Vin de Noix

I am currently in the process of decocting a large batch ( 20 L or so!) of Vin de Noix (Walnut Wine).

It's basically red wine ( le gros rouge qui tache) fortified with spirit ( brandy in this case), preserved with sugar and honey, and flavoured with green ( wet) walnuts and spices, all left to macerate and steep ( with the occasional shake) for 4 months or so in a cool dark place.

The end result, if the alchemy has worked, is "christmas in a glass" (and half my presents solved).
For now, all I can do is wait and hope and agitate the huge plastic container when the mood takes me - and let Time work its magic.

Here's a label I've created for the resulting liquor.

Computing Which? Commission: Sept '07

Just completed a job for regular client Mark Massey at Computing Which?

The brief
"Basic idea:
It's for a feature on Free Security Software, and the main aspect we want to highlight is that they are all FREE.

So, a shop front with 'SECURITY SOFTWARE' as the main name of the shop, with lots of brighly coloured stickers and signs plastered all over the shop front. Sign to say things like...
FREE!
NADA!
GRATIS!
NICHTS!
ZILCH!
etc etc"

Normally ( and particularly recently) I might have used a more restrained palette but here the job called for bright colours, so thats what I've given them. The figure was an optional extra but for me really helps to pull the whole thing together and affords the composition a certain dynamism that it would otherwise lack.

My Anniversary

August 2nd '07 marks 10 years to the (very significant) day when first I clapped eyes on, and grabbed the hand of, my Lammastide lover N - the absolute love of my life and the best thing to ever happen to me by the longest of chalks. You are my world and everything in it!

Doux présent du présent
Fraîcheur de la nuit
Chaleur de ma vie

Jacques Prévert, 'Alicante'

Illustration Friday - "Moon"

Here's my first attempt at an Illustration Friday topic - now I've just got to work out how to upload it on the IF site.

Midsummer Night's Dream

Last night saw a fantastic version of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. So good. Fine performances ( a particularly brilliant pompous ass of a Bottom). A warm clear evening. And a magical location ( you could hear the lions in London Zoo roaring in the distance). Enchanted.

The only downsides were the gnats and, far worse, the broken heart of one of our party. Our thoughts are with you M.

Here's a poster I knocked up this afternoon. I've written it in Polish cos a) I am half Polish ( a tad-pole?) and b) I have been poring over Polish film posters on Drawn the last few days and its steeped my mind.

Images 31

My copy of the AOI's competitive annual Images 31 dropped through my letterbox yesterday ( well, actually I had to open the door, its quite a size!).
I have a double-page spread about midway through the tome - these's are what's on those pages

La Campana ( The Bell)

Train Robber

Freudian Slips

Loose Lips

Wreath'd Profile

A wee experiment in colour and line combinations.


Vote for your favourite! (Click on Image to Enlarge)

Critical Mass

I am a keen cyclist.
I love my bike.
And, when I can, I like to join the Critical Mass, the global phenomenon whereby cyclists of all stripes and persuasions take to the streets, claiming back our share of the road, enjoying the ( police-sanctioned) anarchy and bonhommie and raising the profile and awareness of the urban rider's needs in general.
In London, Critical Mass is the last friday of every month, kicking off around 7pm from the South Bank at Waterloo Bridge ( near the NFT café) and going.... well, who knows? With the flow might be the best answer. See you there?

Click on the image ( or indeed any other) to enlarge

Guardian Work 28 July 07

A piece for this Saturday's Guardian Work section.
Its about an employer who is having trouble convincing his colleagues that he'd much rather find and stay at the level of work he enjoys than keep on climbing the managerial ladder. My second job now with Sarah Habershon, who is a delight to work for.
Recently have been trying to use a more restrained or simplified palette and to use more actual paint/ink to create the surfaces rather than 'faking' it using scanned in textures.

New Monsters' Monster

A couple of wrigglin' wyverns for the Monsters illustration collective website homepage.
(Update coming v. soon!)

Shoreditch Map

To celebrate the launch of the Shoreditch Map online, the Shoreditch Trust had a launch party this week at the Spitz Gallery in Old Spital-fields Market, E1 and exhibited a selection of the artwork from previous maps. It was a great night, and a chance to catch up with fellow illustrators Tim Ellis and Rod Hunt who also had work in the show.
I had my version of the map from April 2005 on display - here it is, and a couple of close-ups.

http://shoreditchmap.co.uk

Guardian Work 21 July 07

A piece for tomorrow's Guardian, about a pig of a boss making inappropriate overtures towards a female colleague, by asking her to choose his shirts for him under the ruse of accompanying him to a client meeting.

Guardian Education 17 July 07

Here's a piece I had in this week's Guardian Education section, by ever brilliant Teacher of the Year, Philip Beadle.

The broom refers to the author's suggested repost for over-stretched teachers asked to take on ever more work duties - "Would you like me to stick ( said cleaning implement) up my @r$e and sweep the floor while I'm at it?!". Colourful imagery ( to which I could only allude, for obvious reasons)!