Stockbridge design process
I am busy making new sketches of a neighbourhood not far from home as one of my favourite stockists, Paper Tiger has opened a brand new shop there this month.
I have been working on a number of sketches around Stockbridge for a new range of localised postcards and gift cards. I like to focus on the everyday views that might go unnoticed or often taken for granted when we are rushing about but which often people who live there have great affection for. This view of the Chancelot Mill in Newhaven springs to mind, not one you may fist think of but I seek quite a few prints to locals who know this scene well.
I am still working on the 8 sketches of Stockbridge which I will narrow down to a set of 6 and may well ask you for your advice in the days to come. But for now I wanted to show you a bit of my process and how a sketch can be used in a different way.
This sketch is the view down North West Circus Place past the market and towards the Water of Leith. The original sketch may well go on a gift card but I wanted to also use it as a possible tote bag. I wanted to simplify the drawing and create a painterly, more simple style and so made this painting below with ink and a small brush.
I liked the style but wanted more detail in the centre so photographed the painting and using my iPad I added fine tuned the buildings in the centre and faded out the thickness of the lines from the central focal point. I also added market tents to the left to help make it more recognisable as Stockbridge.
And here is the finished piece mocked up on a tote bag. The sky is added digitally so I can keep the colour consistent, as a tote the design will be screen printed in two colours and so each colour needs to be strong and without faded parts.
Let me know what you think. Would you buy one of these for around £10, or would you like one of your neighbourhood? You can leave a comment below suggesting your area or view and I may add it to the list. Thanks. Mark, ES
