Miaow!

Today's little doodle.

Yeehah!

Here's a sneak preview of something I'm working on for a client...

Something a little different...

Excuse the quality of the photo, it's from my phone as my camera seems to have gone astray. Last week I went along to a ceramics workshop with my lovely fellow illustrator Holly Surplice, and this is the end result! I thought I'd be a bit stuck without my beloved Mac to draw on, but found a technique that I really enjoy. I really recommend having a go, it's always lovely to find another way to use your drawing skills!

ToucanBox

I've not been on here much recently as I'm working on a very labour-intensive project at the mo. I'll share it with you once I've made the deadline! Until then, here's a lovely logo I was commissioned to create a few weeks ago by Authentic Style. You can see it in place here.

A Little Bit of Lettering

I drew this a few weeks back and just stumbled across it in my files. It's a first attempt using a new brush in Photoshop to create some nice hand lettered type. It has more texture than my normal brush and I'm quite excited by the result!

An Ornithological Valentine

A Happy Valentine's Day for tomorrow folks. I hope you all get what you've been wanting, and from the person you've been wanting it from!

VG Jewellery

I'm possibly over-excited about this, but someone recently sent me a little kit for making my own jewellery and I made this little necklace today during my coffee break. I was going to give it to someone, but I love it so much I'm going to keep it for myself and order some more blanks to fill! 

Digital Pencil Roughs

I've always had a slight aversion to showing my actual 'rough' sketches to clients, but after admiring Holly Surplice's digital roughs I was determined to add this skill to my list. I've also had quite a few requests recently from clients asking if I can provide this service, and now I can! After a bit of experimentation I found a brush that works for me and I'm actually really excited by my sketches on-screen.

Booksniffer

The fabulous Booksniffer has included my bookshelves in her lovely selection of illustrator's bookshelves. She also has an excellent blog here with some great picture book reviews. Essential reading!

Updated Website

I've updated my website at http://www.vickigausden.co.uk. Take a wee peek if you have a spare second, I've expanded my portfolio to include more examples of projects and finished work.

The Year of the Dragon

I've just drawn this little guy for the entry page to my website and I thought I'd share him with you.

Hippo New Year!

New Year's resolutions anyone?! I'm back in my studio and officially holding a pen in my hand. Hello 2012.

Feeling Festive?

Here's a little Christmas spirit for you!

Today's Doodle

A Surprised Bunny

Here's one of yesterday's drawings. I've not got much done today, I blame the crazy weather...

Stuck in my Head

Sometimes I get a song trapped in my brain for an entire day, and occasionally for an entire week if I'm really unlucky. Today I have a saying stuck on repeat in my mind. I thought I'd exorcise the demon by putting it down on paper. Let's see if it works...

Latin Bears

This popped into my head last night and I scribbled myself a little note to draw it up today if I had the time. I'm particularly fond of the polar bear. Might be a character here!

As happy as a pig with a cocktail...

I've been a bit quiet recently as I crack on with a couple of projects that I can't mention here at the mo (mostly as they're still in progress!). I'm also working on developing my characters, this little guy is Perry the Pig...

How is it November already?!

Today I've been drawing this little illustration to freshen up the entry page of my website. I was aiming for being not overly Christmassy, just vaguely festive! Hope it hits the mark.

The Shadow on the Stairs

Look what landed on my desk this morning! Some very smart-looking copies of the book jacket I was commissioned to illustrate by the lovely folks over at Barrington Stoke. If you want a copy of the real thing, they're up on Amazon at the mo.

Castle Melamine Coasters

I was asked the other day about these,  I drew some lovely illos of sheep for Castle Melamine a few years ago and you can now buy them on Amazon.  

I can See the Weekend from Here!

Have a good one everybody...

Eteaket Prints

My exhibition at Eteaket is now up on the wall and last Wednesday we had a lovely opening night with tea cocktails. My thanks to everyone who came along, it was a great success and I've had so much interest for prints that I've had to order extra paper stock! Eteaket are selling prints from their website , so check it out if you're searching for something a little different to give this Christmas.

Whizz...Bang!

Have a safe Bonfire Night folks and don't forget to check for hedgehogs before lighting any bonfires!

24 Hours to go

Tomorrow evening I'll be hammering nails into walls in Eteaket and getting my exhibition into a presentable shape. Today I'm still drawing and printing work. Later I'll be framing like a mad thing. I am not a last minute person, I just found some inspiration today and decided to continue creating. The illo above is of a White Hart and he's my second-to-last piece. One more to do! On Wednesday I'll be saying hello to those of you who are in the area/have the time to pop by for my opening night!

Hello Friday!

It's been a busy week but I wanted to share this illo with you. I'm currently working on one of my own stories and this is one of my characters!

Eteaket Exhibition

I've been working on some new lettering-based pieces for an exhibition I'm doing next month in Eteaket up in Edinburgh. If you haven't been it's a lovely place with a fantastic selection of teas and cakes (hello). I'll post more info about what I'm up to once I've got things framed and printed!

More babies...

I've decided I need more practise at sketching little ones, so I set myself a challenge for today's doodle to draw another baby. 

Din-dins!

This could be either of my dogs, they're both little hoover-beasties!

Seventy-three days until Christmas!

I'm officially starting the countdown as I purchased my first Christmas gift last week. And so it begins.

New Samples

Here are some more traditional fairy tale characters. Puss in Boots is a favourite of mine and the Fairy Godmother just popped into my head one day and needed putting down on paper!

Viewpoint Illo

I think this might just be one of my favourites! The latest effort from me for the lovely folks over at Top Sante Magazine.

Viewpoint Illustration

My latest lettering piece for Top Sante Magazine.

A Wee Dougie!

Today's doodle. It's lovely and warm over here at the moment, almost freakishly warm actually. Both cat and dog seem puzzled by the sudden change in temperature, can't say I'm not slightly confused myself!

Culzean Estate Map

Earlier this year I had an exciting commission from the National Trust to draw a new estate map for Culzean Castle. Last week I was in the area and thought I'd drop by to see it in situ. And here it is...

And something tasty...

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrum!

I seem to have a transport theme today!

Brrrr, Summer is officially over then...

I don't know how the weather is with you, but over here in Edinburgh it's feeling distinctly nippy today. With that in mind I started on a new illo to go on the front page of my website, and here it is!

A commission from CAFOD

I recently had the opportunity to work with the lovely folks at CAFOD, a charity raising funds to help children from deprived backgrounds achieve their ambitions and dreams. You can see some of my illos on their website here.

I'm baaaaack!

Soooo, I've been away on a little holiday and today is my first day back at my desk. I've got a pile of emails to answer before I can get cracking with some drawing, but I'm actually itching to pick up my pen and get scribbling!

I'm leaving...on a jet plane...

This will be me in a couple of hours. See you when I get back next week folks!

Otter-ly Cute?

Self explanatory really! I'm on my hols at the moment spending some time with family, but had a spare half hour and drew this little guy.

Ooooh an Agent!

I've just signed up to join the lovely team at Miles Stott Children's Literacy Agency. I'll be represented in all things children's-publishing-related by the awesome Mandy Suhr, who'll also be helping me shape up on my writing technique (phew).

A Quick Update

Hello everyone, sorry it's been rather quiet over here. I've had a lot to do recently and most of my projects have been ones that I can't show here (or at least, not until they are in print!). Above are a few things I've been working on for my portfolio, hope you like them!