Sophie Rae

2012-02-03T03:28:00.000-08:00

Portrait of fellow Paper Jukebox member, Lucy Evans

This task made a lovely change for me, my recenttendencies being to make images of animals and nature.

This has given me a craving to do a portrait on amuch larger scale so that I can use my roller, as a paintbrush almost. As theroller is about 10cm wide, I need a bigger area to work on so I can use it forsmaller details. (The challenge here is finding a place with a table bigenough to print on!)

To get the details of Lucy’s features in the printat this size (A2) I thought pencil would be the best option. I think there’s adelicacy to the image this way, compared to if I had of used the process ofmono-printing which would have created a darker, heavier line. And it was sucha beautiful, delicate face to draw.

2011-12-25T08:12:00.000-08:00

Ivory Towers

Here are the three prints I've been working on for European Parkinson's Disease Association (EPDA) magazine. It will be out in Januaryand available online this month.

2011-10-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Final painting for Branches Arc Album

This is the final painting of five that I have produced to go alongside some beautiful folky music produced by talented Chris Witherall. This painting is an abstract representation of spiritual growth, being at one with nature and flourishing as a person.

2011-10-03T06:08:00.000-07:00

Volunteering at The Big Draw’s Big Splash

On Sunday 25^th September I joined a number of inspirational Illustrators (including Quentin Blake) to help bring art to the masses. I was part of a team helping to deliver a somewhat organized but messy workshop to people of all ages. We followed direction given by talented Herve Tullet, through a megaphone, to draw and paint on large rolls of paper on the floor. Music was even used as inspiration to guide our paintbrushes and posca pens across the vast expanse of paper.

Marion Deuchars led the second workshop where I lent a hand to young budding artists designing their own African masks.

The day went really well, and it was great experience to work alongside some inspiring people in the Illustration field.

There were lots of other workshops going on too. Fellow members of the Paper Jukebox collective also got involved.

Photos courtesy of talented Paper Jukebox memberLucy Evans.

2011-08-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

Show and Tell, a Pop Up Shop

Show and Tell was a pop-up shop at St Peters Hall, in Bournemouth. This is my work displayed above. It was a disused night club transformed beautifully with a range of art from prints, photography and paintings to jewelry, cakes and soap, alongside some lovely music from live bands. It was great to exhibit in the town where so much of my inspiration has come from and so much of my work has been produced. Follow this link to read more about the Pop Up Shop and the other artists involved.

2011-07-13T07:27:00.000-07:00

Greetings cards for sale

These individual hand printed greetings cards, blank inside, are now for sale. There are a number of different designs which will shortly be available via my online shop at www.sophie-rae.com and in a few little shops on the south coast. For now get in touch (sophie@sophie-rae.com)

2011-07-13T06:21:00.000-07:00

BRINK

Hanging my prints in the Truman Brewery last week. Six original A1 prints of mine were exhibited alongside fellow illustrators from The Arts University College Bournemouth. The exhibition was a great success and will set the standards of what's to come in the future from me. To buy prints, original or limited edition, please email me.

2011-06-21T10:12:00.000-07:00

CD cover design and poster

This is a CD cover I produced for a couple of tunes by Parov Stelar to go alongside the A1 monoprints I made in response to the songs. The print alongside it folds up to fit inside the CD case, designed to be a pull out poster.

2011-06-20T08:04:00.000-07:00

As predominantly a printmaker it has been refreshing to work on a pencil drawing again, that isn't just an energetic sketch or prior idea for a print, but a detailed study of a turtle. Keeping all the skills in check.

2011-06-17T04:33:00.000-07:00

Heres one design I have been working on to go on a greetings card. I'm working on a whole selection so this will form the basis of a set of maybe five designs that can be sold together as a pack.

2011-06-17T04:22:00.000-07:00

You can now find a portfolio of my work on 5oup.

Have a lookie here.

