Jo Brown, Illustrator
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Jo Brown's news and thoughts.

LoveCats-Latest Screen Print from Jo Brown

1/18/2025

 
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My Latest screen print, LoveCats.
Based on a painting for a textile design, this is a simplified version. A Variable edition of 20 prints, available here.
The print is a combination of screen printing with mono printing, and each print varies in colour. 
I really enjoyed experimenting with the mono print aspect of this, to play with broken colour and brush stroke effects.
See my Folksy shop for available prints here.​
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Winter Markets 2024

10/14/2024

 
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My next few events that I will be trading at.
First up, SoLo Craft Fair at Between The Bridges, on London's Southbank SE1 Sunday 17 November, 12-5pm
 Paper Daisy at The British Engineerium, Hove  Sunday 24 November 10.30-4.30
Lewes Town Hall, Thursday 5 December 6-9pm
Illustrators' Fair Saturday 7 December 11-5pm Granary Square, London Kings Cross N1C
SoLo Craft Fair at Between The Bridges, on London's Southbank SE1 Sunday 8 December, 12-5pm
Follow me on instagram @happytomato7 for updates and previews of new stock items.
In between, my Folksy shop is open every day, last orders for Christmas delivery is Wednesday 18 December but be aware that a lot of my stock are one offs so shop early!

Jo Brown hand printed purses and wallets

10/2/2024

 
My favourite things this year. (so far)
I made lots of prints of Happy Dogs, on different types of fabric, over two print runs.
The first batch was the same print as my t-shirt, but I had designed it to be able to print it twice side by side to make a repeat. However, cutting out purses resulted in some leftover scraps which i thought was a bit wasteful. (some dog butts)
The second print run, I re-designed it, and printed a larger screen, so I could cut it up into purses specifically, without any wastage, making sure a different dog was in each rectangle. I am working things out as I go along!
Both times I printed on lots of different fabrics, lovely soft linen, panama cotton, cotton gingham, usually offcuts that I have gathered together.
I adjusted colours to fit the fabric. I really like mixing inks, it is very satisfying, but sometimes I use an ink that someone else has abandoned, makes me look at things a different way. Some of the best ones have been unexpected combinations of colours.
So everyone who bought one got a unique purse (printed lining too!)
These are a selection of the ones I have done so far, some are still available in my shop on Folksy. I take whatever I have to markets, the week before a market is sewing week! it is interesting to see which ones people choose.
Thank you to everyone who has bought one so far, it means a lot to me that people like them! Find my current range of available purses here.
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T-shirts by Jo Brown

8/12/2024

 
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Sausage dog t-shirts © Jo Brown
I hand screen print these t-shirts myself, and to avoid carrying a lot of stock in different sizes, I am printing these to order. Turnaround is approx 2 weeks. (probably less)
​Available in various colours and sizes, to pre-order here.
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(L) Happy Dogs T-shirt (R) Synth Bunnies T-shirt © Jo Brown

Tomato Ketchup

7/3/2024

 
hand painted sign for Jo Brown with a smiling tomato surrounded by website address
This is my hand painted sign for markets, I'm very fond of it, but sometimes I have too much to carry and it gets left at home.
​The happy tomato is the symbol of my shop and the name of my newsletter - Tomato Ketchup.

I send out a fortnightly email to my subscribers with new products, special offers and links to the latest drops of limited edition products. If you would like to be included, you can join here.

My Next Market...

6/23/2024

 
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I will be at the Illustrators' Fair at Granary Square, King's Cross London N1C on Saturday 13th July 2024 11am to 5pm. I will have a selection of my latest screen printed items -including new t-shirts especially printed for this event, alongside my core range of cards prints and tea towels.

New Screen Printed Cards in shop

6/17/2024

 
I have designed and printed a new range of cards featuring dogs...and tomatoes.
Very short print runs, subject to change/whim! The beauty of printing my own cards is that I can change the colours/card stock as I go, trying out different combinations, see how I like it. So these cards might not be around very long in this form- if you like 'em get 'em while you can.
​Square cards and rectangular cards, available here.

Screen printing vs digital printing for Happy Tomato shop

5/28/2024

 
close up of a printed card by Jo Brown with illustrations of dogs wearing glasses and hats
a collection of printed paper and fabric by Jo Brown featuring smiling cars and dogs in bright colours
overhead view of printed cards and tea towels with bright illustrations by Jo Brown
I have two types of prints in my shop Happy Tomato (and on my stall) digital and screen printed, and they have different qualities, and a totally different look. I like both for different reasons. I'll tell you why...

Read More

Happy Tomato events coming up

4/28/2024

 
I am a freelance illustrator, but I also produce my own range of paper goods and textiles, which I sell under the banner of Happy Tomato, online and in person.
When I sell at fairs and markets I have a broader range of items, one offs and unusual versions of things, including experimental prints.
Here are my upcoming events. More dates tbc.


The first event is part of Brighton Festival - Artists Open Houses.

I will be part of the East Side Print CIC open studio event (it's where I do a lot of  my printing) venue 3 on The Kemp town trail- please note it is for two weekends only.4/5 and 18/19 May.11am-5pm. I will be there in person on May 19 pm.

On 25 May I will be taking part in the Ink Paper and Print show at Lewes Town Hall.
​10.30am -4.30pm. £2 entry, free tickets if booked here  

8 June I will be at the SoLo Craft Fair in Leadenhall Market, London. 12-5pm.

13 July I will be at the Illustrators' Fair at Granary Square, Kings Cross London. 11am-5pm
​Follow me on instagram @happytomato7 for updates and pictures of what I will have for sale.
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Colour mixing for textiles

4/4/2024

 
I am working on my next set of printed fabrics, and I am using some 'found' fabrics. In keeping with my Work With What You've Got ethos, I am using some fabrics that were the leftovers from someone else's projects- so not my choices really. Lots of neutrals, and purple! Not my usual choices of colours. It is stretching me a bit to make the colours work together.
I spent all of yesterday morning mixing colours, out of my comfort zone.
Really, I find purple scary.
Here are some examples of my experiments mixing dyes yesterday at the wonderful @eastsideprint_brighton smudged onto the backing cloth.
I am using transparent mixes of inks, so the base colour really affects the result - the sludgy colours on the green swatch are the same colours as on the purple and cream swatches. (I could use opaque inks but I wanted the pattern to sink in rather than sit on top of the fabric)
The bubblegum pink, red and bright blues are from my previous projects - the colours I usually go for
Will let you see the results soon.
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    Jo Brown, Illustrator.
    ​Here are some thoughts, my news, illustration tips, things I love, all opinions my own. All content and images © Jo Brown 2024
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