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Friday 20 December 2019

Krampus says...


Krampus is a mythological creature or demon, particular to parts of eastern and northern Europe, especially Austria and Hungary. It is believed that Krampus accompanies Saint Nicholas during the Christmas season, warning and punishing bad children (in contrast to St. Nick, who gives gifts to good children). Due to German and Austrian influence, the myth of Krampus is also prevalent in Croatia, (Czecho)Slovakia, Slovenia and northern Italy.

The word Krampus originates from the Old High German word for claw (Krampen). Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December, particularly on the evening of 5 December (St Nicholas' Eve, known in German as 'Krampusnacht'), and roam the streets frightening children and women with rusty chains and bells. In some rural areas the tradition also includes birching - corporal punishment with a birch rod – by Krampus, especially of young girls.
Images of Krampus usually show him with a basket on his back used to carry away bad children and dump them into the pits of Hell. 

Merry Christmas everyone!


Tuesday 17 December 2019

Yule Cat says "BÖO!"

Jólakötturin, the Icelandic Yule Cat is 'a vicious cat who lurks about the snowy countryside during Christmas time and eats people who have not received any new clothes to wear before Christmas Eve.'(!)

Praying you ALL get new socks this year!

Thursday 31 October 2019

The Knückle Crüshers

Celebrating Halloween & the 'unnëcessary hëavy mëtal ümlaut'!


(from an idea by Rachel Delahay Lefever)

Diana Ditch (Boris Johnson's drag name)

(from an original tweet by Mark Gatiss)

Wednesday 16 October 2019

Matt Millz On Tour by Harry Hill - published today!


Matt Millz on Tour! the 3rd in the hilarious series by Harry Hill & illustrated by me is out today  (Thursday October 17th) published by Faber & Faber This time Matt is taking his act to the Edinburgh Festival! You can order it here!


Matt’s dream of becoming a stand-up comic is fading. Six months on from his success at the Apollo, the gigs have dried up, and it’s back to the daily drudge of schoolwork for Matt and his pals. But then his twelve-year-old manager Kitty has a brainwave: if they can persuade their teachers to take a school play up to the Edinburgh Festival, they could hold a comedy night too.
But Matt’s got a rival new school-mate Jamie who is pushing to be in the comedy line-up. And Jamie is good. But is he too good to be true?





Friday 2 August 2019

Tigers on Vaseline!

Moving on from my previous post for International Tiger Day here's another tiger on vaseline thanks to inspiration from the great Dame David Bowie!

Hang on to yourself!

You want more book covers for non existent (as yet) books? Go here!

Monday 29 July 2019

International Tiger Day - hang on to yourself...

...here's a tiger on vaseline*




(*psst all you non Bowie-files, it's a line from Hang On To Yourself from the Aladdin Sane album)

Wednesday 24 July 2019

Spinning Cat

Whichever way the cat's bum points...

Thursday 11 July 2019

A Bestiary of (dimly remembered) Literary Terms

I was following a thread by @katemond on Twitter about 7 year olds being forced to learn about 'fronted adverbials' at school & after looking the term up realised the reality was a hell of a lot duller than my original idea of what a Fronted Adverbial looked like.

I proceeded to draw some more dimly remembered terms from studying English literature back in the mists of time.

Tuesday 9 July 2019

Badum-Tsh!

Does anybody know any good jokes? I have JUST the animation for you!

Thursday 30 May 2019

Wednesday 15 May 2019

The Unlucky Eleven - publication day!

The Unlucky Eleven which is published today is my second collaboration with author Phil Earle for Barrington Stoke as part of their Little Gems series.
I really enjoyed illustrating this funny action packed story about a rather shambolic & comical football team with a supposedly cursed football kit! It's a very nicely produced & designed book & you can either by it online or even better head down to your nearest independent bookshop & ask for it.
"The action flows, both on the pitch and in the dressing room, and the story feels as real and authentic as a pair of muddy football boots. Steve May’s illustrations are bang on...A winner!"



Wednesday 8 May 2019

The Haunted Tie (& other stories)

Excerpt from a series of horror stories I will never probably get around to writing...

Tuesday 7 May 2019

Mëtal Kittën (slight return)

More röck animals! (incorporating the ubiquitous 'Mëtal Ümlaut'™)

Collect the set!

Bookmark Project 2019

I was happy to take part in this year's Bookmark Project & draw an avidly reading tiger. The Project helps to raise money for the children who attend the Katiyo Primary School in Zimbabwe you can read more here

Wednesday 1 May 2019

Sir Henry Rawlinson...

A fine quote from an eminently quotable movie 'Sir Henry At Rawlinsons End' written by the late great ginger geezer himself Viv Stanshall.

Thursday 25 April 2019

Don't Shout At The Lions Lionel!

Never raise your voice at big cats. This is unnecessary & invariably rather dangerous. Another in the series of 'books I haven't quite written yet'

Monday 25 March 2019

Thursday 21 March 2019

Spring Equinox!

Yesterday was the first day of spring so I figured I'd dust the old codpiece out...

Monday 18 March 2019

Cärrot Dëth

More animal adventures in the world of the 'extraneous mëtal umlaut'™

Thursday 14 March 2019

Mëtal Chicken!



More forays into the world of the 'extraneous mëtal umlaut'™ genre.

If you enjoyed this post, why not try Mëtal Kitten & complete the set?

Tuesday 12 March 2019

Mëtal Kitten!

More adventures for the 'extraneous heavy metal umlaut'™

Thursday 7 March 2019

World Book Day 2019

Happy World Book Day 2019 !
(but spare a thought for some of the less popular days too World Cook DayWorld Rook Day, World Crook Day

Spread the love & happy reading!

Monday 4 March 2019

RIP Keith Flint

Incredibly sad news about the passing of Keith Flint from the Prodigy today so I drew a little Keith inspired doodle

Monster Facts #016

Monster negotiation is always best attempted AFTER lunchtime!

(preferably with SWAT team back up)

See also Monster Facts #03

Thursday 28 February 2019

Newham Word Festival with Guy Bass

I had a great time with author Guy Bass at the Manor Park library with the the kids from Monega Primary School  for the Newham Word Festival today. We covered everything from childhood vices, potato shaped children, dinosaurs, superheroes & not to forget our recent collaborations 'Noah Scape - Can't Stop Repeating Himself'  & 'Laura Norder - Sheriff of Butts Canyon'.

Guy's exuberance & expert storytelling went down really well with the kids & the morning gave me plenty of scope for plenty of live drawing to prove I was definitely 'quick on the draw' (see what I did there?!?!)

Thanks to the staff at Manor Park library for making us so welcome!

 Look at all our lovely books!
A meat pie, Tarzan & angry giraffe...
 Noah Scape
 Various superheroes (& Hulk's tiny trousers)
 Ten Gun Ben (& startled horse)
 Ten Gun Ben says "NO RULES!"
 A wild west 'good morning' pussycat (& rogue TARDIS)
 Potato shaped child & Guy's mum laying down the law 
(NB I have never met Guy's mum so this is purely invented)
 Noah Scape's favourite things!
 Laura Norder & Duncan Disorderly drawn from life in double quick time
(see below)