Drawing, Adding colour, and Printing ~ by UK Artist Amanda Jayne White

     

I started my career in Community Arts, making art with people, for people. I was most passionate about young people, which eventually led me into teaching,  my full-time job for nearly 20 years.
     I have created sea monsters 40 ft. long for community carnivals and made a story book chair for a whole class to sit on for story time. It's been great. Then late in life I met my husband. He was always editing photographs and I was left thinking, what should I be doing with my time? I started drawing.
     I might have a confident CV, but drawing was not my most confident aspect of my creative career. However, I loved colour and pattern and had been teaching myself digital software. Working digitally meant I was with my husband and I wasn’t making a room full of mess. I could indulge myself in things I had loved as a child, just for me. I was creating for the ‘hell of it.’ 
     My past had been full of colouring in books, felt tip pens, books, and cartoons. I hadn’t realised but my favourite book given to me was a Disney book, illustrated by Mary Blair. I can still see the pages in my head, long after the book wore away from too much love and not enough care. I was buying drawing materials, pencils, sketchbooks, pens, and my ultimate markers and brush pens. I

could be a child again.
     I think I would describe my work as somewhat ‘childish.’ Some may see that as a negative, but my view was, if it delights me what does it matter what other people might think? What other people think of my work has been important. Nervous at first, I put images on Instagram under a pseudonym, Mandascat, playfully suggesting my cats did the drawing. 
     Then the husband did something that sent me swirling, he bought a printer. That was the start of it. I could draw, digitalise and now print. Coupled with a friend needing some illustrations for her soon to start Folk Festival, people began to see my work. It was amazing to see peoples' reactions at my first stall, and selling my work!

     I draw first, then using a light box I make new lines, my chance to refine and develop my first pencil lines. At this point I start using Japanese Calligraphy pens to get different thickness or weights to my lines, this makes the drawings more interesting.

     Then it's time to add the colour, that’s the really fun bit. I find my favourite pens of the moment and make patterns. These are scanned into the computer and I use these patterns to do my colouring in. This pattern here is the actual one used to colour the flying cat. I can get so many colour combinations from one tiny pattern. I use my favourites time and time again. 

     My passion for Community Art projects has not completely left me as I am often working to help people.  

     One of my favourites is a pub sign, for my local pub. I love

it and so do they. 

In the background you find local scenery of the pub’s vicinity, the local Church, the cranes on the dockside, and the cottages on the sea wall.  All the elements of this image are drawn separately and then put on the computer to move them around.  

     Those lovable seagulls are found in many of my images. I love them, which is not the case for my husband. However, I have sold many seagull pictures.     

     Lots has happened in 3 years, my work is used by the local council, two local festivals, my own range of cat illustrated jewelery, upholstered furniture, clothing, and product range. 

     Who knows what’s next, I am always interested in something new to try. So, I finally thrive on what people think of my work.       

Amanda Jayne White lives in the UK with her husband and cats. You can contact Amanda at her WEBSITE and browse the entire Mandascat line of artwork.