Amber's illustrations

When life is difficult you can only do what you can; ‘Dance first, think later. It’s the natural order’

A thoughtful collaboration shared by both designers, @at__ak and @amberillustrator

A1 size Poster

for purchase click here

10% going toward ‘Mind’ a UK mental health charity close to our hearts.

Available on both our websites.

The dancer illustrated in this print, Jacob Phillips @jacob_moving_around, wrote a few words on what dancing is to him.

“Dance means a lot to me, it’s a euphoric feeling where I don’t need to think or talk and is just all about the movement I create.”

‘Dance first, think later. It’s the natural order’ is a quote from the play Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett.

VLADIMIR:

He thinks?

POZZO:

Certainly. Aloud. He even used to think very prettily once, I could listen to him for hours. Now . . . (he shudders). So much the worse for me. Well, would you like him to think something for us?

ESTRAGON:

I’d rather he dance, it’d be more fun.

POZZO:

Not necessarily.

ESTRAGON:

Wouldn’t it, Didi, be more fun?

VLADIMIR:

I’d like well to hear him think.

ESTRAGON:

Perhaps he could dance first and think afterwards, if it isn’t too much to ask him.

VLADIMIR:

(to Pozzo). Would that be possible?

POZZO:

By all means, nothing simpler. It’s the natural order.

He laughs briefly.

VLADIMIR:

Then let him dance.

Silence.

Over the Covid-19 Pandemic I wanted to create artwork that people could relate to. From the media and news, to hearing stories about what people have had to go through. I created these pieces out honouring the difficult time of what they have to go through and also documenting the love between one and other getting though these hard times.

You can now buy these pieces on my Etsy page

Covid-19 Artwork to buy

This illustrations are my portfolio illustrations. I Create drawings of what I’m passionate about. I love drawing birds. Drawing Iconic music artist is a real interest of mine. Whats really important in my portfolio work is getting the colours right making the art work pop.

I was a freelance illustrator for Rife Magazine. I enjoyed every part creating these illustrations for the articles of Rife magazine. The colours in the background of the illustration are the same theme of colours of the online magazine. The articles I drew for touched upon race, sexuality, addictions, love, justice, family, stories and educating people about difficulties of growing up in hard circumstances. I couldn't have felt more honoured to illustrate for such powerful articles.

Article links:

‘I’d rather see a white doctor, if you don’t mind:’ how patients can hurt doctors too

by Neha Maqsood

Always the first time: falling in (and out) of love

by Frankie Rose

‘I’m not ready to remember’ – when your mum is an alcoholic

by Sara Maine

When nail varnish isn’t just nail varnish

by Ravi Kakkad

Could not be more excite to share this a commission/collaboration with the incredible Evey Even’s . I had the pleasure with her on commission to represent and honour her brand. The donuts are a signature to her mouth watering menu of scrumptious food.

Evey is the founder of ’No Beef Cafe’ Her Cafe delivery food service makes the most delicious selection of vegan food. Delivered to your front door

To place order on some delicious Vegan cafe style food please follow this link https://www.nobeefcafe.co.uk/

These commissions and illustration pieces for these few months I wan’t to concentrate on the character of each person to show parts of there personality. This I feel has developed my skill in drawing as it gives my clients more joy when they know they can identify with how I have posed them in each picture weather its dancing, smiling or posing.

Through these months I have been refining my practice and trying to make my commissioned illustrations display more of a characteristic style.

I worked with Tom Watson as a commission/Collaboration for his mental health and well-being website and instagram. Tom Watson is a mental Health ambassador who creates incredible mental health podcasts interviewing people who have over come there mental health struggles. Tom Watson's Website

This is my first GIF animation I have created on Pro Create. This Gif was an experimentation of one of my friends. She is Half Irish hen’s the four leaf clovers. My intentions for this animated illustration was to show my friends personality, beauty and identity.

The Gallyry

I Created this illustration as a contribution to ‘The Gallyry’

They now use it as a logo for there online artwork magazine.

I have been lucky enough to be featured in both ‘Illustrated in womens history’ Zine 2019 and ‘The Bristol Magazine’ to read about my work please follow these links

Parris Goebel Illustrated women in history

The Bristol Magazine

Leading up to Christmas I had different commissions for both different families and couples. I created all these illustrations on Pro Create. Pro Create has given me an advantage of create new strokes tones and effects with my drawings.

These where mostly family based commissions because it was summer I added lots of bright greenery to reflect the season.