2011-06-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

You can now view my work on Wallcollective:

http://sophierae.wallcollective.com/

2011-05-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

www.sophie-rae.com

Check it out for the latest, innovative monoprints

2011-05-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Handmade and hand printed unique presentation box

I got creative by printing onto a box I made. This will be used as part of my promotional material to contain business cards, postcards, handprinted unique greetings cards and a unique monoprint.

2011-05-05T11:58:00.000-07:00

A little monoprint I've done of a little quote I like

2011-05-04T15:01:00.000-07:00

Forget the bikini; let’s take a paintbrush to the beach

On Mayday, which happened to be my birthday, some of the Paper Jukebox team and I got creative in a sandy environment. Four boards, six artists, we created images based on a surf/beach theme for Boscombe’s SURFX event. This is the video of our artwork in production. Its always great to work with other people, it keeps you focused on a joint goal. Arthur and me went with an expressive underwater scene using paints and pens.

2011-04-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

A sneak peek...

... what could be beyond the long grass?.. these are prints based on music by Parov Stelar. His song The Mojo Radio Gang has provided inspiration throughout this project. The prints are a reflection of the moods I feel and the things I associate with the sounds. More of these prints are going to appear very soon on my website.

2011-04-22T14:53:00.000-07:00

A frog in a boat

I've been busy, busy creating prints. Think organic forms, sunlight and lazy days. Nature infused by magic. Ethereal. There isn't actually a frog in a boat in this photo, but thats a taster or what's to come...

2011-04-13T05:22:00.000-07:00

James and the GIANT peach

The epic childhood story of a charming youngster called James and this overly large Peach he stumbles upon will be celebrating its seventieth anniversary soon. So as a great appreciator of such adventures I took to the task of redesigning the book cover for Penguins Design Awards. I had been working on this in November, but have revisited it to make changes. This is the design I have entered. Fingers crossed.

2011-04-05T16:22:00.000-07:00

Dreambox Exhibition and Live Art

My illustration of the male with face paint was used in an exhibition at The Lighthouse in Poole, based on dreams.

The chicken rocking the zebra mohawk was a collaborative piece I created with Annette Johns, fellow classmate and part of our Paper Jukebox collective. The large board was transformed in front of the eyes of fellow attendees of the event 'Off with their Heads'. An event with an Alice in Wonderland theme the collective took four stark white boards and made each one a suite from a pack of cards, interpreting this in a number of ways. For more information and photos head over to the Paper Jukebox site.

2011-02-05T01:39:00.000-08:00

Music as inspiration

I'm looking at two songs by Parov Stelar and I am going to enter the D&AD 2011 Illustration Awards. The brief asks for an innovative way of combining Illustration and Music. I want to continue the project after the D&AD deadline exploring visual ways to interpret music. Taking inspiration from festivals and the escapism they both provide. Looking at surrealism and all things bizarre and intriguing...

Commission - Greetings card design for ArtQuirk

2011-02-05T01:00:00.000-08:00

Heart and Sole commission

This is a painting that was commissioned for an event called Heart & Sole. The event consisted fairly equally of students and industry professionals. The painting aims to show a network of creatives being the root of the heart and stability for individual success. Here you can take a look at the painting online

2011-01-31T05:31:00.000-08:00

The Art of Nurture

This is the Illustration I submitted for the Lloyd TSB 2011 competition, 'The Art of Nurture' where we had to illustrate one of 5 points about the values the company hold and abide to. My image illustrates 'We make it Simple' and 'We stretch ourselves'. Done using relief printing techniques.

An astronaut driving a Lunar Rover heads to the moon. This image shows an example of one of the simplest designs, the wheel, being used in an extraordinary way. The wheel is an incredible invention and such a simple design. It has literally allowed man to travel light-years and been taken to the moon and back. This image also shows how we stretch ourselves by exploring different planets and the wheel has been used in a situation of this magnitude, because it is a design that has stood the test of time.

