Voices - Well, Mine

The struggle to find a visual voice.

I've been working very hard on mine all year and after finding a way forward that I'm thoroughly happy with and excited by, this feels like a nice full stop for 2008.

Happy Christmas all, and here's to 2009!

Giving Bush A Good Shoeing

Another caricature... I'm still learning... Lacking a bit of life and likeness methinks.

When I read this, I also wanted to throw my shoe, my computer and my kitchen sink at him.

Rambunctious

Sitting in Heels

Doodled today as a treat for stuffing envelopes for self promotion and for the commercial design work I've got to do later...

Boris

Personally, I'm not that impressed with Boris Johnson.

This image is a rariety for me. Firstly it's all real, with the tiniest bit of retouching au digital. Secondly, I don't do much characture. I think I'm going to work more on both areas in my little lunch break playtimes.

Similar - Like an Android

I wonder which sex would be keener on the idea of a robot companion?

Early Sales

Wow, those high street chains are going crazy... my inbox can barely move for all the money off e-flyers!

Here's an image that's been kicking around on my desktop for a while. I gave in to procrastination and finished it off.

Happy shopping!

Illustrated Song Titles

I'm late this month, as per usual, and also, as per usual ,there's some good stuff here, none of it by me!

Check out the entries here.

Balloon Skirt

All I Want For Christmas

A bit of fun created for Glug's Christmas competiton.

I find with competitions it's best to do something for yourself, the kind of work that makes you giggle and gives you a sneaky smile everytime you look at it. Then, when it disappears into the vast vault of failure, it doesn't really matter! At least I had fun!

Opinion

I always find opinions more interesting when they are well researched. There's nothing quite like someone, preferably famous, sounding off about something they know nothing about. I tried to find an example to link to, but the google hits were so off the chart that I gave up! I suggest instead that you turn on the radio... you won't have to wait long!

Hooray!

All change! Yes! I've finally found an acceptable solution for merging my blogger account and my website! For those who are regulars (you know who you are!) please bookmark this new page on my website... you'll be directed here anyway but this will be my primary posting place from here on in!

New Shoes

"I just got them today... No, I love them! I just... Yes, I know, amazing bargain, huh?!... But I spent so much last night... Yeah, I think I'll have to take them back... They just go so well with this dress, though... Very comfy, yeah... Ok! Yeah! If we get a cab there and back maybe I can get away with it tonight and then I'll take them back tomorrow..."

At The Races

Pretend

What's this?! Why are you taking me in here? Oh my goodness, it's beautiful! No! You can't! It's too much... What are you doing? Put that credit card away! Oh, oh it's amazing, thank you! You really are the best, so generous! I love it!

Christmas Jumper

Here's what I settled on for the card. Seeing as it's still November, this is the last time I mention Christmas. Promise.

Promo Card Inside – Scrapped

So, I've been working on this promotional card around other projects. As is traditional with me on my own promotional stuff, mainly due to the nature of the wonderful rarity of not having a client, I tend to change my mind a lot. This card being no exception, I had a better idea the second I finished the artwork.

Oh well, at least I got two new nice pieces out of it! Here's the inside of the now scrapped card.


And the outside.


For the graphic designers in the audience it was to be a 6 page roll fold DL card, so tall and thin and folded into itself, like a menu, to go into a standard envelope. I still might do it, just not now.

Reason why I scrapped it? Not really very "Christmasy" is it?! I'll post the art for the new one tomorrow.

Streetwise

People

After mainly working on commercial graphic design projects for the last couple of weeks it was nice to sit down yesterday and begin my promotional Christmas card. Nothing too fancy, just a street scene featuring a few characters and hopefully a clever fold in the card to make it feel a little luxurious! I collected my reference and sat down to draw a couple of the characters and... well kept drawing! I don't know if I'll use them all, but it was pretty good therapy after the last couple of busy weeks.

Here's a few of the full set of drawings in all their un-retouched glory. This is the starting point for all my images, a simple line drawing in ink on paper.

Vacant

Here's a bit of pulp magazine style fun for you. As soon as I had the idea I couldn't really help myself!

Illustrated Song Titles

Some excellent stuff this month, check out the artwork and banter here.

Puncture Repair Kit Needed

Well, not for me, as I don't have a bike, but this young lady could do with a little help.

Late

Schools Out

Purse Strings

So, looks like time to tighten those purse strings...

Girls in The City

Two new images for you. There's a third in this series that I won't get a chance to finish until next week now, but I thought I'd post these two anyway as I'm rather pleased with them.

Sugary

'cuse me, do you think I could have some coffee with that sugar?

Clique

Did I, like, miss a memo?

Island

Though he played big and tough with this mates, Jeremy just couldn't cope with Sophie's Wednesday night bingo.

What Ever Happened To The British Summer?

So, there I was, reading my good friend and oft partner-in-crime Mr Owen Jones' blog when I stumbled across a fun little story he'd written entitled "The Boy who Stole the Sun".

Whilst reading and chuckling at his witty tale of explanation as to why we've had another catastrophic summer weather-wise I began to thumbnail the story as if it was a picture book.

Here it is in all it's scribbly scribbleness. Apologies in advance to the author.

A Short Story About What Happened To The British Summer

or The Boy Who Stole The Sun

It was a lovely sunny day. Birds were flying around twittering to each other. People were all enjoying themselves, playing games and sunbathing at the beach. Everyone was happy

But there was a little boy, a little, greedy boy called Archibald

Archibald was a miserable little so and so, and, jealous of everyone’s happiness, ran around generally making a nuisance of himself

“Why is everyone else so happy?” he moaned. “Why can’t they be wretched and woeful like me?”

So that night, as people had their backs turned

He rowed his little boat across the sea to the horizon where the sun slept

Then he stole the sun (and it’s hat)

The next morning everyone woke up ready for another exciting day, swimming and making sandcastles. But something was different, something was wrong. Where once the sun had beamed, big black clouds had formed. It had begun to rain

The smiles on everone’s faces soon disappeared

“Hahaha!” laughed Archibald. “Now everyone’s as grumpy as me!”

So evil Archibald crossed the road to buy himself an ice cream

As Achibald was a bad boy and didn't look when crossing the road, he got hit by a big truck

Clutter

Wilson thought he was a clear winner of the annual office desk de-clutter championships.

To everyone else his moronic stuff-everything-down-his-trousers tactic was further proof of his colossal incompetence.

So they promoted him. Well, he was the boss' son after all.

Memories

Dude, you are amazing! How do you remember ever single tiny detail?