Print Pattern Book

I'm kind of a split personality when it comes to work.
I started off my professional career almost 20 years ago, as an illustrator, with a job for Granada TV, then an illustration in The Observer magazine, for 'A Doctor writes' column. The thrill of going to the newsagent and buying a copy, and seeing your work in print never really leaves you. I just had that experience when I got a copy of the new Print & Pattern book through the door.
The other part of my work is greeting card and wrapping paper, which I kind of got into by accident in the early 90's working for Lip International.
I started designing on the computer in the late 90's (used to paint before then - by hand) and had a few studio jobs, including Senior designer at Carlton cards
I few years ago I wanted to be freelance again.
This blog is mainly about my editorial work, but of course I still love doing cards & wrap.
So when the Bowie who runs the leading blog on this industry Print Pattern wanted to print my work in her first book, (a collection of the leading print & pattern designers) - I was really thrilled. To be in a coffee table book is a dream of mine, especially when it's of this quality, and other designers are of the standard of Orla Kiely! I really loved my page, how the pieces she chose sit together, and the way it was designed (the logo using my initials are a really lovely touch.)
There's a really interesting article about the huge influence of PrintPattern from last Sundays Independent here
You can buy the book at Amazon here
For anyone who has found this blog from the book, here's lots of more work:
Scott Rhodes Card designs
Scott Rhodes Wrapping paper

Robert Johnson

This was an interesting follow up to the last illustration I did last month about blues legend Robert Johnson. I needed to do it in the same style as it was a continuation of the article. The first attempt really worked, especially the use of the recently found photograph of the man - that the article actually mentions.
However I found out that The Robert Johnson estate charges a high fee to use his image, which ruled that out.
So now we had a problem - I have to illustrate an article about a musician, but we cannot use his image! We countered that problem last month with the brilliant idea of using his shadow on a dusty crossroads - meeting the devil.
However, I was able to replace his image with that of his replica guitar. Just replacing it didn't quite work though, so I had to re structure the whole illustration.
I made more of the envelope, stamp and map - this represented all the traveling he did in his lifetime - and we have the result.
Hopefully the image has the right feel to evoke the history of the blues legend.