Kayleigh illustrates... music

Now this isn't an illustration of lyrics, but it is an illustration of my absolute favourite artist ever - Erykah Badu.

If you haven't listened to her music before then I urge you to. I can't put into words the love I have for Badu's music, from her experimental sounds to her poetic lyrics, I will never tire of her creations. 


I literally waited years for her latest album 'New Amerykah Part II - Return of the Ankh', checking the HMV website month after month for a release date. How could an album live up to such expectations? I don't know, but let me tell you - it most certainly did.

The artwork for both New Amerykah Part I and II is another hi-light for me, with the most fabulous illustrations by the very talented Emek. Be sure to check out both the music and the artwork!

Abby illustrates... music

Hello lovely followers!


I love this theme, it allows so much- from illustrating the words, to the emotions and even just drawing to music!

I wanted to use this as a opportunity to do a bit of mixed media work, I hope you like it!

Abby illustrates... home

Hello you lovely lot! I'm very sorry for being so behind this week.. being in my third year (excuses, excuses..), it's suddenly hit me how much work i've got on. I'm not work shy, in fact my biggest problem is I try to take on too much, then it all hits me..

I'm sharing some quite literal pieces, although I agree with the others in that, for me,  home is where my family, boyfriend and cats are!

I love old buildings! I really love the idea of having my own beautiful, Edwardian style house with lots of original features, including sash windows of course!

I drew this door a while ago, but thought i'd include it. Again it's a steady original door, and i think it's kind of beautiful (despite the fact it's just a door!)

I'm looking forward to sharing my next pieces with you all!

Abby x

Kayleigh illustrates... home

Hello! Sorry it's a little late, but here is my illustration based on Rachel P's theme 'home'

My take on the theme was a little abstract, as for me, home is where my family is. I drew this straight in ink and I'm not happy with the way I've drawn my mum - I think she looks like a pea-head haha. Never mind, that's the joy of not drafting beforehand.

Rachel L illustrates... Home again!

This was just a quick thing I did today, after losing my keys last night. I've never done that before! But at 12.30, bit pissed, fumbling around in my bag, I realise the horror - they're not there.

Cue walking across town to meet my housemates in the pub, to go back with them later. D'oh.

Very annoyed. I miss my octopus keyring! :(

Rachel L illustrates... Home

Hello all!

This week I've done 2 illustrations for this theme; here's the first one!

This is my front door, in London, covered in snow! It's a tricky one because although I call this home - as in 'I'm going home' - it's not actually. HOME home is back in Bedfordshire, and I miss it a lot! In London I live in a terraced house; it's amazing, I love it, my housemates are ace, but it's cold and our neighbours are NOISY BASTARDS. In Beds we have a nice posh detached house (ooo la la), I can drive when I go home (driving in London = no no) I miss my dog and my mum's cooking a lot, especially in the winter! But it's not all bad; I'm living the London life, and it's quite cheap, considering. I love London. Last night I was walking home along a big hill near New Cross and could see the entire London skyline; London Eye, Canary Wharf, the lot. It was a very profound moment.

This was a quick line drawing, with digital collage of an actual photo of my front door. Number 13!! Dun dun dun.

More in a bit :) x

Tigerlilly Quinn Illustrates - Home

Home is such an important place. Its not just a house or where abouts your live, its a feeling.

In my 25 years (just) I have lived in... about 20 houses?..it may even be more I'm not sure! As a child we moved abouts loads..it wasn't something I was to keen on at the time to be fair, but now I actually appreciate it.

I have experienced living in all different parts of the UK and met all sorts of different people. It has also made me appreciate my home now, being settled and living in Bristol.

My picture therefore is not really of a particular place but what I feel makes a home! 

Hope you like! xoxo

Natasha Illustrates...Strangers ♥

I don't really travel anywhere unless it's to go to the big city so I'm rarely on trains and so couldn't sketch anyone falling asleep on one. I do however walk to work every day and see quite a few people on the way and happily going about their business in the town centre with all their christmas shopping now we're coming into December. I thought it would be interesting to include these as they sort of fit in with the whole feel of things at the moment, the rosy cheeks, the christmas shop, wrapping up warm and feeling sleepy.

Kayleigh illustrates... strangers

Hello all. Rachel L's 'We illustrate' for this week was certainly a challenge, but I love the varied results we've seen so far and enjoyed the thrill of the challenge! Hehe.


