Sketchbook Medley

A montage of skectchbook drawings and ideas from a new picturebook project. I have never really liked pulling rough drawings from the cosy confines of the sketchbook to masquerade as something that was meant to be seen by a wider audience but I have really enjoyed just working away on these in the last few weeks and since development is such an integral part of any project it makes sense to give it a turn in the spotlight. 

What I really enjoyed with this was arranging these images - created independently of each other - and finding that new narratives began to emerge when I did so depending on where they were placed. I also like how this may be the only image ever to include a missing cat poster, a toilet roll and a rocket lolly all in one. I guess that's sketchbooks for you... 

Sockzilla

Ray Gun Feature

There is a new feature (a few pictures and an interview) on me over at Ray Gun! 

I'm on Facebook...

Please click here for my facebook page if you are into that sort of thing.

Thanks!

Heffers Project

Kicking off the Cambridge Festival of Illustration this week was the unveiling of four panels (60 x 40 inches) designed by recent graduates of the Children's Book Illustration MA. I was very excited to be asked to contribute along with the uber-talented Marta Altes, Elys Dolan and Becky Palmer. 

The panels were commissioned by Heffers bookshop (who run many of the festival events) to appear in an alley by the side of the store which leads directly to the children's section. 

The brief was quite open; to produce a work loosely based on the theme of children and books. I wanted to pay tribute to the endless possibilities of the medium but more importantly, I wanted to draw some random space stuff. 

The festival continues throughout the week and I hope to get to a few more of the events, starting with a triple book launch tomorrow involving the aforementioned Marta Altes. 

Rather than post photos of the other panels here, I'll wait for the others to put theirs up and retweet any links they post on twitter. You can find a link direct to my twitter on the right-hand side. 

The panels are hopefully going to be up for a few years or until too many mustachios have been scrawled onto the characters. 

More info on the festival and events here

To infinity and beyond...

Happy Halloween etc...

This is actually an edited version of an image I uploaded as part of a collection from 'Spooked!' early last year. It's now 30% more spooky and I like to think it works as a Halloween image in its own right.

Lucifer on Lunch

Even monsters need nourishment. Happy Halloween! 

Illustration Fest

I'm very excited to be involved in this year's Cambridge Festival of Illustration, which starts on the 5th November.

Below are a few characters from a recently completed piece that, all going well, will be unveiled on the opening day. I'll hopefully upload it soon after so you can get a better idea of why the ice cream has a space helmet (clue: he's in space).

For more info on the festival, click here

The flyer for all events is below!

Deep Space Chimp

Curiosity

Don't leave home without...

Gnomes

Comfort in Sound

A design for Illustration Rally's album cover theme. Somewhat missed the submission deadline but couldn't let the idea go undrawn.

Obliteration Day

This image came runner-up for Ray Gun Press's design-a-desktop competition. Cheers Ray Gun!

Babylopedia #2

Name: Lotto Bot (Itcouldus beyouus)

Notes: One of many poorly produced mobile lottery units created by the 'Company.' Balls often fall out before they are chosen by the vendor. Countless other tickets are sold on the outcome of these fallen balls.

Name: AV Wyrms (Slugus visualis)

Notes: They begin broadcasting upon reaching adulthood, when their aerials are big enough to attract a signal. They mostly transmit low-brow programming but are valued for their ability to broadcast Babylon's 8th favourite sitcom, "Wife on Mars."

Name: Slurtle (Stickus shellus)

Notes: Their painfully slow movement results in a trail of sticky goo which acts as a vital lubricant in many of Babylon's robots and slot machines. Slurtle herders make a very boring living from this goo.

Name: Babylon Slot Machine DCXVI (Slotus diablus)

Notes: They lurk in dark alleys awaiting drunken victims. They rarely pay out, and have been known to throttle anybody foolish enough to try collecting their winnings.

  

Name: Garbage Glutton (Gobblus trashus)

Notes: They clean the streets of Babylon thanks to their unhealthy appetite for refuse waste. Their favourite food however is Babylon sponge, a delicacy that grows in the deep sewers.

           
 

Name: Hot Wax Bot (Lavus lampus)

Notes: Available in a multitude of colours, how wax bots are highly prized by Babylon club owners for their chill-inducing properties.

Name: Kaka Bird (Poopus predictus)

Notes: It is believed these mystic birds stare into the future and then deposit faeces onto those they have seen to win huge fortunes. Although this theory has never proven, there are always Babylonians jostling for prime position under a Kaka bird roost. 

(Fabulous Babylon can be seen here)

Mr Gumball

The Great Viking Feast

Time Out! + Babylopedia

This month my image Fabulous Babylon was featured in the Tel-Aviv edition of Time Out magazine. I still don't know why (alas I can't read hebrew) but this sits kind of well with me, as the whole picture is about chance and the random nature of existence...

A bigger version of Fabulous Babylon can be found on my site and in honour of the image making it into an Israeli magazine, here are some of Babylon's inhabitants all coloured-up, with vital facts about each.

Name: Creeper (Greenus Faceus)

Notes: Endlessly wanders around Babylon gazing at the sights. Extremely docile and thought to be highly intelligent. They can only survive in a poisonous gas they generate within the confines of their protective head tank.

Name: Bubble Cluck (Eggus Roboticus)

Notes: Seemingly useless and brainless robotic chicken that likes to blow bubbles rather than lay eggs. Thought by some to be real chickens in protective suits. Nobody cares enough to investigate further, however.

Name: Light Spiders (Bulbus Legus)

Notes: A walking light source, these creatures can grow up to 18 feet tall. They are the main cause of power outages in Babylon, as they have a fondness for gnawing through electric wiring. They are also the main cause of bath-related deaths.

Name: Guardian of Beth (Pinkus Blinkus)

Notes: A doorman to the temple of Beth, the Snake God. They make great guards as they never sleep and can turn their heads 360 degrees. However, it takes them 10 seconds just to blink and this is when most people sneak past.

Name: Lotto Frog (Croakus Pilotus)

Notes: It is well known that frogs make great pilots, and in Babylon they fly choppers advertising casinos and lotteries. A frog pilot will always go down with his ship, which is pretty stupid really as they come equipped with state-of-the-art ejector seats.

Name: Grumble Grub (Furious Larvus)

Notes: Very angry bug. Compulsive gamblers, they flail their arms wildly and screech loudly when they lose, causing others to flee. They then make off with the unguarded loot.

I probably don't upload enough sketch/rough work considering the amount of time I spend on it. Having said that, most of it is of questionable quality. Despite this I've tried to gather together some recent development work from a project I'm working on when I get the odd moment.

It's a story I originally showcased at my graduation show from the Children's Book Illustration course which I feel I never really did enough justice to due to various factors. So I'm re-working a few things and hopefully I'll do a better job now than I did then. The story is about a boy (Darwin) who happens across a dinosaur egg, triggering cretaceous capers of the highest order...

Vikings!

My first attempt at an 'educational' piece with a few viking characters below. Building up to a bigger viking scene which I'm hopefully going to get started on soon. Was very disappointed to learn that vikings didn't actually wear horned helmets or train dragons.

These images are also up on my site and on the Bright Agency website