Illustrations for Folkteatern (for the play LYCKA TILL MED ALLT -- translation: "Good Luck With Everything")

Front and back of the programme, plus the "theatre-survival-kit" it came in:





























































This work (the eight illustrations for the front of the programme) is a considerable detour from my "usual" style to cater for a very specific conceptual idea.

In this case the graphic designer's guidelines (visit her site! http://www.simonea.se/) for how the illustrations were supposed to look came from the in-flight safety instructions you can find on board aeroplanes (as you may have noticed).

It was challenging to find the right tone humour-wise within what is quite a rigid syle. But in the end we all were really pleased with the outcome and we all agreed that it matched the tone of the play.

The theme of the play is "fear" (our fears as humans). The survival-kit-with-programme is given to theatre goers just before the beginning of the play.

If you're in Sweden go see the play:
http://www.folkteatern.se/

Here's a review (in swedish):
http://www.nummer.se/Templates/Review____6889.aspx

Conceptual sketches for future buildnings

Furuvik amusement park map

Righteo, pleased to present the latest job, that is at long last done. It was a tough slog getting everything in, mainly because the time was so short! Stress stress stress(!) But everbody involved seems pleased, so so am I! It is a map over an amusement park in Gävle, Sweden called "Furuvik". They have Sweden's only keeper who is an accepted member of a chimpanzee flock (read more about it at www.furuvik.se). They (Furuvik) also did a really insteresting behviour test there to see if chimps could plan for the future, which they without a shadow of a doubt could.

Treasure maps

Thought it was high time for an update here.

Why don't I have little magical gnomes that update my blog for me? Anyways, till then you'll have to accept the fact that I am not-so-great at posting new things regularly. I might promise to "from now on post more regularly" but we both know that's a lie even before it's left my lips, so I will refrain from promising altogether.

Here are some treasure maps I was comissioned to do for a magazine (Hem och Hyra Skåne-Halland -- check out their website www.hyresgastforeningen.se) here in Sweden. The maps show the locations of interesting second hand shops in Skåne and Halland. Enjoy!

New published work (colouring book)

Hello all!
Christmas and the start of the new year has been hectic but lovely, and as usual I am not very good at remembering to update my blog and website. So, I thought I would take the opportunity to post a selection of images from my latest work now fresh-off-the-press. It is a 17-image colouring book that is a companion to a story book (Djurens Andaktsbok by Kristina Reftel). Each image is a character from the short stories in the book. The book and colouring book are for sale here: http://www.argument.se/ -- type in a search: "linn ahlbom" and you'll find the colouring book. The colouring book is aimed at teachers wanting to have a reading session with the class followed up by a colouring-in session (the images are meant to be photocopied and given to the students to colour in).

Patches

Again there has been a long silence I am afraid, but I have been busy busy busy with various projects and odd undertakings. The latest project was to run around in medival garb in Visby, Gotland (island off the East coast of Sweden) having a ball of a time and a bit of a holiday.

These patches were made for an airsoft game that my partner is planning/hosting. All of them are pretty tongue-in-cheek in various ways (curious? send me an email and ask me about it ;)). Info about the game: http://www.milsim.se/events/2007/god-guns-gasoline/

I am well pleased with how they turned out and am very tempted to undertake non-in-game patch design just solely for the purpose of selling fun/good-looking patches.

Illustration Friday "Green"

Ah. Yet another "already-ready" entry. But I mean if this doesn't count as green I don't know what does! Self-explanatory image really :)

Happy easter! (easter doodle)

Hello all!

This is an easter doodle I did and I decided to post it since I will probably never have the time to make a "proper" drawing of it.

I had this idea of the hens revolting against the oppressive Easter Bunny (who is obviously collaborating with The Rooster) and demanding better pay for their eggs.

Hope you have an easter filled with fun chocolatey things! /Linn

Illustration Friday "Snap"

At long last(!) An Illustration Friday entry. After a long silence, I have an image to contribute.

This is an image I did for a publishing company called Argument Förlag (www.argument.se).

"Det är aldrig kört" means "never give up" (direct translation :"it is never finished").

Hopefully I will have more time to do some nice Illustration Friday doodles in the future -- not that I'm unhappy having a lot of work to do, but it would be nice with an Illustration Friday now and again!

Just another doggie doodle and a word on copyright

Well, I haven't posted for a while, because I've mostly been doing layout work (not much "pure" illustration work at the moment!)

On the downside, I have started to realise that knowledge of what copyright is and how it applies to images on the web may well be something that is not widely known/understood. So I feel forced to commence placing ugly copyright information on all my images *sigh* such is life. If you are interested in learning more about copyright, I will point you in the direction of "Svenska Tecknare" (the Swedish illustrators society) of which I am a member:

http://www.svenskatecknare.se/upphovsratt.html

Generally a good rule of thumb is, ask permission before you use an image! Remember that it is the end product of hours and hours of drawing and practice.

