Cut Click Mail Art

Hey all!

I've entered a mail art exhibition in Grimsby run by Cut Click, there's loads of really cool entries on the Flickr group for the exhibition, which can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/cutclickmailartexhibition/

I made a postcard (above), a Jacob's ladder book from an envelope (below) and also decorated the envelope it all went in :) It was really inspiring! You can see the postcard on the top of this post; the rest can be seen in the group linked above or at my own Flickr, at www.flickr.com/photos/start_today

Jacob's Ladder Book

My cat obsession has recently got much worse and I've been drawing cats all the time. I love it and hate it at the same time! Other news... I'm making 'Apricot Cat' into a proper book for university, which I'm really pleased about. Got lots to crack on with now but I'm hoping to make a moveable book from it. Wish me luck!

Back!

Phew, all moved into the new house in Birmingham, all settled in and we have internet etc... I've been moving house so I couldn't come online for a while- hence the lack of blog posts. I will keep up to date, I promise!

So anyway, I've finished the painting part of my Apricot Cat artist's book! :D Woo woo! I want to do the lettering so badly but I need a grey fineliner, and I can't find one that I like. I was going to order online but I'd prefer to try it before I buy it, so I'm gonna try and get one from uni tomorrow (first day back!). Anyway, here are the Apricot Cat pics:

I need to put the writing in but am struggling to fine a grey fineliner that I like, so once I've done that it'll be finished and I'll see about making it into an artist's book.

I've been doing a few other drawings which I've put on flickr and making a few bits to sell on Etsy, which can be found here:

flickr.com/photos/start_today/

shootemupclothing.etsy.com

I've been doing lots of animal drawings since I found the book below for only £2.99 at Waterstones, and it's got loads of animal pics in it!

(It's by Alice Tomsett and is usually £5.99)

Also on Flickr I found this really cool group called Free Art Friday, where people make free art and leave it lying around for people to pick up, in the street for example. I really wanna get doing some :) Do any of you guys do free art? I'd like to see it! You can find that group here. I think it's a really cool thing to do because it'd make my day to get some free art and I'm sure other people will appreciate it too.

Anyway, as ever I'd appreciate constructive criticism on any and all work, so let me know what you think!

And keep up to date with me not only here, but at:

flickr

twitter

Bits and pieces

Pfft, got lots to say today!
I did my face painting yesterday- which, by the way, was a complete and utter shambles! The craft fair had little to no people coming to it, and even then they were mostly 40+ so didn't want their faces painted. I did my own face, my mum's and also a little girl who belonged to a stall holder anyway- so only one paying customer! I did take some photos though of my Mum and myself, and also I'm putting in a few I've done on other people too. I like face painting! The model is my little sister, she's strange but cute!

ALSO I've got to renew my passport! Rubbish! It expires before I go on holiday (Ibiza July 2010 woo woo!!!), and did you know it costs £77 just to renew it?! I have no money, I'm a poor student!

I've just remembered a LOAD of pictures that I've made in the last year at uni that I've never put online, so I'm gonna put those on flickr. It's a childrens book that I made for the final bit of my 1st year. I also did a pretty cool video (I thought so anyway!) of the character, Sockmonster Jeff, so I'll upload that tomorrow on youtube and link you to it. It's just really simple stop motion, but it took me ages! The song is Twenty Flight Rock by Tiger Army, for anyone who likes it.

Anyone here do free art? I'm well going to do some once I've finished Apricot Cat. Maybe I could leave some Apricot Cat artist's books around. If you get any free art from anyone please let me know, I'd love to see it.

Anyway got to go, Salvador seems to be shedding her skin so I'm just gonna check she's doing ok! :)

Apricot Cat Artist's Book

I've finished the line work for the Apricot Cat artist's book! Yay! :) On the left is a (quite bad, sorry!) photo of what it looks like so far. You can see more of it on my flickr, and there you can see how the idea developed to some extent too. I plan on colouring this in watercolour and maybe pencils, and also maybe photoshopping it too before I make it into a book. Hopefully the colour should be done in the next week or so, so I'll keep you updated with that :)

I'm face painting on Sunday at a craft fair- somewhere near Nottingham I think- so hopefully I'll be able to take some photos without looking too inappropriate! Look out for those pics :)

Is anyone going to the 4th Manchester Artist's Book Fair? I know it's a bit early to be planning really, but for those of you who are interested, the website is here. Take a look, artists books are mint I promise! I've gotten well into them lately :)

Anyway I'm off, party to arrange for tonight! Wish me luck and keep updated :)

My Twitter

My Flickr

Animools

Starting on a series of drawings of animals, titled 'Animools'; so called because it's my own slant on drawing them and is apparently (according to Haydn) how I say that word. (And 'chemicools' instead of 'chemicals'.)


Have you heard of Apricot Cat? It's my new project. (See above) It's how I came about with the idea of Animools. The idea is that a cat eats an apricot stone and... you'll have to see what happens! I think it's going to end up as an artists book so contact me if you're interested in following the progress and getting a copy once it's done.

chloe.cook@students.bcu.ac.uk

Keep up to date with my images at www.flickr.com/photos/start_today and also follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/starttoday89