To infinity (well, 2020) and beyond …

The end of one interesting year and the beginning of another. And I’m ready for your commissions!

2019 was the year our son left home, two sets of rubber stamps were released, we moved to a whole new life in Devon, the new business (see previous posts) was closed, we met new people, joined in with new groups, encountered physical problems – and started the long process of sorting them.

2020 will be a year of building on past experiences, developing friendships (and acquaintances), learning new skills, continuing to improve old skills, and dealing with all Life’s day-to-day incidents. Hopefully you, my dear readers, will continue to ask for your houses to be drawn.

On an arty note, 2019 was quite varied. The main focus has been the quirky house caricatures, draw with dip pen and acrylic artist ink, but there have been forays in to the world of colours, too.

In May we were at the BADFA convention in Crick where I sat in classes for Traditional British Canal Art, (by Wendy Grattan) and a stylised Polish Blue Rooster, (by Sharon Wolf). From the Canal Art class I was inspired to paint a house name plaque in that style, for our cottage. I was also inspired by the team at FolkIt, with their folk art brushwork, to paint Christmas cards. I have put together a ‘favourite nine’ board to showcase the year.

Set 3 – A street of houses

Set 2 – The Marine set

Must not forget my popular ‘Kim Moody’ house stamps, the third set, made by Chocolate Baroque, was released in May.

These complimented the ‘Marine’ set released in January.

So, here’s wishing you all a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2020, and I look forward being trusted with your commissions in the new year.

All at sea

Back in January my second set of stamps was released with a show on Hochanda TV, presented by Lesley from Chocolate Baroque.

This set has a maritime, or sea-side, theme influenced by where I live, on the south coast. The images start as a pen and ink line drawing, usually drawn with an old fashioned dip pen, occasionally a modern fine liner.

The stamps are made and marketed by Chocolate Baroque, an English company with a reputation for quality, and are experts in all things stamping. Lesley and I worked to gather on the layout of the stamps, with extra ‘worker’ stamps included. They were designed to be used across the whole set – as well as with other stamps. But I have been playing, mixing up some of those worker stamps – here are the results:

A dip in the sea

The first one is ‘A dip in the sea‘, a group of old fashioned bathing huts. In the same pack comes a bucket and spade, parasol, and deck chair. The cloud comes from ‘Looking out to see‘, the Lighthouse. I used my old set of Karismacolor pencils on this one. I believe Berol have discontinued these, but any good quality coloured pencils will work.

The other three were coloured with Koh-I-Noor water colours – available from Chocolate Baroque. These water colours are vibrant, economical to use and blend beautifully.

Harbour Master’s Office

With this one, ‘Harbour Master’s Office‘, styled on a real-life harbour office close to me, the life-ring is from ‘Jolly Roger‘, and the cloud from ‘Looking out to see‘.

Jolly Roger

‘Jolly Roger‘ is out of the water, may be for maintenance, or refurbishing, ready for the new boating season. It includes the anchor, bollard, and the life-ring. I added the sea gull, who comes from ‘Looking out to see‘.

Looking out to see

The last one is ‘Looking out to see‘ – the happy, skew-if lighthouse.

The clouds and seagull are in the same pack, the cafe sign, beach sign, and life-ring come from ‘The Harbour Master’s Office‘ and ‘Jolly Roger‘.

Thank you for visiting. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think.

Valentines Cards

With a month to go before those romantic wishes squeeze through letter boxes, or are furtively abandoned on desks, we are pleased to offer a range of cards to keep love on the boil.

Email info@penandlensartwork.com to place your order. Cards are 5″ x 5″ and are £3.25 each, plus 75p post/packing.

New stamp set release!

Another date for your diary! Thursday 3 January 2019 – 16:00 GMT (4pm)

My second set of quirky rubber stamps will be revealed on the Hochanda TV Craft Channel. Lesley, from Chocolate Baroque (manufacturers of quality rubber stamps!) will introduce the new range, and include some of her super demonstrations.

Sorry, there are no sneak previews, you’ll have to tune in on Thursday – but I will say it is not houses this time …

What is Pen and Lens Artwork Ltd?

Pen and Lens Artwork Ltd is the coming together of a team that has been working as one for many years. This web site is our temporary home until a custom site can be built.

