Hi All, I've been a bit lazy of late with the blogging so hopefully will make up for it in the next few weeks :)

I was recently contacted by the very nice people at Balitmore Magazine to create their very first fully illustrated cover and a batch of illustrations for the main feature.  While I've done quite a few book covers in the last couple of years, I don't often get asked to do magazine covers so this was a cool job to do.

Some of the illustrations I created for the 101 Things feature...

All in all, one of those fun jobs, working with a great art department  and with no major problems. :)

A quick post about a fun job I did a wee while ago for Sonic Drive-ins.

If you're in the mid-west and of a certain demographic, you might find this insert in your magazine.

These are good jobs for me, bit of hand lettering and a bit of illustration.

A quick post about a fun job I did a wee while ago for Sonic Drive-ins.

If you're in the mid-west and of a certain demographic, you might find this insert in your magazine.

These are good jobs for me, bit of hand lettering and a bit of illustration.

I've been a bit quiet of late as I've been celebrating my 33rd birthday with illustrator pal Kumiko in Japan. Needless to say I had an amazing time visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Hakone. I've uploaded a stupidly large amount of photos to my flickr account, but heres some highlights... Sensoji temple, Tokyo where I received a "No.1 Best Fortune" Braving a visit to a "Maid cafe" in the back streets of Akibanana Visiting Sanrio Puroland... and dressing up like idiots: Visiting Nara and Todaiji Temple... Agreeing (completely out of character!) to a Maiko makeover in Kyoto Seeing Mount Fuji on beautifully clear winters day And staying the night at a traditional Ryokan in Hakone... I have to thank K (and her family) for being such excellent company and for being such a good sport! Can't wait to go back.

I've been a bit quiet of late as I've been celebrating my 33rd birthday with illustrator pal Kumiko in Japan.

Needless to say I had an amazing time visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Hakone. I've uploaded a stupidly large amount of photos to my flickr account, but heres some highlights...

Sensoji temple, Tokyo where I received a "No.1 Best Fortune"

Braving a visit to a "Maid cafe" in the back streets of Akibanana

Visiting Sanrio Puroland...

and dressing up like idiots:

Visiting Nara and Todaiji Temple...

Agreeing (completely out of character!) to a Maiko makeover in Kyoto

Seeing Mount Fuji on beautifully clear winters day

And staying the night at a traditional Ryokan in Hakone...

I have to thank K (and her family) for being such excellent company and for being such a good sport! Can't wait to go back.

I've been a bit quiet of late as I've been celebrating my 33rd birthday with illustrator pal Kumiko in Japan.

Needless to say I had an amazing time visiting Tokyo, Kyoto, Nara and Hakone. I've uploaded a stupidly large amount of photos to my flickr account, but heres some highlights...

Sensoji temple, Tokyo where I received a "No.1 Best Fortune"

Braving a visit to a "Maid cafe" in the back streets of Akibanana

Visiting Sanrio Puroland...

and dressing up like idiots:

Visiting Nara and Todaiji Temple...

Agreeing (completely out of character!) to a Maiko makeover in Kyoto

Seeing Mount Fuji on beautifully clear winters day

And staying the night at a traditional Ryokan in Hakone...

I have to thank K (and her family) for being such excellent company and for being such a good sport! Can't wait to go back.

Just a quick message to wish you all a very merry christmas!

I've been a bit rubbish this year, missed all the international postage dates, and only just made the domestic ones...

I managed to knock up some festive-y gocco christmas cards last minute though

I'm up in Scotland for a few days with the family.  sadly no snowy photos this year- just drizzly rain up here.

Wishing you all a lovely time and all the best for 2009!

Just a quick message to wish you all a very merry christmas!

I've been a bit rubbish this year, missed all the international postage dates, and only just made the domestic ones...

I managed to knock up some festive-y gocco christmas cards last minute though

I'm up in Scotland for a few days with the family.  sadly no snowy photos this year- just drizzly rain up here.

Wishing you all a lovely time and all the best for 2009!

One of the great things about being freelance is that you never know what the next job will be...

During the summer I did a bit of fun lettering as part of the current Christmas print campaign for Gillette for AMV BBDO

Although not the toughest lettering jobs I've ever done, I just want to say that drawing convincingly like a child was actually a bit harder than I thought.

