STRAY revisited :: Today, We Are All Japanese Project... #pinkhair!

This was originally an illustration I did as an editorial piece for Stray Magazine.

I added to it a little recently for a print that will be exhibited at the 'Today, We Are All Japanese' art exhibition opening in Tokyo early next year. All funds raised from art sales will go to the Earthquake/Tsunami relief fund.

So if you happen to be in Tokyo around March, be sure to pop in and check out work by a whole bunch of international artists... more details to follow soon!

Prints available in my etsy store soon!

A Sugar Pop Christmas!

My bosses at the little design & print studio where I work, recently asked me to create an illustration for their client christmas cards! Despite my style being.. well.. a little less than corporate *cough* boobs *cough* they were more than happy for me to have free reign over the design - very exciting!

I had already created my 'miss sugarpop' illustration recently and decided she'd look pretty special all christmassy and decked out with festive cheer for the holidays!

Merry Christmas, everyone! xx

Sugarpop

Sugarpop Xmas Edition

Exciting Upcoming Projects!

The other day my friend Bambieyez said something along the lines of: "blah blah blah my blog... blah blah etc" (where the blahs and etcs were actually rivetting details about her blogging escapades that just happen to be irrelevant to this particular story)

My response was something like "blog.... Oh-mai I have a blog... blog!! I haven't been blogging!" ..... we had a giggle at the fact that due to the massive amount of projects and happenings overcrowding my mind over the last few months, I had in fact forgotten I was quite regularly maintaining this blog. Underneath the giggles and amusing banter I was secretly quite terrified that something I was so very fond of and dedicated to could so easily slip my mind.

But, here I am - back in the land of the big orange B. I'd now like to share with you all a few good reasons to explain why perhaps the afore mentioned forgetfulness may have occured...

I'll start with some rather exciting news from a few months back - I thought I'd mentioned it, but can't seem to see any posts about it! So, I received possibly one of the best emails ever in my inbox one morning.... a lovely little note from YEN Magazine saying they'd love to feature my work on their website! Yay! You bet I pinched myself repeatedly til I bruised.

Then the planning began for the 2nd round of Explicitly Graphic exhibition goodness... we are opening in Brisbane (white canvas gallery, fortitude valley) on Friday 28 October. Despite the fact that we are all very excited to put on another show... it is a LOT of work and needless to say a little stressful and busy at times, but it's always so rewarding to see it all come together on opening night. Head to our website for more deets.... tickets are selling fast for this one as it is a little bit more of an art party feel - DJ, food, goody bags, possibly fairy lights strategically placed for maximum sexy ambience! Hurry go get a ticket online for 9 bucks, or if you're a gambling kid you can wait and see if you can grab one at the door for $15!

www.explicitlygraphic.com.au

Then in the midst of exhibition planning I managed to score an amazing job in a small but awesome design and print studio in new farm. The people I work with are amazingly talented and friendly and I am so happy to be in a fun team environment again. The commute from the coast has been a little crazy but I am moving down next weekend, can't wait to call Brisbane my home for a while and finally immerse myself in some city culture again. (a little spoiled after Tokyo times and often miss the hustle & bustle of city living!)

My explicitly graphic girls are coming tonight to talk all things  OPENING NIGHT!  So stay tuned for some exciting developments...

Oh, and please excuse my messy mix of lower and uppercase letters, lack of punctuation and overall disregard for the Engish language.... this is a real speed post where I throw caution and preciseness to the wind and twirl around in a carefree circle (in a field of lilies, gerberas & irises) until I get to the next project.

I promise not to leave it so long between posts again!

Tiff xx

Girl.Houyhnhnm Magazine Japan!

I am so excited to have been approached for an interview by the lovely editor of Japanese online fashion & culture magazine GIRL.Houyhnhnm! I have been a big fan of this online mag ever since stumbling upon it via hello sandwich (she designed it, the clever girl!) so to be asked to contribute something was beyond flattering! I'm afraid it's only in Japanese, but my good friend Maho from Takara Gallery is working on a translation for me. (I have been practicing my Japanese by attempting to read it but I always get stumped on the Kanji!) Oh, and even if you know not a word of Japanese, there are some pretty awesome videos up from some very interesting characters and a lot of them speak English so you can enjoy those, as well as all the amazingly inspiring imagery.

Tiff xx

Fashion Inspiration

I don't usually post about fashion (for no other reason except living & breathing art!) but today I stumbled across some incredible images that I just couldn't help but share. For those of you who are into fashion illustration, you will understand how images like these make me scream 'I WANT TO DRAW THIS' in my head, even before the 'I WANT TO BUY/WEAR THIS' kicks in! So when I first laid eyes upon these images I immediately put the kettle on and settled in for an afternoon of illustration. The colours, patterns, flow of fabric, makeup, shoes, hair... they are all just so lovely and I kind of even want to print them out and eat them. Weird? Totally.

Love the eyes and birds-nesty hair ~ Source: Lady Petrova

The pale tiffany blue teamed with lemon yellow is super delish ~ Source: Chictopia (by fancy tree house)

 

Pinup, pastel & a flamingo in the same shoot - need I say more? ~ Source: Miss Georgie Dawson (Damian Smith photography)

I'll be sure to share the art that comes out of this afternoon fashiony-inspiration fest! Enjoy!