The initial ideas for the team is the formalisation of the production of whimsical house designs. Julie, as ‘the Lens’, spots suitable buildings for the ‘Pen’ treatment and photographs them. Kim produces the pen and ink line drawings from the ensuing images. 

Some of the designs are made in to rubber stamps for crafters. For this we use the renowned manufacturer, Chocolate Baroque, where the stamps are available under the heading ‘Kim Moody’. 

Pen and Lens Artwork Ltd also are happy to receive commissions for such work. Examples can be seen on the Instagram page @penandlensartwork. Email for further information.

We are researching the production of various photographic products for use in colour therapy healing. Details of these will be released as they come to fruition.

Please contact Pen and Lens Artwork Ltd if you need any more information, and to commission a house caricature.

Hello world!

Well – I’ve spent the evening creating our window to the world. Pen and Lens Artwork Ltd., now has a Facebook page and Instagram account all of its very own – just search for our name in either app and we should be there.

If you see anything that needs fixing, please let me know and I’ll get it sorted. In the mean time, it’s onward and upward.

Thanks for visiting!

Commissions continue – Black Friday

Black Rose for Black Friday

I am pleased with progress for November. Commissions continue to come in. Three have been completed so far, and another has just been started.

Featured image is a previous commission, Black Rose. Well it is Black Friday.

There are other tasks which I hope to get time to work on – a new web page for Pen and Lens Artwork (we already have the domain name), a publicity sample for my rubber stamps (available through Chocolate Baroque), and start work on designs for cards.

The release of a second set of stamps gets ever closer!

Julie is working on cards for her colour therapy healing, and colour healing journals, as well as her flatlay photos. So there is plenty to do.

In the mean time check out Julie’s Instagram page @juliemoo1960 and my Instagram page @kpm.illustration (and @the_scratchypen for coloured works).

And if you would like to discuss a commission please contact me at info@penandlensartwork.com 

Big Day

For six months I have been working with Lesley and David Wharton, of Chocolate Baroque, craft stamp makers.

Back in March one of my quirky ink buildings was spotted by Di Oliver (Tando Creative) who suggested that it would make a good rubber stamp. She put me in contact with Lesley, and, after a phone call, a deal was struck.

Today, 2 October, was the culmination of our efforts. A set of four of my stamps were revealed on television. The show was Hochanda, a hobby, crafts, and art shopping channel aired at 10:00. The show was presented by the enthusiastic Leonie, and Lesley demonstrated the stamps.

It was a good day to launch a new product, there was lots of interest, and plans for future releases. Here are examples of the first set. Check out the Portfolio page for my other illustrations.

Visit Chocolate Baroque to order your set.
(There may be a delay until back orders are complete)

 

Heat wave

Today it rained. I think the heat wave we’ve had beats the 1976 records.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve been at my most productive in the mornings, before the sun gets round to the back of the house and makes the studio hot. I’m not a lover of hot weather. In England the heat usually brings with it humidity, and together with the levels of pollution here in the south, it is a most uncomfortable heat. By lunchtime I’ve given up and gone looking for a cooler spot.

The hot summers I’ve been in, in France are different. I have worked next to a roaring garden bonfire when the daytime temperature has been 40C, and it has not been unpleasant. The atmosphere was dry, and relatively unpolluted. It really is a ‘different kind of heat’. The local gendarmerie told me to put the fire out. Not the done thing during the summer, apparently.

The rain kept me indoors, but I completed three projects. They aren’t for these pages, but they’ll appear somewhere else, later. So, it was a good day!

I am always open to offers, and if you want a picture of your house, or shed, or whatever, that is not quite true to life, but conveys the soul within, please get in touch … kpm.writer@gmail.com will do it.

June 2018

Summer seems to have arrived now, and it is good to work in the studio with loads of natural light.

Interest in my artwork is increasing. There are one-off commissioned pieces, and interest by a decorative rubber stamp manufacturer, and this week I have been asked to provide illustrations for a poetry anthology being written in Australia.

So, not only is the weather looking bright, but also – as the very old TV advert said – is the future.

I am always open to offers, and if you want a picture of your house, or shed, or whatever, that is not quite true to life, but conveys the soul within, please get in touch. kpm.writer@gmail.com will do it.