I am a Lion.

Today I drew on my face so I looked a bit like a lion. It kept me in a cheery mood and I also turned my boyfriend into a lion. I also made another dummy book and i'm playing about with wording and layout.

Lionel Dummy Book.

Last night I decided that it was time to stop dilly-dallying and make a dummy book! So I did! I put my headphones on and listened to 80's inspiration rock music and got it done. Here are a few of my favourite spreads. It still needs a lot of working but i'm feeling more confident in it now.

My third post of the day!

Holly the Hippo watercolour.

The Owl and the Pussycat for an art swap. Not too happy with it yet but hoping I will be when it's complete. I'm now off to get a dummy book made!

Picture This! Exhibition!

Helen Stephen's beautiful work welcoming us!
Sorry about my reflection in the picture.
I LOVE THE DRAGON...Kazuno Kohara.

Helen Stephen's beautiful work.
A is for Anteater by Katie Viggers.
I'm in love with the jellyfish that she illustrated. No photo unfortunatley.
Beautiful spreads by Kazuno Kohara!
Mine (Bear) and Grace's
(Duck bottom) exquisite corpse.

James put the crocodile in the UK! Ha!
Not part of the Picture this!
Exhibition but really beautiful.

I forgot to check who the artist

was! I was too excited to stop

and look at names!

I'm turning into the Hulk!!!
(Inside the scarily large lift).
Very blurry, sneaky photo of Kevin Waldron's work.

Sneaky photo of the lovely Katie Cleminson's work.

I recently read on Helen Stephen's blog that her work (and other amazing illustrators work) was being exhibited at the Picture This! Exhibition! As soon as I heard about it I had to go! I adore children's books and illustration and aspire to become a Children's book illustrator. I thought it would also give me some inspiration as i've been feeling a bit rubbish about my work.

It didn't take long to get there, but the gallery itself was a bit confusing. Once we found the gallery I went all jelly legged from excitement and started snapping up some pictures of the beautiful work - without flash as i'm respectful - but the lady working there told me not to take any more as it was not allowed...but I had to prove I had seen gorgeous work...I wanted to be able to look back at the photos and feel excited and inspired! If the lady saw this blog she probably wouldn't be very happy.

(..if any of the artists' whose work I have published on this blog are not happy with the fact I took the photos then I will gladly take the photos down as I respect my fellow artist.)

I had so much fun though! It was fantastic to look through rough sketches and character designs. It was so inspiring and made me excited to be an illusthttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifrator. It also reassured the fact that I want to be a Children's Book Illustrator...I hope to have my work exhibited alongside such amazing artists one day.

I'm sorry if you found this boring...I had a lot to say! I also bought a couple of books and postcards:

Books: There Are Cats in this Book by Viviane Scwarz and Little Wizard by Kazuno Kohara.

Such Characters.

Here are a few character designs of Holly the Hippo and Charlie the Chimp. I tried to make a "Mike the Monkey" but I couldn't choose between the vast amount of different monkey species...so Charlie will have to do for now.
The last illustration is a quick drawing of the friends all together: (From Left to Righ:) Steve Sloth, Holly Hippo, Lionel Lion, Charlie Chimp and Terry Toucan. It's not my best drawing but I thought it was a fun way of loosening up for the beginning of my new sketchbook.

Voting has Started.

Please follow the link and vote for my entry for the Florence and the Machine Album cover competition. It would mean a lot to me if you spread the word :) Thankyou!

Dog Dreams animation.

I created an animation many a moon ago. For some reason, Blogger wont let me upload it so here is a link to it on youtube:

Dog Dreams animation.

Hope you all like it.

I may create another one soon!

I love getting post.

I have been sent some wonderful things in the post as of late! I was sent a wonderful ice cream dunny from Supachute , A fantastic postcard from Leslie A. Wood , and the amazing pieces I recieved in an Art Swap with Audrey Malo and Anne-Marie Jones (who is an utter genius)!!!

I love getting things in the post! I'd love a pen pal to send letters to and recieve letters from! (Let me know if you're interested!)

Florence and the Machine Entry.

This is my piece for the Florence and the Machine album art competition illustrating the song: Only If For A Night. I could of done more to it but i've been swamped with work and such...though I am trying my best to stick with my first idea when designing a character/a layout etc otherwise I overink it.

Please support me and my work:

http://www.talenthouse.com/emmacollins

Thankyou!!!

Sweet Treats.

I went shopping today...
I bought a Gruffalo pen!...
...it has a beautiful fox on it!
And I got a Gruffalo/mouse pencil with a snake on it!
I bought this doe/deer ornament
in the topshop sale! I love it!
Here are a few illustrations I have done for my new story. I'm starting to love Lionel! What do you think? How do you think he could be improved?

Oh, my! Art Swap!

Today I recieved Audrey Malo's piece from our art swap! Isn't it beautiful! If you would like to take part in an art swap with me, then please let me know! and if you would like to see the piece I send to Audrey then please look here!