Hawaiian Mermaid Body Paint shoot

 This is one of the Mermaid shoots for the Mermaid Festival calendar. I was aiming for a kind of kitsch vintage 50s Hawaiian idea hence the props and the ukulele lent with kind permission from my daughter.

Had fun with this paint, created a neat scales effect with fishnet tights and some stenciling to create different size scales.

Hurray for boobies!! But not Facebook booby Nazis!!

As a body painter I have painted loads of boobies of all shapes and sizes and colour. For me the body makes the best canvas for an innovative and interesting piece of transient art...all physical beauty is transient really isn't it!! What surprises people are the models that sit for me aren't what you'd define as 'perfect' but they have the confidence that I wished I had to bare all and get painted.

There has been a spate of reporting on Facebook owing to people being offended by nudity even though the nipples are covered. It's okay to gawp at the over inflated bosom of barely legal girls on page 3 then...fair enough!! Only it isn't, is it!! I'm under no illusion that boobs are part of a girls sexuality and allure but when they're only made available to view in adult magazines and page 3 it kind of makes it seedy and gives them purpose for objectification only and then (stupid) people get the wrong idea when they see boobs in the context of art or breastfeeding.

The kind of boobs our children are seeing and aspiring to are these weird airbags that don't respond to movement. My daughter doesn't need shielding from seeing boobs thank you very much Facebook, I breastfed the little lady for nearly 2 years myself. I want my daughter to be exposed to more bodies of all shapes and sizes and not one type of body. I don't want to see less body painting on Facebook...I want to see more, and not just on Facebook....everywhere!!

Krishna and Rahda body paint

A paint from today's jam in Kent inspired by a painting of Krishna and Rahda. I embellished it with freehand glitter body art with good effect. Made a blingy headpiece and incorporated a couple of peacock feathers...not bad!!! Could have finished the peacocks off properly and added a bit more detail to Rahda's face...got bored and lazy, what can I say it was just a wee bit of fun.

Close-up freehand glitter

Close-up freehand glitter

Close-up freehand glitter

Some things can not be explained!!

Baby keepsake frame

I made this a wee while ago but it's a great idea way to keep hold of sentimental items and display them rather than stowing them away in the loft to get all dusty. I got the frame from Wilkinson's cost about £5 and they have them in all different sizes. I decoupaged the frame with a newspaper from the day of Cherry's birth using the date of the newspaper multiple times and used some of the bits that came from congratulations cards. I secured the stuff inside with dressmaking pins.

The outfit is what we dressed her in to come home from the hospital in, her wristband, a Father's day card and her first shoes bought by Granddad...which she didn't actually wear (don't really see the point of putting shoes on a baby until they can walk). I thought it was a nice idea!!

5 Minute Lesson Plan

Wow!! What a blessing to every teacher and thanks to the bright spark that came up with it...yay!! Well it's fairly self explanatory but I'm going to explain it anyway. I have jazzed mine up a bit to fit with my subject and because I am a graphic designer at heart and that's what I do. If you want a copy of the original please post your email and I will be happy to send it for you to use and abuse.

This one is large enough to copy and paste although the quality won't be that great...feel free to steal!!

Objective: You know how to fill that bit in right??

Learning episodes: What are the pupils learning and what are you doing...serves as a reminder.

Differentiation: Important to evidence what all attainers should be aiming for. 

Keywords: For literacy and subject specific knowledge

Keepsake: What do you want them to leave that lesson knowing or being able to do

The hook: A video, a poem, a snappy starter, a demo of the lesson activity...how are you going to get them involved??

The big picture: e.g. They are learning about Claes Oldenburg and large scale 3D sculpture...or something like that!!

Tweaks: A little analysis for you at the end of the lesson to give you points for improvement.

I had mine printed A3 and laminated, enough for the whole week. I write on them with permanent marker and use something alcohol based to get it off...alcohol wipes remove easily or hand sanitiser believe it of not.

I don't scribble names on mine as I keep it out on the table where kids can see it.

Cute vintage vinyl record sleeve invite

Some rather cute invites for my Auntie and Uncle who are celebrating their 50th Wedding Anniversary this year...ahhhh!!! Inspired by the 60s when they were wed. On one side I've found a label for a record that was particularly meaningful to them 'Do you want to know a secret' by Billy J Kramer with the Dakota. This is the song he proposed to her with. It's nice to put my graphics skills to good use for a lovely project.

WW1 Art Project

At my school we do project based learning...well we kind of do this in art anyway. This is my project with a nod to World War 1. I thought that it would be important to do something to mark the centenary of the start of WW1. For this I decided that I wanted to link the idea of recycling and thrift and draw inspiration from trench art. For the first part of the project they'll be making their own art journals using recycled materials and decorating each page using a different material, techniques and processes. For the second part of the project they're going to design and make a poppy for a joint installation out of recycled materials. I've invited parents and carers to contribute a flower also if the fancy takes them...thought a bit of community spirit is what's it's all about!! If my school lets me I may run a workshop.

This is a wee folder I made as an introduction to the project, it's made to look like a kit bag. I have filled it with lots of inspiring images from propaganda posters, a poem by Rupert Brooke, a recipe for beef hash (which we may get to make), the lyrics to pack up your troubles (which they will be learning to sing), trench art and flowers made from recycled materials.

Created using collage and scrafitto

Created using collage and scraffito

Drip flowers

Drip flowers

Stamping

An example of one of book covers made by one of my year 7 students and one of examples made from a humble cereal box. 

After showing them several techniques to decorate some of their pages I will let them experiment and develop some of the techniques they've use already and invent new ones. When they have enough pages and a finished cover I'm going to show them a simple bookfold binding technique. For some of my more able students they can have a go at perfect binding. 

This project links perfectly with what's left of the new Art National Curriculum.

Some of the very inventive finished books from my year 7 pupils. I'm really impressed with some of the embellishments like the stitching and tassels. Really loved this project, have made about 4 books myself...love it!!

Mermaid necklace

Made for today's shoot but not used

Mermaid Dragon Body paint

Another pic from today's photoshoot

Mermaid Dragon Body Paint

From a body paint shoot today for the  Mermaid Festival Folkestone calendar.

Origami ball

Origami is the perfect hobby for people who suffer with OCD and anal retentives alike...not sure what this says about me but I love it! I once made a load of centre pieces for a wedding...that wasted a few hours of my life and accelerated my chances of getting arthritis in both hands but they looked great! Here is a photo of a ball I made using loads of separate pieces of paper put together. http://nuwen.net/poly.html is where I got the recipe but I modified slightly. Imagine the possibilities and things you can make, I'm still imagining, I may one day make something average... You never know!

Harp design bespoke illustration

I get to do some weird but creatively wonderful stuff. My good friend Chris McNneilly (who is one of the best people I know) has commissioned me to paint another harp for a lady who has a business called buzzing bees. He makes the harps himself...talented bloke! I thought I'd paint a lady with a beehive and flowers and bees. I shall post a couple of sketches.

Original idea

This is the outcome...changed it a bit

A deconstructed harp...should look good put together

Well it's slightly different to my original idea. I free handed it and I think it's pretty nice for a Children's entertainer called buzzing bees.

Very Merry Cherry Fairy

Illustrated story I made and illustrated for my daughter Cherry.

Very Merry Cherry Fairy

Short story I made and illustrated for my daughter Cherry.

Bubbles

Sketch for an illustrated story for my daughter Cherry.