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.

Suzanne Barrett

(Click on image to enlarge)

My friend and fellow Monster, supremely talented illustrator and artist Suzanne Barrett, has just started a blog ( see Links). Not much there as yet ( give the girl a chance!) but set to grow and grow - watch this space ( well, THAT space - http://suzannebarrett.blogspot.com )!
Extraordinary, fascinating, beautiful - just a few of the words that spring to mind about Suze's work.

Nervous Stephen

Thursday last N and I attended the fantastic private view of staggeringly talented artist/ graphiste/ illustrator/ Dj (and my good friend to boot) "Nervous Stephen" Fowler at Tatty Devine on Brick Lane, e2. It was a brilliant night, with many familiar and delightful faces in attendance and the sublime Cherry Mash Cherry ( hi Tai) and those stalwarts of Victorian Punk Revivalism, The Rubbishmen ( of Soho), followed by a few scoops of the dark stuff down the George & Dragon 'round the corner.

The show's on for another month or so, so get yourselves down Shoreditch way and check it out.
Consult www.tattydevine.com for location and opening times ( and to perhaps purchase some natty bijouterie?!)

Here's a sample of Stephen's work ( tho' not what's in the show)

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

Brigadoon!

Picked up this little beauty last weekend at a Car Boot just around the corner in E17 - Broadway sings the Highlands in its finest, thickest brogue and great graphics that say it all.
Lang Mae Ya Lum Reek!

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!)

French Letter

An epistle to my mates in Burgundy

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)!

More coffee stain folk

And here are a few of their neighbours ( see previous post)!

Coffee Stains Folk

I am fond of my coffee it has to be said.
Macchiato.
Double.
To have here
( ALWAYS to have here - coffee & tea should only ever be drunk out of china in my book).

Please say a big hello to the Coffee Stain Folk!

Vive La Revolution

A Bastille Day greeting
.... and a celebration of the finest form of vehicular transport known to Mankind!

(revolution, wheels, geddit?
(groan))

Top of the Morning!

Well, here it is at last, mon blog!
A chance to get those doodles out of my sketchbooks
and into the big wide world.
Or, put another way,
a safety valve for my pressure cooker of a brain.
The Chinese say that the longest journey often starts with falling over on one's arse,
so here goes...