Another children's book rough

More sketches

Children's book sketches

A few in-progress pics.
I hadn't really settled on the Dad's face by this point, hence the slight discrepancy between the following two images that I'll rectify.The last was a quicker one, but I was pleased with her contented expression so decided to stick with it. I will improve him though, because now that I've erased their hungry cat, it's safe for him to lower the ice cream.

Black dress

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Two versions of a cover for a Punk/Breakcore release.

Some more children

Flatiron

I'm doing a bit of work with a fine publishing company based in New York's Flatiron building. I love this building so am fascinated by their location! Anyway, I'm afraid I'm using this as an excuse to post another Paris page. Hmm, and I guess I'm using that as an excuse to say that I sell these pages, so, should anyone be interested, do drop me a line for details (or perhaps to poke fun at my timing). Art size sometimes varies slightly but is approx. 21x31cms or a little less. It's Indian ink on cartridge paper. The above page is sold, incidentally.

Jesus Scythes

Two covers for CDs given away with Metal Hammer magazine. One from a few years ago, the latter for their current issue.

Picasso...

...drawn for fun. The line quality seems unintentionally Jonathan Edwards-esque - without wishing to do disservice to his ever-stylish work, of course!

Ambrose Bierce

2003's Graphic Classics: Ambrose Bierce has been recently revamped and re-released. It's a fine book. I drew this page for it. Being asked to do so kinda rekindled my passion for drawing comics after a period of concentrating on illustration, and I'm very glad it did. Right after this I drew a comic for a Subhumans CD and a story for Graphic Classics: Mark Twain and then started work on Paris, written by the blogging-again Andi Watson. Check out his recent sketches and upcoming projects!

Children's book illustration

Sketchbook pages

A few of the sketches I drew whilst staying in Andalucía. Line alone can't do justice to the countryside because it's all about the colours - the terracotta soil, the silvery olive leaves and warm blue sky, but still. The same can be said for the nearby hilltop town of Frigiliana. What really appealed to me were its white-washed buildings and its greenery - draped from as many ledges and in as many pots as possible - but I guess I had to try drawing it to realise that.

Kids

I've been using ink wash on my pictures this week, reader, and - apart from frequently washing my brush in my coffee - it's been lots of fun.I'm on holiday for a week as of tomorrow to give you a break from my blogging.

Wonder Woman

This is my contribution to the upcoming Wonder Woman Day auction on October 26th in Portland OR (and online). Check out the lovely images already posted and consider bidding on them! All proceeds go to domestic violence shelters and a woman's crisis line.

This one's Indian ink on 11x17" Brizzol board.

Some more old stuff

Comparing this post with the previous one suggests I'm experiencing some sort of mid-life crisis.

Old filth

Couple of old Metal Hammer pictures for the same annual feature on upcoming bands as this more recent one.

Roman Baths & Bath Abbey

Holiday sketches

A few of the quick sketches I drew whilst holidaying on the Greek island of Alonissos (hmm, I spelt it wrong in the top pic). At first I confess to enjoying the break from drawing, but the urge returned after a few days. Nonetheless, I didn't seek out views - there were certainly more beautiful and interesting ones than these - they were what were in front of me at the time, whilst on the beach or supping the ol' Ouzo. I'll blame the latter for a less than delicate handling of my new Pentel brush pen. Why didn't I get one of these badboys sooner?

Old illustration

Mind the Gaps

Panel layouts for a Vinyl Underground flashback sequence, designed in Illustrator.

Children

Lo Flyer

Here's a poster I've been working on. In the "olden days" I'd use scissors and glue, but nowadays I lay 'em out on the computer, of course.
The computer is a tool to help you avoid finding part of the design stuck to your elbow 4 months later. "Ah, so that's where that '15th April' went. No wonder no one turned up."

Paris, London, New York

Paris is reviewed at The Boston Bibliophile and The Comics Reporter lists it as one of the "Twelve Mostly Overlooked Comics Published In The Last Twelve Or So Years";) High praise from someone of Tom's stature, who calls it a "deeply pleasurable read".
Click here to buy a copy from Amazon.co.uk or here from Amazon.com
Vinyl Underground, the monthly I've been penciling is finishing with issue 12. Issue 10 is out now and reviewed here and the recently released book, collecting issues 1-5, here. The second volume will collect the remaining 7 issues and is scheduled for December. My thanks to all the humblingly talented people I've had the pleasure of working with on this comic. Another sample pic, allowing me to write that lame title:

Subvertman

This is more how he should look. I felt the previous drawing made him look a little too macho for a cider-fuelled raging state-smashing anarcho-terrorist punk rocker.
Speaking of which, why don't you show society you intend to play by your rules this Summer? Purchasing one of the following t-shirts will demonstrate that you don't follow popular trends.
Both the Vapid and Beatnik designs come in men's sizes S, M, L & XL and in women's sizes M, L & XL and cost:

£10 postpaid in the UK
€18 postpaid in Europe
$24 postpaid to anywhere else.

Should you like one I accept PayPal, the email address is in my profile.

In order to satisfy my mania for drawing ink is squandered

AND FOR WHAT? A poor quality sketch of gold age (1991-93) superhero Subvertman. He got his power from drinking radioactive cider and would patrol the rooftops looking out for muggers to help whilst singing Discharge lyrics to himself.

However, times change. Nowadays superhero comics are primarily aimed at adults and yes, I won't lie to you: Alan, Frank and me do feel a bit responsible.

(runs away)

gfigiogoizozcoij

A couple of drawings for a possible project.

A quick sketch to make you vomit onto your own thighs

Nazi Scum

Vinyl Underground issue 9 is in shops this week, there's a beautifully inked page from it on Ryan Kelly's blog. Here's a coupla pages of pencils for issue 11.

PARIS review

Richard Bruton of the excellent Forbidden Planet International blog reviews Paris here. Thanks, Richard!

Spoilers

Speaking of Graphic Classics, here's a panel from The Shadow Over Innsmouth, published in their Lovecraft volume...
... and a few from The Adventure of The Engineer's Thumb, published in their Conan Doyle book.
The very day before I started drawing this strip I happened to walk past a shop window displaying a book of Victorian photos chronicling all the Sherlock Holmes locations in and around London. It felt serendipitous until I realised this particular story was one of the few to take place in a fictitious location. Grr. It did enable me to name one of the villages on the map after the original Holmes illustrator though. If you follow Sidney Paget's Wiki link it's pretty amusing to see how he first got the gig!
Anyway, I was thinking that there are numerous parallels between this yarn and Hergé's The Black Island. Both feature a murderous and mysterious German dude residing in a mansion in the Southern English countryside, a mansion that proves rather tricky to leave but that ends up burning down, both are engaged in counterfeiting, both...

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