Books designed to inspire & cherish

We take a lot of care over Woody products because if you are going to produce something then it should be worth producing.  When you are starting a new sketchbook, sometimes it's rather daunting knowing what you should draw - where to start.  So we wanted to produce a range of well-made sketchbooks with emblems and characters that would inspire and comfort their owner.

The Owl, the Stag and the Ship sketchbooks are books to hold wonders, details and adventures - both imagined and real.  All cloth bound, each one is block foiled with a front design and story on the reverse.  They hold 190 pages for their owners to map out paintings, write stories or sketch out storyboards.

I think one of the biggest complements an artist can receive is when people say you have inspired them.  I hope these sketchbooks motivate all your creative people out there to make your own work...

See full range of sketchbooks here

The Woody Shop Pops up this Sat 4th Dec in Brighton

Fancy popping in to Brighton this weekend for some Christmas shopping?  Well come & visit Brighton's new design market The Assembly Rooms at the Unitarian Church on New Road.  Among local favourites such as Ridley & Dowse jewellery and Lark Rising knitwear, the Woody Shop will be popping up at the Assembly Rooms with my new Mirror Mime range of products.

Entry is free and we will be having some special Assembly Room rates to celebrate the launch of the market.

The Assembly Room Design Market
The Unitarian Church, New Road, Brighton. BN1 1UF

Saturday 4th December 2010

10.30am – 5.30pm  FREE ENTRY

Directions from Brighton Train Station (5-10 min walk): Exit station through main front entrance. Head south straign down Queen Road.  Take the second major turning on the left on to Church Street.  Continue down this road until you reach New Road.  Turn right onto New Road.
The church is on your right.

Map

Mardi Gras Bunny Letterpress Cards

Here's one of my characters being made in to a letterpress card on 1950s Original Heidelberg Press: 

And here's the beautiful end product...

Available now from the Woody Shop online: http://www.zarawood.com/thewoodyshop/ranges/new-mirror-mime-products/mardi-gras-bunny-letterpress-card/515 

Gathering Inspiration for the Creating Character Workshops

Next Saturday, I will returning to the very special Yorkshire Sculpture Park, where the talented Miss Phipps and myself will be doing a workshop about Creating Characters.

This week Amy and I are going through our studios and gathering up books, fabrics, images and objects to inspire us for the day.  Here's the official plan of the day:

Spend the morning with moi, sketching and creating your own character.  Ill go through the processes I use and how to source inspiration.

The afternoon will be spent working with Amy translating your character through hand embroidery onto fabric. 

Take home a sketchbook full of ideas and an embroidery hoop ready to hang on the wall framing your very own creation!

Day Workshop with Lunch on Saturday 27th November 2010:

Adults: £50.00
Concessions: £45.00

For more info or to book, head to the YSP link here:

http://www.ysp.co.uk/events/creating-characters-with-zara-wood