Illustration Friday w/e 10/2/2012 - Suspense

Another quick Illustration Friday effort, this time on the given theme of "Suspense". I think the subject matter's a little too obvious, so I've tried to give it quite a dynamic composition (think German expressionist films, ha!) using shadow cast by the TV's light, but with a limited 3 colour cartoon palette. As always, any comments, constructive criticism and/or feedback is welcome, thanks.

Illustration Friday w/e 3/2/2012 - Forward

Been busy screenprinting so I haven't managed to produce an illustration for IF for the past couple of weeks, but here's this week's illustration of the word/theme "Forward" - Don Quixote galloping forward across the plains of La Mancha astride a slightly tubby Rocinante. (Sancho Panza's running along behind just outside the frame...)

Screenprint - Visit Alexandra Palace by motor-bus service no W3

Screen print - Visit Alexandra Palace by motor-bus service no. W3. No Underground. Get over it.

Another new screenprint in my ongoing series of screen prints in the style of London Transport's glorious posters of years past, featuring a few of London's off-underground and oft-overlooked neighbourhoods.

An open edition, hand printed on white Fabriano 5 "Liscia" paper. Paper size 300x400mm, image size approx. 250x360mm

CLICK HERE TO BUY FROM THE BEYOND THRILLED ONLINE SHOP

Screenprint - Visit Crystal Palace

Screen print - Visit Crystal Palace by regular railway and motor-bus services. No Underground. Get over it.

Another new hand pulled screenprint in my ongoing series of screen prints in the style of London Transport's glorious posters of years past, featuring a few of London's off-underground and oft-overlooked neighbourhoods.

An open edition, hand printed on white Fabriano 5 "Liscia" paper. Paper size 300x400mm, image size approx. 250x360mm

CLICK HERE TO BUY FROM THE BEYOND THRILLED ONLINE SHOP

Illustration Friday w/e 13/1/2012 - Grounded

Okay, another submission for Illustration Friday, this week on the theme of "Grounded". Definitely something 1950's about this one with the blocks and slabs of pure colour. I'm also working on a couple of new screenprints so that's probably influenced the colour overlaps. Anyway, for once I've managed to create something that approaches the original image I had in mind. As always, any feedback and comments appreciated, thanks.

Illustration Friday w/e 6/1/2012 - Highlight

So, here's my first Illustration Friday of 2012. I'm planning to produce something pretty much every week this year in an attempt to build up a decent illustration portfolio - with a view to perhaps getting some freelance illustration work.

The given word/theme this week was "Highlight", a word which conjures up images of bad 80's hair or Stabilo highlighter pens, neither of which I really fancied illustrating. So I approached it by a slightly oblique route in the picture above - using the word highlight in the sense of pointing something out. Any feedback appreciated as ever, thanks!

 *** UPDATED ***
I wasn't totally happy with the colouring of the version above, so have been tinkering around and thought I'd also upload these two alternative versions which I think I prefer, as they have more muted colours and a slightly '50s feel. Let me know which you prefer, thanks!

Ronald Searle - 3 March 1920 – 30 December 2011

Ronald Searle died a few days ago on 30th December 2011. I saw the 2010 exhibition of his work at the Cartoon Museum - which marked his 90th birthday, and the exhibition catalogue is already well-thumbed on my studio bookshelf. The exhibition did justice to the vast range of his work, from very early drawings through the drawings he produced while a POW working on the infamous Thai-Burma railway, to his best known work as the creator of St Trinians and the Molesworth/Down with Skool books he produced with Geoffrey Willans. His drawings were genuinely inspiring - I particularly loved the pen-and-ink reportage work he produced in the 50s in his "People Worth Meeting" and "Looking at London" series, as well as the more obviously humorous drawings he produced during his visits to the US, and he was clearly a man who loved to draw. The exhibition was justly titled "Ronald Searle - Graphic Master" - I'm not sure anyone else has ever imbued such beautiful line drawings with so much humanity and humour - and his influence on many great illustrators is undeniable. RIP.

Illustration Friday w/e 30/12/2011 - Messenger

This week's submission for Illustration Friday on the theme of "Messenger". A bit rushed this week - this is the first draft, no time to redraw and tweak - but I'm reasonably happy with it. As ever I'd be happy to hear any thoughts or feedback.

Illustration Friday w/e 20/12/2011 - Sink

I've been too busy to manage a drawing for Illustration Friday the past 2 or 3 weeks, but today I've been able to find the time to produce an entry. This week's word/theme is "Sink", which I found a tricky one, particularly as I wanted to get away from the obvious imagery. Let me know what you think.

Shelf's pop-up xmas shop II

So I spent the weekend down at Shelf's Christmas Pop Up Shop where I was "guest shopkeeper" touting my wares. Despite a weird semi-powercut on Saturday afternoon which plunged much of the street into darkness, there was a steady stream of shoppers throughout Saturday and Sunday - along with various friends and acquaintances - and I sold a few prints and my work received many positive comments. Which was nice. A big thanks to all those who dropped by, either to shop or just to chat.

If you've not been down there yet, the shop will be open for just two more days - that's Thursday (22nd) and Friday (23rd) of this week. Loads of great Shelf goodies at a wide range of prices, along with lovely surface design from Hazel Stark and prints from Paul Bommer, Beyond Thrilled and various other printmakers.

McKnight Kauffer - The Poster King

Finally managed to make it to the Edward McKnight Kauffer exhibition at the Estorick Collection in Canonbury Square. I'd been looking forward to it for ages but only today found the time - on the exhibition's final day. (It's a great place, and I can't believe I didn't know of it previously. It also has a decent-looking café serving simple Italian dishes and salads, so I'll definitely be going back).

The exhibition has a wide range of his ground-breaking poster work - both gouache preparatory paintings and final posters - for clients such as London Underground and Shell in the period 1915-1940, and showed clearly how his style was strongly influenced by the art movements of the early 20th century: Fauvism, Constructivism, Vorticism and Art Deco. There's so much strong work that it's hard to argue with the exhibition's title.



It ends on rather a poignant note though, with a single poster illustrating his later career. McKnight Kauffer and his wife returned to his native US during the Second World War, but by all accounts they were absolute Anglophiles and he spent the rest of his life bitterly regretting having left England.

Shelf's pop-up Xmas shop

I'm very chuffed to have been invited to participate in Shelf's pop-up Xmas shop as a featured artist, particularly as I'm in the company of the great Paul Bommer, whose work I've long admired, and designer of lovely knitwear Jo Gordon.

The shop will be in the fantastic studio space of Bold Creative at 13A Boundary Street, London E2, and open between 11am and 7pm on the following dates:

Saturdays 3rd, 10th and 17th
Sundays 4th, 11th and 18th
plus Thursday 22nd and Friday 23rd

My work will be available to buy throughout, but I will be "guest artist" (and hence there in person) on 17th and 18th.

Come along, say hello, peruse, admire and buy from Shelf's Noted Gifts and Fineries!

(Further details - and probably some photos - to come...)