National Museum of the Royal Navy: Eliza's Adventure History Trail

Richard Davidson (Illustrator and Learning Producer at the NMRN) with Abby Taylor, pictured with trail guide they produced, “Eliza’s Adventure”.

I was approached by The National Museum of the Royal Navy in Hartlepool, to help them create a unique self-led trail of the HMS Trincomalee. The trail incorporates authentic diary entries of Eliza Bunt, who travelled on the first voyage from Sri Lanka to England with her children and pet parrot, Poll, who will act as a mascot and guide for the trail. Poll also takes the form of a promotional plush toy to be sold at the museum.

I worked with Richard Davidson, the Learning Producer at NMRN, and a talented traditional illustrator. We worked together creating the content of the trail, using quotes from Eliza’s diary to paint a picture of what it was like onboard HMS Trincomalee. Richard drew the illustrations by hand using markers and pencils. I then edited these drawings and took care of the design, layout and typesetting, to create a fun and engaging trail guide.

A selection of original drawings by Richard Davidson, Illustrator and Learning Producer at the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool

Vegas the parrot with ‘Poll’ promotional plush and Eliza’s Adventure trail at the National Museum of the Royal Navy Hartlepool

“It was a pleasure working with Abby. She was patient, helpful and encouraging throughout the project. I am really happy with how the trail turned out”

— Richard Davidson, Learning Producer at NMRN

“The National Museum were delighted to work with local designer, Abby Taylor on our new self-led trail brochure. She immediately picked up on what we were trying to achieve and had huge patience with us and our many alterations on the road to achieving the perfect outcome. We were inspired by her enthusiasm and commitment to the project and will certainly be using her services again.
”

— Roslyn Adamson, General Manager at NMRN

Press Release: 'I’m ticking off Teesside landmarks': Abby's quirky vintage style is self-employment hit at 26

Photo by Journalist Anna Twizell taken when we met up for the interview

“Abby, 26, always loved art and creative subjects during school but wasn't sure where this would lead her.

“I always knew I wanted to do something creative but wasn't sure what. I didn’t decide what I wanted to do until near the end of school,” she said.

She went on to study Graphic Design at the Cleveland College of Art and Design (CCAD), now The Northern School of Art.

After leaving CCAD, Abby, from Stockton, worked as a graphic designer but in a corporate industry.

Along with partner Owen Smith, she entered a competition run by Hartlepool Council to design six posters based on local locations.

The winning entries were to be displayed inside the railway station.

They won the competition and the council were so impressed with their work that they commissioned them to create a further six pieces.

Their designs included Church Street, Hartlepool Marina and The Headland, to name a few.

The artwork was released in August 2017, following this Abby knew this would be a good opportunity to go self-employed.

“I wanted to challenge myself more.”

Six weeks later, she had her website up and running and had started her self-employment journey.

“I was especially useless with the maths side”, Abby joked, but her determination and a little help from the Stockton Start-Up Programme, she was on her way.

Abby doesn't want anyone, especially young people, to be put off by the prospect of going self-employed as it is do-able and there is help available.

"As long as you learn to do the tax returns, you're fine."

The Foundation for Women in Enterprise provided Abby with a grant, which she used to buy the printer in her home studio.

"It's really important to look after your mental health if you're self-employed. You need to be able to switch off".

Taking her own advice, Abby keeps her work and personal life separate and sets specific days aside for administration and creative work.

Abby’s style has been influenced by vintage travel posters but it's evolved over time and she's begun to experiment further with use of colour as part of her digital illustration.

When it comes to the creative process, Abby works a lot from photos and uses Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator and a drawing tablet to perfect her work.

Her style is instantly recognisable and memorable, with pleasing colours and precise lines.

As Abby has grown in confidence and clients, she has received several commissions for both business and personal use.

“It’s gone crazy, but in a good way.”

She has used several local locations as inspiration for her work such as:

• The Tees Transporter Bridge,

• Roseberry Topping,

• Grade 2 listed buildings The Georgian Theatre and Globe Theatre (how it looked originally in the 1930s).

“I’m ticking off landmarks in Teesside.”

Her work on the bandstand in Ropner Park was a personal commission.

A client bought it for his brother who no longer lives in the Teesside area, and Abby felt "it was heartwarming to work on such a personal piece".

Jason Maxwell, manager of Stockton BID, commissioned Abby to work on the restoration of Zak Newton's mural of Saint George the Dragon Slayer, which hangs in The Green Dragon Yard, Stockton.

"Can you draw a man on a horse?" he'd asked.

‘Abby Taylor's The Green Dragon Yard restoration mural challenge’

‘The finished article’

Abby admits she'd never even thought of doing a restoration piece before, but it is a project she thoroughly enjoyed.

In terms of a favourite piece of work, Abby couldn't single one out.

"I'm a bit of a sucker for decorative buildings", she confessed.

This view has made her appreciate the architecture more and her need for accuracy, especially with lines that need to be precise.

One piece could take between eight to 16 hours depending on the size.