2011-01-10T03:40:00.000-08:00

Up in the air

This is my interpretation to a brief titled Up in The Air, set by This is... collective.

2010-12-26T05:08:00.000-08:00

V&A Illustration Awards 2011

If you follow this link it will take you to the work I submitted for the 2011 V&A Illustration Awards. The brief asked for up to three images, which worked as a series or led up to a one final piece.

2010-12-06T13:29:00.000-08:00

James and the GIANT Peach

I'm attempting to re-design the front cover for one of the most loved children's books by Roald Dahl for the Penguin Design Awards. These are some of the characters; the ladybird, spider and Grasshopper. I didn't want to characterize them too much as its already been done so well. I want the rough and quirky line of mono-printing to dominate and work well with the scene I'm developing.

Below is the final image after many rough drafts, I wanted the front and back cover to work together as a whole and be interesting for children. The Illustration depicts the scene underground where the larger than life creatures are affected by the magic beans that James spills on the ground, which also affect the roots of the Peach tree to produce a GIANT peach, which is subtly shown in the right hand corner. I placed the peach here to lead the characters and the reader inside the peach, into the book and into the adventure.

The design in its final context

A Recipe For...

This image forms part of the publication A Recipe For...

Its a catalogue of Illustrations that fellow course mates and I put together. The whole publication can be viewed here.

2010-11-10T12:07:00.000-08:00

Nautical Nonsense

By the way this is an underwater giraffe (above). Underwater Giraffes still have not developed the ability to breathe underwater so, even though their necks are already pretty long, they need to be able to the reach the surface to come up for air, naturally they would therefore have a 'spring neck'. The Giraffe also has to wear goggles to protect its eyes from the salt water, but that Illustration is for another day...

Here are some more interpretations to the nautical brief. The bottom composition is the final Illustration I submitted for the competition, taken from the landscape scene just above it. My work was selected and exhibited at 60 Million Postcards in Bournemouth. The prints could be purchased on the night but you can also grab one from:

http://www.shop.thisissomething.co.uk/sophieharding.html

2010-11-04T14:50:00.000-07:00

Nautical Nonsense

I have recently started working on a brief titled 'Nautical Nonsense' set up by 'this is' collective. The starting point can be interpreted in any way, the only limitation is the dimensions (A2 portrait). I have used this opportunity to create playful Illustrations that are often weird, humorous and lighthearted. By taking reference to the ridiculous things that are already found in the sea and putting my own spin on them I want to create a snapshot of a strange underwater scene, continuing to use traditional methods of printing or painting. I want to challenge myself to combine a number of elements within one composition and amalgamate them on good old Photoshop.

By also taking on the challenge of the Penguin Design Awards 2011 to re-design the book cover for James and the Giant Peach I have been able to continue to produce Illustrations that are about fictional characters, events or locations.

2010-08-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Commission - The Sting in the Tale a festival of stories

Since June when I completed all the Illustrations for this story telling festival, about 28 of them, they have gone to print and been distributed. Here is a sample of the final product. Also my Illustrations have been published on the official website. Check them all out >>>>> here.

2010-08-05T17:23:00.000-07:00

Music collaboration

These images are part of a collaboration I am involved in with a drummer and songwriter. They are a response to lyrics and will form the artwork for a CD. The top image will be the front cover.

2010-08-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

Bodies as a canvas

Some drawings done in henna/jagua on peoples bodies, a new summer job which I'm Loving! And a design I drew on a willing participants back, pure spontaneity.

2010-08-05T16:39:00.000-07:00

Painting nature

Just some creative fun.

2010-07-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

Represented by Advocate Art Illustration Agency, London

I am currently represented by Advocate Art Illustration Agency on their Blog. To see some of my prints and read more about what they do and what I did as an intern click here.

