The Wobbly Line ~ 9

Testing new materials, an Advent challenge & a new platform.

Hello!

Welcome to The Wobbly Line ~ 9 and a new platform! Massive thank you to those who have re-subscribed to me here, it means a lot and I’m really excited to be using substack as my new platform. The Wobbly Line will be much the same as my previous newsletters with the same format. This format will always remain free just like my previous newsletter. In a few months time, I will add an optional paid tier where you can access more of my illustration process, my favourite materials and techniques, videos, audio snippets and animations too. I will keep you updated on that in the future, but for now…Hope you enjoy :)

December ~ agenda.

1. My past with oil paints.

2. An unboxing-new-materials & testing video.

3. Advent Challenge 2022 process and chats.

4. What’s new JB?

1. Oil paints? Oil pastels? Oily hair?

Yes, yes and most definitely yes (December has been a shower light month). Oil is my official sponsor of December 2022, discovering new ways to use oil paints and pastels and looking back on my previous work in oils (many moons ago). I can’t actually remember the first time I used oil paints but I absolutely loved them. I used acrylics in GCSE (14-16 years old!) and I liked them but I hated the shine and how quickly they dried. I moved onto oils (I was heavily influenced by Van Gogh at this age, and to this day), and I remember loving the texture, the matte quality, the mixing, the impasto, the fact it took about two weeks to dry. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I want to eat them. They are like butter, yanno? Like…it’s too much for me and likely too much info for this newsletter. Anyway, after watching portrait artist of the year and seeing Morag Caister’s absolutely beautiful work I had to dig out my oils and, also, buy some more. Below are a few examples of my previous oil work - from about 3-5 years ago as well as a recent life drawing line study in oil pastels (model; Anna Sophia, class; Henley School of Art).

2. Material testing video.

3. Advent Challenge 2022.

So after my Folktale Week work this year I thought, dya know I am 1) pooped 2) somehow full of creative energy for something new (yes these things can co-exist). Then the lovely Ema Malyauka asked if I’d like to be one of the hosts for this year’s Advent Challenge, so I said yippee! I got planning once the prompts were called out, knowing that I wanted to create another narrative like Folktale Week, but without story words. I’ve not done this before, create a narrative entirely of pictures (which I probably should have done!) and it was a great challenge. Starting with a christmas dinner scene, I decided to zoom out on each following illustration to reveal that it had all taken place in a snow globe and/or in a child’s imagination (your choice). You can see the full set here, and an instagram highlight reel of my studio process bits here. Big thanks to Sarah Dyer, a fellow host, for her help and guidance on this challenge :)

4. What else you been up to Jabes?

4a. Patreon Zine.

I keep missing patreon zoom sessions which is rubbish. I have either been too busy with other illustrations/life or I’m unable to make the timings but this month I thought - no I’m taking part in at least one. I joined Sarah Dyer’s zoom where we made a folded zine (and I also ate soup and a pasty cooked by Ed’s mum & brother and hand delivered to my studio by Ed himself). I’m not great at evening drawing and my first attempt was dreadful. Over halfway through the zoom I decided to try again and made a much smaller and more simplified version and I’m very pleased with how it turned out.

4b. Pet Portraits.

The children’s portrait season is over and it’s been so lovely yet again. I’m going to put my children’s portraits on pause now until some time in the New Year (will announce sooner to the time but likely Spring). However, I know a few of you have emailed/dm’d to say you’d like purely pet portraits so I’m thinking of switching over to these for a few months! Will update as and when, but feel free to get in contact sooner if you are interested at juliabethanillustration@gmail.com.

4c. Slow Sounds.

If you’ve read my previous Wobbly Lines, you’ll know that this year hasn’t been an easy one. It’s only really been since late summer that I’ve started to feel creative again after the loss of Ed’s dad. Being patient, slowing down and really appreciating the to day-to-day has helped me so much through this time. Ed is an absolute inspiration to me and lives life as mindfully as possible so I thought I’d create a little audio snippet every month with an animation to accompany (didn’t have time for the animation this month!). The slow sounds will be anything from background conversations and nature sounds, to day-to-day (creative times, cooking, making cups of tea etc) and hopefully will provide you with a moment of peace. These will be exclusive to my upcoming paid tier later in early 2023 but I’d like to share this little audio snippet with you all now from a November moment in the garden when I had a cold. These are nice to listen to with headphones and your eyes closed.

The end of The Wobbly Line ~ 9

I hope you enjoyed The Wobbly Line ~ 9. Once again, thank you for joining me on this new platform. I’m already enjoying it much more and know it’ll be a better fit for me. Have happy holidays whatever you celebrate, if you’re celebrating. Big love, JB x