Monthly Archives: February 2016

Teaming up with SKIN DEEP Behind the Mask

I came across a posting on Charity Job by relatively new charity, SKIN DEEP Behind the Mask (SDBM), recently. They were looking for all manner of creatives, from illustrators to fashion designers. What caught my eye was their need for illustrators for their educational children’s books. The combination of book illustration and skin ailments was just too attractive for me to pass up (we pharmacists/ex-pharmacists are an odd bunch).

Since then I’ve been volunteering my illustrative services for SDBM. So far I have drawn up character designs for Amy, an elephant with epidermolysis bullosa simplex, and Adam, a snake with ichthyosis. The former is a condition where the skin blisters extremely easily, and the latter results in thick, scaly skin.

Amy the Elephant - body sketches - Skin Awareness

Adam the Snake 2 - colour ideas

Adam the Snake sketches - Skin Awareness

Adam and the Snakeboard - Skin Awareness
AAAAAAGH!! Why did I decide to draw so many scales??

Needless to say, it’s been an interesting experience trying to draw these conditions. I had to get them right, yet still create a character that children would like looking at. I always like a challenge though!

SDBM are still looking for volunteers for a large variety of roles, including:

  • creative artists
  • performance artists
  • musicians
  • fine artists
  • fund writers
  • creative writers
  • bloggers
  • illustrators
  • graphic
  • designers
  • product designers
  • web designers
  • fashion designers
  • garment technologists
  • fashion engineers
  • dermatological researchers
  • videographers

If you can give some of your time, please fill in their form here.

Meanwhile, I’m going back to drawing blisters and scales. And snakes on a skateboard (not a Samuel L. Jackson film this time).

Happy Carnival Day

Today is being celebrated by many because it’s Chinese New Year (or Lunar New Year for those trying not to discriminate against the many Asian countries which also observe it). However for many around the world, today is Carnival Monday.

Carnival

To go with the more religious view it’s actually Shrove Monday – the Monday before Ash Wednesday. It’s celebrated throughout the Christian world as a sort of last hurrah before the beginning of Lent, which is given the helpful instructional title of Clean Monday. From some of the goings on during Carnival, it appears that some may have a lot of cleaning up to do by the time it rolls around.

Until then – Happy Carnival!