B and B blog

How to know when the job is done March 30, 2020 12:00

One of the most difficult parts of being an artist/illustrator is to know when to stop. When is your job finished, when can you sit back and be satisfied that you have done enough. My answer to this is you don't, I always think I can do a bit more here and a bit more there. I treat my work as a story, there's a beginning, middle and end and that's when I must say goodbye.

I recently started sketching an new illustration, I have an urge to introduce more people into my work that look human and not animalistic. The pencil work was done (all my artwork is handrawn first) and then I went on to using fine tipped black pens. While doing the fineline pen work i did a small film of the process which I shared on social media.

Adding colour

When this was finished the artwork was scanned to Photoshop where I started to work on building up the color. This work is not finished yet but am enjoying adding the colour to this one but am stuck on the many coloured jewels on the girls dress!

 Rain drops coloured

What makes art good?

We had the honour recently of being asked for the second year running to judge the Mothers' Day portrait competition for the Mercury Mall in Romford. Many schools got involved and there were hundreds of entries. There were different age group categories.We had a ball spending half a day going through all the fabulous artworks. The winners and close runners came to a prize winners ceremony at the Mercury Mall, and all the childrens' work was also displayed in their art gallery. 

Overall winner of Mercury Mall Mother's Day competition

Mercury Mall Mother's Day competition prize giving

Display of competition entries and B&B artwork

Lis & Maj in front of children's artwork


Judging Mother's Day art competition March 26, 2019 12:00

We were asked to be on the judging panel for the Mothers' Day art portrait competition 'Image of My Mum' at the Mercury Mall shopping centre in Romford. We were astounded when we got there at the number of artwork submissions, over 700 entries. Our favourites combined technique, cuteness and detail. After deliberating all morning, phew it was hard going as there were many lovely portraits, we finally came to a decision. Afterwards we had a well earned croissant and tea plus a chocolate flake yum yum.

We were invited to the private view and really enjoyed seeing the pride and accomplishment on the faces of the winners and highly commended. The portraits will be displayed in the Mercury Mall until 31 March 2019.

Image of my Mum 5-7 winner

 Image of My Mum invite

 Image of my Mum 8-11 winner

Image of my Mum audience

Image of my Mum Mercury Mall staff pick

 


Colour in Romford - street art installed March 30, 2016 12:00 1 Comment

Colour in Romford aims to support Creatives and engage the local community in the arts by bringing a splash of colour to South Street. The open competition gave the public the opportunity to submit their artwork for large scale commissions with a chance to see their creations brought to life throughout our streets. Focusing on four main sites, entries were encouraged to design a piece that drew inspiration from local history and culture, giving the proposed urban sites an audacious, artistic makeover. Colour in Romford is curated by Made Public .

'New Forest', Brennan & Burch, South Street (station)

We made a few site visits as the work was going up and got behind the scenes shots.

Brennan and Burch street art

Brennan and Burch street art

Brennan and Burch street art

Brennan and Burch street art

Brennan & Burch street art

Lis and Maj

'Monkey', Grant Pearce, South Street (Fiction)

'Monkey' by Grant Pierce

'The Reader', Anika Manuel, The Quadrant

'The Reader' by Anika Manuel

'Loughros Point Revisited', Chris Stevens, King's Arm Yard

'Loughros Paint Revisited' by Chris Stevens


Colour in Romford - New Forest shortlisted January 20, 2016 12:00

Got some good news this week - our New Forest work has been shortlisted in the Colour in Romford competition. If we are successful then we might be seeing our work up on the walls of Romford very soon! Fingers crossed for us.


Colour in Romford - competition entry November 18, 2015 12:00

Now we are Romford girls, we like to try to get involved with stuff that is happening in our local area. We were excited to get the chance to enter Colour in Romford competition being run by Made Public. They are commissioning a number of public art and design pieces in and around South Street, Romford, A nightclub building, town clock, station wall, lamp posts and pavements are just some of the proposed urban sites in need of an audacious artistic makeover. Watch this space...