VIKTOR & ROLF : FASHION ARTISTS

While in Melbourne last week, I had the pleasure of visiting the brand new exhibition at the NGV
'Viktor & Rolf: Fashion Artists.'
To say I was excited is an understatement! I have loved the Dutch designers for years, their 'non-conformist' take on fashion is always so intriguing and inspiring and allows them to express so much creativity. As the title of the exhibition states, they are true artists; each piece a stand-alone artwork in itself.

Of particular note for me were the unbelievable tulle pieces from Spring 2010, as well as the rotating gown from their 'Van Gogh Girls' 2015 collection (cue gif!) which was similar to the gown I illustrated at the time the collection premiered.
I vividly remember wondering what on earth had possessed me to take on the illustration of one of these particular gowns (that line work took for-ever) and seeing the construction and detail up close and in-person brought it all rushing back. The design is just next-level!

If you have a chance, I highly recommend paying the Nation Gallery of Victoria a visit to see the collection in person. 'Viktor & Rolf: Fashion Artists' runs until Feb 26.

DIOR'S 'PALMYRE' DRESS

I recently had the pleasure of illustrating the cover of a screenplay for an in-development film!
While I can't reveal too much about the film itself just yet, I can share with you the illustration, and fawn over its subject a little bit.
Fashion enthusiasts might recognise this beautiful vintage Dior gown from 1952 - Christian Dior's famous 'Palmyre' design.
The film centers around many such precious gowns, and I've got my fingers crossed that we will see it on our screens in the not-too-distant future.
For a film-obsessed gal like me, this is probably one of the most interesting and exciting commissions I've had to date.
(To learn a little more about the process of script to screen, and also get a little couture illustration in on the side, is my idea of the perfect project!)
I hope you enjoy this peek at the process of draft to final...we wanted to keep the figure quite simplistic so as to draw all of the attention to that glorious gown!

THE LONDON LOOK

I recently worked on a self-initiated beauty project in cahoots with Coty PR to celebrate the 15th anniversary of Rimmel London's partnership with the iconic Kate Moss - my absolute favourite of all the Supers!
The side aim of this project was also to teach myself how to create an animated gif in Photoshop, a skill that will come in extremely handy for a gif-hound like me. (Not so great, perhaps, for the people on the receiving end of my phone texts - sorry in advance, friends!)
The 6 shade collection of reds and nudes, designed by Kate herself, was the perfect subject matter as I was able to incorporate each beautiful lip colour into a separate frame.
Unfortunately, the nudes seem to have been a little lost in translation when exporting the file, however I've heard it's pretty tough to get a perfect colour transition in an animated gif...
I was happy with my first attempt, regardless! I hope you guys like.

Illustration is based on an amalgamation of multiple Rimmel campaigns photographed by Craig McDean, Solve Sundsbo and Inez and Vinoodh over the last 15 years.

CLARINS

New work for Clarins and their day & night 'Multi-Active' products.
Inspired by high fashion florals and one of the formula's key ingredient of the teasel plant, this beauty is available from Monday next week as a gift-with-purchase phone case at select Myer & David Jones stores nationwide.

THE FLORIST

I think I have a problem at the moment of coming up with the most intricate concepts for new works that ultimately end up taking me weeks, if not months, to finish, whereby I end up constantly pausing them to start something new.
Which is exactly what happened this week. Growing a little tired of the tedious details of my current illustration, as well as the freezing cold weather we've been experiencing Down Under, I thought I'd try to hurry Spring on a little bit with a floral-themed piece.
I'm no where near done with the Thumbelina-sized girls just yet (will I ever be?) and I thought it would be lovely to have one carrying an enormous bunch of blooms.
I've titled this one 'The Florist' because, well, sometimes I just think it would be the most wonderful job in the world - surrounded by beautiful flowers all day long. Can you even imagine?

'The Florist' is available in my store now in a limited edition of 30 A3 and 30 A4 prints until sold out.
You can plant her in your home visiting the nursery here: www.birdyandme.bigcartel.com

Now, back to client work as well as that complicated piece I've been putting off...

VOGUE ESPAÑA

I'm so honoured to have my Viktor & Rolf illustration featured inside the latest supplement from Vogue España!
In a special feature about the relationship between fashion and illustration, my work is published alongside that of the wonderful Judith Van Den Hoek and Sarah Beetson - both also rep'd by my agency Illustration Ltd. Go, team!
You can find the article inside Vogue Tech with the June issue of Vogue España - on sale now.

