IGI Member David McClelland show us today a therapeutical way of creating new work.

As a freelance illustrator I find I am vulnerable to comparing my work to ‘more successful’ illustrators’ work. This in turn can result in an opinion that I am failing in some way.

The truth is I could never be like Jillian Tamaki or Tomer Hanuka because I’m not Jillian Tamaki or Tomer Hanuka; I am David McClelland.

In realising this I drew the mini comic “function” which helped me get a grasp of how to appreciate who I am as an artist and which direction I should follow based upon who I am rather than what other people say I should be.

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Dublin artist Loreana Rushe launches her first solo exhibition next Thursday 4th August 6-8pm in the R.A.G.E, Fade Street. The exhibition will run daily until Saturday August 13th and will display her work for bands like Fight Like Apes and Adebisi Shank as well as editorial illustrations for the likes of Le Cool and Punt Magazine.  It will also include her collaborative photo work with renowned artist Gary Baseman and a small selection of photography. There will be drinks and sweets served at the opening and prints for sale.

Here’s something for your diary!

The Mountains to Sea Festival, in association with Inis, the Children’s Book Magazine – are hosting a very special event for Oliver Jeffers fans, and anyone interested in picture books and illustration. Oliver, one of Ireland’s most successful illustrators, will talk about his work, publishing and making art with yer man… David Maybury.

Click for more details.

ADRIENNE GEOGHEGAN’S NEW COURSE: ART  TASTING BOOT  CAMP!

For those of you who ever wanted to try a new visual art course but weren’t sure what one suited you, or visited an art supply store and left simply because you couldn’t decide what to try this course might be the one. (more…)

Who would have thunk it – James Joyce wrote a children’s picture book The Cat and the Devil. The Blachon edition has been recently republished and available again here, but I think the Richard Erdoes one looks worth tracking down as well. Read more here. Analogies to Celtic Tiger infrastructure building I’ll leave to your imagination…

Illustrator Marion Deuchars releases a creative activity book Let’s Make Some Great Art this week for all ages. More info here.

IGI Member Steve Doogan has been selected to feature in Slanted’s Illustration Compilation: Fresh 3. It looks really great. Here you can have a look at the selection process.

IGI member Chris Judge is taking part in a group illustration show titled ‘Through the Looking Glass’ that opens on the 17th of July in The Yeats Memorial Building in Sligo. You can see more of Chris’s work for this exhibition here. Also exhibiting are Daniel Bourke, James Gammell, Marian Noone, Patrick O’Callaghan and Wayne O’Connor.

I’m far later than I should be on posting Sinéad Gleeson’s feature on Irish female comicbook artists.

If you’ve not read this – why not?!

Given that we have few enough design or folk art landmarks in Ireland it seems a shame that the iconic Ballyvaughan signpost in the Burren was removed recently by Clare County Council over National Road Authority issues of national signage policy. This is despite it being used in years of tourism imagery by Bord Fáilte and other agencies. As Finan O’Toole recently wrote: The signs didn’t just point to particular places, however. They also indicated a certain kind of place, an Ireland that is a little bit different, a little bit more richly textured, where place itself is a multi-layered concept. If you’d like to see the signs reinstated lend your support to this facebook page.