Celebrating my first exhibition in August 2019 was a big achievement for my illustration work. I exhibited a collection of commissions I drew for different families, couples and friends all around Bristol.

I worked on a commission for Garment Quarters. This was to advertised for their phone case competition. Please click on @GarmentQuarters to view advert art.

https://hewclothing.com/products/femme-t-shirt?variant=12575574360098

In 2018 I was living in Melbourne, Australia. I got in contact with Ema Hewitt fashion designer of ‘Hew Clothing’ she wanted to collaborate and feature me as a illustrator for a T-shirt design. This was so exciting together we discussed my portfolio and what I was able to draw. Ema was interested in my concept of drawing the shape of a female form into a uterus with women of all different shapes and sizes and ethnicity’s. She went on to print my illustration design onto a t-shirt and interviewed me for her website to talk about our collaboration.

We also collaborated idea for a men’s T-shirt of The Beatles. All of my drawings where created on Photoshop. Working with Ema was so great her passion for design shows in her collections.

https://www.facebook.com/caringinbristol/photos/a.1400726246824969/2296593730571545/?type=3&theater

I had the pleasure of working for ‘Caring In Bristol’ a charity that raise money for the Homeless. I forwarded my portfolio to them in October 2018 and they commissioned me with a brief to create an illustration what identify’s a problem within my area. In Bs7 a lot of Ex convicts leave prison without support or help and are left homeless. I was given freedom to illustrate this. The main points within this piece, I had to think about the emotion and the idea of loneliness within the drawing. I am so proud of this piece and the impact it has had to help homeless people and also built up awareness to help support homeless people.

These illustrations I created where just after Christmas. The second illustration down was a fun illustration to work on as my costumer asked to have a drawing of Hellman’s mayonnaise growing out from the Bamboo trees behind them to represent their travels in Asia.

The last illustration on this page was created for a family that lot a baby they never had a portrait of them all together. So I created an illustration by imagination to honour the life of their baby and the love they have as a family unit. The flowers in the drawing are customer drawn and to represent their child.

I created this piece for StandTall in April 2019 a charity that helps women who are suffering with domestic, bullying, child and sexual abuse. Please follow this link to read the article: StandTall

I create illustrations for both Anniversaries & Wedding. Over the summer I was commissioned to draw flower designs for wedding invites. Talking directly with the bride she communicated with me exactly what flowers she wanted that represent the theme of English country side.

The rest of these drawings are anniversaries and wedding gifts.

These where my spring/summer commission. I loved creating the illustration of the three young boys. I really experimented with shading in this illustration and I think it has given and really lovely effect.

The first illustration at the top of the page played around the gradient changing the colour tones on photoshop. I think this brings a beautiful effect to a romantic scene of a boyfriend and girlfriend.

Oct/Dec 2018 commission. Within this time I got quite busy around Christmas for individual commissions. All of these customers where people who wanted an illustration of their loved one’s family and friends. I have really enjoyed working with my customers and finding out what they would like for their drawings.

Working on the women with the baby was my favourite commission working out the tones, lines and shape of the form. I really enjoyed and I believe this has made a successful drawing.

These drawings are my family in New Zealand. The first drawing is a commission my uncle commissioned me to draw his Gran.

When I was travelling to see my family in New Zealand it was important for me to create these drawings so I could capture a memory of them. Before heading back to Australia.

While living in Australia I was commissioned to draw different drawings of friends and family.

The first two illustrations I was commissioned by my Auntie to draw her Son and his friend playing sports.

The Third illustration was a commission for my next door neighbour in Australia who’s friend was getting engaged and she wanted me to create an illustration of both the happy couple.

The forth illustration was for my mum’s cousin who wanted me to create a illustration for her work profile for her Job.

My July/Sep commissions was when I moved back to Bristol from Melbourne, Australia. These where customers that where looking for illustrations for their friends and family.

Summer illustrations. I was commissioned to draw these illustrations in the summer so I wanted to show lots of vibrant colours and flowers within these drawings.

What I enjoy within my drawings is how it can make people feel. A few of these drawings where for loved ones who have suffered someone passing away. When giving the illustration to the client they loved it so much as it captured a memory for them and good times they had with that person.

The third illustration down. I was commissioned to draw a son who had an amputee. His mum wanted an illustration of himself that he could be proud of and look up to and that nothing can hold him back. I loved creating this drawing as I really wanted to express the pride within the way the boy looked.

