Welcome!
behind the scenes, videos, sketchbooks and more.,..
Hi. I’m Ella Beech, an artist, and illustrator living in Cambridge, UK. Gather, Filter, Make is my BRAND NEW newsletter and subscription service. You are getting this because you have previously subscribed to my newsletter over on my website.
So, what is Substack? And how will it work?
Well, I’ve been running a Patreon subscription for over two years now (two years and 4 months, to be exact), and through that, I have discovered that I love diving deep into the creative process, and the community fostered through that. Recently, Substack has popped onto the scene, and I love how it works as both a free newsletter, plus a subscription. So I am going to use Substack for my free newsletter and updates, plus, I will have a paid subscription available here too, which will be the same as my paid subscription on Patreon. If you are a current Patreon, you can sign up here if you would like to have access to everything in one place (my newsletter, plus my paid content)
So, what will you get here on my Substack?
For the free subscription, you will get a monthly newsletter, blog posts, and updates about my shop.
For paid subscribers, you can expect:
behind the scenes video diaries (vlogs)
videos looking through my latest sketchbooks
process videos (for example, time-lapses or films of me painting)
Photoshop mini masterclasses
publishing chat from my days working in-house in children’s book publishing
Picture book and materials recommendations and chat
whatever else is capturing my imagination at the moment
Before working as an illustrator, I had a full-time job in children’s book publishing, as a designer, and art director, and for the latter part, as Head of Campbell Books. I loved it, but as I grew up (do we ever grow up?!), and grew older, I realised I had unfulfilled ambitions and desires. I wanted to get back to making physical work, after years stuck behind a computer. So, after over twenty years in-house, I took a leap into the unknown and handed in my notice! I did an MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art, which was a joy and privilege, and I spent two and a half years getting my hands dirty, exploring, experimenting, creating, evolving, and discovering my creative voice. Perhaps making a big change like that, in the middle of my life, has made me more analytical about the creative process. I think through the MA and through making content for my Patreon, I have discovered an interest in everything around the actual making. Not just about making work, but how… what helps? What hinders? How I can delve deeper and better understand myself and my practice? I have learned how helpful it is to reflect on what you make, and I hope by doing that here, I can help you too.
How does it work?
When you subscribe you get updates sent in the form of an email, straight to your inbox. But you can also see everything on the webpage where all my posts are collated together, or on the Substack app.
If you do choose to become a paid subscriber, as well as getting lots of creative content straight to your inbox, you’ll be providing valuable financial support for me, for which I am hugely grateful. You’ll also get early access to sales, special offers, discounts and generally get first dibs on anything new I create.
Who am I?
I'm a children's book author and illustrator living in Cambridge UK and I am currently working on my first Picture Book. I work part-time on the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art as an Associate Lecturer.
A little bit about my background. After doing a BA in Fine Art Painting, I moved into Children’s Publishing where I worked for 20 years on the Design side, as a Senior Designer, Head of Design, Art Director, And Head of Campbell Books; in 2019 I left publishing to complete an MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art.
I love to work in traditional media and I'm drawn to the happy accidents and rich textures that are made when creating work on paper. I invariably make a mess, and that way, I make new discoveries too. My work is rooted in observational drawing - finding the beauty in the everyday, through experiments in colour, texture, light, and composition.
I am drawn to character-driven narratives which tackle both the joys and struggles of growing up. I was always a daydreamer, and grew up immersed in an imaginative world, and books created a freedom that has never really left me. I love the magic that stories and illustrations can conjure up, and I like to play with the boundaries between real and imagination in my stories, keeping them both grounded in the familiarities of childhood, whilst straying into the imaginative world. I also love a bit of off-beat humour with a twist of the absurd. I like to bring my design background into my work, focusing on the interplay of colours, with bold and striking compositions, and rich mark-making.
When I'm not making art I Iove to knit, sew, go for long walks and scour charity shops and car boot sales for treasures, which help inspire stories!