Sam's back on the telly!

The lastest episode of Driver Dan's Story Train to feature my illustrations aired this week. Of the three I worked on this was my fave! My scribbles pop up about 7 mins in...

It's behind you!!

Eyop, as we're not quite approaching the Christmas season I thought I'd put this up on the blog - it's from a couple of years back (hence the info on it is now all LIES!) but I've always quite liked it. Not the handwritten text though - that's a bit pony, but hey I was in a hurry!

Spot the deliberate mistake...

Spike Island Big Draw

He he! Just got back from the Big Draw event put on at Spike Island by Bristol Drawing Club - it was ace! Hoping someone took some decent pics as there was some killer drawing going on by all involved -props particularly to the Brillustration bunch, and all honorary child members! Here is my favourite picture from today - it is the sun getting in a huff and going on holiday (copyright of my boy).

More clearing out of photo drawer

Some more modelly things both carved and otherwise. Also a rare view of my old studio -sorry about the cans, I really should have tidied them up...

Whittley whittle

I do not spend as much time whittling as I would like (ie I think other members of my household may have issues with living in a house 2 inches deep in woodshavings). This is quietly one if my favourite things - a scrap of wood I had a play about with seeing how many twists and turns and things I could carve into it. I carry it round quite a bit- it's wound up becoming like a kind of wooden security blanket. If that makes sense.....

On the buses part 5 (scraping the barrel perhaps...)

Last of my 'bored on a bus' jobs (sort it out Sam, it's not even a drawing! .ed). This I think scribbled just before falling asleep passing junction for Reading (oh the glamorous life of an illustrator....)

On the buses part 4

Erm, a bloke chewing gum...
Really wanted to capture the weather systems being charted by his hair but don't think I quite pulled it off..

On the buses Part 3

A bit of nearly asleep bus doodling. As you maybe able to tell I was playing round with the idea of working on some typography. I can pretty much explain why everything is there except the ice cream ( I do like ice creams though - is that a good enough reason?)

On the buses Part 2

This was a guy in the coach next to mine waiting to leave Victoria Coach Station.

On the buses Part1

Went on a trip to Eastbourne recently, and spent a fair amount of time either on National Express buses or waiting for them. I did quite a few scribbles along the way, and as a cunning way of looking like I do a sketch a day, I thought I'd spread them out over a few days. Let me know if you get bored!

At Victoria.

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

Day out in Bristol

Went to town today, ostensibly to sketch Bristol landmarks for a "Weyhey - it's Bristol!" type commission. Quickly decided that that is what cameras are for and started drawing people instead.

It was a good day for buskers - this guy was playing some really lovely blues/slide guitar. He also had really cool boots - maybe that's why noone was giving him any money (well if he can afford nice boots..). Tight buggers. Later in the day there was a guy getting amazing sounds out of what looked to be an upturned wok - but I was too knackered to draw by this point, and he looked a bit serious.

The next one is straight out of Howards Way - sat outside a pub by the marina drawing marina types. Nearly rumbled several times by kids coming up and shouting 'Look he's drawing those people!' PS answers on a postcard as to what it is in the foreground...

Grumpy alt rock lump.

Here's a bit of a scribble done at work t'other day whilst thinking of something else entirely - smiling cars in fact (told you). Not sure quite where it came from, but Arcade Fire seem to be on the radio a hell of a lot at the moment.

A day at the zoo

One of my best mates proposed with his head in one. Amy Winehouse reportedly put her head, beehive and all, through one (damn I wish I had a photo). What am I talking about? Well unfortunately I don't know what you'd call them except 'those seaside thingies that you put your head through' - there are quite a few of them round Bristol Zoo at the moment and it was me what dunnum. Here's the most recent one, snapped today. They seem pretty popular, but as you can see some like them more than others..

Normal service resumed soon..

'Er indoors has been busy again...

My lovely other half Mel has disgraced herself again by dashing off another load of brilliant linoprint images seemingly without thinking about it ( I mean where is the lightbox, the mound of roughs.. it's not right!). Also I can't eat my breakfast at the table this morning.
Go check out her website www.melaniewickham.co.uk
for it is ace....

Not the pics I planned to show but as is often the case I can't find the right sketchbook. Absentmindedness is a curse! Any way these are two guys I started drawing at a recent lifedrawing class (it's good to draw peeps drawing as they don't move much - ditto my series of 'People playing Playstation', to follow..) Ta ta..

Blimey - postarama!

I must have found myself with a spare few minutes, as i'm posting my proverbial off! Here're a few from the Birsotl Drawing Club night I mentioned earlier. Check their blog for more..