My initial idea was to draw strangers while dining in fast-food's finest McDonalds (ha!), however it was really difficult. I managed to draw one lady sheepishly eating her chips (see top illustration) but didn't dare draw anyone else. The other two quick sketches I made came from when I held a craft stall. As I sat there freezing my toes off, I thought what better time than to draw a few strangers?

Doing these speedy sketches reminded me of my old life-drawing lessons. Do you regularly draw people on the go? If not, I say give it a whirl! It certainly tests your observational skills and loosens you up somewhat. Thanks for a great challenge Rachel :)

Rachel L illustrates... Strangers

After I set this task, and I realised I had to actually do it, I started to regret it. I haven't drawn people in this way for a long long time and I was a bit scared! But then I just did it... and loved it. These are the best and most fully formed of the people I spotted; the problem with the Underground is someone can get up and leave and all you've got is an eyebrow and half a nose. But the great thing about the Underground is you get everyone from all walks of life.. and I think I'm going to keep drawing people, it totally beats reading nonsensical shit in the Metro and staring into space.

What's funny is that the majority of people I draw will be looking down; reading a book or the Metro themselves; I can't really draw people if they're looking right at me! Ha. And also, in the case of the woman, asleep too. Creepy.

Abby illustrates... strangers

When I saw this I was a little scared- I'm not great at quick drawings and I'm a bit of a perfectionist! I do get a little afraid of sharing drawings I'm not completely happy with, but this brief is good - It's something i just have to get on with and practice makes perfect, oui?

I get the bus to uni almost daily and always see these two adorable old ladies.. I like to think at that age i'll have a friend like this! They always wear headscarves too (aww!) I didn't get a great angle, but maybe this week i'll see them again!

Hope you like it! :)

Abby x

We illustrate... Strangers

Hello everyone, hope you've all had a lovely weekend?

This week, Tea & Crayons will be illustrating strangers for you. I picked this theme because I think it's quite challenging to draw people you don't know, (often) quickly, capturing their character before they guess what you're doing and either a) move away or b) start posing. Which ruins it. (or c), chase you away. Scary.)

I sit amongst hundreds of strangers every day on the tube, but it's a very cramped place so drawing someone feels weird. I guess you just have to get over it; most of the time they probably don't think you're doing it.

It also forces us to observe people in their daily life, gets us out of our comfort zones a bit and means we have to carry a sketchbook everywhere!

Look out for our '....illustrates Strangers' posts all this week!

Rachel L x

Fritha (Tigerlilly Quinn) Illustrates - Snacks

Hello, well I'm kinda surprised at myself because when I got this prompt I thought, yay lots of cupcake and sweeties drawing..but no all week I have ended up eating fruit! Who would have thought it!

Rachel illustrates... Snacks

Mmm yummy cupcakes.
Probably not the healthiest of snacks but ever so satisfying. And pink!

Abby illustrates... snacks

Well here comes my first snack. Now it's a little unusual for me, usually you can find me with some type of chocolate snack, but my first illustration is an orange. (It was a very messy affair!)

This is one of the first hand drawn illustrations I've done in some time, I hope you like it!

Abby xx

Kayleigh illustrates... snacks

Hot on the heels of Rachel L, here are a few of the snacks I've been munching this evening...

Rachel illustrates...Snacks

Rachel L here, kicking off this week's theme, and a mighty fine choice it is. Everyone loves a good bit of snackage, especially in this cold weather!

Ah, Elevenses. The staple of snacking. I can't say this is the best snack ever, but a cereal bar keeps me going til lunch and they haven't got that many calories!

Rachel xx
www.rachelsayshello.com

We Illustrate...

'We illustrate...' is a weekly feature from Tea and Crayons. 


Each week one member of the group will choose a theme to illustrate, and then the Tea and Crayons ladies shall work their magic! Look out for posts throughout the week addressing the given theme. Illustrations we create can be anything from quick little sketches on the move, to full illustrations where we can find the time. 
The point of this weekly theme is to encourage more drawing, as I'm sure fellow creatives would agree everyone in the industry should do.


This week's theme is 'We illustrate... snacks' as chosen by myself, Kayleigh. Stay tuned to the Tea and Crayons blog to see what each member comes up with.