Best Nine of 2025

 I love joining in with the drawing challenges that The Tuesday Collective sets on Instagram. It's a great way of honing my illustration skills as well as doing something creative that's not work-related. The last challenge for 2025 was to collate our favourite nine images of the year, so here are mine! As you can see, I love colour. I also love to involve something fashion-related. And I use a very graphic, stylised feel. These images look great together as a set of nine, but scroll down to see the individual illustrations.

The prompt for this challenge was 'turtle neck' so I chose to draw my model up close. She wears a dark burgundy turtle neck with a dramatic pair of geometric earrings.

The prompt for this challenge was 'pencil skirt' so I chose to draw this stunning sequinned lip print pencil skirt from Le Superbe. I love the matching lip sweater.

The prompt for this challenge was 'pleats' so I chose to draw this fabulous voluminous-sleeved dress from H&M. I struggled with the see-through nature of the sleeves but was happy with the final result.

The prompt for this challenge was 'purple' so I chose to draw a dress from Me and Em that has a pretty tonal floral print. I like the jaunty bob haircut that I gave my model and her cheeky grin.

The prompt for this challenge was 'narcissus' so I drew a beautifully patterned shirt from Luv Boutique.

The prompt for this challenge was a gorgeous colour palette of corals and pinks. I chose to draw this fabulous floral coat.

The prompt for this challenge was 'beach chic' and I used my inspiration from a black and white 1950s photograph. I designed it in a stylised design and used colours associated with travel posters from that period.

The prompt for this challenge was 'jewel tones' so I chose to draw this floral dress from Farm Rio, one of my favourite shops.

Turtleneck illustration

This week's prompt word from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram is 'turtleneck' so I chose to draw this auburn-haired beauty. She is wearing a deep brown turtleneck and has a fabulous pair of oversized earrings.

I love joining in with these drawing challenges as it frees me up from my regular job of designing. I love to use fashion and beauty as my influence and enjoy using a pleasing colour palette. This one uses warm autumnal tones of brown, orange and pink.

 I often join in on drawing challenges that are hosted on Instagram and love to create stylised fashion drawings using a pleasing colour palette. Last week's drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram involved a very pleasing colour palette. I chose to draw this fashion illustration which includes a geometric floral coat and I used the orange and red for the floral print. The background uses the pinks.

The colour palette consists of corals and pinks that work really well together.

Statement earrings

'Statement earrings' is this week's prompt for the drawing challenge from The Tuesday Collective on Instagram so I decided to draw these stunners from Fatisha Boutique. I loved the colour combo of yellow and green and decided to give my model of shock of pink hair.

These stunning 12cm long acrylic earrings include a vibrant yellow flower and emerald green beads with gold detailing. The perfect way to elevate any outfit and to add a pop of colour to your day.

Vintage vases

I only realised recently that I have a bit of a 'thing' for vases. It was only when I looked around my home that I realised how many I have, in all shapes and sizes. So I really enjoyed drawing these vintage vases. I tried to capture the raised design on each one, as well as the  vivid colours.

 

Silly selfie

 I created this silly selfie recently. Not something I felt massively comfortable doing, but it was a good exercise and I enjoyed it on the end. I think I might use it as my refill photo on my websites.

Boho chic

 This week's drawing challenge from @thetuesdaycollective is 'Boho Chic' so I decided to create this beauty! It's inspired by a dress in the Farm Rio collection and is aptly-named Cool Leopard Maxi Dress - the perfect dress for a leopard lover.

Look up close and you'll see this fabulous leopard peering through the brightly-coloured tropical foliage.

Red lips

 I often participate in drawing challenges set by some amazing illustrators. It's a great way to challenge my creativity and try something new. Today's prompt for @thetuesdaycollective is 'Red Lips' and I created this funky 1980s Debbie Harry-inspired woman with a choppy peroxide blonde bob and a cheeky glint in her eye. I've also created a version with black hair. Which one do you prefer?!

Olle Eksell

I've been enjoying going through my reference book collection and recently rediscovered a lovely book about Olle Eksell, a Swedish graphic designer and poster artist who made a big impression on Swedish advertising history during the 1950s. His most famous creation was his "Cacao"eyes, designed for Mazetti's cocoa packaging and now an iconic design classic. I bought this book when I was living in Japan and I love his quirky style and use of colour blocking and line work.

His use of perspective is playful.

Iconic buildings of Sweden come to life with detailed ornamentation mixed with simple blocks of colour.

A pared down colour palette of pink, blue and yellow allow the images to come to life.

 I have been inspired by Olle's style in some of my design work, such as this collection of fabrics called A Walk In The Park that I designed for Makower UK a while ago.

Emily Isabella

On a recent shopping trip to Anthropologie, I discovered the whimsy style of Emily Isabella who has designed a number of prints for the store. Based in the Hudson Valley, just north of NYC, she works from her studio, inspired by her search for charm in the everyday.

Her pattern-driven work reflects her background in textile design and her drawings and paintings have been applied to products such as books, bedding, clothing, fabric, rugs and wallpaper.

I couldn't resist buying one of her shirts in Anthropologie. It's called the Tabitha Printed Blouse and this one is a stunning blue with whimsical Chinese-inspired tigers on it. It is made from a lovely fine rayon fabric and I love the vibrant colour and original imagery.

In fact I love it so much I might have to go back and get the poodle shirt and the trapezist shirt too!

Lightship Print Shop

On Friday I had the pleasure of going to the Lightship Print Shop, a design studio based on board a converted lightship in the heart of the creative Trinity Buoy Wharf in East London. The studio is in one half of the lightship, with the other half used as living quarters and a recording studio. Lightship Print Shop was founded by Vicky Philips and in her beautiful, airy space she creates surface pattern and illustrations for apparel and products. We came away with some fabulous prints!

Surreal sweeties

I came across these sweetly surreal postcards recently and had to snap them up. I love the combination of sugary colours and sweet rendering, yet with a wink to the rather random and surreal - pigs on mushrooms? 

They are signed 'Masami' but I'm not sure who this relates to. On googling the name, a famous manga illustrator came up, but I don't think it's him. If anyone can shed some light on this, please share!

Debbie Powell

I love the work of Debbie Powell, an illustrator who works with water colours, ink, linocut, and printmaking to create her imagery for a range of international clients, including Carluccio's, Penguin, Jamie Oliver and Marks and Spencer. In her spare time she also makes jewellery and handmade pots - a busy lady!

I particularly like the travel prints she did for Uppercase magazine, a lovely, inspiring publication. You can see more of her work here.