Inky Hands...

I became quite accustomed to just sitting writing random things that popped into my head with my ink pen, it definitely became attached to my wrist, hence the permanently stained fingers! I have also been stalking the website and blog of my absolute favourite Illustrator of all time, Sarah Coleman, who I only discovered recently. Her work is absolutely amazing, it makes me just to want write and write and write with my pen (she uses brush). So that I did.

I got a lot of reference from various Art Nouveau books, such as these panel designs, adapted from 'Modern Ornament', by H.Summerfield Rogerson, c.1900.

I tried drawing with ink too which is the perfect tool to create the curls and swirls trademarks of the art Nouveau movement. I really love referencing birds, fish, flowers and trees and nature in general really.

I also picked out details of pattern that caught my eye, like this for example, 'Dogess In Black' by Vittorio Zecchin, 1913.