Alison Garwood Jones

Milton Glaser on Attentiveness

Originally published in March 2023 in Blog, Toronto Illustrators

“Attentiveness is the great benefit of drawing.” Milton Glaser said that. But becoming attentive to your life is a question for every human, not just artists. To pay attention without preconceptions is massively challenging. As Milton explained it, too much belief spelled the end to observation and understanding. Self-restraint, like listening, is an exercise in […]

Read more

Art Classes: Cocoa & Paint

Originally published in March 2022 in Art Classes, Blog, Toronto Illustrators

Cocoa and Paint Jamii is hosting a series of FREE “Cocoa and Paint” workshops for people of ALL ages in our community. March 30 – April 6 – April 13, 2022 (3 evenings) from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. At the St. Lawrence Community Centre Funded by Rama Gaming House As a group, alongside artist Alison […]

Read more

Hyper-realistic vs. suggestive drawing styles

Originally published in November 2021 in Blog, Toronto Illustrators

Hyper-realistic or suggestive?     In high school, I was OBSESSED with drawing objects so accurately that the viewer might mistakenly try and lift them off the page. I liked certainty. This copy of a Clinique eyeliner ad was a case in point.   While I was making this, I remember slicing my Staedler eraser […]

Read more

Today’s Old Master Copy

Originally published in August 2021 in Blog

Look how the dog’s ear drapes over his leg like a neck tie!     Today’s old master copy is after P.D. Eastman’s classic 1960 storybook cover, Are you My Mother?   P.D. (Phil to his friends) was an American illustrator and screenwriter who trained with Walt Disney Productions and worked with the Signal Corps […]

Read more

How I Drew This

Originally published in July 2021 in Blog, How to Draw, Illustration, Toronto Illustrators

Process Porn: I drew this landscape in the @Procreate app using the “Peppermint” pencil ✏️ (in the Brush Library under “Sketching”). Paul Cézanne was my guide. His angled brushstrokes had a consistent rhythm. They look like the wind blew them all in the same direction. I prefer Procreate’s pencil tools to it’s oil brushes (at […]

Read more

Butterflies and #ASMR

Originally published in June 2021 in Blog, Drawing Lesson, Toronto Illustrators

Sunday mornings. Sometimes I flip through my sketchbook looking for drawings to colour. Look, I found this butterfly! Caran d’Ache soft watercolour pencils felt like the best way to add a hit of colour to her wings. The colour melts into paint when you add water. The rest of my day went well after this. […]

Read more

The Ink Spot: Drawing Faces

Originally published in June 2020 in Blog, Drawing Lesson, How to Draw, The Ink Spot

In today’s 60-second art lesson, I show you my way of drawing faces. 🎨 Loose is better and fun is key. Making art should feel like going down a hill on your bike.

Read more

Advice from an astronaut

Originally published in March 2020 in Blog, Toronto Illustrators

It helps to understand your place in the world right now. 🌎 Thank you, astronaut Chris Hadfield, for giving us some perspective. 🚀 Source: YouTube – “An Astronaut’s Guide to Self-Isolation”  

Read more

I’m looking for a new printing partner

Originally published in March 2020 in Blog, Graphic Facilitation, Graphic Facilitator, Graphic Recording, Graphic Visualizer, Toronto Illustrators

Some of you are asking how I’m faring in my search for a new business partner to print and ship my pillows, totes, scarves, and tees at Pen Jar Productions. 👚 👕 First, THANK YOU! 😘 The answer is: I’m doing my due diligence, researching my options online, talking to friends, drinking tea ☕️, and building a chart in […]

Read more

Sketching at the mall

Originally published in February 2020 in Blog, Graphic Recorder, Graphic Visualizer, Illustration, Toronto Illustrators, Visual Storytelling

There’s a hightop table facing the shoe department at Nordstrom Canada’s Toronto location. 👢 It’s for people to stop, sit, play with their phones, or wait while they get a clothing item repaired at a nearby sewing station. 🧥 It’s also great if you’re an urban sketcher. 🎨 There’s always something to see and sketch.

Read more
error: Content is protected !!