeling happy I'll probably use bright colours and draw pretty faces. Then when I look back at my work I can reflect on myself, my being and my way of thinking. It's almost diary-like.

Trust your imagination.

 It's so easy to do the things you enjoy. The outcome of your creations are only as good as the enjoyment you put into the moulding of it.

 So here, I've experimented with a more animated style, which is fun and quirky, with large heads and small bodies. These characters are particularly attractive and they know it! Their heads are far too big too handle and their attitudes definitely shake up a room. Have fun with what you do and keep experimenting until you find your signature style.

The first girl - the red head, her eyebrows are just like "oh  hell no, you talkin to me?!" whereas the girl with the blue hair is more like "ahh I'm way too innocent for that..." and the dark haired girl has more of an androgynous feel; she knows what she wants and how to get it like:

 "step aside people. I have arrived."

Because everyone needs INSPIRATION.

So I've always loved quirkiness and anything or anyone who ventures from the norm. I really admire Tim burton's style. He may not be everyone's cup of tea, but one things for sure, his work and signature style is hard to ignore. I've seen a lot of his films and love how sometimes, even if I don't realise he's the director, it's still like "oh this is totally a Tim Burton film!" And that right there, is a sign of success.

We all wonder sometimes if we're weird, or if we should express some of our thoughts to others, simply because we don't want them to think we're weird. But maybe weird is a good thing?! I mean who wants to be ordinary anyway? 

I love Tim Burton's attitude to art and he really does inspire me to embrace my own kookiness because he is proof that not everything has to be pretty or even understood to become successful. So my advice to a lot of people would be to stop worrying what people think, whether they get it or not, that's not your problem. Express what's inside because you're the only one who can. Who knows, you might just create something great?

iNVADE yOUR sUBCONCIOUS...

GASSED ALIVE.

BUTCHERED.

YOU TURNED INTO A CRYING SNAKES HEAD.

MY HEART'S BEEN EATEN. DO YOU EVEN CARE?

WHEN YOU WALK AWAY LIKE YOU DON'T CARE, YOU CRUSH ME.

LONELY, WINDING, ROADS... STRANDED.

WHY WON'T YOU HELP ME WHEN I SEE WHAT I NEED IN YOUR HAND?

BABY IN A PLASTIC BAG. CONGRATULATIONS... SORRY.

I CAN'T SAVE YOU ALL. BUT WHO DO I CHOOSE?

I bet your thinking... uhh..what?!

Well I didn't really go out of the country this summer :( and as I was staring at the same kind of surroundings each day it was hard to venture from the norm. I started to think about what affected me most visually during my time off and I have to say I was having some pretty graphic nightmares every single night. I'd wake up and my heart would feel so heavy and I'd just be thinking.. well what was that all about?

Everybody dreams and the majority of the time we think god that was weird... and then just get on with the rest of the day. But I thought maybe these visions could be useful? Who knows where out subconscious thoughts could take us in reality? So I started to keep a journal and each day I would write them down and soon they started to pile up.

There are things that affect us and maybe sometimes we don't realise it, but they will eventually make their way into our lives, our designs and ideas. For me, they blend into my garments and design concepts. There's a definite rawness about our dreams and a strong element of originality. I mean what two people dream the same dream?

NIGHTMARES BRING OUT OUR STRONGEST EMOTIONS.

 Explore your dark side. 

DON'T RUN AND HIDE.

Bring to life your inner most thoughts and desires.

Embrace your inner freak and create SPARKS.