Hello!
Welcome to The Wobbly Line ~ 17 - Hopefully your August has been joyous, even if the weather still decides its not summer in the UK. I feel like its October already!! Maybe September will bring some surprise sunshine. I’m writing to you from Edinburgh today! Cannot believe I am here. It’s surreal and somewhat overwhelming but I can’t wait to experience life here and share that with you in the next two years. Today’s newsletter will be a little shorter than usual, and won’t have a video just because life has been full on with the move! September will be back to normal.. maybe!
August ~ agenda.
Edinburgh baby - first impressions.
What have I been up to prior to the move?
1. Edinburgh!!!
As I sit here writing, I am at my desk in my new room in a lovely flat in Edinburgh. I’ve got two lovely housemates, and a very hilarious house cat called Mocha who likes to lick plastic and has zoomies after a trip to the litter tray. My very kind mum & dad drove me up from Swansea (a very long journey but filled with crap music and laughter, it went pretty well!) and when they left I thought - right! - let’s stomp around and see as much as I can shall we? I went around the National Gallery and saw Elizabeth Blackadder’s beautiful still life’s and drawings of cats. Then I stomped past the Scot’s monument towards Calton hill and saw Edinburgh and Holyrood Park from above - it blew my mind. Then I came home, had some lunch, and went straight back out to explore Holyrood park. I had done way too much walking for one day and my overwhelm levels were high so I saved the big Arthur’s seat quest for the following day, came home and had my dins. Since then I’ve largely walked and walked every day, there’s too much to see! I’m stuck between utilising my time before my course starts, and also being aware doing too much is probably unwise. Anyway!!! You didn’t need to know ANY of that but I have so much to type I can’t stop. It’s an amazing place, its loud and there’s tons of people, and I can go see art and then walk up a giant hill all in the same day without a bike or a car. Heaven. Please enjoy some snaps I’ve taken! They are just taken on the fly, so not the best but I want to give you an idea of where I’ve been :)
2. How else have you filled July?
2a. Reviewing my favourite illustrated reference books.
I made a video on my go-to reference books in children’s illustration. It was such an eye-opening video, with my childhood book having so much in common with what I love today. This video, and examples of how these books have influenced my own work (without copying) are accessible on my paid substack.
2b. A recap of my current personal projects.
Another video I made for my paid subscribers this month, was an overview of my current personal projects. I did this not only to share, but to document where I’m at now before I begin my MSc in Art Psychotherapy. I know these two years will be busy but I also know they will teach me so much about art, creativity and how incredible it can be to process emotions. I really hope that by the end of this two years I can have a different perspective of my work, and see how the course and learning about myself can shape my style.
2c. A sketchbook tour & character testing (video coming next month!).
I spent about 40 minutes playing about with this character and had way too much fun. The full timelapse video of these character drawings will be up next month to my paid subs (I apologise in advance for the wobbly camera - I was perhaps a little too heavy handed with some of my mark making!).
The end of The Wobbly Line ~ 17
I hope you enjoyed The Wobbly Line ~ 17. Thank you as ever for reading and I will see you next month!! I’m sorry it’s not been as big today, but I have enjoyed it thoroughly nevertheless. Big love, JB x
Enjoyable read-first time I have read Wobbly Line! Nice drawings also!