As well as sending out our new Advocate Art Heads Up calendar and agency book we have also designed a square fold up leaflet which we are sending out to all of our clients. The leaflet has details of our locations at Paperworld, Spring Fair, Surtex and PGLive, and when folded out it has thumbnail images of our greeting card and children’s book illustrators.
We would like to welcome new artist Sandra Oost to Advocate art’s fantastic group of illustrator’s. Sandra works across a range of mediums to create her handmade, colourful designs; her work will make brilliant prints, posters, greeting cards and art for licensing. We think you will all love Sandra’s work – click here to see more on the Advocate art website.
Sandra Oost is an illustrator represented by Advocate art. Sandra lives and works in Sydney Australia. Formally trained in the art of printmaking, Sandra works across a range of mediums including linocut, ink, acrylic and digital design. Her work is bright and colourful with lots of textures and a distinctive, whimsical “printmaking” feel.
Sandra loves illustrating anything and everything bright, fun, cute and quirky and has a real talent for creating best selling greeting card designs.
When Sandra isn’t illustrating she can be found out walking her Jack Russel called Cookie, or in her little shed out the back playing with fire and melting glass to make beads!
Whilst Kate was in the USA she got a lovely welcome from one children’s book publisher – they put together a welcome board especially for her. Ed is very jealous, as for all the meetings he has been too he hasn’t had his name on a felt board for 20 years and Kate is straight on there! Below you can see the publishers pouring over the work, eagerly browsing the children’s book folios . It is great to see what Kate gets up to in her meetings and it just goes to show how important it is to keep your folio updated. So keep the work coming – we are constantly showing it off!
We are very excited to tell you that ‘The Poodle Problem’, a novel by Anna Wilson with cover illustrations by Kate Daubney has been selected as one of 10 books for the latest WHSmith Richard and Judy book club promotion. The promotion started today and runs until the 2nd May – they are running a multibuy offer with other titles as well, so you can get yourself a copy of this book for a great price! Kate Daubney is one of Advocate art’s top children’s illustrators so this is fantastic, if you would like to see more of her work click here to visit the Advocate art website. Read on to find out more about ‘Poodle Problem’ and click here to visit the retailer.
“Nine-year-old Pippa Peppercorn loves helping out at the only beauty salon in the quiet town of Crumbly-Under-Edge. A cosy joint run by the cuddly Mrs Semolina Ribena Fudge, customers and their pets stop by as much for the tea and sympathy as for a trim. But when rival beautician Trinity Meddler comes to town and sets up shop, Mrs Fudge is in danger of losing her customers. What’s more, Trinity has a sinister plan up her sleeve – involving oodles of poodles! Luckily Dash the talking dachshund, with a nose for sniffing out a good mystery, is on hand to save the day – with Pippa as his number-one assistant.”
Advocate art children’s illustrator Daniel Howarth sent us this video of a preschool programme about lighthouses. The programme features ‘The Lighthouse Keeper to the Rescue’, a children’s book written and illustrated by Heidi and Daniel Howarth. It is about Henry, a mouse who lives in a lighthouse, seeks help from a puffin and other animal friends to find the mother of a very hungry baby seal who was separated from her mother during a storm. As well as this the video also shows you how to make a lighthouse, a fun activity for those with kids! To see more of Dan’s work click here to visit the Advocate art website.
One of Advocate arts fantastic children’s illustrators Liza Lewis has been featured on the Print and Pattern blog with four new prints she has designed for children’s wall art. Liza is a UK based designer and specialises in illustrating for greeting cards and for art licensing. Each print portrays a different animal doing something ridiculous, like a lion riding a motorbike! We think they are great and perfect for a child’s bedroom! Her prints are being sold by Oopsy Daisy, click here to see more. To see Liza’s online portfolio on the Advocate art website please click here.
