I was pretty excited when i stumbled across Tea & Crayons an illustration collective and even more so when the girls very kindly agreed to be featured here. Tea & Crayons was started in October 2010 by six like-minded and ambitious girls, all striving for a career in illustration! They are from all corners of the UK, brought together by a shared desire to creatively challenge themselves and work together, sharing knowledge and creativity.
Expect big things from these girls and check out their blog to see new illustration themes and where to see their work.
Below are a few insights into the girls professional backgrounds and what inspires them.
Blog/ website link:
Collective: http://teaandcrayonscollective.blogspot.com/
Individual members:
Abby Wright - http://abbywrightillustration.blogspot.com
http://www.abbywrightillustration.co.uk/
Kayleigh Bluck - http://www.kayleighbluck.co.uk
http://www.love2illustrate.blogspot.com
Rachel Clare Price - http://www.itslikeart.net
Fritha Strickland - http://www.tigerlillyquinn.blogspot.com
Natasha Thompson - http://www.thesecretteaparty.co.uk
http://thesecret-teaparty.blogspot.com/
Rachel Lewis - http://www.rachelsayshello.com
University/ College: West Wales School of the Arts
Course: Graphic Design and Illustration
Current Occupation: P.A
University/ College: Hull School of Art and Design
Course: Illustration
Current Occupation: Student/ Freelance illustrator
University/ College: University of Lincoln
Course: Illustration
Current Occupation: Sales assistant/ Freelance illustrator
University/ College: University of Wolverhampton
Course: Illustration
Current Occupation: Graphic designer/ Freelance illustrator
University/ College: University of Northampton
Course: Illustration
Current Occupation: Sales advisor/ Freelance illustrator
University/ College: Northumbria University
Course: Multimedia Graphic Design
Current Occupation: Illustrator and designer
What three to five words would you use to describe your work?
Each member of Tea and Crayons has their own unique style that is personal to them, however there are common factors amongst our work that bring the group together. The combination of hand-made and digital is something we all enjoy for one. Each of us shares a love of texture and colour, and our creations are often insightful, yet fun.
What inspires you?
Wow, we could go on forever - the list is endless! Here are just a few things that inspire Tea and Crayons: current events, colour, fashion, music, films, nature, animals, people, old photographs, family, other artists/ designers, and finding extraordinary in the mundane.
What mediums do you work with?
All members of Tea and Crayons use a variety of materials and techniques to produce their illustrations. Mediums we work with include pencil, pen, ink, watercolour, collage, felt tips, vintage papers, old photographs, Photoshop and Illustrator.
What was your first job? When/how did you know you wanted a career in art?
Abby is yet to graduate from her degree in illustration so has not had a job as yet, however she is a regular contributor to on-line magazines.
Natasha’s first job was selling ice cream at summer fairs as a youngster, until she realized at the age of fifteen that she could make a career out of drawing!
Fritha began her working life in a deli, prior to which she would create her own paper toys to cut out and play with.
Rachel L has been lucky enough to have a career in design from the outset. Her first job was – and still is – as a graphic designer for a fashion company in London.
Kayleigh has always worked in retail to pay the bills, while working on illustration and custom artwork during the rest of her time as a means of starting a career.
Rachel P’s first illustration job was for a local music magazine three years ago, which she still contributes to now.
It’s fair to say that the Tea and Crayons ladies have been artistic for as long as they each can remember. Design is undoubtedly our passion, and as a collective the prospects of a successful career in illustration is looking more promising than ever.
Design books/blogs you can’t live without
We have another long list for this one! Blogs we love include ‘a beautiful mess’, ‘it’s nice that’, ‘design sponge’, ‘noisy decent graphics’, ‘cellardoor magazine’, ‘decor8’, and ‘the black apple’.
Some of our many favourite books include Fingerprint, Illustration Now, Print & Pattern, Post Secret, The Big Book of Fashion Illustration, Maximalism, and The Picture Book.
What’s next?
Tea and Crayons agree that more freelance work and focusing on the collective is high on our agenda for 2011.
Individually, Natasha wants to work on more creations for her lovely etsy shop;
Rachel P would like to do more screen-printing and to try textile printing also;
Abby hopes for more freelance work post graduation;
Kayleigh will be working on more self-promotion;
Rachel L is looking for more new editorial clients;
and Fritha’s plans are the most ambitious of all – she hopes to take over the world and make everything pretty!
P.S Thank you to each of the girls and good luck to Abby who is in her third and final year - enjoy!
If you want to know more about Tea & Crayons's Rachel Lewis, and to find out how expressing your definition of "style" can make you win an iPad2 with a Bamboo Stylus pen, check out this interview on jotta.com :
http://www.jotta.com/jotta/published/home/article/v2-competitions/1522/drawing-style-bamboo-stylus-competition
Cheers, and good luck!
Team jotta
Posted by: jotta | May 20, 2011 at 11:57 AM