The Print Shop is looking lovely

A wide range of cards and prints, different prices and sizes. My Palm Trees print is framed and ready to hang

My T-shirt with a chicken in headphones on comes in various sizes and colours

A table full of lovely christmas decorations, tote bags, notepads, tea towels etc...

Getting the colouring pencils out!

A Birthday card for a loved one. Here's what I did in the studio today, whist listening to some beautiful remixed tunes by Majestic Casual. 

Printmaking Workshop – Christmas cards

This Wednesday I led another workshop. It was great fun and since the festive season is fast approaching the focus was on making your very own hand-printed christmas cards.

There were some great ideas utilising traditional Christmas symbols with a modern twist, using bright colours.

Everyone who attended the workshop got to take away 5 greetings cards with them, which they had printed by hand, using stencils they had cut from their drawings.

This was all done in the beautiful surrounding of The Print Shop, in Quakers Friars, Bristol.

Two lovely students, travelled from Southampton to take part.

The next workshop I’m doing will be held on November 27^th. Come along and learn how to print your own Christmas cards at home this year. 
It's £25 for a three hour session, all materials provided, (as it's nearly christmas, feel free to bring along nibbles or wine) You can find more information on The Print Shop blog. Or you can book on by emailing printshopbristol@gmail.com

Autumnal Inspiration

There's nothing like a warm yet fresh and bright autumn morning to inspire. I've finally set about doing something I've been meaning to do since March!

Start a painting.

I've been putting it off because I just couldn't decide what to paint. I had so many ideas it was hard to choose. I've chosen to go along the lines of abstract natural things. Just to get me back into painting, before I go for anything too realistic. These are some photos I took at the beautiful Ashton Court in Bristol, which never fails to leave me feeling super relaxed and inspired. 

My Workshops - Monoprinting with stencils

If you fancy trying out a printing technique that you can easily do at home, without a press, but with some beautiful textural results, how about coming along to one of my workshops.

I’m currently holding them in The Print Shop, which is in Quakers Friars, in the centre of Bristol. The next one is Wednesday 30^th October and there will be two more in November. Just in time to print all your Christmas cards. The workshop lasts three hours and is a one off session for £25.

For this you get a demonstration and talk by me, the artist, all materials are provided and you will take away a set of five greetings cards. You can make a Christmas design to get you on your way for the fast approaching festive season.

You will be using a craft knife and oil-based inks. So its good to wear clothes you don’t mind getting some paint on…it won’t come out.

It would be great to see you there. If you’re interested send me an email -

sophie@sophie-rae.com

Monoprinting Christmas cards

Three Kings

Reindeer

I’m feeling all Christmassy already and it feels quite warm outside. Feels a bit like my last Christmas in India. (I was somewhere cold in India for Christmas, but not like English cold and rain).

Because I wasn’t in England for Christmas last year I’m extra excited about it this year. I’m going to get fully immersed into the festivities. I’ve kicked it off by doing my Christmas cards already.

Baubles

Christmas Stockings

I’m not completely mad; I did need to get them done to sell in The Print Shop, which opens November 6^th. Come along!

Here they are, £2.50 each, all unique in a slight way, as they were each hand-printed, using my usual methods of rolling ink through stencils that I have cut by hand, from paper. Some designs, such as the Thee Kings have pencil detail in them too. So it’s basically a ridiculously cheap piece of artwork.

Also next post will be about how you can learn these techniques in my workshops. More information to come….

Mixed Media Print

Here’s my latest mixed media print

I wanted to create a sentimental and affordable print. So I went smaller and simpler. Simple things are often the most effective. I was experimenting here with using hand-cut stencils and my usual technique for applying the colours first with my small durathene roller. This way I could still get that slightly translucent textured effect. I then screen printed the line detail over the top.

Each one is different slightly in colour and all done by hand. A print run of 30. 

I'm actually running low on inks, they last so long, but I may need to replenish stocks soon. 

