Sarah Preston-Bloor Illustration

Illustration Friday - Fierce

2008-06-30T02:39:00.003-07:00

When she was good she was very very good but when she was bad she was FIERCE!

Healthy Eating Mural for Turton High School

2008-06-25T06:49:00.000-07:00

During Enrichment week at school I have volunteered to design and help pupils to paint a mural in their dining hall. It had to be aimed at healthy eating however I was loathe to paint cartoon characters of carrots and broccoli!!! I decided to use my Monster School idea that I had previously done before as inspiration. I hope this idea goes down well with both staff and pupils. Cross fingers and toes!

This is the second time I have worked with pupils at a large scale but the first time with so much detail and PAINT! As a perfectionist with my painting I hope and pray this works out!

I have just scaled down the actual measurements so now it's my task to transfer this drawing to my scaled down template.

I would just like to give my best buddie a big thank you for all your help with this! Thanks Becca!!! xxx

My Little Room (Part 1)

2008-06-11T01:05:00.000-07:00

I love my little studio. I spend a lot of time in here being creative and being inspired by surfing the web. I would be lost without my old faithful apple mac. The best thing I have ever bought!
Usually I am sat here painting my children's book illustrations using acrylic paint. I just love the smell of them. Strange I know!

This is Oscar, one of my British Shorthair babies who keeps me company during the day. Both Oscar and Milo love to sit on my lightbox or my printers or generally just try to get my attention by sitting in front of the computer screen.

Illustration Friday - Forgotten

2008-06-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

Milo hoped he hadn't forgotten anything as he waved goodbye to his arctic friends!

Illustration Friday - Worry

2008-05-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

Marvin was worried that he was going to be moved into the class below this one. He just could not work out how to do multiplication with only six fingers. It was so unfair that Cyril had nine!!!!!!!

Illustration Friday - Wide

2008-05-21T03:18:00.001-07:00

Just a little thumbnail sketch for a picture book idea.

The caterpillar greets the little girl with a wide evil smile!

Illustration Friday - Wrinkles

2008-04-28T05:38:00.000-07:00

Evie and Charlie's behaviour was enough to give anyone wrinkles. Especially their Mother!

Illustration Friday - Primitive

2008-04-23T09:10:00.001-07:00

A late submission to Illustration Friday this week. I decided to create an illustration of a little native boy. I usually find an image to suit the word so this is my first submission created primarily for IF. He's not as cute as I had wanted him to be but he'll do. I think he looks like a "Jeremy"

Inspire me Thursday!!! - Reduce, reuse, recycle

2008-04-20T12:58:00.000-07:00

This image has been reduced from it's original size and has been re-used today as I have posted this image on my blog before. It is a picture book idea about a little character called Oakley who recycles everyday objects. Here he has made a submarine from fizzy drink cans. As you can see he is often unsuccessful with his inventions.

Inspire me Thursday!!! - Envelope

2008-04-11T15:22:00.000-07:00

My first ever post on Inspire Me Thursday. It's great receiving a traditional written letter through the mail. Such a lovely gesture these days in the world of digital everything and emails.

Please visit my website : http://www.sarahprestonbloor.com

Illustration Friday - Save

2008-04-07T07:13:00.000-07:00

This is a small drawing from my sketchbook about a little character called Oakley who saves everything just incase he needs it for his crazy inventions. Here he is flattening tin cans and hammering them together to make a submarine!

Illustration Friday - Homage

2008-03-29T03:35:00.000-07:00

This is an "homage" to friendship. This illustration is about a little character called Douglas who feels lonely and decides to bake himself a friend. Friends are so important so this is also an homage to my friend Becca who is always there for me and inspires me.

I had a great night last night making pop up cards and brainstorming picture book ideas. Orange and cranberry cider was unusual but very nice!

Illustration Friday - Pet Peeves

2008-03-22T05:02:00.001-07:00

I can't stand nasty smells invading my nostrils!

Spot

2008-03-16T03:56:00.000-07:00

I have just been to visit my friend Debbie and bought her son Thomas an Easter present. One of his presents was a picturebook by Eric Hill about Spot the dog's first Easter. Coincidentally I then came across this interview. I love finding out how famous illustrators work.

Illustration Friday - Heavy

2008-03-14T16:43:00.001-07:00

This is one of my illustrations for the children's book that will be published and available to buy on the 30th September.

http://www.palimpsestpress.ca/naming-book-rascally-rhymes-p-300.html

Have I mentioned this before????

This illustration is about a little boy called Kalvin who loves collecting things but not heavy dinosaurs!