After relentlessly keywording all of our blog posts and adding the words ‘greeting cards’ onto everything physically possible we have made our way up the ranks, and now appear third in the list when you type in greeting card designers. As you know, when you search on Google, if you aren’t on the first page people don’t find you, so this is great – all we need now is to do the same for ‘childrens book illustration‘ and ‘illustration agency‘ and get Advocate Art number one on Google!
Spring Fair is fast approaching and Greetings Today Magazine have printed an overview of what we will be offering when we are there. You can find us at a new location in the Art section of the Spring Fair at stand 4B 109 where we will be showcasing original artwork as well as contemporary and traditional designs for greeting cards, posters and art licensing. Spring Fair is on from the 5th-9th February at the NEC in Birmingham so not long to send in new designs! Read below to find out more about what Advocate Art will be showcasing!
“With 20 years of experience Advocate Art illustration agency will be at Spring Fair for the first time in 2012. Located in the art and framing section of hall 4 they will showcase original artwork from artists and illustrators as well as prints, photography, contemporary designs and our more traditional designs for greeting cards, posters and art licensing, they are one of the largest and most bespoke agencies around. Originals include paintings from artists Chris Rigby, Nicola Evans and Carol Gillan are great for galleries; artists like Paula Doherty and photographer John Miller we will be licensing as well as selling originals and taking commissions. New this year, Advocate will be selling never before seen ranges, trend forward ideas and the best in contemporary illustration. With over 200 artists and over 300 commissions a month they have one of the most bespoke greeting card libraries around. The on-line library contains over 50,000 ready to use images including photography.”
One of Advocate Art’s new illustrators Kim Anderson has been featured on the Print and Pattern blog with her new floral designs. She makes all of her work by hand, combining colourful drawings with collage to create these intricate floral designs. Her work will make fabulous greeting card designs as well as art for other products. If you would like to see more of her work you can visit her online portfolio by clicking here.
As yesterday marked the beginning of the Chinese New Year we thought it would be fitting to make a collection of illustrations by Advocate artists’ to celebrate the occasion! 2012 is the year of the mythical dragon, the legendary fire-breathing creatures from storybooks that originate from many myths and cultures.
Traditionally, Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days and is the longest and most important of all the holidays in the Chinese calendar, filled with feasting, fireworks and family reunions. Different years are represented with different animal zodiac signs and this year marks the year of the dragon, the only creature in the Chinese calendar from mythical descent. Unlike European beliefs where the dragon is believed to be evil, in China it is seen as a positive symbol: in ancient times the dragon was reserved for the Chinese Emperor and is considered to to be an extremely auspicious sign. Probably the most recognised image within Chinese culture, the dragon signifies power, strength, good luck and wealth . . . . maybe we will all become very powerful and very wealthy this year!!
Advocate artist Jane Heyes sent us this fabulous colour palette which she found on the Pantone website – full of bright, optimistic, and sophisticated colours bursting with energy and vibrance, it has thoroughly inspired us! Thank you Jane, if you want to see more on the Pantone website then click here.
New to Advocate art is children’s illustrator Olga Matushkina. Olga creates her bright and funky work using modelling clay, making animals, birds, vehicles, lettering and objects. Her fresh style will look fantastic in children’s books and on greeting cards, to see more of her work click here to visit her page on the Advocate art website.
I live in Siberia, Russia and was born on the 5th March 1985. I grew up in Barbaul, Russia and I still live there to this day! My Dad has been my main influence ever since I was young, he’s a musician, and this made me want to persue my career as a creative/artist. I did not go to university, what I have learnt I have taught myself. My personal inspiration is the world - I love it, it’s what drives me! My artwork is cute, soft, warm and gentle. The methods I use in my art work are modeling clay and Photoshop (not at the same time though. My favorite piece of work is a tree with little birds sitting on it. I have one pet and he is a funny podgy cat – I love him very much! If I weren’t an illustrator I would probably be a doctor. My favorite books/films are Harry Potter, I love all those films. I really like all books by Jane Austen and I also really enjoyed reading the Lord of The Rings Trilogy. I love the city and countryside. I love to listen to the television while I work – never watch it though!
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