Some Toast: 2011

Shades of Autumn

Although oft cited as tedious, I've felt a real camarderie grow with country life after watching autumn's final florish before the onset of winter nights.

My friend and I recently had a discussion about whether it was neccessary to post everything in envelopes and parcels. If it has a legible address and correct stamp it's postworthy, right? Would the great Royal Mail refuse to deliver the goods?

Came home the other day to find a banana amongst the usual bills and missed appointment letters.

Here is the stamp...

He has a smiley face too!

Thank you royal mail!

James and the Giant Peach

Jack in Water are a captivating five piece band who write some really rather good songs.. they also started an innovative 'story project' which draws together artists and musicians in the shared interpretation of a children's story. This is my version of 'James and the Giant Peach', and over the next few days other interpretations, and the band's new song, will be posted. Eyes (and ears) peeled!. I think it's a great project, as music is as just an important and beautiful part of my life as art is. I'm listening to Tinie Tempah as I write this, but must of the time, it's true.

D.P.I

I'm really obsessed with how pencil looks like pencil even when it's been scanned. I like my images to look as close to real life as I can get once they are on screen. As part of this obsession I need to see how pencil looks when it's scanned at different dpis. I like the narrative this seemingly unexceptional activity creates (like when processing film in the dark room and you test developing times in the bath).

Bug in a Rug

This is quite a vintage post but I thought I'd share. Whilst sorting out all my old papery bits and pieces (which seem to accumulate at a mammoth rate) I found this little gem. It's part of a game that I've always known as 'Bug in a Rug', where everyone has a piece of paper and they write down a word or phrase. This is then passed on to the next person who draws a visual representation of said word or phrase. They then fold over the paper so that the original writing is hidden, pass it on, and the next person must guess what the picture is of and write down the words...the picture is then folded over and passed on and.. and so on, until paper/patience runs out. It's a really funny game and perfect for Christmas!

Considering that this was played with a group of graduate illustrators, you'd think we'd have been bang on. Alas not, as we struggle to differentiate between Ewoks and M&Ms!

I want to find the rest of the outcomes now!

"A Wolf In Sheep's Clothing"

I tried to draw a scary looking werewolf for my Hallowe'en collection, however it seems to have degenerated from flesh-eating, moon-howling, forest-terrorising beast into a slightly bemused and dull-as-dishwater domesticated wolf in a naff Christmas jumper. Such is life.

Happy Hallowe'en

A CENTIPEDE SMOKING A CIGAR

The Big Draw

I recently took part in a wonderful event organised by The Big Draw- "THE BIG DRAW'S BIG SPLASH" The event was a fantastic celebration of illustration and all things creative and colourful. To get the arty party started Quentin Blake arrived on a tugboat, and then drew us all a picture!

During the course of the day a number of activities- such as pirate themed life drawing and tin foil boat making- took place, all aimed at encouraging old hands and new hands to pick up the pencil (or pen, or paintbrush- whatever your persuasion).

As well as managing to see some really inspiring talks from illustrators such as John Berger and Karrie Fransman, I spent a charming and somewhat unexpected afternoon on an artificial island in the docklands of the London Canal Musuem encouraging children to draw ducks and sea monsters!

Here is a group picture of myself and some of the other dedicated volunteers in our snazzy matching tee shirts: