CATHERINE HOGGINS
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Studio Notes

From an Illustrator based near to Sheffield, UK sharing my illustration journey...

Giving Hedgehogs the Edge...

12/5/2025

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Are We There Yet? Well no not quite...Hedgehog numbers are sadly still falling, I'm a little late posting this as I was away for a few days, but last week was #hedgehogawareness week, so I wanted to help shine a light on the importance of hedgehogs and what we can do in our own gardens to help support them. 
Hedgehogs are known as an indicator species, which in simple terms means a decline in hedgehogs  indicates a decline in the quality of our own environment including the general health of the natural world.
  • Hedgehogs in the garden help by keeping down garden pests such as slugs, snails and beetles...so avoiding using poisons and pesticides...things like slug pellets will help keep the hedgehogs healthy and in return they will keep your slug and snail population down too.
  • They love to keep to the edge of the garden and will have a particular route, that they like to use. So if you can make a hedgehog highway by creating a gap in a fence or wall... (the British Hedgehog society recommend a 13cm x 13 cm hole) this will enable them to travel more freely from area to area to forage for food.
  • Putting shallow bowls of water out for them to drink is also a good idea.
  • Build a house...Hedgehogs can use these as resting places, places to raise their hoglets (baby Hedgehogs) and of course to hibernate in during the winter months.
Until Later...thanks as always for reading.
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Inspired by the colour of nature - Watercolour Tree Design

30/4/2025

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Today, I'm sharing a design I created recently, which I feel would look good on Tea - Towels and other homewares...please let me know your thoughts?  Although the illustration was initially made to work alongside other more Autumnal designs, the colours were inspired to a certain degree by the image below.
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Taken in the Spring of 2018 on a trip to the Botanical Gardens in Sheffield, UK. I just loved the soft colours of the Springtime buds and leaves...and whilst no way is it the best photo that I have ever taken, I found I just couldn't delete it... The warm orange / coral tones with the hint of pink, I think work well for both Spring and Autumn designs.
The studio notes this week have matched the mellow mood too, as I have been listening to the Sheffield born Richard Hawley... check out his version of 'Ballad of a Thin Man' here...originally written and sung by Bob Dylan. I like it!

As always thanks for reading!
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Shades of Light and Dark...

25/2/2025

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I've long drooled over Khandi  paper, anyone who loves stationery will probably know what I mean, but I've never bought any until recently...
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So this morning I put pen to paper, Rotring 3.5 if you're interested and drew a little Rudbeckia flower, some of you may know it as a coneflower...it's only a small test but I have to say it felt lovely to let the ink sink into the paper. 
So, pleased with the result I thought I would photograph it and add it to Instagram as you do, or often feel compelled to do! 
In my search to make it IG worthy I started to look around for props to use, and I pulled out some other papers that I had completely forgotten about - do you do that? Forget about stuff,  completely forget about supplies you've bought in quiet anticipation of making great work... 

The sun was shining in on my desk, casting shadows which although not entirely helpful were beautiful all the same...so I couldn't shut them out.  This got me thinking no light without shade, the dark side of the moon and all that...but also about authenticity. I've been reading a book called Jump by Daniella Moyles so maybe that's why I got thinking about this, I don't know; but it reminded me that to be authentic we have to be all shades of light and dark... that's not say it feels easy in this social media driven world of perfection,  but hey this picture above is the result! 

And so on the playlist today in memory of Roberta Flack, who sadly died yesterday is one of her songs that I love -  First Time Ever I Saw Your Face check it out here

Until next time,
​Thank you for reading!
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    Hello!

    In this space which has no ceilings, walls or doors... I would like to invite you in, and share with you some of my work and a few things of interest which help to inspire my illustrations, including music to the places and spaces we call home...

    Author

    Catherine Hoggins
    Illustration & Design
    ​www.catherinehoggins.com

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