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Artist Spotlight: Jennifer Bouron
Posted by Mark Mamrot
We've been big fans of Jennifer's work for many a year now and her work has featured prominently in our collections. We love her fab colour palettes and fun yet fashionable designs.
Here's a recent Q&A we did did with Jennifer:
Your work is fun and colourful. What's inspired your style of illustration?
I’m inspired by nature, I like to see the shapes of the trees in the parks and botanical gardens. I live near the sea, so it’s always nice to have a walk on the dunes and look at the waves, the wild plants, the shells, etc…
How do you go about choosing your palette?
I’ve always loved to use pink in my illustrations and patterns. This colour makes me happy and calm, and I think it matches with everything! So I always start with a pink, then I add few pastel colours and I contrast them with darker tones like kaki, navy or black.
Where are you living at the moment? What are your favourite things about this place?
After living in Indonesia for a year and half, I’m back to West of France near the town I grew up. As I said before, I live near the sea, so I love to hear and see the seagulls outside the window, and if I walk 1 minute, I see a lighthouse and the ocean, it’s beautiful!
Describe your dream weekend!
Having a chai latte at the local coffee shop, and then stopping by the bakery and farmer market to buy bread and some vegetables, cheese, fruits. Going to the park and make a picnic with my partner. And then spending the rest of the afternoon there listening to the birds, talking and playing cards games.
Any hints about what we can expect from you in the near future?
I have worked on new stationery projects, I’m thinking about ideas for a new picture book, so maybe a new picture book before the end of the year!
At Monsterthreads, we're excited to be featuring more of Jennifer's work soon!
Read more
We've been big fans of Jennifer's work for many a year now and her work has featured prominently in our collections. We love her fab colour palettes and fun yet fashionable designs.
Here's a recent Q&A we did did with Jennifer:
Your work is fun and colourful. What's inspired your style of illustration?
I’m inspired by nature, I like to see the shapes of the trees in the parks and botanical gardens. I live near the sea, so it’s always nice to have a walk on the dunes and look at the waves, the wild plants, the shells, etc…
How do you go about choosing your palette?
I’ve always loved to use pink in my illustrations and patterns. This colour makes me happy and calm, and I think it matches with everything! So I always start with a pink, then I add few pastel colours and I contrast them with darker tones like kaki, navy or black.
Where are you living at the moment? What are your favourite things about this place?
After living in Indonesia for a year and half, I’m back to West of France near the town I grew up. As I said before, I live near the sea, so I love to hear and see the seagulls outside the window, and if I walk 1 minute, I see a lighthouse and the ocean, it’s beautiful!
Describe your dream weekend!
Having a chai latte at the local coffee shop, and then stopping by the bakery and farmer market to buy bread and some vegetables, cheese, fruits. Going to the park and make a picnic with my partner. And then spending the rest of the afternoon there listening to the birds, talking and playing cards games.
Any hints about what we can expect from you in the near future?
I have worked on new stationery projects, I’m thinking about ideas for a new picture book, so maybe a new picture book before the end of the year!
At Monsterthreads, we're excited to be featuring more of Jennifer's work soon!
Read more
Meet the Artist - She's that Wallflower AKA Elizabeth Tuck
Posted by Mark Mamrot
Here are some of the great new prints from Sydney based artist She's That Wallflower aka Elizabeth Tuck!
QA with the Artist:
What inspired your style of illustration?
My style of illustration is always something that I like to experiment with a bit. I was always a perfectionist growing up, trying to draw everything in a way that was as life-like as possible. For me though, this wasn't always a fun way of creating art! Once I got back into designing, it was through taking inspiration from artists such as the iconic Ken Done, realising that art can be whatever we want it to be. It can be realistic representations or as abstract as we like. I still enjoy getting out the pencil and paper from time to time to do more detailed drawings, other times I grab out the iPad to create full digital drawings. Creating has to be enjoyable, and my style was very much inspired by creating in a way that is fun!
Your designs have featured apparel and jewellery. What is your absolute favourite medium to work with? What future mediums would you like to see your work on?
I thoroughly enjoy seeing my work translated onto all the things! I have created a small collection of accessories including tote bags and tea towels featuring my work, and have just recently released my first ever fully designed and produced clothing collection. This was always my dream from day dot! I have also had the absolute pleasure of licensing to, and collaborating with, some fun Australian brands, including Monsterthreads of course! This is always fun as I love to see what they produce. I would be very keen to see my work on more homewares based items as well, such as bed linen and ceramics.
Your work is incredibly vibrant and colourful. How do you go about choosing your palette in your design process?
I often tend to use a fairly consistent colour palette in much of my work, which is extremely easy to do when working digitally. It's something that has developed a lot over the years as I have refined what works and what feels the most "me". Sometimes a design calls for something a little different so I will experiment with slightly different colours, but I usually come back to a similar core collection - that pretty much always includes pink! Usually I will start with one colour in mind, what the base colour will be, or sometimes I will see something that inspires a whole palette! From there, I will build up the colours in the design until it looks just right. I am always aiming for the colours to put a smile on your face when you look at them.
