It's been a while!

Well, it's been an exciting few months, and there hasn't been much time to draw breath, much less post very much! I'm am now gainfully employed as a full time graphic designer for Ingenious Creative in Macclesfield, and I've spent some time working in arts marketing over the summer. There's been another Barnaby Festival (and we're already planning 2012!) and in between all that, I'm still selling jewellery and cards at the Treacle Market.

Here are a couple of new designs, just in case I have any readers left! I've only just sent the dog card off to print, so not sure how it'll look yet, fingers crossed...

New Website!

I've been pretty neglectful of the blog recently, but it feels like the last couple of months at college have flown by! Everything is finished so here is a link to the brand new portfolio site: louise-murphy.co.uk Here are a couple of sneak peeks, there's quite a bit more on the site.

Hopefully I can get a work placement, an actual job would be even better!

Some more designing...

I'm into my third week at Shillington and things moving along speedily. Most of these image are from last week, we're onto colour now (finally!!) so I'll post those at the end of the week.

Still enjoying it, although there's sooo much to learn!

Doodle Lou Designs, every day!

So... I've been at College for a week now, and what a week it's been!

We've mainly been learning how to put together press ads in InDesign, only using black and white at the moment, not been let loose on colour yet! I've already learnt loads about how to put text and images together, how to apply principles of design, how to come up with ideas using thumbnails and, crucially, how to use the shortcut keys!

We're given briefs to work on, along with images and text, here is an ad for an Arcade Fire gig:

A new year, a new start...

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas and a fun filled New Year! We're currently packing up our house as I'm about to embark on a three month graphic design course at Shillington College in Manchester. It's quite pricey, so I hope it'll be worth it, but I've done my research and finally decided this is an area I'd like to move into more seriously. I love printing and art generally, but I spend more and more time on the mac these days and I'd like to learn how to use Photoshop properly, as well as all the other packages. I'll try and post regular progress reports, hopefully with pictures! Wish me luck...!

Christmas Cards

I've been stuck at home for a couple of days with a tummy bug, but before that I got a chance to make some lino cut Christmas cards, which I'm hoping to sell at Saturday's Treacle Market (providing I'm well enough!). I've posted a photo of my digitally designed cards too, made by moo.com. They've been very popular on the stall, they make them with lovely card and the printing quality is excellent.

Cards designed by me and made by moo.com

Lino cut cards on coloured pastel paper, hand finished with gold and silver ink.

Treacle Market and Christmas Shrinkies!!

Finally got my Treacle Market photos uploaded! We've got another one on Sunday 28th November, that's just six days away, eek! These Christmas decorations are part of a commission I'm working on for someone I work with, there are going to be five designs in total, some I'm take to Treacle on Sunday. Also waiting for my newly designed Christmas cards to arrive from Moo.com, hope they look ok... Folksy shop currently waiting in the wings, just had loads of work on and it's more fiddly than I expected to set up. I now have over 40 followers, hello everyone! Still a modest number, but I've had some lovely comments and lots of support over the last year, so thanks very much!

Snowflake made with frosted plastic. I cut it from white

paper, scanned it and coloured it in Photoshop.

This fat little robin looks cosy and warm in his hat and scarf!

A couple of stall shots, I like the cork board, but for the next

one I'll try and spread the jewellery out a bit and bring more

accessories to hang the products from.