"Muse Within the Flames" // Packaging for Passione Pizza: Photos

In April, I had the pleasure to illustrate for LA-based pizza dough brand, "Passsione Pizza". Passione'
is a young company, producing organic pizza dough mix with authentic, traditional Italian recipes.

"Created by Maestro Pizzaiolo Fabrizio Cercatore, “Passione Pizza” is a brand that specializes in true, high quality pizza ingredients that come straight from the culinary traditions of Italy."

For more info you can visit the site at: www.passionepizza.com.

 I am very happy to be able to share with you some recent photos of the new packaging in action, courtesy of Fabrizio and the Passione Pizza Facebook page. Taken at a recent catering and promotional event with Italian car brand Maserati at their showroom in Walnut Creek, California.

It is so great to see my illustration in use, and right alongside my main inspiration: a wood-fired pizza oven.

Photos (C) Passione Pizza 2013.

"Muse Within the Flames" // Packaging for Passione Pizza: Concept to Final Illustration

In April, I had the pleasure to illustrate for LA-based pizza dough brand, "Passsione Pizza". Passione'
is a young company, producing organic pizza dough mix with authentic, traditional Italian recipes.

"Created by Maestro Pizzaiolo Fabrizio Cercatore, “Passione Pizza” is a brand that specializes in true, high quality pizza ingredients that come straight from the culinary traditions of Italy."

For more info you can visit the site at: www.passionepizza.com.

I have to say the brief was quite a surprise - it was a very unusual one for me! "A muse within the flames". The flames, of course being a hot wood-fired pizza oven. The muse, being a sultry yet confident feminine presence, concealed within the flames and as somewhat of an optical illusion.

 Some time was taken to perfect the concept of the design. Below are just a selected few
of my designs and workings...

Of course the muse began in my usual illustration style, with details of a lady's face or silhouette...

 

 

 I took note that we needed to keep her from looking like a "tortured soul" !! This kept me giggling quite a bit as I worked on simplifying her features.

...to keep the optical illusion concept strong, he design was simplified down to a minimal lines, with the end designs being much more simple, looking very different from my starting point.

I also experimented with different ways of drawing flames, they can be curvy, curly and serene but then can also be jagged, sharp and angry...

And so, many ideas, sketches and lots of experimenting later, here is the final illustration,
ready to be used...

All images are (C) Amy Holliday 2013. Please do not use without permission.

Sketchbook: Dinosaur Sketches

A couple of just-for-fun sketches from last weekend - trying something I haven't drawn for a long time. Dinosaurs!? Some Parasaurolophus and (perhaps quite a young) Velociraptor.

New work coming soon! Stay tuned.

The Pomegranate Tree // Logo Design Illustration for the UK Garden Centre & Coffee Shop

In May I completed a bespoke illustration for the newly opened "The Pomegranate Tree" Garden Centre and Coffee shop in Faversham, Kent, UK.

 

 

 

...and here is the final logo!

 

 

Images (C) Amy Holliday 2013 - do not use without permission.

Badger Family in the Snow // Animal Aid Christmas Cards 2013

A little out of season I know, but! I have just realised that my Badger Family illustration is available to buy as a Christmas Card via Animal Aid.

The cards are being sold in packs of 10 for £3.95 and all proceeds go towards helping this wonderful animal charity continue their amazing work.

 You can purchase them from the Animal Aid website here.

Personal: Manuka Flower and Honey Bee

Personal Work. A slightly more botanical/scientific illustration of Manuka Flowers and a honey bee. 

Manuka flowers are native to New Zealand and Australia. Their honey, with its "Active UMF Factor", is considered to have antiviral and antibacterial properties. "Most people who buy Manuka honey simply put it on their toast or in their tea, but where it really comes into its own is in treating wounds. In New Zealand, it has long been used in this way and studied extensively. Now, the NHS is doing the same." 

The honey bee proved quite difficult at first as it took many sketches to get the right proportions...and then when it came to adding colour, I had to first experiment with quite a few different techniques 

in the hope of capturing all of his different textures!

Images are (C) Amy Holliday 2013. Do not use without permission.

Sketchbook: Mini Pegasus!

Just something a little different I thought I'd share. 

This doodle is only a few centimeters big but I was just dying to add a few licks of colour.
I used to doodle horses a lot when I was little (what animal-obsessed girl didn't!)
and I have only just started to draw them again......  

Updates of new work coming soon!

(C) Amy Holliday 2013 not to be used without permission.