The Print Shop

On 24^th July an empty space in Quakers Friars was turned into a swish, elegant new shop and gallery, called The Print Shop. It’s been an absolute pleasure to be involved. As a pop-up shop it is only open until 24^th December, so you don’t have long to have a look.

To keep it exciting every month a new set of artists are chosen to sell their handmade prints in the shop. There are framed prints, mounted prints, printed sketchbooks and bags, notebooks, cushions, greetings cards and my very own printed t-shirts. Every item in the shop is hand-printed with love by a local Bristol artist, either a member of Drawn in Bristol or Spike Island. 

It’s been a great experience to meet other lovely people from Bristol who share a similar love of the process of printing. Printing in all different sorts of ways, from etching, to screen-printing, lithography, monoprinting, lino cut etc…

I have also been doing workshops in the pop-up shop in the evenings. The workshop, Monoprinting with stencils teaches you the techniques that I use to create my work.

The next workshop is on Wednesday 30^th October and you can book a place by emailing printshopbristol@gmail.com

Its £25 for a three hour one off session. You will see a demonstration and then get to print your own set of greetings cards to take home with you, or send to your friends and family.

It's also definitely worth checking out The Print Shop blog.

Its got some fab interviews with the artists exhibiting in each volume.

And here's a photo of the white bespoke frame that I've had my houseboat framed in. I'm really chuffed with the quality.

Chicken in Headphones

Recently I have been exhibiting and selling my work in The Print Shop, a new pop-up shop in Quakers Friars in Bristol. 

I thought it would be a good opportunity to have a go at screen-printing my first round of t-shirts. 

So I remembered a little drawing I had done a while ago, of a chicken wearing some headphones. It's become apparent that I have a thing for chickens. They have appeared a few times in my work, some times sporting a funky suit or a fascinator. I also love music, and decided my chicken did as well. 

My t-shirts are £15, I've printed some small, medium and large, in a range of colours. White, light blue, charcoal and a darker blue. As a studio member of Drawn in Bristol, I get to use the facilities there. 

The t-shirts will be back on sale in The Print Shop in November, up until Christmas. 

I also exhibited my t-shirts and other work in Art on the Hill last weekend, a lovely arts trail in South Bristol, surrounding the amazing Victoria Park. 

Art Stall in The Galleries, Bristol

Today me and three friends are holding a stall in The Galleries in Bristol. It's on 9-6 and were expecting a foot fall of around 30,000! We've got cards, prints, mugs and original artwork for sale. 

Hamilton House Studios

I've recently moved into my first studio in Hamilton House, Bristol. Its fantastic. I share the space with other creatives, mainly illustrators who form the collective Drawn in Bristol, which I have also just become a member of. Its a collective that supports local Bristolian illustrators and you can look at our website here: WWW.DRAWNINBRISTOL.CO.UK

Here you can see some of my latest work, created in the studio. Here I've added some line work to my usual printmaking marks.

The Living Arts and Crafts Fair

I was given the opportunity to have a stall at The Living Arts and Crafts Fair, May 9th-12th, in Hertfordshire. 

Group shot of all of us that shared the marquee:

My Stall

                                      

I was in Marquee I, 'The Emerging Designer Makers’ Marquee. I had a fantastic time because I got to meet some great people, customers and fellow stallholders and the editors of Craft & Design Magazine, of which I’m featured in. It’s a beautiful magazine and has lots of great coverage of art events going on across the UK.

Chatting to the lovely Angie (editor)  and Paul (designer) of Craft and Design Magazine

I learnt about future art events I can get involved in and tips from other veteran stallholders. I love what I do and I’m passionate about the process I use to create my work. This is the first art fair I have done and it has given me even more enthusiasm to get my work seen and make a living from it after receiving so much positive feedback.

Throughout the four days in Hertfordshire I did demonstrations showing the public how I created all my images. This inspired people to get creative and make artwork of their own.

 Here are some of the greetings cards being made in preparation for the art fair. 

  

 

Now I’m looking at selling my work at more art fairs.