Updated AOI Portfolio

2008-03-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

I've just updated my AOI Portfolio. Fingers crossed that this will encourage more commissions. I was horrified to see that I hadn't updated my change of email address. I can only wonder how many people had contacted me about work. Big mistake! All changed now.

My next mission is to complete my new picture book idea and make a couple of mock up books to send off to agents and publishers. I hope this is my year!

I also need to begin to send off mailers to potential clients. I need to stop thinking I'm not ready. I have a book coming out in September so why do I still feel that i'm not good enough yet?????

I have sat looking at other illustrator's work seeing all their commissions and books and just want that to be me. If other people can earn a living drawing and getting books published then surely I have a chance. I should feel inspired not down in the dumps!

Illustration Friday - Garden

2008-03-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

This is one of my rare digital illustrations as i prefer the tactile feel of putting paint to paper. It's about a rabbit who didn't like carrots. Here is Norman contemplating picking some carrots from the vegetable garden.

My first ever illustrated children's book

2008-03-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

The Naming Book of Rascally Rhymes

Written by Jordan Troutt and illustrated by ME!!!

After many months of hard work, my dream of becoming a children's book illustrator is becoming a reality. Palimpsest Press who commissioned me to illustrate a children's book for them have put it on their website's catalogue. It will be available to buy from Tuesday 30th September 2008 for $23.00CA. I'm dead excited!!!!!

Illustration Friday - Leap

2008-03-01T04:31:00.000-08:00

I've been so busy illustrating a children's book over the last few months that I haven't participated in Illustration Friday for ages so here is my first one for 2008!
This illustration is based on one of my picture book ideas about a little character who enjoys inventing things but is not always successful.

Please support Alex Baldwin's Fundraising Page

2007-12-17T13:07:00.000-08:00

My friends Lucy and Graham lost their little boy, Alex on 14th December and I am devastated for them both. It would be great if anyone could donate just a little money towards their chosen charity, SANDS. Our hearts are with you both xxx

I've finished my calendar illustrations

2007-11-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy with several commissions. I had approx. three weeks to work on six images for a calendar for the company Wax Digital. I hope they like them!!!

I have been commissioned!!!!

2007-10-03T02:23:00.000-07:00

I am now a bona fide children's book illustrator. I was asked to submit work to a Canadian publisher with a couple of other illustrators she was interested in. I was dead anxious. Constantly checking my emails. Two weeks went by and not a word. That's it I thought. I've not got the commission. I decided to stop living in illustration limbo so I plucked up the courage to email the publisher. And it was good news!!!!

I have three months to get my illustrations done. I sent some roughs yesterday!

I also had my first Etsy commission. I am now in the process of painting an original illustrations based around a fellow Etsian's child in the style of Meggie and Moo Moo.

Please visit my Etsy Store for more info if you are interested.

Etsy Store

2007-09-19T14:32:00.000-07:00

I am so excited! I opened an Etsy store today selling some of my prints. I've had 17 views already so fingers crossed. I will definitely celebrate my first sale. I've only a couple of prints up at the mo but I will spend a couple of hours over the next few days posting some more online. I intend to sell cards, badges, mirrors and little books too. I hope I'm successful.

I'm also waiting for a canadian publisher to decide which illustrator she has chosen to illustrate her alphabet book. I had to submit a piece of artwork which I did last Tuesday. I hate waiting! I'm checking my emails every day just to see. Even when I know she'll be tucked up asleep in bed, I'm still checking. My logic has been thrown out the window!!!! It is between three of us and i keep checking the AOI site to see if I can guess who I'm up against. I'm going slightly mad I think!

I am crossing fingers, toes, arms and legs and anything else I can find!!!

Illustration Friday - Visitors

2007-08-24T07:20:00.000-07:00

My first shot at Illustration Friday!

Exploring Blogs and Entering Competitions

2007-08-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

I have just entered a couple of my illustrations into the AOI Images competition. It is the first time I have submitted anything to AOi and the competition is very high. Wish me luck!

I have been reading many creative blogs over the last couple of weeks and I am so impressed with all that I have seen. Makes my blog look very boring. I am in the process of trying to find a lead for my camera so I can download some images and make my blog more visually interesting.

I have just found a blog that has some beautiful illustrations:

http://laurenbeard.blogspot.com/

Lauren has just had her first book published. I am crossing my fingers that by next year I will be able to post my success story.

Everyone who is blogging seems to have big long lists of links and have joined groups and been tagged to do lists. If anyone reads this it would be great to know how. I'm sure I'll find out very soon.