HK
This week my mokuhanga artists residency starts in rural Japan. On my way here I spent a day in Hong Kong...
...a few days in Tokyo...
...and am now here, through the mountains...
..at the foot of Mt Fuji. I'm looking forward to spending some time in one place, making prints.
My toile ceramics are now available to buy online! You can purchase them from faux in Hong Kong here, and they can deliver internationally. You can buy both the HK toile collection...
and the London toile collection...
Happy shopping!
This year I splashed out and printed my Christmas cards properly. By that I mean they were offset litho printed (rather than digital) and included a shiny copper metallic foil stamped element. Hurrah!
For the design I wanted to create a pattern, but one that wasn't a straight repeat. 
To do this I sketched different types of trees you might find in a forest, and then all sorts of woodland animals. I then sprinkled the forest with twinkly stars, a moon and a greeting.
This man (and his dog) printed them for me in Hong Kong. I would thoroughly recommend him. New Hip Lik Co. in Central. tel: 2541 1992 (old school and no website!)
Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!
M x
I've just got home from my trip to HK, and looking through all the wonderful things I did while I was there. It's especially great thinking about the monoprint workshop I did with the illustration students at the Hong Kong Design Institute.
It was truly wonderful to see them making a mess and getting really into it. I think they were all happy with the work they produced.
Here are a few pieces of the students' work that I thought worked especially well...
I also gave a presentation about my work and being an illustrator. I may have scared them, but hope I put resolve into the ones who are serious!
kapok, the hipster boutique lifestyle store in Hong Kong had their ten year anniversary this weekend, and they've been building up to it with a variety of events. I designed and illustrated a map for their #kapok10 anniversary launch, and they've used elements from it throughout their stores, website and social media.
I've never created a map from scratch before, by which I mean that it's an imaginary place, not a real one. I was asked to create a country that embodied everything kapok stood for: creativity, fun, fashion and a truly international flavour. I could start anywhere! And of course a new country needs a crest: kapokland's features the pink dolphin of HK and their new motto: 'future classics'
Here's the full map, showing an archipelago of different exotic fantasy islands, covering all seasons at once, with both tropical and arctic lands.
The reverse side of the map also featured a close-up of the main town in kapokland: Kapokville. The town had shops and museums, but also global embassies, a castle and even pedalos!
This is how it was used on the kapok website...
They even had a stand at a local design market with fun illustrated props for customers to interact with...
...and also used some of the animals as a banner on facebook...
I especially liked how they used details from the map on the store windows...
and inside...
Congratulations kapok! Here's to the next 10 years of fabulous!
I recently designed an exclusive butterfly and peony pattern for a jewellery box for tmtplaza in Hong Kong, for their spring beauty promotion.
I was asked to create something feminine and elegant, to match with this season's beauty products and cosmetics.
The illustration started out as pencil sketches of peonies in pale colours, with detailed monochrome butterflies and shadows.
This then gradually turned into a more colourful solid background with smaller butterflies...
...and I then developed the butterflies into more colourful versions, with stronger patterns and outlines. I chose a limited colour palette of pinks and greens to give the feminine feeling a contemporary twist.
I tried more detailed peonies, in richer colours...
...but in the end it went with the paler, more loosely-drawn flowers and more fully detailed butterflies. 
If you spend over HK$1,500 at the mall, from 23 April, you can get my box as a VIP gift, while stocks last! Hurry!
I spent a bit of time in HK walking around the older parts of town, that haven't been developed, and took some photos of the traditional shops I love...
This is the key-cutting man who works on my street,
and this is the local corner shop where I used to live.
I love the way the shops look, even when they're closed for business,
especially their original exterior metal shutters... 
I really hope that all the places like these never disappear.
I went to tree interiors shop in HK this week, and loved their fantastic new display of my HK toile products.
Apparently the noodle bowl two-piece set is a best-seller, hurrah! Here is a sign they have showing all the different products.
I especially liked this way of showing the Chinese teacups...
Hope you can fit even just a little piece into your kitchens!
