There have been quite a few lovely, whimsical and serene images of hot air balloons being floating gently being created by a variety of artists. Though an innate fear of heights, or rather, plummeting to earth from a great height will probably stop me ever actually going up in one, they have always mystified me, and i have always thought they are a wonderful form of transport for exploration.

There have been quite a few lovely, whimsical and serene images of hot air balloons being floating gently being created by a variety of artists. Though an innate fear of heights, or rather, plummeting to earth from a great height will probably stop me ever actually going up in one, they have always mystified me, and i have always thought they are a wonderful form of transport for exploration.

I was asked by my mother to do a picture of her to use on   an invitation to a 'small raising of a glass' she was having to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of not dying from a subarachnoid haemorrhage. So i did this, which i think is a pretty good likeness... those who know her might agree. It has to be in black and white for printing purposes, and done in photoshop due to technical 

I was asked by my mother to do a picture of her to use on   an invitation to a 'small raising of a glass' she was having to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of not dying from a subarachnoid haemorrhage. So i did this, which i think is a pretty good likeness... those who know her might agree. It has to be in black and white for printing purposes, and done in photoshop due to technical 

 Thought i'd scan in a few images from a recent life drawing session i did and put them up here. I'm fairly confident and happy with my understanding of anatomy, and normally can draw from imagination well enough to satisfy my inner critic. It's been a very long time since I've done life drawing, possibly close to 20 years, and i was faced with the realization that this was actually kinda tricky

 Thought i'd scan in a few images from a recent life drawing session i did and put them up here. I'm fairly confident and happy with my understanding of anatomy, and normally can draw from imagination well enough to satisfy my inner critic. It's been a very long time since I've done life drawing, possibly close to 20 years, and i was faced with the realization that this was actually kinda tricky

Another pencil in sketchbook piece. Not sure what the thing is on his head is - possibly a leech, or a hat with teeth. Terrible scan though. Will have to try it again... Submitted for Illustration Friday topic: Perennial.

Another pencil in sketchbook piece. Not sure what the thing is on his head is - possibly a leech, or a hat with teeth. Terrible scan though. Will have to try it again... Submitted for Illustration Friday topic: Perennial.

The feel of lead dragging across good paper. Love it. Another sketch that began with no real direction while sitting around.  The location of the ears was helped along by my 3yo who found the pencil and sketch pad while i was out one evening, and drew one of them in. I had been thinking about placing them low, but i guess he helped finalise the decision.... Submitted for Illustration Friday 

The feel of lead dragging across good paper. Love it. Another sketch that began with no real direction while sitting around.  The location of the ears was helped along by my 3yo who found the pencil and sketch pad while i was out one evening, and drew one of them in. I had been thinking about placing them low, but i guess he helped finalise the decision.... Submitted for Illustration Friday 

I was recently given an old iPhone by a friend - my first go at one. They're spanky, and it's nice to have the internet in your pocket when trying to avoid quality time with the family. One thing i was interested in was the drawing apps, as being able to sketch on a device i have with me most of the time seemed quite handy.  I was fairly doubtful of how they would work and the quality, but as

I was recently given an old iPhone by a friend - my first go at one. They're spanky, and it's nice to have the internet in your pocket when trying to avoid quality time with the family. One thing i was interested in was the drawing apps, as being able to sketch on a device i have with me most of the time seemed quite handy.  I was fairly doubtful of how they would work and the quality, but as

It is what it is. Two giant cocks battling it out to the death, in a desert dust bowl. Two cocks enter. One cock leaves. This is the way it has to be.... The title, based on that weird bird blood sport, was the obvious inspiration for this painting, but as i was sketching it out in the sketch book, i decided that i wanted to work on painting monumental scale, in a kinda fantasy art wankery way.

It is what it is. Two giant cocks battling it out to the death, in a desert dust bowl. Two cocks enter. One cock leaves. This is the way it has to be.... The title, based on that weird bird blood sport, was the obvious inspiration for this painting, but as i was sketching it out in the sketch book, i decided that i wanted to work on painting monumental scale, in a kinda fantasy art wankery way.

Spent a few of hours putting this together in Painter and photoshop, after being given a very short deadline. There wass some concern that O'Connell's two fingers up behind O'Driscoll's head might be seen by some as taking the piss out of him. I would congratulate those people on their ability to read into the bleeding obvious... and to point out that if O'Driscoll was any shorter, O'Connell

Spent a few of hours putting this together in Painter and photoshop, after being given a very short deadline. There wass some concern that O'Connell's two fingers up behind O'Driscoll's head might be seen by some as taking the piss out of him. I would congratulate those people on their ability to read into the bleeding obvious... and to point out that if O'Driscoll was any shorter, O'Connell

Now that the invitation has been sent out, i can upload the latest commission: a wedding invitation for my brother in-law and his fiance. They asked for a superman theme, and this is the finished result. I was trying to capture a bi of the Eamon's goofy fun nature, and Lois' kinda loving amusement by it.    My initial sketch i had Lois holding Eamon, as it let me have a bit more fun making him

Now that the invitation has been sent out, i can upload the latest commission: a wedding invitation for my brother in-law and his fiance. They asked for a superman theme, and this is the finished result. I was trying to capture a bi of the Eamon's goofy fun nature, and Lois' kinda loving amusement by it.    My initial sketch i had Lois holding Eamon, as it let me have a bit more fun making him

Taken as far as i can in the small sketchbook i have, the next step is possibly trying to colour it up some how.Kinda like it like this though.... Submitted for Illustration Friday topic: Toy.

Taken as far as i can in the small sketchbook i have, the next step is possibly trying to colour it up some how.Kinda like it like this though.... Submitted for Illustration Friday topic: Toy.

Got a bit more time at it last night while watching telly.

Got a bit more time at it last night while watching telly.

Good Lord! Is it late March already? I haven't put up anything since before Christmas.... after a very dark and long winter, filled with flu after flu being passed on between the 2 kids, the missus and myself (we all nearly drowned on the amount of snot pooling in the house), it would appear all is clear, the sun is back, and the finger has been pulled out. So to ensure people that I haven't

Good Lord! Is it late March already? I haven't put up anything since before Christmas.... after a very dark and long winter, filled with flu after flu being passed on between the 2 kids, the missus and myself (we all nearly drowned on the amount of snot pooling in the house), it would appear all is clear, the sun is back, and the finger has been pulled out. So to ensure people that I haven't

Was running a bit late getting a card ready to send out this year. After last years card (here), the pressure was on, but i just couldn't get there... properly anyway. This started as a sketch when i had christmas carols stuck in my head, and couldn't get them out. This is a take on Deck the Halls. It could have easily have been When Shepards Wash Their Cocks By Night, but after the commission