On the upside, I thought I'd just post this cute little guy! I think he's a mongrel Westie. I for one, have already had my first outdoor icecream after the long dark winter! Wohoo! it was a yummy Triumf Glass (they have a "wholesale" place near my house -- One big waffle/wafer with 2 scoops: 1 scoop After Eight and 1 scoop Lion. I'd say the Lion ice cream was HEAVENLY... ah, the small joys of life.

Don't get too sunburnt in the spring sunshine, our sun-starved skin needs time to adjust! Bye!

For my cousin's two sons

These dragons were painted relatively quickly this weekend. They were started upon when watching "Melodifestivalen" - a swedish "popular music" contest (slightly camp, but fun in some ways) - and finished today (Sunday). My cousin provided me with two ready stretched canvases and matching frames. I brought along paintbrushes, black acrylic and gold gouache. It felt great painting "in real life" for a change, and not on the computer. I'd been longing to paint for ages, and my cousin, sly as she is, talked me into doing some. It also felt great doing something for the kids who are possibly my favorite 5/7 year olds around!

Business Card Design

Right, so I've decided to post smth so ppl won't think I've dissapeared off the face of the earth. I have been busy busy busy. And with what you may ask? Well, working, having the flu, delivering fruitbaskets and dancing at a celidh (pronounced "kay-lee") in Edinburgh are just a few of the fun things that one fill one's time with...oh and, become a year older (in secret).

Interestingly enough, I have had a spate of business card design...

This is a before-and-after job (small bookeeping/accounting company):





Here's a start-from-scratch job, but with a clear wish from the client to have a "nice entrance" on the card (small building company):













Here's one for a small "Fashion Jewelry design" company. Don't know what fashion jewelry is? Well nor did I -- google it! It's apparently really popular in, for example, Japan...

Inspirational material provided by client:













Final card (patterns hand-drawn in Illustrator, finishing touches in Photoshop):

New stuff!

Screenshot of www.argument.se with my work highlighted

Hey there all, I have good news! My site has now been updated and totally revamped -- check it out at www.linnahlbom.com -- this has been the major reason for the lack of illustration friday entries.

ALSO my stuff is up for sale on the www.argument.se site -- take a peek :) Although for the non-swedish speaking crowd, there may be a language barrier.
It is basically educational material -- 3 posters and an "encouragement booklet".

Happy New Year!

-- Linn

Illustration Friday "safe"

At long last an image! Been way to busy with my company and family matters, so there's been no time for Illo Fridays... but lo and behold, a new image on the "safe" theme. Enjoy, and lets hope I can get an illo in next week as well. Bye!

New badge desgins on Prickie.com

Check 'em out! My new wee lovlies. It's been busy busy busy here and I'm hoping to be able to squeeze in an illustration friday drawing soon! Adios!

Illustration Friday "Dance"

A dancing mouse...

In reality "dancing mice" do exist(!), unfortunately their reality is somewhat less fun than my mouse seems to be having. Dancing mice have a hereditary defect in the brain that affects their sense of balance. This causes them to reel from side to side, or run around in circles, hence their other names "reeler mice" or "spinning mice". A similar human condition is called Huntington's Disease.

Illustration Friday "angels and devils"

Here's my second contribution this week to make up for a period of silence on my part. I'm gonna put it down to being completely floored by the pollen and spring. The elephants came out of a bit of a word-association jump. When pondering the theme for this week I thought "aha, deviled eggs" (food thingy where you take a boiled egg, cut it in half, remove the yolks and mash 'em up with some spices and other yummy stuff, there's lots of variations on this recipie) , and then I thought "deviled elephant". So this is actually a picture of "devil-ed" and "angel-ed" elephants. Food for thought eh? I think it would make nice wrapping paper...

Illustration Friday "angels and devils"

Well, here we go, a finished version! :) And hopefully a static link (sorry Penelope and thanks for the tip, I didn't realise you could click on the date! I'm not exactly the most experienced blogging-person around!).

Illustration Friday "angels and devils"

These are two sketches that are not yet complete on this week's theme. I thought that since it was a while since I posted something I'll reveal work-in-progess. The bottom one was inspired by "deviled eggs" and so I thought why not "deviled elephants" (and an angeled one too). Probably won't finish them today, but I'm almost ready for celebrating since I've actually been feeling well enough to draw (g-dang pollen allergy!).

Illustration Friday "Spring"

Spring is here (not yet in Sweden though, it's still snowing here -- please someone tell the White Witch to bugger off and leave us alone, we're sick of winter) and the frost leaves the ground releasing more than just an early Snowdrop...hehehe *evil chuckle* This is an ode to all the zombie-lovers out there, the world would've been a different place without George Romero don't you think?