BBC Bitesize recently contacted Abby, and through them she has been able to offer advice to some children and teens.

"When you’re in school you think this is how you’re always going to be”.

Abby admits she was very shy and introverted during her school years, but she has grown in confidence so much since leaving and she hopes she can inspire young people to follow their passions.

Abby's work is currently being sold at Drake The Bookshop, Stockton and For the Love of the North, Whitley Bay, but her goal for the future is for more local places to stock her work.

She is currently working on a few projects that are yet to be revealed and is hoping to have a launch of her work in the spring.

"I'm excited to see what other enquiries come through".

Abby enjoyed working on the ale map of Stockton pubs so would love to do some more map work in future.

- Article was written by Anna Twizell for Teesside Live

If you have a project in mind, just get in touch!

Looking Back with BBC Bitesize

This blog post is for young people who might be considering a future in the creative sector, as well as anyone who might be interested in my creative journey! 

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I recently joined BBC Tees and Bitesize on the road to deliver careers sessions to secondary school audiences in Teesside. The panel had a ‘Question Time’ style setup featuring a panel of three professionals, including myself. As preparation for this, I took part in an email interview with BBC Bitesize, which I’m including a transcript of below. 

How would you describe your role, and which organisations do you work with?

I am a self-employed graphic artist. I work with lots of different types of organisations, such as entertainment venues, councils, museums, universities and people who have their own business.

What do you actually do? And what does a typical day look like for you?

I mainly create digital drawings of buildings, or landscapes, as well as other services such as branding and graphic design. The working day starts with me having a cup of tea and checking my to-do-list, answering any emails I need to reply to, doing admin and then working on whatever illustration or design project I need to work on. I spend a lot of time travelling to meetings or to take photos for reference for my drawings, too. 

What did you want to do when you were at school? Did things turn out as anticipated?

Like a lot of kids, I didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career for most of school, which made me feel stressed and confused. Other classmates just seemed to know what they wanted to do. I enjoyed arty subjects, history and literature the most, but these seemed like hobbies for a long time and I couldn’t imagine them turning out to be a career. It was only when I went to an open day at The Northern School of Art, and realised how many different careers there were in the arts, that I decided I wanted to study graphic design. I was right at the end of school before I decided what I wanted to do. 

What GCSEs did you do and how did they help you in your current role?

Alongside all the compulsory GCSEs, I studied History, Art and Graphics. These have all helped me in my current role. It meant I could explore the arts and have a lot of fun with the subject as well as spend more time in a class with people that also loved art. I did really well in all my GCSEs. A common misconception is that artistic people aren’t very academic. I’ve never found this to be the case! 

Did you go to further education?

I went to The Northern School of Art for college, and then university to, study graphic design, for which I received a First-Class Honors Degree. There was only one classmate out of my year at school that I recognised, so it felt like a big step at the time to be around all these new personalities. But it was one of the best decisions I ever made, and it shaped my future.

Describe your personality and how that helps you do what you do.

In school, I was painfully shy and very introverted, which is hard to imagine now! I became more confident in my teens, which I think was due to my education, and being taught how to talk about my work, and generally being around like-minded people. I enjoy problem-solving and learning new things, which is a big part of creative jobs that involve receiving a brief from a client. 

What are your key skills/attributes that make you good at your job?

I think the main skill for my job is just having the ability to create successful illustrations and brands, but a big part of it is being able to communicate your ideas and be confident, as well as being professional and organised. Being able to take criticism is essential, too.

What do you love/what’s the best thing about your job?!

I love the freedom of my schedule and being able to draw for a living. It’s so fun and full of surprises.

Have there been any times in your life or career that you’ve faced setbacks or challenges, and how have you overcome this?

The year before last I unexpectedly got ill and needed emergency surgery. The whole experience lasted two months, which meant I couldn’t work and had to delay the projects I had on. Sometimes awful things happen that you can’t control, but what you can control is how you respond to them. Luckily I managed to keep on top of my work and my clients were understanding because I was honest with them. 

Looking back, what piece of advice would you give to yourself if you were back at school?

I feel like I was more stressed at school about GCSEs and the future than I am now while running my own business, having my own home, and many more responsibilities. I wish I could let my younger self know that I needn't have been so worried. Of course, It's important to take your studies seriously, but finding a balance between work and play is really important. Also, find the subjects you love most and pursue them with all your heart. You spend most of your life working, and if you find something you can do for a living and love doing it, it won't feel like work.

Talking Creative Careers with BBC Bitesize

Recently I joined BBC Tees and Bitesize on the road to deliver three 1-hour careers sessions to secondary school audiences in Teesside.

I ended up speaking to an audience of 950 pupils at Our Lady at St Bede's school, to inspire the next generation to look at careers in the creative industries. This is a subject very close to my heart and so I positively jumped at the opportunity to be involved! It was an exciting day of Q&A and chatting with the kids.

The panel had a ‘Question Time’ style setup featuring a panel of three professionals, including myself. It was hosted brilliantly by Capital Radio presenter, Sarah Story. 

