Elementary....

Another picture for the lovely people at Ashton Gate School library!

Opening Night

On Friday night I went to the opening night of King Lear at the Tobacco Factory Theatre which was ace.  It was great seeing all my favourite bits from rehearsals played out in front of a packed house, and also seeing some of the subtle nuances I may have missed whilst trying to get people's noses right...

I also got a copy of the program pressed into my mits, which was great because it was the first time I'd seen the artwork I did for the centrespread, well, in the centrespread.  Artwork always looks better when it's shiny!  Luckily I think most of the cast like it (leastways no-one has seemed mortally offended by any bad likenesses.

And that dear friends is it for my Lear mission, at least with regards to sketching it, which is a little sad, as it's probably been one of the happiest drawing experiences I've ever had...and I'd like to say a massive thankyou to all the cast and crew for being so nice to me and letting me sit in in the first place.

Where next?  Well, I hope to sketch some of the rehearsals for their next production, Chekhov's The Cherry Orchard, which start in a couple of weeks, although I've got a fair few cartoon animals to draw over the coming months.  I also hope to figure out a decent way to exhibit some of my King Lear work..whether that'll just be the sketches or some extra work inspired by them I'm not sure...I'll keep you posted!  One thing is for sure though is that I am now well and truly hooked on this kind of sketching, so I'll be lloking to do more one way or another..

When you're tired from a day's swordfighting, poisoning and double dealing...

..why not relax with some pictures of cartoon dogs.  This little chap was from a grammar book I did for Cambridge University Press last year.

I've Almost Forgotten What You Did Last Summer

Most phone conversations I have will have at some point the phrase 'not much to report really' in them, but actually looking back I reckon I've done quite a lot this year dammit!  And then I've realised that being as it's been a bit of a whirl (and when it hasn't I've enjoyed the break from my computer..), I haven't really told you guys about any of it.

So in small bursts I'm going to tell you where I've been.  There will be MONKS!

TINY DOGS! (larger when I've found the right file!!).....

 MEERKATS (in case you're not sick of them already!!)....

AND A PR PHOTO MASTERCLASS...

I'll bet you can't wait...

More zooey gubbins

Probably shouldn't be putting these out just yet but I'm quite pleased with them...

Book news......

It's been a while since I did them now, but I can finally go on about them as they have both come out this month.
The first one is called Turbo Tortoise (by Steve Cole, for Picture Corgi), and it kind of does what it says on the tin! It's good fun, although the slugs I've talked to didn't like it much...
The next one is called Knights And Castles (By Rachel Firth for Usborne Children's Books First Reading series). The slugs had no problem with this one!
copyright Usborne Children's Books
copyright Usborne Children's Books

Lazy lazy Sam!

Went to the London Book Fair last week to peddle me wares, which was by turns fun and scarey (Earl's Court very big). Here're some of my wares! Yes yes, I will do some new work soon.

The Tortoise has landed (nearly)

Here's the cover for the picturebook (my first!) that I spent a good chunk of last year working on - due out in autumn.