You're a Sydney based artist! What are your favourite things about Sydney?
I have lived in Sydney my entire life, both sides of the bridge which is big for some Sydney-siders! I never get tired of the harbour and love living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. On a sunny spring day there's nothing like heading over to the coast to walk one of the many coastal tracks. I've spent a fair bit of time during my studies exploring the shopping and food in Newtown, which is always a favourite. Then there's also the national parks filled with beautiful flora and fauna - perfect for inspiration for my next print!
Read more
Here are some of the great new prints from Sydney based artist She's That Wallflower aka Elizabeth Tuck!
QA with the Artist:
What inspired your style of illustration?
My style of illustration is always something that I like to experiment with a bit. I was always a perfectionist growing up, trying to draw everything in a way that was as life-like as possible. For me though, this wasn't always a fun way of creating art! Once I got back into designing, it was through taking inspiration from artists such as the iconic Ken Done, realising that art can be whatever we want it to be. It can be realistic representations or as abstract as we like. I still enjoy getting out the pencil and paper from time to time to do more detailed drawings, other times I grab out the iPad to create full digital drawings. Creating has to be enjoyable, and my style was very much inspired by creating in a way that is fun!
Your designs have featured apparel and jewellery. What is your absolute favourite medium to work with? What future mediums would you like to see your work on?
I thoroughly enjoy seeing my work translated onto all the things! I have created a small collection of accessories including tote bags and tea towels featuring my work, and have just recently released my first ever fully designed and produced clothing collection. This was always my dream from day dot! I have also had the absolute pleasure of licensing to, and collaborating with, some fun Australian brands, including Monsterthreads of course! This is always fun as I love to see what they produce. I would be very keen to see my work on more homewares based items as well, such as bed linen and ceramics.
Your work is incredibly vibrant and colourful. How do you go about choosing your palette in your design process?
I often tend to use a fairly consistent colour palette in much of my work, which is extremely easy to do when working digitally. It's something that has developed a lot over the years as I have refined what works and what feels the most "me". Sometimes a design calls for something a little different so I will experiment with slightly different colours, but I usually come back to a similar core collection - that pretty much always includes pink! Usually I will start with one colour in mind, what the base colour will be, or sometimes I will see something that inspires a whole palette! From there, I will build up the colours in the design until it looks just right. I am always aiming for the colours to put a smile on your face when you look at them.
You're a Sydney based artist! What are your favourite things about Sydney?
I have lived in Sydney my entire life, both sides of the bridge which is big for some Sydney-siders! I never get tired of the harbour and love living in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. On a sunny spring day there's nothing like heading over to the coast to walk one of the many coastal tracks. I've spent a fair bit of time during my studies exploring the shopping and food in Newtown, which is always a favourite. Then there's also the national parks filled with beautiful flora and fauna - perfect for inspiration for my next print!
Read more
Meet the Artist: Holly Gorman
Posted by Newtown Shop
You consider yourself a magpie enthusiast. What is your favourite thing about magpies?
I am definitely a magpie enthusiast, I follow all the Facebook pages. I’m so bad with picking favourites so I’m going to say two things. I love that they can have close relationships with people, and I love how they walk around like tiny velociraptors.
Did you study art in school?
Yes! I have have been very passionate about drawing and art ever since I can remember. It was the only thing I was sure of pursuing during my school years. I chose to do visual arts for my High School Certificate and after graduating continued to study illustration at the Design Centre Enmore.
What mediums do you use to create your artwork?
I usually go for fineliner pens, watercolour and gouache. Then sometimes I combine it with digital mediums like Photoshop or Illustrator if I want to get a cleaner or more graphic look.
Are there any artists that you're particularly fond of / inspire your work?
I have always been inspired by Tim Burton and his unique characters. I grew up watching his films and always loved his celebration of the strange and unusual as well as his quirky sense of humour.
What else inspires you?
So many things! Music, films, animals, mid century design and graphics, Studio Ghibli films and old 1920s/30s cartoons just to name a few.
What's your favourite Monsterthreads product?
The reusable shopping bags! They are a great eco friendly alternative, super handy and bring some colour and excitement into grocery shopping.
Do you listen to anything while you draw?
I am always listening to music when I draw. For me I think they go hand in hand with each other. Quite a few times I’d be listening to a piece of music and it sparks an image in my head that reflects the sound or emotion in the song, and so I start drawing. Usually I’ll just put on my ‘liked songs’ playlist on spotify, which consists of movie soundtracks, ska, motown, various types of rock, some classical… a bit of everything really.
What is your goal as an artist?
My goal as an artist is to bring a bit of fun into peoples lives and to share interesting stories and perspectives. It’s very easy these days to get caught up in all the negativity that’s happening in the world, so I think it’s important to take a break from that and to laugh and enjoy the little things.
Favourites Lightning Round
Food: Spaghetti Siciliana
Place: Anywhere that’s surrounded by history and nature
Band: It’s a tie between Radiohead and David Bowie
Animal: All of them but mostly cats and birds
Movie: I have about 20 favourite movies which makes it very hard to choose, so here are my top 3: (in no particular order) The Shining, To Kill A Mocking Bird, Harold and Maude.
