Projects

Inktober 2019

Inktober started about a decade ago by an illustrator named Jake Parker. Each day there is a prompt word, and the challenge is to interpret the word how you want and essentially draw each something each day over the month of October. This is the first year I have actually completed the challenge (with exception of one two day combo drawing). Although I certainly found it challenging (and quite time consuming), I absolutely loved how I felt the freedom to draw what I want, and how I want. No rules other than the prompt, no client requests, no expectations, just drawing for the sake of drawing and getting creative with the prompt words. If you look up the #inktober hashtag on instagram, you will see that there are MILLIONS of artists participating. Some follow themes, some are random, some use just ink, some use digital, and some paint. There are pro and beginner artists too… a pretty wide range of enthusiasts.

I think I am pretty happy with most of my images… some I like better than others for sure. I certainly want to thank all of you for your likes and comments. It was so interesting to see the feedback from folks on my instagram feed, and which ones were favourites. ‘Enchanted’ was the favourite… people seem to like my whales. Next was the combo ‘Ghost/Ancient’… again… bears and salmon. I suppose most of my followers found me by my west coast work so that would make sense. The next was of course, Misfit… everyone likes a smart ass unicorn amidst a pile of uniform horses. I admit I enjoyed drawing the cheeky ones… the ones people would never expect from me. 😏

Maybe next year I will follow a theme, but maybe I will just stick to random, unexpected thoughts and doodles and not put myself in a box!

First Coin Design for the Royal Canadian Mint!

Soooo, guess what? Yeah thats right… I’ve been MINTED! I can’t tell you how proud and honoured I feel to have designed my first COIN for the Royal Canadian Mint. Not in a million years (as a small town west coast island girl) did I ever think this would happen, and I’ve been bursting at the seams with this little secret for the past YEAR. The final product may be small in physical size, but it is definitely one of the BIGGEST highlights to my career thus far. 

As you know my usual subject matter is much more nature oriented, but this was a really interesting challenge to do. I have a full history around boats and ships… everything from growing up around or on the water most of my life, to my parents being involved with the Merchant Navy and Cruise Ships, and even my great great great uncle worked on and survived the sinking of the Titanic! I grew up hearing many maritime stories, and was surrounded by shipping paraphernalia so I certainly felt a familiarity with it. 

This totally unique shaped, special edition, 2oz pure silver, commemorative coin is designed to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the St.Lawrence Seaway (you can even see my tiny initials at the bottom right). It was definitely difficult trying to envision what my drawing would actually look like as an engraved coin during the process, but the engravers did such an incredible job and brought it to life! THANK YOU so much to the Royal Canadian Mint for including me in their collections. There are only 2,000 made so I’m ordering mine right now. Haha!! 

Globe Sustainability in Business Expo - HSBC Project

Last winter I had the opportunity to paint live at the HSBC booth at the Globe Sustainability in Business Forum and Expo in Vancouver BC. Pin Point Productions did a great job time lapsing the 3 day event. This is only a small part of it but you can see there sure were a ton of squats done over that weekend. Simply amazed at how 22 hours of painting can be condensed to 45 seconds! Wish I could work that fast… haha!!

Inktober 2018

Starting a few years back a cool illustrator named Jake Parker started an Inktober Project. The purpose of this project was 31 days and 31 [ink] drawings based on different prompts through the month of October. Each year people post their #inktober drawings on instagram and other social media platforms, and every year I just watch and get inspired by them. This year I decided it was time to take on the challenge myself and here are a few of mine. I only made it about 21 this year (you can see them all on my Instagram feed @clairewatsonart), but I plan to make it to the end in 2019!!!

BC Ferries - Sea Forward Activity Book Project

BC Ferries contracted me to illustrate an activity book, a colouring mural, and a tent backdrop for their Sea Forward program.

SeaForward is a program that “brings BC Ferries’ existing environmental activities, conservation projects, community investments, and new sustainability endeavors together under a single umbrella. SeaForward’s goal is to effectively communicate BC Ferries’ efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, improve the sustainability of our operations, and support coastal communities.”

This book was given to children of all ages at all the major British Columbia ferry terminals. The goal of this book is to help educate kids about BC Ferries environmental protection efforts in a fun and ‘colourful’ way.