New Menu Illustration Series for The Grounds of Alexandria – Watercolour – 9 cms in size
I love doing these illustrations for The Grounds of Alexandria’s food and cocktail menus, I really do. It started as a one off for the client, jumping in to rescue them after getting stuck with a bunch of super poor standard illustrations they’d commissioned from another illustrator… which happens all the time unfortunately! Sorry, its just the truth Im afraid 🙄 The Grounds dont do things by halves, or half assed. Every aspect of their business is about quality and attention to detail, right down to the littlest thing and thats what they needed from me then. In this regard we are certainly aligned, so it was always going to be a good marriage.
Long story short, they just couldnt work with the illustrations they had, so they asked for my help to create new ones on an even crazier commercial deadline than it already was, of course. From memory I said ‘its not what I usually do but let me help you out! From there I got straight to work and created the first set of tiny, exquisitely detailed ‘botanically inspired food illustrations’ for their menus, and they loved them.
I have been their illustrator ever since, from menu illustrations to fine art, business cards to event invitations, to creative projects of your heart desires, to landscape and map design for their building projects… I do it. That ‘one off’ illustration brief to help out, turned into a decade long relationship and friendship, and I still love it, them and everything they do. After all this time, Id guess Ive created about 80 wonderful food and cocktail illustrations for their menus now, all tiny, intricate, botanically inspired watercolour illustrations. Its such a fun collection actually, and perhaps some day I should really show them as a collection in their own right… But first, I get to add 9 new unique paintings to the series for their menu update, and Im really enjoying capturing their fabulous creations once again.
Today Ive started the first of the 9 new cake illustrations, set to adorn their new menu. Each painting measures just 9cms in size and are rendered in watercolour. Each illustration has its own beauty and uniqueness, just as the real creations that come out of the Grounds kitchens do. One thing is for sure, they taste as good as they look too. The worst thing about painting food and cocktail illustrations for The Grounds is that you want to eat it all, not just paint it, but i am comforted in my calorie free version of it all at the end of the day. So here is the first sweet little cake illustration, something lemony, meringue, cake and sensational… as usual! Lets not forget the beautiful botanical elements that come with each 😊
Next… a tricky little cake to paint, but what a fun result
The third is a delicious cake illustration from top to bottom capturing the beauty of this cake creation, and all its captivating colour and texture. Though a soft palette with simple additions, I loved loved loved painting this one!
Number 4 changes gears again with a more diverse and colourful palette. We have wonderful spongecake on the bottom and a cherry red top, smothered with a generous dressing of fruit and botanical elements, in true Grounds style. How beautiful!
Fifth up is a another wonderful cake sensation with a smooth creamy top and amazingly gooey centre. New textures, new sensations for the eyes and no doubt, the cake is mouthwatering to boot!
Look at this work of art of a work of art hey… what a fabulous creation. Another magical tiny painting subject for me to play with and i love it! And so there was 6!
No7 brings a new story, challenge and watercolour illustration to light, full of elegance, colour and texture
Illustration 8 is a real favourite, visiting all things golden in my palette to create this little cake painting, topped with passionfruit and bright yellow viola flowers
Finally we have the 9th cake illustration in this series, a raspberry coloured sweet in layers of cream and green, topped with a pink macaroon and sugar flower. Beautiful!
It sure has been a busy week amidst my new major work and a week teaching my watercolour Butterflies and Frog Illustration workshop events in Queensland… but ive just returned to my studio to complete these cake adventures, all set for The Grounds of Alexandrias delicious new menu. With these complete, its time to return to my major work once more. Thanks for following 🙏🏻