After doing a bit of research, I was really surprised by the huge range of writing styles a class of 6 year olds deliver -- from quite neat and easily understandable to something that might pass as borderline psychopath.

For this job I submitted quite a few styles per person and also did versions in other languages for the European market.

I also supplied some "illustrations" to go in the background. I worry about how much pleasure I got out of these actually.

One of the great things about being freelance is that you never know what the next job will be...

During the summer I did a bit of fun lettering as part of the current Christmas print campaign for Gillette for AMV BBDO

Although not the toughest lettering jobs I've ever done, I just want to say that drawing convincingly like a child was actually a bit harder than I thought.

After doing a bit of research, I was really surprised by the huge range of writing styles a class of 6 year olds deliver -- from quite neat and easily understandable to something that might pass as borderline psychopath.

For this job I submitted quite a few styles per person and also did versions in other languages for the European market.

I also supplied some "illustrations" to go in the background. I worry about how much pleasure I got out of these actually.

I'll be taking part in the One Ton Show being organised by the East End Arts Club this weekend.

100 Artists have been invited to create a piece of art inspired by or featuring lyrics from songs about London.  Theres quite a broad mix of styles and expect lots of cool Clash related work!

Here's my contribution from The London Bridge Song by Joni Mitchell

Unfortunately I won't be around much for the show as my illustrator pal Kumiko and I will be popping over to France to take part in a 24 hour recycled art marathon.  We must be mental.

http://www.labraderiedelart.com/

I'll be taking part in the One Ton Show being organised by the East End Arts Club this weekend.

100 Artists have been invited to create a piece of art inspired by or featuring lyrics from songs about London.  Theres quite a broad mix of styles and expect lots of cool Clash related work!

Here's my contribution from The London Bridge Song by Joni Mitchell

Unfortunately I won't be around much for the show as my illustrator pal Kumiko and I will be popping over to France to take part in a 24 hour recycled art marathon.  We must be mental.

http://www.labraderiedelart.com/

This year I've been lucky enough to work in a lot of new areas, but consequently haven't done so much editorial work as in previous years.

I have been able to fit in couple of really enjoyable full page illustrations which are in print at the moment.

The first one, above was for Canadian Business magazine.  I know quite few of my drawger pals here have worked for the AD there... and without trying to sound like a big suck-up, I have to agree that Tim Davin is a cool guy and great to work with.

I don't often bother to blog my roughs (mostly through shame) but here the rough for this one.  Because I like to work in colour when I'm doing lettering sketches I'll either use marker pens or do the rough from scratch on the computer, or a combination of the two as above.

Eagle eyed viewers will notice that the 'Where' became 'How'... The only other realy note was to make the middle heading pop more

Last year I was commissioned to do the illustration and lettering for the annual Christmas gift guide for MacFormat magazine and was happy to say yes when I was approached again this year

Anyways, it was decided that the santa option was the most christmas-and-gift-orientated which is probably true!

And a wee bit of lettering to finish it all off!

This year I've been lucky enough to work in a lot of new areas, but consequently haven't done so much editorial work as in previous years.

I have been able to fit in couple of really enjoyable full page illustrations which are in print at the moment.

The first one, above was for Canadian Business magazine.  I know quite few of my drawger pals here have worked for the AD there... and without trying to sound like a big suck-up, I have to agree that Tim Davin is a cool guy and great to work with.

I don't often bother to blog my roughs (mostly through shame) but here the rough for this one.  Because I like to work in colour when I'm doing lettering sketches I'll either use marker pens or do the rough from scratch on the computer, or a combination of the two as above.

Eagle eyed viewers will notice that the 'Where' became 'How'... The only other realy note was to make the middle heading pop more

Last year I was commissioned to do the illustration and lettering for the annual Christmas gift guide for MacFormat magazine and was happy to say yes when I was approached again this year

Anyways, it was decided that the santa option was the most christmas-and-gift-orientated which is probably true!

And a wee bit of lettering to finish it all off!

My NY drawger friends probably know about my fondness for Coney Island...

And to coincide with the Hot Rods and Hairy Beasts show this new limited edition print is released today by www.20x200.com 11"x8.5" Edition of 200 each $20. 22"x17" Edition of 20 each $200. 40"x30" Edition of 2 each $2000.

The Hot Rods and Hairy Beasts Show runs all this week, and it's looking pretty good even If I do say so myself:)