Lauren Mortimer Pencils

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Animals

Architecture

Beauty

Black & White

Conceptual

Fashion

Food & Drink

Graphic

Line

People

Retro

Conceptual showcase of a Snail-themed ice cream

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Campaign illustration of Christmas toys nutcracker

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Editorial about pickles for Le Monde Magazine

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy 1979 book illustration

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Superdrug’s Bloom range Christmas packaging

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Bloom’s Lime Basil and Mandarin Easter packaging

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The mechanical pencil used very gently

Her style has a gentle warmth ... and a touch of the surreal. Would anyone like a brain-shaped soft ice cream?

London artist Lauren Mortimer uses her outstanding skills with the mechanical pencil to create incredibly realistic illustrations, but with a deft conceptual twist turns them into something softly surreal. The result is a highly individual style, which helps her clients’ projects stand out from the rest with their own unique atmosphere. Lauren's fuel? Nature. She draws profound inspiration from the beauty of the natural world, seeing her work as an illustrator not just as a career, but as a privileged opportunity to recreate and re-envision the world around her.

Approach

Lauren draws on cotton paper using a variety of 0.3 mechanical pencils. However, she also has a Wacom Cintiq tablet, which gives her an alternative way of sketching and working out her compositions. When she’s happy with something, she’ll print it out, trace it and rework it in pencil

Style

The pencil is dominant in Lauren’s work, and with her incredible shading skills little or no colour is needed. Her style often maintains a gentle warmth, despite that touch of the surreal. A brain-shaped soft ice cream, with a Flake, anyone?

Impressions

Interview

Video

Website

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Interview

What drew you to illustration/design?I've always loved creating, for as long as I can remember. I was a very shy child and used to sit quietly making and drawing things. I studied Fashion Promotion, and when I graduated, I decided to pursue illustration, as it just excited me more and felt right. Do you have any formal design training?Yes, I studied Fashion Promotion at Central Saint Martins. Where are you originally from?I was born in Tuscon, Arizona. I came to London when I was about 2 years old though so I don't remember it! I've never been back there since, so it's a bit of mystery to me. I call London my home. I grew up in Barnes, South-West London.Where do you live now & what drew you there?I live in Whitechapel. I moved over to East London when I was studying, because I loved it's creative environment and it's where I spent most of my time. Most of my friends live in East London too. Where is your studio and can you describe it for me?I work from home, in Whitechapel. I generally have a lot of 'things'! Like books, pictures, cameras and ornaments. But everything has its place and I always know where I've put something. I would call it organized chaos.Describe the view from your studio window?I love the view from my window! I live at the top of the house so I can see Canary Wharf, houses, a park and lots of trees. It's beautiful at all times of day, and I get the most of the natural light. Who or What is your biggest inspiration?My Mum. She has always told me that I can do whatever I want to in life, as long as it's what I love to do and it makes me happy. She's always given me great and honest advice and, annoyingly sometimes, she's right most of the time!How do you get your ideas?I tend to draw the things I love; such as nature and vintage illustrations of children for example. I also browse through other imagery from books or the Internet and that will inspire me too. Ideas can develop from something small and can change into something bigger and completely different.Do you collect anything?Brooches; I don't wear jewellery but I'll almost always be wearing a brooch! Matches; I have a huge bowl of them. I also have a lot of berets! Pretty much one of every colour. But I don't really collect them; I just like them a lot!Do you keep a scrapbook?I used to keep folders of all the images that inspired me that I'd torn out from books and magazines. Now I keep a scrapfile on my computer instead. It's a sign of the times!What are your interests outside of illustration?I like to watch films. A couple of months ago I also got given a map of 'Untamed London' which shows places where nature still runs wild in the big city. I'm trying to make it every place that's listed on it.Tell us about a favourite project you've recently completed.The children's book, called 'But It's True' is probably the most satisfying project I've completed. Although it took a long time to do, having a book filled with my illustrations is a great achievement.What would be your dream job/commission?My dream job would be working for a big brand or company that I really respected, and that I was proud of. I would be delighted if Liberty wanted me to do something with them, as I've always loved their branding and get a little giddy in their fabric department!If you could live anywhere, where would you go?New York. I lived there for a few months and I loved it. It's like London, only everything is open later, it's smaller, taller, there's always new places to go, and the subway's open 24hrs. If you could travel back in time which period would you visit & why?I'd definitely go back to the late 1950's/early 60's. The clothes were amazing, the hair was amazing, and the music was amazing too. If you could travel back in time, who would be the one person you would want to meet? My Mum, at my age now.

