Advent of Unwanted Gifts #24 (slight return)

Superfluous smellies. (& you wanted a f***ing iPad™)

Why not collect the series of Unwanted Gifts?

But remember, just be nice to each other & give the rampant consumerism a miss huh?

Merry Christmas! x

Diary of Dennis the Menace in The Bookseller

Fame at last!* Article in The Bookseller about Diary of Dennis the Menace by Stephen Butler, & illustrated by me - out in February!

(* not strictly true, I won a tenner for a drawing of Judge Dredd in the 1982 Judge Dredd annual too & I've been on the telly!)

Halloween garage band!

Happy Halloween!

My monster from The Big Draw at the Discover Story Centre

Had a great time at the Big Draw event at the Discover Story Centre yesterday, organised by my agents Arena Illustration & thoroughly enjoyed watching other people draw for a change!
Jonny Duddle, Adam Stower & Thomas Flintham all did a fine job & was great to meet author Timothy Knapman who I'm going to be working with on a new book for Scholastic.
(I drew a monster too)

I didn't win a prize. Upstaged by 7 year olds! ; )

Confronting the imaginary fear beast

(he IS imaginary...isn't he?)

'deceived by his monkeys'

I was rather entranced by a quote on Radio 4's In Our Time this morning (or, 'The-Melvyn-Bragg-Clever-Programme' as I like to refer to it, because it always makes me feel at least 33% cleverer by proxy after listening!) referring to Galen*, the Roman physician and medical theorist as being 'deceived by his monkeys' 

*nope, no Roddy McDowell references you ignoramus!

Striped crittur

Striped crittur in slight wardrobe malfunction

Beware giant hogweed!

Walking by the River Tees in Yarm (which is a wonderful name for a town!) I saw a sign warning about the dangers of giant hogweed.

Apparently the reality is slightly less 'hoggy'

Laughing rat

Anyone else find the idea of rats laughing when they play on this morning's Life Scientific on Radio 4 rather enchanting?

Tap-headed villain

Looks like a rum type if you ask me...

(& smoking ain't cool kids)

Rude monster

"when the dog bites, when the bee stings, when I'm feeling sad" - this reposte usually works!

Big monkeys for The Economist

I've put my 'extremely knowledgeable about financial stuff' hat on & drawn some big monkeys for this weeks edition of The Economist - to read the proper article without any of my nonsense go here

Scary yeti!

Does what it says on the tin...

Vehicular mayhem!

I've had some stupid fun creating these hybrid modular vehicle prototypes for a game project with the lovely people at Mudlark enabling you to mix & match components / drivers etc.  & design your vehicle of choice.

Don't try this at home kids...

It has been scientifically proven* that Y-fronts are the undergarments of greatest comedy value. Q.E.D.

*look it up, do I have to do ALL the work?

The Diary of Dennis the Menace

Very excited to say that I've been let loose & allowed to get messy with one of my favourite comic characters! I've been extremely thrilled to be illustrating the covers & insides of this new series of Dennis the Menace books written by the very charming Steven Butler - here's the first cover.
Very pleased to announce that Dennis is at his menacing softy-baiting best!

You can pre-order a copy here or else go & buy it from a PROPER bookshop which is a far more edifying & enjoyable experience, you might meet somebody nice or find another book that you'd have never seen otherwise!

Long yetis & short yetis...

I've been colouring in yetis on holiday, who knows what yetis look like anyway?

Astronauts!

This is what space ACTUALLY looks like kids! (yes, & of course the moon's made of cheese dummy!)

Holidays!

NB no crustaceans were harmed in the making of this picture (that sandcastle got well f***ed up though!)

Repent!

Neighbourhood watch meets the Wicker Man (yep, I'm definitely going to hell...)

Questionable mutt

Drawn late at night for questionable reasons...

Sh*tting beastie!

A little defecation on a Friday!

National Orgasm Day

Hot on the heels of National Hot Dog Day the other week, yes, apparently it exists, go on treat yerself! x

(I did these for a pitch the other week. I liked them. The client didn't. Their loss.)

Mr Procrastination

Caught in the tentacles of procrastination (yes, & I even drew it yesterday, that was proper 5 star procrastination with a side order of 'f***ing about for England'!)

Biblical Beano

holy ghost!

Being British illustrations - Woman's Weekly

 Illustrations to accompany comedian Hugh Dennis' article for Woman's Weekly on Being British including inability to choose correct outfits for weather, obsessions with gardens, pets & not turning your back on the Queen.
(shamefacedly I hadn't realised Woman's Weekly still existed & was immediately reminded of the line 'beat me on the bottom with my Woman's Weekly' from a song by Victoria Wood!)

Economist June 2013

Illustration for The Economist international section on 'Shell companies' - untraceable companies which exist on paper only and are the vehicle of choice for money launderers, bribe givers and takers, tax evaders and financiers of terrorism.

'Mr Cameron has emphasised the importance of “breaking through the walls of corporate secrecy”.'


(& I love a bit of chiarascuro on a Friday too! : )

'taking a lion for a walk'

'drawing, is taking a lion for a walk' Paul Klee (or at least that's what I thought he said...)

Witch & familiar

...beware the cat who stands on two legs...

Thursday critturs

Ok,  haven't posted for ages - been very busy - must do better!

Fun license revoked!

Yep, the men from the Ministry of Fun never stop & woe betide you if you overuse your fun license...

Parp! Parp!

Parp! Parp!

The Economist - Data Starvation

Recent illustration  for The Economist Technology Quarterly about the technical challenges of effective communications under the sea.
i.e. it's difficult to update your Facebook status if you don't want the enemy finding out about your sandwich of choice etc.

Bear / monkey percussion fusion ensemble

If this picture was a noise it'd be WELL LOUD!

The Economist - Silent World

 Recent illustration I produced for The Economist Technology Quarterly about the technical challenges of effective communications under the sea.

(all 'scientist with biros in pocket'™ clichés are entirely deliberate)

Perplexed werewolf

We've ALL been there! sketc

Monkey bikini

Every simian should have one!

Square Trilby

Interesting square trilby-esque* hat spotted on Wardour Street - had to rub my eyes to check I wasn't in Shoreditch by accident!

(*yes pedants, I'm sure it can't be an actual trilby - ence the 'esque' ; )

Monkey triangle ensemble

Monkey triangle ensemble - every seaside town should have one!

I have a photo of myself as a sulky 2 year old posing with my dad & a rather wretched monkey in a cardigan from the early '70s - just saying, I don't really condone animals in clothes (unless it's REALLY funny!)

Girl with plaster

Girl with plaster - Bloomsbury Theatre Tuesday 26th March