New Zealand

In the style of… Fougasse

| Anna Cull
Tram – ink and digital, 297 x 210 mm, 2013
Tram – ink and digital, 297 x 210 mm, 2013
Tram (edited and unedited photos) – Christchurch, 2010
Tram (edited and original photos) – Christchurch, 2010

Simple lines and a few splashes of colour. I really enjoyed this one — does it show?

Fougasse

Posters from 1944 Images from www.pickmix.co.uk
Posters from 1944
Images from www.pickmix.co.uk

Fougasse was the nom de plume of London-born cartoonist Cyril Kenneth Bird (1887–1965). I’m a big fan of the posters he designed for the London Underground. I love the simplicity of these illustrations — and the humour.

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.

In the style of… Nancy Ekholm Burkert

| Anna Cull
Lake Taupo – graphite and charcoal, 205 x 255 mm, 2013
Lake Taupo – graphite and charcoal, 205 x 255 mm, 2013
Lake Taupo, 2013
Lake Taupo, 2013

Today’s In the style of… drawing was an excuse to test my Derwent tinted charcoal pencils. Some of the colours are VERY similar (especially the darker tints) but they do have lovely names: Driftwood, Glowing Embers, Ocean Deep, Sunset Pink). I wonder how they’d respond to water…

Nancy Ekholm Burkert

Nancy Ekholm Burkert – illustrations from James and the Giant Peach Images from http://myvintagebookcollectioninblogform.blogspot.co.nz
Nancy Ekholm Burkert – illustrations from James and the Giant Peach
Images from http://myvintagebookcollectioninblogform.blogspot.co.nz

Roald Dahl’s classic story James and the Giant Peach has been illustrated a number of times. The original illustrations (and possibly my favourites) were by Nancy Ekholm Burkert in 1961.

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.

Shoot it, Sketch it: Historic Empire Hotel

| Anna Cull
Historic Empire Hotel, Ross – ink and watercolour, 200 x 255 mm, 2013
Historic Empire Hotel, Ross – ink and watercolour, 200 x 255 mm, 2013
Historic Empire Hotel – Ross, 2013
Historic Empire Hotel – Ross, 2013

Fresh off the drawing board, here is a little sketch of the hotel we stayed at in Ross last weekend. The town was established in 1865 during the West Coast gold rush and once had a population of more than 3,000 ― now it’s closer to 300. We had a wonderful time at a friend’s ‘When I’m 64’ birthday party and jam night : )

On the way there, I took a few photos of the mountains which are looking positively picturesque at the moment (Christchurch to Ross via Arthur’s Pass). I’ve posted my absolute favourite shots on my Facebook page.

In the style of… Celestino Piatti

| Anna Cull
Sparrow – acrylic on canvas, 200 x 255 mm, 2013
Sparrow – acrylic on canvas, 200 x 255 mm, 2013
Sparrow – Akaroa, 2012
Sparrow – Akaroa, 2012

It may seem a strange thing for an arachnophobe to say… but my favourite thing about this painting is the thread of spider silk.

I’ll post my work-in-progress photos later in the week.

Celestino Piatti

The Happy Owls, 1964 and Animal ABC, 1966 Images from http://onceuponabookshelf.com
The Happy Owls, 1964 and Animal ABC, 1966
Images from http://onceuponabookshelf.com

Prolific Swiss artist and designer Celestino Piatti (1922–2007) has an instantly recognisable style. I may be wrong but I’m pretty sure I’m one of his biggest fans. My favourite Piatti quote: “You can draw an owl a thousand times, and never find out its secret”.

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.

This is home

| Anna Cull
Canterbury – acrylic on canvas, 405 x 305 mm, 2013
Canterbury – acrylic on canvas, 405 x 305 mm, 2013. Private collection.
Canterbury in detail
Canterbury – in detail

I originally created this landscape as a digital illustration (it’s the background of this poster). The scene is based on a number of different photographs and even though it is not an actual location, it is typical of the scenery here in Mid Canterbury ― the snow-covered Southern Alps, the colourful Canterbury Plains ― except that I omitted the rivers… and the houses… and the sheep…