Tiff xx

***UPDATE*** here's what I'm playing with after getting all inspired by the above images! Work in progress!

Like these little doodles? Grab them on a postcard or print right here

Tiff xx

Vintage newspaper ads

Stumbled across some great old newspaper clippings while looking through some old historical tidbits for a conference I am doing graphics for... I love that everything was illustrated, even product shots, and the headers and splashy slogans are so very typographically delicious! Enjoy!

If you've spotted any neat examples of vintage newspapers/flyers/ads/graphic design/typography etc, do feel free to share them in the comments! :)

Tiff xx

Vintage Wedding Dress Illustration

I am currently working on a commission for a dressmaker who specializes in vintage creations! I'm lucky enough to get a few jobs here and there that are so fun they don't actually feel like work, and this is definitely one of those jobs! Here's a sneak peek... will share the finished piece very soon!

Tiff xx

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+UPDATE+

Here's the finished piece from the sneak peek above! See a slightly larger version here.

Tiff xx

"Stray" for Stray Magazine

My submission for Stray Magazine ~ the theme was 'Stray' ~ I've had this bunny-kini lass in my head for some time now and this seemed a good opportunity to bring her to life.

Tiff xx

Cute stationery from Chibi Run!

I was definitely spoiled for craft & stationery supplies living in Tokyo. So much so, that I didn't even buy that much when I was there... kind of a 'plenty of time to get it later' kind of attitude. Don't get me wrong I admired a LOT, everyday, sometimes in 5 hour Sunday browsing sessions! I definitely filled a suitcase or two of crafty stationery radness in all my trips there over the years... but it's only now that I'm back in Australia that I keep thinking "WHY DIDN'T I STOCK UP ON **MORE** AWESOME CUTIE CRAFT TIDBITS?!"

So, this is mind, I was super chuffed when I stumbled across the cuteness that is Chibi Run online store, recently. AKA Germaine Tan, Chibi Run is based in Melbourne but ships internationally. She stocks a range of sweet little crafty stationery bits and pieces imported straight from Japan. And the best part... unlike some online stores that sell similar wares, her prices are delightfully cheap. She even wrote to me personally to refund a few of my shipping dollars because she managed to send it in a cheaper envelope. Now that's some good ol' fashioned service right there!

Did I mention how adorably wrapped it was? Argh! I almost (ALMOST) didn't want to unwrap it ;)

Can't wait to use these on my next project!

Thankyou little Chibi, I love my masking tape sticker packs! And finding your gorgeous little store has taken away a bit of the sting of no longer having an unlimited supply of such cuteness at my fingertips everyday! ;)

Tiff xx

J - Typography Poster for 26 Letters Exhibition

...and here it is! My "J" poster design for 26 Letters. Unfortunately I couldn't make opening night due to my random love affair with Melbourne of late, however I hear it was quite an event! You can just make out my ladies there in the background of the snap below, courtesy of Asia Taylor and Just Us Gallery

In other news, a lovely chap from the Sunshine Coast Daily newspaper approached me for an interview about my art and how my experiences in Japan have shaped my work... we had a lovely little phone chat! I'll post the article here when it's all printed and shiny.

Tiff xx

More Melbourne Wanderlust!

First up today I'm doing a wee bit of work in the amazingly funky common room at Space Hotel, Melbourne. Makes quite a lovely temporary workspace I must say! This hotel is actually pretty awesome and I'd highly recommend it for anyone wanting to hang out in downtown Melbourne on a budget. It's located at the top of Russell Street so it's close to Bourke street (shopping mall) but also close enough to Lygon street (yummy food) AND it didn't take me very long to walk up to Fitzroy either (amazing art/craft/trinket shopping). Space is essentially a hostel with a few hotel comforts. You can choose to stay in a private room or in a dorm, and the shared bathrooms are a nifty all-in-one cubical (shower, toilet, sink) so you get a bit of privacy unlike those public loo style bathrooms in most hostels!
Definitely go stay here if you're looking for budget accom in the CBD! But book in advance they are super popular, of course!

My temporary workspace this morning at Space Hotel

After I meet a few deadlines, I'm off to find Pip Lincolne's lovely store Meet Me At Mikes. I can't believe it's taken me this many days in Melbourne to get there as it was on the top of my list of must-visit Melbourne spots! For some reason I thought it was a train ride away but on a closer inspection of the map this morning over breakfast, I realised it's just up the road from my hotel! (Pssst, Pip has put together a really great map of her fave spots in Melbourne - definitely worth checking out!)

In other Friday news, my "J" poster is on display at Just Us Gallery tonight so if you're a Sunny Coaster or even a super keen Brisbanite then go check out the 26 Letters Typography Exhibition! I can't reveal the poster just yet as the event isn't opening until tonight, but I'll be sure to share it here over the weekend for those who can't make the show!

