London is the sex.

So we visited London yesterday. I wasn't too chuffed when straight off the train was cancelled and then when we got on it we had no seats and had to stand in the awkward spot by the door for two hours and I ended up bear hugging a black man when a sudden brake sent me floundering up against him. But after that it just got better! Yeehe

First we visited the V&A and
http://www.vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/future_exhibs/blood_on_paper/index.html
The Blood on Paper exhibition of handmade books. Reeeally good. Not that I could ever reach such a level...since my zine turned out looking like somebody 'special' made it ;_; Still seeing Paula Rego's book was the highlight...beautiful prints...makes me want to do some so badly ;_;

The we went to the Illustration Cupboard.
http://www.illustrationcupboard.com/default_flash.aspx
Really nice little place with a huge amount of original work there. John Lawrence was up at the time...he does etching and its the most friggin intricate thing you've ever seen...amazing....beautiful...and really inspiring. There was alot of big names like Oliver Jeffers, Babette Cole, Shirley Hughes (Alfie!) and Raymond Briggs. But by far the highlight was seeing the work of Brian Wildsmith in the flesh...not even prints...actual original artwork. So unbelievable in flesh and you realise how little justice his books do to his work....Not that they are bad in print but they were so vibrant and fullof life in reality. I guess its inevitable that you lose some of the quality in print. It made me realise how important a consideration it is in books.

Brian Wildsmith

And then we went on a trawl of the bookshops and since I'm moving back home in like a day I resisted the urge to buy books...despite there being many many I was drooling over. What I was mostly surprising was how pleasant London was....I mean...it didn't seem that busy. The people seemed nicer to a degree than Brummies...and I didn't think it was any busier than Brum (and I was there during rushhour). Its quite a nice place and if it wasn't obscenely expensive I've come to think I really wouldn't mind living there. So maybe if it comes to that and I can afford it then...I could go.

Anyway now I'm back and half packed and rather pissed that somebody ate the pasta I bought for tommorrow to eat...but screw them...I only have to live with them for just over a day....so meh. Once I'm back home I plan to buckle down for the monthish I have before holidays come around, make myself a website and get work out there and lay some stuff down for competitions and such...Which will be nice...the past few weeks have been kinda hectic and unfocused...I aim to...aim myself more once I'm out of this craphole...Mmm...home.