Favourites

Cafe: The Scooter Caffe, near Waterloo Station, 132 Lower Marsh, London Gallery: The Whitechapel Gallery It's down the road, it's free, is not too big, so I can wander in an out when I like, and it's got a lovely little shop and restaurant too. Food: Eggs on toast with chorizo and Reggae Reggae sauce on the side. Drink: White wine or tea, depending on the time of day of course! Shop: Pretty much every shop down Columbia Road. It's a shame they're only open on Sundays. Blog: I never really follow blogs to be honest! I'm not a great fan of reading online. I'd rather pick up a book

woman illustration for the cocktail book Are You There God, It’s Me, Margarita!

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A clean line and color artwork of a Muhammad Ali fight

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Swallow-tailed hummingbird for Outside Magazine

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Illustration of an open book with characters and objects emerging, by Lauren Mortimer Pencils

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Makeup kit black and white illustration for Le Monde Magazine

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Final artwork of the 'Pretty Furious' book cover on paper

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Detailed painting of Dona Vega Mezcal bottle

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Detailed pencil drawing of a ram wearing a royal crown by Lauren Mortimer Pencils

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Black and white art of Chicks eating seeds

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Cover art for Are You There God, It’s Me, Margarita!

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Cocktail Illustration Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy’

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Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ Cocktail Illustration

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ Cocktail illustration

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Realistic painting of nutcracker toy soldiers

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Chanel No.5 perfume bottle - Beauty illustration

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"Something Wicked This Way Comes" novel cover design

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Tequila mockingbird cocktail book: The Wonderful Blizzard of Oz

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Illustration to accompany an article on mattress testing

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Poster art of John Crowley Little, Big novel wins World Fantasy Award

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Lauren Mortimer Pencils

Selected illustrations

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Concept art depicting a spaghetti brain for the Telegraph Newspaper

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Portrait illustration on Kirkus Reviews cover by Lauren Mortimer Pencils

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Le Monde Magazine features house interiors

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Bob cut portrayal for Travel and Leisure Magazine

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Architectural Drawing of a Christmas Townhouse

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Book cover of Eating with the Sun by Megan Zhang, illustrated by Lauren Mortimer Pencils

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Botanical theme wedding invitation card design

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The Gin recipes are based on classic films

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Fashion men illustration for L'Obs Magazine

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Floral watch watercolor illustration by Lauren Mortimer

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Drinking Game of Thrones ‘Game of Thrones’ Cocktail Illustration

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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

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Botanical art of Lioness with Flower Crown

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Gone With The Gin: Citizen Grain Book Illustrations

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Pineapple - Pencil drawing by Lauren Mortimer

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Aesop Tin Product Illustration For Stylist Magazine

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An illustration Of Pisces Horoscope Headed

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Illustration For Millionaire Farmer Silhouette

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A fine painting depicting the Gemini horoscope

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Townhouse packaging design for Superdrug advent calendar

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Detailed aloe vera plant drawing by Lauren Mortimer Pencils

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Architecture building of a hotel for Travel and Leisure Magazine

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Illustration of an open book with flowers, spacecraft, animals, and landmarks by Lauren Mortimer Pen

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Cover design for this book 'Pretty Furious'

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Hens eating seeds pencil art by Lauren Mortimer

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Editorial illustration of cocktails in 8 cities

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Seagram’s Garden ‘The Secret Garden’ Cocktail Illustration

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Architectural illustration by Lauren Mortimer

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50 Shades of Grey’ Cocktail Illustration

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‘Goodnight Moonshine’Cocktail illustration

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Jean Paul Gaultier Perfume Bottle Illustration

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Gone With The Gin: Sloppy In Seattle recipe book illustration

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Noodles Food Artwork By London Based Illustrator

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Cocktail Book Cover Design By Lauren Mortimer

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Book Cover Illustration For Tequila Mockingbird

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Selected Clients

The Sunday Times Magazine, Super Superficial, Step Art, Running Press, Penguin Young Readers Group, Angelina Tearoom, Elle Magazine