Fiona Meakin Designs - Draw With Fi

This brilliant quote was posted by Kate Harper on her website http://www.kateharperdesigns.com/ Kate writes: Please Steal this Art #2: (Quote by Steve Jobs) After hearing that Steve Jobs is retiring, I decided to make a piece of art out of one of his inspiring quotes. Please pass on, print out or use it in anyway that will help you be inspired about your own life purpose. -Kate

Here are some early Christmas designs. My naughty turkey in disguise! Not very Christmas spirited!! Scrooge McTurkey! All images copyright Fiona Meakin 2011.

I absolutely LOVE paintings by Gustav Klimt and these illustration ideas have been influenced by his work.

Just to clarify, I haven't got a baby in my tummy! I just thought the premise of this picture is cute, fits this weeks IF topic, and could possibly be a children's book (for those soon to be siblings). I have taken 'swell' to mean getting big, or growing larger so I chose this picture that I did ages ago. A few of the lovely ladies I met through aquanatal when I was pregnant 3 years ago are now having their second babies so this is inspired by them. All images are copyright Fiona Meakin 2008-2011, please do not use or replicate without my permission.

How amazing is this fella? The seals follow the fishing boats in every night at the harbour and we were lucky enough to see them one evening. The above picture is a sketch of the harbour (and me and C) from the same place we saw the seals. Perhaps one should feature in the background...I think I will add a little addition to the final illustration. All images are copyright Fiona Meakin 2008-2011, please do not use or replicate without my permission.

I was really drawn to doorways painted with shades of blue - they seemed to match the colour of the sea and the sky in St Ives, whether on a sunny day or an overcast one. I'm sure the colours have been carefully selected for this reason! Here's my little exhibtion of doors!! I'm hoping to use these shades in new illustrations.

In the Tate garden Chilling at Chysauster! In front of Martin Creed's balloons installation (Tate) Hanging Out on the campsite Welcome to Monkey Tour 2011! Monkey tour began when my sister's boyfriend Simon went skiing earlier this year. He took his 'Grumpy Monkey' and snapped him on a cable car, on a mountain, enjoying apres ski...you get the picture. My daughter's monkey accompanied us to Cornwall this year and here are some snaps from his trip... If are going on an exotic vacation and would like to be part of Monkey Tour please contact me! All images are copyright Fiona Meakin 2008-2011, please do not use or replicate without my permission.

I thought it might interest you to show one of the processes that I go through when creating ideas and getting inspired. I have always used sketch books or note pads (note pads, were especially useful when I was acting) to capture any imagery and thoughts that will inform my new project. One approach is to collage found material from magazines, postcards, wrappers etc. Often I get a feel for the colours I will focus on, or a recurring image may crop up and I will rework it until I have a final illustration. I have used this process on my recent holiday down in Cornwall. I miss the South West when I am not there( I lived in Torquay for a few years after university when I was touring Devon and Cornwall with a theatre company). St Ives and the surrounding area was amazing and so inspiring. The Tate's summer exhibtion was really refreshing and I was absorbed, especially by Naum Gabo's sculpture. Here are some images to hopefully inspire you too! I've thrown