My name is Lauren, and I fit freelance artwork around office work (at the minute - although we are in the process of selling our house and moving onto a narrowboat with our three dogs and a cat. This will hopefully enable me to give up the office work and concentrate on my artwork (thats the plan anyway!! )

I am only just getting my toe on the ladder, but have had 8 Fantasy card designs published over the past couple of years - which is not exactly loads of work but I am trying to get my work in more places.

I do fantasy artwork, and also pets and wildlife, which is a bit of an odd combination I know!

I'm looking forward to reading the posts and talking to other arty persons



Lauren

AHA lauren you have fallen foul of painting pets and I too was one of those people and when you paint one its like a plague as more people come out of the woodwork like ants wanting their pet painted. However there is a plus side; the easy cash and the extra painting skills plus the pet owner has a treasure that will last for ever. I now have done my time and if i see one coming I get an urge to leg it. (unless I'm a bit skint and need the cash)
fantasy art; now your talking. my early stuff was just fantasy and I loved it because there are no limits to what can be painted or drawn. I entered my shock /obscene art phase now and its great but I will paint fantasy again.

.

I know its awful, but yes, I do often feel like that!! I groan inwardly everytime I get one, which I shouldn't because they really are my bread and butter and the minute BUT they are SO BORING (not to mention like wearing a creative straight-jacket)!!

Don't want to complain too much though In case I tempt fate and the work dries up - any work is better than none.

Fantasy art is absolutely what I would want to do all of the time - its just 100% freedom

Lauren

Hi Lauren

Welcome

Sounds exciting going to live on a narrowboat to pursue your hearts desires. Sounds great fun to me so good luck with it all even if you have to do some bread and butter jobs along the way. I think you have a great attitude to life, all the best to you.

With Regards

Linda

http://www.artbylindahopkins.co.uk

Hi Lauren - best of luck - you have to follow dreams or live with regret life on a narrow boat sounds wonderful - took the grandkids on a river cruise in/round Norwich recently and we passed a couple of lived in boats and were talking about what a great thing it would be.
you'll love having more time for art once you don't have to work in an office I'm sure. Have you got a website where we can see some of your work?

Hello Lauren.Just think at least you don't have to take them walkies everyday But I know what you mean having to paint what your hearts not really in.

Hello All

Thanks for the welcome I am SO looking foward to the narrowboat! Having a job to apply myself to work at the moment ! Getting excited cos I'm going to visit the boatbuilders on Wednesday to go over ideas for how I can fit in some kind of artroom on it - trouble is I think due to limited space I will end up trying to work in something the size of a toilet cubicle! Nevermind - if its dry I can sit on top of the boat and paint (sighs dreamily at the thought ..)

I do have a website - I thought I included it on my profile but I didn't - sorry about that! Will go in and put it on, but here is the address anyway:

http://www.laurenhomanart.co.uk (hope that link works OK)

Its a mixture of animals and fantasy work, and its a bit slow because Its a home-made job i'm afraid! Would welcome any comments/constructive criticisms

Regards

Lauren

bet poor old Michaelangelo was a bit pissed off with that ceiling job too, so take heart.

Wow Fabulous artwork Lauren

I Love the Fantasy section and can see why your pet portraits are so popular as they are really well done. Enjoy following your dreams I think you have a good chance to get to where you want to go if you keep turning out artwork like that. May all good things come to you.

Regards

Linda

http://www.artbylindahopkins.co.uk

Whey hey, love the artwork the fantasy stuffs right up my street. Oh my husband liked it as well although prolly for different reasons to me

Thank you ever so much for that really lovely feedback

Regards

Lauren

Howdy,

Welcome on board.

Definitely sounds familiar...I was drawing fantasy stuff when I was in primary school, where such expression was encouraged by teachers. Doing the same stuff in high school got me mocked sarcastically and gently informed I should 'grow up'.

At college, still trying to hold that 'self expression' line, I was actually laughed at and told outright 'no way'.

During a more cash-starved period of life, I was also reduced to drawing portraits of people's pets and kids...I didn't mind so much as it was all money (destined to be frittered away by someone else).

These days I just do what I do...the fantasy thing's still there, lurking in the background, but I know it'll never reach the level I want it to, and so is never really as overt as it used to be (although I'm working on a series of weird fairy tales for weird kids that will require much crazy-ass fantasy illustration - that's gonna be a real gas).

So very well done for even getting anything published in an already saturated marketplace! Your website wouldn't load properly on my rubbish connection but your stuff must be excellent.

Keep on truckin'