The forth illustration down was a donated drawing a friend of mines cousin had passed away. I wanted to create him this illustration to show in loving memory of his cousin and to honour all the hard work he had been doing for fundraising money for a mental health charity.

http://therationalonline.com/

How I developed my illustrations into magazine art work- for ‘The Rational Online’. I was studying Fashion Film making at the London College Of Fashion in 2017 and while I was studying their I was directing a fashion film included in my course. For the Film I created a digital illustration story board to show the process how I would direct each scene. The Model I was working with Katy Sacks was also a generalist. Katy saw my illustrations and asked me if I would like to be apart of her new feminist magazine called ‘The Rational Online’.

The Magazine ‘The Rational Online’ -is a feminist Magazine that talks about political issues within society today that effects both men and women.

Working for ‘The Rational Online’ - I was their team illustrator which involved creating a logo for the website and drawing all the members of the team to display the network of women from all over the world that contribute to the magazine. I was also given articles and from that I had the freedom to create ideas of visual artwork that would express the Articles.

The Illustrations- All of the illustrations I created on Photoshop but the first part I would go through a process of drawing the ideas on paper and scan my drawings in then to edit onto Photoshop. My mission in my drawings was to empower people. ‘Freedom of Speech’ illustration which is the second drawing down with birds flying out of the mouth; this was to express the difficulty where women in some country’s don’t have there own voice. ‘The Man with the Mask’ was to express the notion of how some men find it difficult to express there emotions.

I left ‘The Rational Online’ in June 2018 to work on new collaborations in Melbourne, Australia.

My Family means a lot to me and within my work a lot of my commissions are customers that want me to create a drawing for their family, friends or other half. This is what my drawings stems from and the passion within my draw is to show a relationships within humanity.

The illustration’s that I have displayed are some drawings I have created showing my childhood. I created a T-shirt design for my brothers Birthday. This was a present to him but also for an experiment for me to show how I could create graphics for T-shirts.

My baby Niece was born in 2018. I wanted to give my sister and her boyfriend a present to celebrate the new bundle of joy. So I came up with these two drawings of them both holding her separably with a stork looking over them.

https://southmelbournemarket.com.au/traders/inside-the-looking-glass/

When I was living in Melbourne Australia. I was commissioned by a shop in south Melbourne. To create a range of card illustrations. I worked closely with the Shop owner and she wanted iconic people on the cards. Freda Carlo, David Bowie, Prince and Flinder’s station where illustrations that reflect the boutique market store in South Melbourne Market.

‘Women in a Leotard’ This was a portfolio based project. I was working at Urban outfitters a the time in Bristol. I had the pleasure of working along side some models. I wanted to show a more risky part of my illustrations. Playing with the concept of sexuality and beauty. All of these illustrations where created on Photoshop.

‘Men&Plants’ I wanted to create a contract of showing the beauty within Men as well as women. I used a Plant as a pattern to show the beauty within humanity.

These illustration commissions I created right before I moved to Australia. All drawn on Photoshop. The first drawing is an wedding present commission and the two other commissions where Birthday commissions.

This was a busy month of commissions for me most of them where Christmas commissions. A lot of customers asking for commission of there friends and family. The first commission was a customer who wanted a drawing of his dad and all of his family including fifteen brothers and sisters all together. This was a challenging commission but I like the way it has turned out. It took a lot of patients but I managed to finish the drawing within two weeks.

From just a creative project to a Business. After I finishing University at Manchester Met in 2016 Studying textiles design but specialised in digital print. I starting my illustration project I was able to adapt my creative digital tools that I had learnt with Textiles design to start a illustrating on Photoshop.

When first starting this project I used a Wacom and I found this very hard to use but by recording my drawings and posting them on my insta story. Followers started direct messaging me, enquiring me how much it would cost to have a digital drawing of a loved one or relative. I later invested in a Window Surface Pro which was so much easier to use and faster for me to complete my drawings. This was such an advantage because some times i would have a one to two day deadline to finish a commission for a client so I was able to draw much faster and on time.

My first ever digital illustration commission. I will never forget my first commission my friend Josie asked me for a drawing of her sister and her sister’s boyfriend. This was for her sister’s Birthday. From reflecting back on this it took me a long time to create the prefect digital sketch of the drawing. I learnt a lot from this commission and since then I am able to finish a commission in either a day or two and the fastest I have completed a drawing it has taken me two hours for a really tight deadline for a Christmas commission for a client.

The engagement drawings. I was commissioned to draw three sets of drawings of a couple getting engaged these drawings where challenging but I am so happy with the final out come and so was my customer.