BELLA HADID X MISHA COLLECTION

New work for luxe Australian label, Misha Collection, and their collaboration with the stunning Bella Hadid.
Attending this year's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia to open and close the Resort '17 show, Bella is also the face of their new 'Misha Gold' line.

I loved working on this image - after all, what can be better than monochrome brush strokes and a Hadid in a little black dress?

View more at www.mishacollection.com.au

Original photograph by Nino Munoz for Misha Collection.

WELL, COLOUR ME HAPPY!

If you don't understand this post's title reference, then you'd better go watch Pretty Woman the very second you close this window!

I channeled my inner Julia Roberts when I finally laid eyes on my illustrated cover for NEXT magazine's February issue which celebrates the current wave of popularity toward colouring books for adults.
I LOVED this concept when it was described to me by the Art Director of the magazine, and jumped at the chance to have my little lady stripped bare for all.

This whole colouring craze FASCINATES ME. Where did it originate? Why did it become such a THING? As a friend recently put it to me, is this what grown-ups have been waiting for their entire adult-lives? A socially-acceptable creative outlet?
I guess to someone like myself, who basically does the aforementioned for a living, (and is also enrolled at the Peter Pan school of adult-ing) it's easy to forget what it's like to have a job that doesn't allow you to express yourself creatively in any way.
I mean, once you leave school you're essentially sent out into the dark abyss that is adulthood, with its myriad of challenges and general life problems that we're immune to as children. And, while it's not ALL doom and gloom - most of the time it's pretty damn cool -  it's definitely not as much fun as being a kid can be. I mean when else do you get to spend 6 hours a day pasting glitter on to cardboard?
I kind of love the idea that this whole craze has become a metaphor for adding a little colour and fun to our daily lives - as well as to a black and white sheet of paper.
After all, why should kids have all the fun?

If you're reading this from New Zealand, and you happen to pick up a packet of pencils to colour this baby, I'd LOVE to see your pics of what you end up with!
Funnily enough colouring my illustrations is always the part that takes me the LONGEST time, as I agonise over how much to use, where to place it, when to pare it back or make it bolder. So I'm very intrigued to see how everyone else uses it here...
If you post your pics, add the hashtag #birdycolour so I can find you on Instagram!
HAVE FUN! x

150 YEARS OF ALICE

My favourite of favourites.
As a child Walt Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland' was one of approximately 5 movies we owned on BETA video. Remember BETA? It came before VHS. Remember VHS? It came before DVD. Remember - never mind. You get the picture.

Along with 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Pinocchio', and 'The Wizard of Oz' I watched it over and over and over again. I read the story books, I devoured the mini-series' (fun fact - there's a slightly terrible but kind-of-amazing 1980s adaptation of both 'Alice in Wonderland' and 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' that stars Sammy Davis Jr as the Caterpillar!)
I've been Alice-obsessed for most of my life, and I have still yet to meet a print edition that I didn't buy. Friends have even lugged precious copies back from overseas travels. See image above.

So, of course there was no question that I would need to pay homage (again) to the most curious of dreamers, Alice, on this, the 150th anniversary of her very first publication.

A Very, Very Un-Birthday to you Alice, darling, dear.

If you would like your very own Alice, I have added her to my print shop, in two sizes.
Limited editions of 40 A3 prints, and 15 A2 prints only.
Click here to purchase.

BEAUTIFUL.BIZARRE MAGAZINE

"In a splendor of style, elegance, and surreal botanical wonder, sinuous graphite lines and contrasting pops of color awaken a feminine beauty unlike any other. In this alluring paper space a pencil is more than lead and wood. It is the captive instrument of the creator, shaping the story of each delicate subject peering out from the page.
This is the work of Kelly Smith."

The extremely lovely/flattering words above come from the new issue of Beautiful.Bizarre magazine, in which I am very fortunate to be one of the featured artists.
Featuring 12 pages of illustrations and a little article from the lovely Bella Harris, Issue 010 of BB is available NOW both in printed and PDF format.
Visit beautifulbizarre.net for purchase + stockist info!

Thanks Danijela + Bella for the wonderful feature.