In the meantime... here are a few more snaps from my exploration of this amazing city so far ❤

Down a side alley

My lovely new lavender bag ❤

One of the many alley-ways adorned with street art. Some are so intricate, you could stare at them for an hour and not see every detail... amazing.

And the sun goes down on another fun-filled day here in the fabulous Melbourne... snapped this spectacular sky from my hotel window as I knew by the time I got outside it'd be gone!

Tiff xx

Roadtrip to Awesome: Melbourne, I think I love you

 A few days ago I decided on a whim to jump in a car with a moving-to-Melbourne friend of mine for a fun-filled 13hr turn-me-off-McDonalds-forever roadtrip to the Victorian state. Plagued with the kind of dramas no good roadtrip should be without, such as a flat tyre on a 50km stretch of nothing with no phone reception, we giggled, took photos of landscape out the window (and shared it immediately, thanks AGAIN instagram!), sung along loudly to all our old faves (Killing Heidi, George, Imbruglia, pre-head-shave Britt, No Doubt, Madonna) and even had a pitstop at an unexpectedly delightful artesian spa courtesy of the Dragon & Phoenix Motel, Mooree. The artesian spa made some pretty ballsy claims, including aiding in weight loss & curing all skin complaints. It stunk like the worst kind of egg-sandwich (the water is pumped from 865m under the ground so I'm seeing/smelling a link with bore water...) but by golly it was awesome. After a long day traveling, the comforting warmth and hot steam conquered our gag relfex and we sunk down into our own little putrid heaven. Neither of us are really the type who buy into outlandish miracle-healing propaganda, but we seriously had an amazing sleep that night in what was probaly just another average motel bed. AND we both convinced ourselves that our skin the next morning had never looked better... trés radiance darling! Artesian spa - get on it!

By the way, if you were wondering how we got ourselves out of the flat tyre predicament... we didn't, we are still there on the side of the road... little help? I know, my mum says I'm funny and awesome too. Seriously though, thank every god out there that Jimmy knows how to change a tyre (shout out also to Jimmy's Dad's no-trye-change-skills-no-license rule too!). So with the spare securely in place ("JAMES ARE YOU SURE IT'S ON TIGHT!?" - me: best superviser ever) we pulled a slow but determined crawl back to the nearest town, Millmerran, for what seemed like 3 days at 60km/hr in a 100 zone. After a quick tyre change at Millmerran Tyre Shop by a very cute mechanic who chatted away innocently to us as he fitted and locked bolts & got all greasy n that (and made me momentarily consider moving to the country... *knuckle bite*), we were on our way and the rest is history! I didn't move to the country, believe it or not, and we made it to Melbourne only 4 hours behind schedule...

Jimmy has started work and is therefore unavailable for regular aimless wanders through the city on weekdays... but I've decided to stick around to 'gather inspiration' on my own for a while (yes, an excuse for both tax & self-dillusion purposes). This city is truly amazing, and I'd be kidding myself if I said the possibility of relocating here hadn't crossed my mind once, twice or even thrice...

Here are some snaps from my wanderlust sessions so far, courtesy of instagram.

Bunny ears - it's the least I could do to help really...

Dragon & Phoenix? How could we not stay here...

Kensington station bathed in morning sunlight

Pretty city sites

Snapped at the lights while waiting for the green flashy man - one of my fave so far

The clouds were awesome that day

The Windsor Hotel, Springs Street

Breakfast at Society cafe, Bourke street

Trams!

Tiff xx

Lolita Harajuku ~ ロリータ原宿♥

New illustration, created while listening to Raised by Swans

Lolita Harajuku ~ ロリータ原宿♥

Tiff xx

Exhibition at Cafe Envy

My work is now up at Cafe Envy Mooloolaba! If you're somewhere nearby then why not pop in for lunch (OMG you have to try the corn fritters w/ button mushrooms washed down with a freshly squeezed envy juice!) and gaze at the walls for a while...

Getting work ready to hang!

Adding the finishing touches on 'Just Another Night' canvas

And it's up!

Tiff xx

26 Letters: Typography Poster Exhibition!

Those of you who follow me on Twitter (@TiffanyAtkin) and Facebook will have heard my excited spouts about the upcoming 26 Letters Poster Exhibition, opening at Just Us Gallery on July 1st.

I was rather honoured to be asked by the guys at Just Us to be involved, as they have some pretty high calibre artists on the books inlcuding the very talented Conrad Gracie. This exhibition is certainly going to be an extremely inspiring collection of typography design. If you're on the Sunshine Coast or Brisbane or even the Goldy, it's definitely worth the trip up.

I'll be starting work on my "J" today and will definitely post progress pics.

Hope to see you all on opening night!

Tiff xx

**UPDATE** Still a work in progress, but here's a sneak peek of my "J" poster...! ;)

View from my morning walk

I have been taking a few morning strolls along the beach lately, it's so good to get a dose of fresh ocean air before being shut the office for the day! Here are a few instagram shots from my recent beachy escapades...

I know, how much fun is instagram?!

Tiff xx

Bird on a chair knows what's up!

Here's a little something I'm currently working on for a local custom furniture company. This illustration will feature on a postcard along with care instructions for looking after your new hand-painted piece!

 

Tiff xx