Recent illustration work

Just thought I'd post a couple of recent illustrations I've produced. I may at some point think about printing them up as screenprints if I think there'd be any interest in them - as they're both designed with a limited colour palette/overlays - but for now they'll just be added to my portfolio on the hireanillustrator website. 

Promotional postcard printing

Recently signed up with the Hireanillustrator.com website, so I'm getting some tasty promotional postcards printed to be distributed with their regular mailshots...

Illustrators designing rugs - Kumbeshwar Technical School

About a month ago as I was packing for a trip to Nepal to trek the Manaslu Circuit a friend sent me a link to the great social business that is Node. Set up by illustrator Chris Haughton and Ashkay Sthapit, Node "aims to connect a worldwide network of designers and artists with traditional Nepalese carpet makers to create beautiful handmade rugs". 

The rugs are hand produced at Kumbeshwar Technical School in Patan, one of Kathmandu's neighbouring cities, and as I had a few days in Kathmandu at the end of my trek, I contacted Chris to ask if I could visit the school and see the production process. He put me in touch with Satyendra Khadgi who kindly gave me a guided tour  of the school and explained how it - and the school and orphanage it helps to fund - operates. The rugs are hand knotted - using pure tibetan wool and natural, non-polluting dyes - by disadvantaged Nepali women who are trained in the different processes involved, before being washed and finished. (the rugs that is, not the women). The results are quite beautiful.

Node has recently worked with a group of illustrators to produce a series of rugs which are now on sale in the Design Museum. You can see - and buy from - the selection here in their online shop.
Node also offer the opportunity to design and have custom rugs made, something I'll definitely be working on over the next couple of months.

Logo and business card design

Rough designs for a logo and business card that I was commissioned to produce for a soon-to-launch online business selling vintage items and curiosities.

Illustration & Design for The Preventers' "One Last Night" single

Back in December I was asked to design and illustrate the forthcoming single from The Preventers - "One Last Night b/w Irreplaceable Love", and the above was the design that the band chose. The launch date for the single has been announced as March 22nd. More about the band on their Facebook  and Soundcloud pages.

Hand lettering and hand drawn fonts

Been playing around with some hand lettering recently, drawing up my own fonts, something I've always enjoyed doing.

Custom poster for Net2television.com

I recently produced a pair of posters for Net2television.com in the US. One was a custom version of my Visit Alexandra Palace screenprint, (as you may know, Alexandra Palace was the site of the world's first regular public "high-definition" television service, operated by the BBC) and the second was this one above, showing the San Mateo History Museum in Redwood City, California where Net2tv's Portico Studios are based and from where they have recently launched a new, cloud-based television service.

Headphones - illustration from the sketchbook

Another recent uncommissioned illustration I thought I'd put up here for now rather than let it languish in sketchbook obscurity. Again, it may one day see the light of day as a screenprint.

Bad breath - illustration from the sketchbook

Quick sketch from the Beyond Thrilled sketchbook. Had plans to screenprint this one up a while back, but it's been gathering dust for a while now, so I thought I'd just blogpost it here instead.

Firewood Poem screenprint

New year, new print! This two colour screenprint illustrates the traditional Firewood poem, written by Mr. Anonymous, and comes in two gorgeous colourways. Perfect for that little bit of wall next to the fireplace! If you'd like to buy one, it will be in my online shops very shortly.

Firewood

Beechwood fires are bright and clear, if the logs are kept a year

Chestnut's only good they say if for long it's laid away

Make a fire of Elder tree, Death within your house shall be

But Ash new or Ash old, is fit for Queen with crown of gold

Birch and Fir logs burn too fast, blaze bright up and do not last

It is by the Irish said Hawthorn bakes the sweetest bread

Elmwood burns like churchyard mould, e'en the very flames are cold

But Ash green or Ash brown is fit for Queen with golden crown

Poplar gives a bitter smoke, fills your eyes and makes you choke

Applewood will scent your room, Pearwood smells like flowers in bloom

Oaken logs if dry and cold, keep away the winter's cold

But Ash wet or Ash dry a King shall warm his slippers by.

Anonymous.

Beyond Thrilled Christmas Card 2012

This year's xmas card is done. Had planned to screenprint it again as I did last year (hence the limited colour palette), but time's overtaking me and I also have a couple of other jobs on, so it's been digitally done. Now to start address-hunting, writing them all out and licking envelopes...

Illustration & Design for Madison's debut EP

Artwork and design for Madison's forthcoming 5-track EP

I was asked to design the packaging for Scottish band Madison's forthcoming debut EP. Russell from the band forwarded me a sketch of their basic idea which they wanted to illustrate "classic teenage overthinking", and the artwork above is the end result. Pretty pleased with it, as was the band. The EP is due for release next year but you can listen to the tracks here on Soundcloud and there's more info about them on their Facebook page.