2010-07-07T03:30:00.000-07:00

Internship Website

I've just completed a three week internship with Advocate Art Agency in London. It was a great few weeks and everyone at the company was really helpful and friendly. I got a great insight into how the business was run, insights which will definitely aid me in making some decisions when I progress my Illustration work further in the professional world after graduation. Less than a year away. To finalize my time at Advocate my work has been published on their website which can be viewed here.

2010-07-04T04:31:00.000-07:00

A Painting based on a poem by J. Alfred Prufrock

This is a painting for a friend, she gave me one of her favourite poems and asked me to interpret it however I wanted. I loved playing with the colours and detailed lines over the top and working on a canvas for a change rather than paper.

2010-05-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Commission - The Sting in the Tale a festival of stories

These are some of the original Illustrations before they go into print for the story telling festival I'm Illustrating for this summer. My Illustrations will go alongside each event, about 28 of them, to form a booklet to advertise the event. Additionally posters and bookmarks should be being made with my Illustrations on. Nearly finished the project now. Has been a great experience so far and I've learnt a few things which has enlightened me about the world of professional freelance Illustration.

2010-05-13T12:07:00.000-07:00

An Exhibition at LSE - The Lottery of Birth

My work was selected for the exhibition at the London School of Economics and here you can see it being displayed. There was a presentation at the opening and they spoke about my work and its concepts saying how it illustrates the theme well, showing how we are born into our circumstances and we do not all have equal opportunities.

2010-05-13T11:37:00.000-07:00

Exhibition at 60 Million Postcards - Expose Yourself

I took part in an exhibition at a venue called 60 Million Postcards in Bournemouth, displaying a number of prints created during my recent Narrative project. It was really fulfilling to see my work being appreciated by the public and over-hearing some wicked comments. I look forward to getting involved in more in the future.

My animation - 'The Divergence of Birds' a collaboration with Becky Hatwell

2010-05-13T08:19:00.000-07:00

I have just completed the final project for my second year! The unit was titled 'The Digital Revolution'. The brief was to produce an animation on the theme of divergence. After talking to my lovely friend Becky we realized our intentions for the project were very similar and decided it would be a great venture to work together and produce a collaborative final piece.
You can also view the final animation here on youtube

Our main aim for this project was to find a way to express our love of printing and collage techniques through moving image. Above are some of the scenes and birds which are featured in the short animation.
The concept was sparked by our trip to the Natural History Museum. We found a mutual interest in the variety of birds and how captivating they were. We felt that our practice would lend well to the aesthetic quality of the birds and the locations they live in.

We wanted to express the difference in development of the birds to suit their environments.
The prints were digitally scanned and compiled in Photoshop, then taken to After Effects and Final Cut Pro where all the traditional artwork and sound was edited and amalgamated.

Greetings cards

2010-05-08T15:33:00.000-07:00

These are a couple of drawings I've recently done and put on cards for friends or family to say thanks or wish a Happy Birthday. Being able to make them personal is a great incentive in making cards for people.

Print making workshop

2010-04-26T17:03:00.000-07:00

This giant print was produced in a Print workshop I was involved in, led by Andy Parker. We each worked in pairs and were encouraged to try something new on a massive scale and to consider repetition. By carefully hacking away at a large piece of corrugated card me and Jenny inked up the monster and placed a giant roll of paper over the top to slide, roll and skate around on. This is the outcome, with a subtle addition of string to highlight interesting shapes and link the repeated prints together.

Below is the corrugated card. I love printmaking as a process in making my Illustrations and this workshop has sparked ideas of ways I could further this in the future. Interesting what you can do with throw away items/packaging.

LSE exhibition piece

2010-04-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have recently produced some art work for an exhibition at London School of Economics (LSE). The exhibition is run by the United Youth Development Organisation and explores the theme of 'The Lottery of Birth'. In my relief / mono print I wanted to symbolize that from birth we are immediately restricted from some opportunities. Here a blindfolded infant tries his luck at throwing a dart onto a map of the world. This for me connotes that some people are born directly into problems and that not everyone gets a fair chance at a life from the start. The Lottery of Birth states that our postcode has a major impact on our lives, we are not all born with the same opportunities, and this should be changed.