Fun fact about you
I am left handed and I enjoy doing accents. The Southern accent is my favourite.
Where can we find more of your work?
You can find more of my work on Instagram at: @holly_gormanillustrations
Read more
You consider yourself a magpie enthusiast. What is your favourite thing about magpies?
I am definitely a magpie enthusiast, I follow all the Facebook pages. I’m so bad with picking favourites so I’m going to say two things. I love that they can have close relationships with people, and I love how they walk around like tiny velociraptors.
Did you study art in school?
Yes! I have have been very passionate about drawing and art ever since I can remember. It was the only thing I was sure of pursuing during my school years. I chose to do visual arts for my High School Certificate and after graduating continued to study illustration at the Design Centre Enmore.
What mediums do you use to create your artwork?
I usually go for fineliner pens, watercolour and gouache. Then sometimes I combine it with digital mediums like Photoshop or Illustrator if I want to get a cleaner or more graphic look.
Are there any artists that you're particularly fond of / inspire your work?
I have always been inspired by Tim Burton and his unique characters. I grew up watching his films and always loved his celebration of the strange and unusual as well as his quirky sense of humour.
What else inspires you?
So many things! Music, films, animals, mid century design and graphics, Studio Ghibli films and old 1920s/30s cartoons just to name a few.
What's your favourite Monsterthreads product?
The reusable shopping bags! They are a great eco friendly alternative, super handy and bring some colour and excitement into grocery shopping.
Do you listen to anything while you draw?
I am always listening to music when I draw. For me I think they go hand in hand with each other. Quite a few times I’d be listening to a piece of music and it sparks an image in my head that reflects the sound or emotion in the song, and so I start drawing. Usually I’ll just put on my ‘liked songs’ playlist on spotify, which consists of movie soundtracks, ska, motown, various types of rock, some classical… a bit of everything really.
What is your goal as an artist?
My goal as an artist is to bring a bit of fun into peoples lives and to share interesting stories and perspectives. It’s very easy these days to get caught up in all the negativity that’s happening in the world, so I think it’s important to take a break from that and to laugh and enjoy the little things.
Favourites Lightning Round
Food: Spaghetti Siciliana
Place: Anywhere that’s surrounded by history and nature
Band: It’s a tie between Radiohead and David Bowie
Animal: All of them but mostly cats and birds
Movie: I have about 20 favourite movies which makes it very hard to choose, so here are my top 3: (in no particular order) The Shining, To Kill A Mocking Bird, Harold and Maude.
Fun fact about you
I am left handed and I enjoy doing accents. The Southern accent is my favourite.
Where can we find more of your work?
You can find more of my work on Instagram at: @holly_gormanillustrations
Read more
Artist Spotlight: Florence Araniego
Posted by Julia Rich
Florence is a Sydney based illustrator originally born in the Philippines. Her work is often bright and cute, which reflect her personal fashion style. She states her biggest inspiration is her dad, Japan and the beach.
Read more
Florence is a Sydney based illustrator originally born in the Philippines. Her work is often bright and cute, which reflect her personal fashion style. She states her biggest inspiration is her dad, Japan and the beach.
Read more
Artist Spotlight: Min Pin Designs
Posted by Julia Rich
At Monsterthreads we have a small love for Melbourne based illustrator Min Pin! You may recognise their work floating around on some MT gear. Keep your eyes peeled for more designs by Min Pin coming to our shops and online store soon!
Get to know the artist behind the art with our rapid fire interview.
Place of birth and where are you now?
Born in Perth, Western Australia. Now living in Melbourne, Victoria.
Did you study art? Where?
I studied Design with a Major in Illustration at Curtin University in Perth.
What/who is your inspiration?
My cat.
What techniques/media do you like to use in your art?
Watercolour paints and Photoshop.
Lightening round
+ My ultimate meal is Pub dinners.
+ My Favourite shape Blobs.
+ Best childhood book? Grug!
+ My Favourite Place? The Dandenong Ranges.
+ The meaning of life is? Love.
+ My Favourite animal? My cat.
+ Mod or rocker? Mod all the way.
Read more
At Monsterthreads we have a small love for Melbourne based illustrator Min Pin! You may recognise their work floating around on some MT gear. Keep your eyes peeled for more designs by Min Pin coming to our shops and online store soon!
Get to know the artist behind the art with our rapid fire interview.
Place of birth and where are you now?
Born in Perth, Western Australia. Now living in Melbourne, Victoria.
Did you study art? Where?
I studied Design with a Major in Illustration at Curtin University in Perth.
What/who is your inspiration?
My cat.
What techniques/media do you like to use in your art?
Watercolour paints and Photoshop.
Lightening round
+ My ultimate meal is Pub dinners.
+ My Favourite shape Blobs.
+ Best childhood book? Grug!
+ My Favourite Place? The Dandenong Ranges.
+ The meaning of life is? Love.
+ My Favourite animal? My cat.
+ Mod or rocker? Mod all the way.