It is the 12 xii 2011

or the 12^th Dec 2011 or even 12.12.2011, which is not quite the same as 12.12.2012 but still worth noting, I think.

There seems to me to be something special about dates like this. When everything matches, or almost matches, it seems worthwhile to note and enjoy these little things.

Any way, the illustration below is a new version of an editorial illustration brief that I worked on at Uni. The article is from the Guardian Weekend newspaper on the 4^th September 2010. The bird in the image was inspired by Picasso's Dove of Peace. On its chest is my reworking of the Yin Yang symbol to include the signs for positive and negative. And the red box that the dove is flying from could signify that thing to which we should always strive not to think inside.

Wow! This is dusty!

It is so dusty. I have not done much here for a while. I suppose I do not have much to say. So I shall have to think of something.

Well, I had hidden the date and time of my blog posts in my design and I could not work out how I had done it, quite frustrating, but now I have found it again. Effectively, it was all thanks to one comma out of place in the style sheet! How frustrating! Though it should teach me to be ever more vigilant with my code.

I suppose you may find here, on my blog, the artwork that I make and see fit to share. I may add some thoughts on the news or upon something I have seen or read, or just some random thing.

My degree show

Wow! I have not posted anything for a while, everything seems so dusty! So, here are some photos of my degree show work.

Illustration: Cleggy and Cameron editorial cartoon

These two illustrations were inspired by the idea of the Europa myth and Carl Milles bronze in Tate Britain. In February, I visited Tate Britain and did a drawing of a bronze by Carl Milles (1875-1955) entitled 'Europa and the Bull' 1923-4.

After I did this drawing, it occurred to me that my drawing could be used as a metaphor for the coalition government of May 2010 (after the election). Thus, I thought that my drawing could become an editorial cartoon, a form of illustration or applied art that is of interest to me.

'Into the ocean Cameron plunged and off he swam with Cleggy on his back'. From a drawing of Carl Milles' 1923-4 bronze 'Europa and the Bull'. Part of the negotiated unit of the illustration course.

I am quite pleased with the above end. I like the economy of line that I have used and the colours.

'Cleggy is disappointed after the AV referendum'. From my imagination and things I have been drawing. Part of the negotiated unit of the illustration course.

This last one was done a few months later, around May of this year, after the AV referendum. It just came to me quickly and the drawing here is the result. Here Cleggy, in the guise of Europa, appears  disillusioned with the coalition. Both Europa and the Bull (Cameron) are looking away from each other. The bull could be, like all cattle, lying contented just watching the world.

Illustration: Crocky-Wok

Illustration for the poem Crocky-Wok the crocodile by Roald Dahl

This is a piece of University coursework that I did for my illustration course. The brief was to illustrate the Roald Dahl poem 'The Crocodile'.

New Blog Design

This is my latest design for my blog as of on 9th May 2011.

It is still a bit rough but it is getting there!

Where to begin?

I am currently an illustration student. I am quite interested in comics, editorial cartoons and book illustration, to name but three. Some perennial influences are: Shirley Hughes, Hayao Miyazaki (and Studio Ghibli films), Albert Uderzo's Asterix, Alan Lee and recently Charley Harper.