illustration

Jamming

| Anna Cull
Jamming at The Irishman, Christchurch – ink sketch, 2014
Jamming at The Irishman, Christchurch – ink sketch, 2014

This is a sketch of my husband (a.k.a. my darling Diva) playing at one of our local open mic nights. The guitar is a borrowed vintage Commodore. Looking at this, I’m tempted to acquire one of those old standard lamps to add a little mood lighting to our gigs… which, by the way, are starting to happen in earnest this year. We’ve finally decided on a name for our duo, we’ve created a website/blog (on WordPress, naturally)… and good things are starting to happen ― but that’s a post for another day : )

For those of you who can’t wait until next week for the official post about me, my man and our music (ooh, that’s a good title)… here is a link to our new site, Pavlova Paradise. 

In the style of… Aubrey Hammond

| Anna Cull
The Press – ink, watercolour pencil and digital, 190 x 140 mm, 2014
The Press – ink, watercolour pencil and digital, 190 x 140 mm, 2014
The Press, Christchurch, 2010
The Press, Christchurch, 2010

Getting inspired by the 1920s…

Aubrey Hammond

Book cover (1927) and London Underground poster (1923) Images from www.sf-foundation.org and www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk
Aubrey Hammond – book cover (1927) and London Underground poster (1923)
Images from www.sf-foundation.org and www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk

British artist Aubrey Hammond (1894–1940) is responsible some of my favourite1920s London Underground posters. He also illustrated several books and taught commercial and theatrical design. I think his cover for Metropolis, Thea von Harbou’s novel designed to complement the movie (co-written with husband Fritz Lang), is simply stunning.

In the style of… appears occasionally instead of my regular Shoot it, Sketch it posts. Using my own photographs as a starting point, I’m drawing inspiration from some of the world’s greatest illustrators. It’s not about slavishly copying someone else’s art; it’s an experiment in seeing things differently.

The Church is fine (pen vs earthquake)

| Anna Cull

Anna Cull Pen vs earthquake Oxford Tce

Built in 1881, the Oxford Terrace Baptist Church was one of the many buildings conspicuously absent from the landscape when we flew over Christchurch last month. I’ve circled the relevant piece of dirt in the photograph below (click on the photo for a closer look). The building was badly damaged by the September 2010 earthquakes and then completely collapsed in the February 2011 earthquake. It was famous for having a sign out the front which read: “Our building is cracked, the Church is fine!” Although the neoclassical structure (an unusual style for Christchurch) is not going to be rebuilt, there are reports that the damaged Oamaru stone is to be used in a sculpture ― what a wonderful way of honouring the spirit and tenacity of its congregation.

Where Oxford Terrace Baptist Church isn’t, Christchurch, 2013
Where Oxford Terrace Baptist Church isn’t, Christchurch, 2013

Anna Cull Pen vs earthquake Oxford Tce comparison

The sketch is originally from this student project. Ben Heine’s ingenious Pencil Vs Camera images were my inspiration for this series.