(L-R) Sarah Story, Rianne Thompson, myself and Nina White

The focus was on my career journey and the educational route that formed part of it, so I was asked to talk about my business and show examples of some of the wonderful work I've been lucky enough to be involved in.

I wanted to offer some insight into the world of creative work and hopefully shine a light on at least one route into the world of design and illustration, that many of the young faces in the audience might not have considered. Judging by the feedback I've had from the day, I did a pretty good job of that! All in all, I was truly struck by the maturity of the questions asked by the pupils. 

The empty hall before the students came in

Speaking from my University Experience, I know how inspirational it can be to hear from people who followed their passion and set a business up themselves, but it can be a continual struggle to have confidence in your talents at such a young age. I wanted to assure the pupils that being in Teesside can provide plenty of opportunities to carve a creative career path for yourself. 

Being interviewed was a great opportunity to reflect on my journey. Keep your eyes peeled next week as I'll be sharing a transcript of the Q&As! 

The Brothers and the Bandstand

While I produce most of my illustrations for businesses, every so often I am contacted by an individual and engaged in a private commission! These are particularly fun to work on, especially if the piece is intended as a gift, such as in the case of this illustration.

My client had the piece in mind as a gift for their brother...they shared fond memories of the bandstand at Ropner Park and played there together as kids, which would be the subject of the illustration. The emphasis would be on the architectural structure of the bandstand itself, which is, I might add, absolutely stunning.

The client and I were cautious not to let the impressive foliage of Ropner Park overpower the central image of the bandstand, so we decided to set the illustration in late Autumn, as it would provide complementary colour variation, without the background ever overwhelming the bandstand.

As the illustration was commissioned in early December, as an intended Christmas present for the client's brother, creating the desired Autumnal scene required some artistic license (and a little bit of photo manipulation!).I began by taking a suitable reference photograph of the bandstand on a rather overcast winter's day. To do this, I enlisted the help of my partner, Owen, who let me sit on his shoulders so that I could shoot the Bandstand from the angle I wanted!

Next, I loaded my photograph into Photoshop and edited it roughly, to make it appear as if it was taken in late Autumn. With a little digital trickery, I now had a suitable reference image and could begin the illustration in earnest.

It was important to me that I did the justice to the ornate details of the bandstand, many of which were unique and asymmetrical.
I for one am really happy with how this illustration came out. The client was delighted with the illustration and couldn't wait to give it to his brother for Christmas.

I offer the very best in bespoke landmark and building illustrations. If there is a location that you or a loved one have fond memories of, it could be the perfect gift to have a one-of-a-kind illustration commissioned.

“I became aware of Abby’s work after reading about her restoration of the the Green Dragon Yard Mural in Stockton-on-Tees. After seeing further images displayed on her website, we discussed her carrying out a commission for me.

Abby is an exceptionally talented artist and a consummate professional. We spoke several times throughout the commission, and she captured exactly what I envisaged in terms of season, tones and colours, to create a beautiful image of Ropner Park Bandstand.

I would highly recommend working with her.”

If you have a commission in mind, perhaps of a special location or your home, just get in touch to discuss!

Press Release: Putting the real ale trail on the map

‘A talented artist has designed and illustrated Ale trail map and guide to the town’s real ale pubs. Abby Taylor was approached by Stockton BID (business improvement district) to produce an illustrated ale Trail to the real ale pubs in the town.

Abby was asked by BID to produce the new map and guide “with a little more flair” to tantalise prospective drinkers. She said: “ I was tasked with producing 11 original illustrations of the pubs around Stockton, from cheerful town centre pubs and vibrant little bars, to the beautiful micro pub is tucked away in the town’s Cultural Quarter.”

Abby added: the illustrations represent Stockton as a true haven for those of us who enjoy a great pint of ale. I had the pleasure of visiting each of these pubs to take reference photographs for the illustrations. Eleven may sound like rather a lot but you don’t have to try them on a single day!

She designed the foldout Ale Trail Map, along with a beautiful brand identity for the trial itself, including a striking logo, and a pattern featuring bottles and pints of ale.

Stockton BID manager, Jason Maxwell, said the commission came out about as previous versions of the ale Trail had done the job, but were lacking in visual appeal.

He said: “Stockton has a growing reputation for micropubs and I wanted to do something to support them, so we decided on the Ale Trail. It was first done a few years ago, I wanted it brought right up to date with a cool twist - so commissioned Abby. I am really proud of what we are put together and I think the pubs like them too. “

Anyone wanting to pick up a copy of the Stockton Ale Trail, should just pop into any of the 11 pubs on the trail: The Golden Smog, The Thomas Sheraton, The Storytellers, Lucifers, Musiclounge, the Georgian Theatre, Hope & Union, The Wasps Neat, Ivy House, The Sun Inn and The Royal Oak.

Abby has previously worked with BID on replacing the George and Dragon illustration in Stockton’s Green Dragon Yard and producing illustrations for the renovated Globe Theatre on the High Street.’

-Article by Ian Monaghan for Stockton & Billingham Life