Harry’s birthday surprise

My friend Harry is insanely easy to caricature; he’s a very funny and talented person and has this incredible style which I can only describe as “my limbs are too long to fit into anything so I just roll with it and make it look amazing.”

Don’t tell him I said that*

Anyway, he had a birthday so he gets a special something:

Going to continue working on this, adding colour etc. The results will obviously show up here.

*Harry if you’re reading this it’s totally cool, y’know because I suffer from the same affliction and therefore you are my… err… style icon or something or I guess.

Battling through the visions

Which is my ridiculously over-dramatic way of saying I had a horrible sick-bug which totally threw me off working for FAR TOO LONG! Many apologies.

So I have a few new things to share. Here’s the progress on the dragon. Scale after scale after scale… not going to lie, not great for the ol’ swirly-vision one gets along with nausea – but I persevered!

Dragon is on hold just for a little bit, as I have a few other projects I want to get on top of.

Here there be Dragons

I have a few new techniques to try out in the realm of digital colouring so I thought I’d start here, watch this space to see this transformed into a finished work.

Gotta love Chinese Dragons, they seem to have Tiger-noses.

A rather strange request

I can’t say I’ve ever been asked to do Photoshopping jobs… I am adept at the program as I often use it for colouring and layout but I’m nowhere near close to applying for re-touching jobs where I make models’ limbs extend and skin appear blemish-free.
Nevertheless, I was asked by a client to dig out my slumbering skills for a good old-fashioned silly request and I never turn down silly. My client is a personal friend of the author Alexander McCall Smith and recently went on a sailing holiday with him. The result is an in-joke wherein it was requested that I Photoshop the author’s head onto the painting of some fine fellow called Vice-Admiral Sir John Thomas Duckworth.
The result was this no doubt hilarious-to-some portrait.

Ahoy, C’pn.

Meet the Godivas

One thing I love when I’m developing a character is getting to explore all the different facial expressions.
Persimmon and her daughter Charlotte are a direct result of me learning lots about Amelia Earhart, studying feminism and deciding that being an aviatrix in a male-dominated profession (and period of time) was just insanely brave. Also I had the best dream in which I was Charlotte…
A story started to emerge.

Charlotte still needs colouring in, so you may not be able to see her expressions clearly but there will be updates! Mark my words, there will be updates…

Comical comic nonsense

Now I’ve been toting Throwback Thursdays and Blasts from the Past but this is the real deal.
I was drawing these comics when I was 17 (and there’s a whole bunch more leading up to them drawn from age 15 – 17). Back in the days when photoshop was a distant dream that neither my school had or I could afford at home so EXCUSE THE QUALITY… although I kind of love the fact that the black ink has faded to a slightly off green and there’s water blotches in random places (even though I swear I kept these totally safe in plastic sleeves in a file for years!) The writing might be a nightmare to read but I kind of like the authenticity of it. If you’re really confused by anything, ask in the comments and I’ll clear it up.
Now just a small disclaimer, I was 17 so if there’s anything offensive or just plain unaware in the dialogue between characters, please forgive me.

A slightly bigger version here: http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/Pentan/Comicforweb1_zps45d33b6a.jpg

A slightly bigger version here: http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/Pentan/Comicforweb2_zpsa78d057c.jpg

I also unearthed a couple from when I was 20 and had tried to revive this story. Alas, uni work got in the way. Perhaps someda I’ll take the whole thing from the beginning again.

A slightly bigger version here: http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/Pentan/Comicforweb3_zps150a48c2.jpg

A slightly bigger version here: http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c71/Pentan/Comicforweb4_zpsd401f240.jpg

Anthropomorphic representations of countries

This is linked to a story to do with the French offering a 24 hour visa service, whereas Britain only offers this service during working hours. Apparently this means we lose a lot of Chinese tourists to France. This image was how I chose to represent the countries and their antics:

Full Image

British Lion detail

Chinese Dragon detail

Prince Andrew lurking in the shrubbery

I never had Prince Andrew pegged as a grade-A lurker…
Surprises at every turn :3

More Sebra work

SEBRA have been in touch again and have awakened the slumbering illustrator who got a bit caught up with Christmas and my new promotion! Yes I’m a full time Director’s assistant until early April. The days are full on indeed! I’ve vowed to be a little more strict with my illustrating so as not to fall behind. So, I’m glad SEBRA gave me a wake up call; the gap between their late autumn and early spring publications always catches me by surprise, but I have quite a lot of time. I’m gearing up to a couple of things getting bits sketched here and there.

Did you hear about the time Prince Andrew was arrested by the officers at Buckingham Palace for lurking around in the garden? Neither did I until SEBRA mentioned it. This MUST warrant a picture. There is no other way!

Also… there be dragons!

Throwback Thursday – The Windmill Pub murals

If you go down to The Windmill pub in Brighton you’re sure of a big surprise… in the form of my manic murals.
They’re in the ladies’ toilets, but I’m all for equality so jump on in there and take a glance!