Here are some lovely photos of my HK toile ceramics, showing the Chinese tea time set, with rice and soup bowls, dipping plates, chopstick holders and spoons! 
The ceramics are available in contemporary red or traditional blue, and feature little details like egg tarts and dim sum in the middle.
You can buy them directly from faux and tree in HK, along with a few other retail outlets. Sik fan!
I illustrated a branch of plum blossom for the Spring launch of the new aloof mannequin from Bonaveri, for their China showroom. 
I kept the colours bright and the line crisp, to create a calm and beautiful backdrop for the elegant new mannequins.
My illustration is influenced by traditional Chinese painting, but I tried to give it a modern feel. I started with pencil sketches of the flowers, and then drew the line in dip-pen and ink, finally adding colour in Photoshop. 
A very Happy and Prosperous Chinese New Year to you all! Here's a little year of the goat card I did for the Keswick Foundation in HK. Love it.
I worked on the new WOM dining guide in HK, and I really like the glossy brightness of the cover. I created an illustration about food and drink in HK, and managed to feature all my favourite buildings.
As this issue is about award-winning dining, I drew all sorts of badges and awards inside, for the different categories.
The awards were also given to the actual restaurants, and it was great to see this on display!
I was interviewed for the online fashion & lifestyle magazine Hokk fabrica this month. You can see the full interview here. This month's issue is about the concept of 'local', and they sent me questions which I was asked to answer by hand, like this...
I was asked about my first memorable piece of artwork...
It's a print I did in Japan. I really love it.
Take a look at the full interview and hope you enjoy!
I designed 2 different sets of adorable lai see red pockets for clients in HK this year. The first were for BEYORG, celebrating the year of the horse, with cute horses doing various traditional New Year things, in lucky red and shiny gold. . .
The second were for Grand Century Place shopping mall. They asked for a pattern incorporating Chinese New Year elements, but also fashiony things like a dress and jewellery. I love the coppery gold colour they used for the foil highlights, to match the pink. They also made a promotional fabric ipad mini case for VIPS with the same pattern.
Have a wonderful year of the horse everyone!
I've recently done the cover and inside chapter artwork for the Word of Mouth restaurant guide for Hong Kong and Macau. It's full of amazing reviews and ideas...
I worked on the book with Sandy at Lui & Co design company in HK, which is always a pleasure. It's available at most book stores in HK.
I'm really missing HK this week, so here's a photo I took at my local cha chaan teng when I was there last time, just down the steps from my studio. I love the combo of colours and textures...
I worked with organic cosmetic company Beyørg (Beyond Organic) in HK this year, to create images they could use on promotional products, supporting the Breast Cancer Foundation charity.
I drew pandas (cutest of all Asian animals) interacting with various ingredients from the cosmetics, such as acerola fruit, ginseng root, and white lupin flower. The illustrations also featured a farm element, as the client wanted to emphasise organic farming. I tried to make the pandas cute, but not too cute. They were used on packaging, and promotion for the brand.
I created a repeat pattern with the pandas along with some extra elements, and this was used on a patterned white umbrella. I love it! 
The umbrella is a limited edition gift item for customers in the shop, and will only be available until the end of August. There's also a cuddly panda...
The products have been featured in various local magazines, along with a little about me. How nice!
My London toile collection launched this week. There's a teaset with a perfectly pouring teapot...
and I love these wider teacups and saucers, perfect for afternoon tea with a cucumber sandwich.
The design is in blue, and made up of all my favourite London things: phone boxes, bobbies, corgies, fish & chips, teatime cakes, cabs, the Albert Hall, and more! I tried to include a few things that you might only get to know if you spent a little time there...
There are also napkins and teatowels featuring the toile, and coming soon, some fun dinner plates. They are currently available exclusively at faux in HK. If you know someone who might like to sell them in London (ideal, really), please let me know!
I was featured recently in South Side magazine in Hong Kong. I grew up in Stanley, which is 'South Side' so I was happy about that! You can see the interview online here or click on the image below to see it full size.
