david hughes - illustrations for adults

i think it's only appropriate to follow my previous post regarding illustrations for children with one for adults. david hughes is as talented as any to follow the likes of antoine de st exupery - his website displays work for a range of publications from the new yorker to esquire, even to children's books by sandy turner!

on a rare night a couple of weeks ago, i went out with some friends and our pre-event shindig was hosted by my good friend guy. his home was so lovely - his mother's an artist and by the looks of her pad, she's also an earthy goddess with great taste. in his kitchen was a wall absolutely covered in amazing magazine tears and other inspiration - among them, an illustration that jumped out.

the sex and the city ladies! wow wow wow! david hughes captured the essence of each of these four women! samantha's resemblance is uncanny - carrie's dress - miranda on her high horse - charlotte's body! everything in this picture is perfect right down to the yellow cab and bridge in the background, the proportions of which perfectly offset the scale of the ladies in the foreground.

what i love about illustrators, which you cannot find in other artists, is their knack for portraying pop culture and the political arena at any moment in time (granted many traditional visual artists capture the political environment of their time, ie: picasso - guernica, it's never with the urgency of a commercial artist).

besides, how could i not love a man who took one of my favourite books, and managed to create an illustration that wasn't stuffy - as jane eyre and other novels of the era are often considered to be - in fact, it's downright quirky!

find other david hughes work here.

youth novels

with the recent (somewhat) release of the trailer for spike jonze's 'where the wild things are' i couldn't help but be reminded of my childhood and the bedtime stories that accompanied it. (and with that last sentence, i couldn't help but be reminded how 'i couldn't help but be reminded/think/wonder/etc' is the very foundation of the carrie bradshaw school of journalism - that is to say it's not very good technically). favourite books, read and reread, are now in tatters - missing covers, missing pages, scribbles all over - many have needed replacing over the years.

'the little prince' is not only my favourite children's story but also my favourite book of all time, and so it too has recently been replaced, after an hour searching high and low in the quirky used book store by my office. Aside from the great story itself, 'the little prince' also contains great illustrations which, face it, as a child are quintessential to an enjoyable reading experience.

antoine de saint exupéry filled the novel with simple little drawings (a snake having eaten an elephant, often mistaken for a hat by the aged eye, or a sweet lamb). however, it is in their simplicity that the reader finds authenticity in the narrator's voice - after all, he is supposed to be someone weary of adulthood.

i couldn't speak about children's stories without mentioning miss madeline - what a great television show this made as well

and of course, how could one speak of cheeky little girls in big cities without mentioning eloise! the smartest five year old i know, she taught me that when getting dressed, the first thing to do is put on my gloves. how posh!

then there are the intricate, detailed, and mesmerizingly beautiful illustrations that can be found in children's books as well.

the above can all be found in stories by marie queen of roumania, often illustrated by edmund dulac or helen stratton. the very first, my favourite, reminds me of klimt with its dark background, flat colours, and the daintiest flowers

needless to say, i'm more than excited for the release of 'where the wild things are', but until then i'll immerse myself in the book and rediscover all the magic i've forgotten since the last time i read it. ah, to be young again.

molly ringwald as andie walsh

i tend to shy away from the 'girly girl' label. this is mostly due to the preconceived notions that any girl who wears pink on wednesdays, cries every time she reads 'the little princess', or can belt out the lyrics to any taylor swift song (or t.swift as she's fondly known between my bff lynsi and myself) must be air headed, prissy, or the meanest of mean girls. those who like to think of themselves as trendy or hip (as i do) know that blacks, olive greens, and mustard yellows rule; there's never room for pink (lest it's of the neon variety). Well, no more friends! I've stumbled upon a plethora of bubblegum pink lately, and it's inspired me to embrace my inner girly girl.

1. i am enamored by the retro capelet on this vivacious & ethereal ASOS frock. The electric pink modernizes the style so cleverly!

2. the colour selection at China Glaze is mind blowing! i love Shocking Pink and wore it throughout the summer - it looks great against a glowing tan.

3. No One Belongs Here More Than you: Stories by Miranda July is a sweet anthology of short stories, bound together by the timeless themes of sexuality and comfort in your own skin. not only is it a great read, it will look so great on any bookshelf!

4. Martha Stewart - gotta love her! learn how to make these darling (and shockingly real looking) paper flowers here.

5. this photo may be pulled from the catalog for Matthew Williamson's line at The Rug Company, but I can't get my eyes off this couch!

6. oh, Christian, you've done it again! these are the kind of shoes you pull off the shelf when you're feeling down - the perfect fuck me pumps!

7. this wallpaper, found at apartment therapy, is gorgeous; the metallic grey updates what could be a boring old floral pattern and creates a rock and roll vibe.

in conclusion, whoever said orange was the new pink truly was seriously disturbed!