You can view more about the event here:

http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/artsAndMusic/artProjectsAndExhibitions/LotteryofBirth.htm

Poster

2010-04-04T15:38:00.000-07:00

I designed this poster for a one day festival in Bournemouth. The client asked for something colourful, and for the name of the festival, 'Smile' to be illustrated. This is my interpretation.

I loved producing artwork for something other than my degree and maintaining my artistic identity, by incorporating an Illustration which furthers the the way I want to work.

A Narrative of Obsession

2010-03-16T16:46:00.000-07:00

A Narrative of Obsession

2010-03-16T16:45:00.000-07:00

^ These are a small selection of a number of screen prints I done, looking at techniques I could use to reproduce the same image. The technique was good in that multiple copies could be made to look exactly the same, however I feel it lacks any of my individual mark. I love the dirtier line of mono-printing/relief prints, which always show the artists mark, even if these are grubby fingerprints.

^ This was the beginning of my project where I broke down the story 'An Imaginative Woman' by Thomas Hardy and selected the theme of obsession to somehow produce a narrative on. As the project progressed so did the Narrative, as I continually produced images of the same individual. By taking sections of his face and focusing in on them closely and placing a number of them on one page the 'obsession' seems to progress. I loved using printing as a technique to produce images and will definitely be continuing along this route.

Life Drawings

2010-03-16T14:15:00.000-07:00

Y2-Visual Explanation

2010-01-31T09:30:00.000-08:00

These images are part of my research in finding out the most successful way to visually communicate the word 'Transformation'. They are based on starting with a selection of random shapes, layered and overlapping, and then I used my imagination to see what I could transform them into.

This was the final result, a stop motion film, it involved a lot of patience but was fun to try, this being the first time I've ever done a stop-motion animation.

Y2- Interpretation of Text

2010-01-30T06:26:00.000-08:00

For this project I designed 5 book covers for novels by the African author Chinua Achebe. I needed to consider them as a series so they had to all link together visually.

This Illustration is for the book 'Things fall apart'

'No longer at ease'

'Arrow of God'

'A man of the people'

'Anthills of the Savannah'

This was another option for the final cover of 'No longer at ease'. I chose the prior one because the colours are more dominant and dark, and help convey the darkness of the narrative.

Personal sketch

2010-01-30T05:21:00.000-08:00

Yr1-Digital Imagery project on Surveillance

2010-01-30T05:14:00.000-08:00

This image was produced during my first year. Its based on the 9/11 event. I was exploring the ways the event was surveyed and the points of view it was seen from. We also had to employ digital techniques in its production.

Yr1-Functions of Illustration

2010-01-30T05:01:00.000-08:00

For this brief we had to choose an article to produce three Illustrations from, each illustration had a specific function. One was to comment, one to inform, and one to decorate. We had to consider the context that these illustrations could be placed in. The article I chose was about the decline of the Cuckoo in Britain.

This image was placed in an informative leaflet about the Cuckoo, otherwise known as the 'spring bringer'.

I wanted to inject a positive attitude about the Cuckoo and how its an integral part of British Spring time, a time of new life, and... little chicks.

This image was for a decorative book cover about the Cuckoo.

Yr1-Word and Image project-based on the 'White Album' by the beatles

2010-01-30T04:43:00.000-08:00

The brief here was to produce an Illustration of a song by the Beatles. We got to choose an envelope which contained the lyrics of a song from the White album. My Song was 'Mother Natures Son'. We had to use some or all of the lyrics in our image.

The above piece was my final design, which I produced with the end context in mind being an album cover.

Yr1-Drawing Approaches project-Journey

2010-01-30T03:53:00.000-08:00

These Illustrations are a documentation of the things I saw a did throughout the duration of the brief, my journey from start to finish, exploring different techniques and materials.