Boards....

Skateboarders are one of those rare things that are genuinely fun to draw. Not sure why but I'm guessing it's the mixture of anatomy, unique poses, the motion, the gravity and the cool clothes.

I popped down to the South Bank Undercroft to do some sketching. The place is under threat and will be closed down to be replaced by coffee shops and rip-off restaurants. For more info go here: www.longlivesouthbank.com

FIRE! FIRE!

In the new Private Eye out now!

A couple of weeks ago I had the great pleasure of spending an afternoon pretending to be a fireman while driving around London in a fire truck. Every kids dream!

It was all for a good cause of course. The fire services are currently under attack for pathetic reasons motivated simply by money.

I've touch on some of them in my latest report. Go grab it now and also go to 

 https://www.citizenspace.com/app/london-fire-brigade/lsp5/consult_view

Before June 17th to save 12 fire stations, 18 fire engines and 460+ fire fighters in London.

Montargis 2013 report

I've done a little report about my trip to this year's Coince La Bulle festival. It's on the Forbidden Planet blog. It was harder than I thought to sum up the weekend in a few words.

Please click the picture to go and read it.

Ouf!

Wow, I am Frenched out to the max. In the last 3 weeks I have made 2 separate voyages to France, taken part in 3 festivals, met a bunch of ridiculously talented people and ate some mind blowing cheeses.

I don't have time at the moment to say much yet as I'm straight back into the work trying to do my contribution to the forthcoming anthology Wu Wei before the deadline is up in a couple of days.

So for now here is a sketch I did at the very cool Bulles Zik festival on the weekend.

A trip report soon I hope.

Cette semaine...

How I spent Friday night.....

Drawing Jam GiedRé / Pénélope Bagieu / Moi- "L'amour en prison" a BD & Comics Passion, Londres.

Pénélope et moi avons dessinée pour tout le concert. Oh la la!

Our styles were so different that it made it interesting to create the images.We were both a little nervous because we had never drawn like this before but I think we pulled through.

J'ai dessinée avec La Grande Sophie aussi.

Plus: http://youtu.be/WaRkn9qvuxk

'Great exposure'...

 First poster image idea.

Before I headed off to the Montargis BD festival (more on that later), I was asked if I could do the poster art  for 2 (currently hot) American bands starting joint tour in America. The label wanted me to come up with some artwork and the bands are pretty good so of course I wanted to do it.
But the dreaded words were soon to follow...
"There is no budget so we are looking for someone who would be down to do it for the exposure and for fun."
I put my case forward that I could reluctantly work for a stupidly small fee but out of principle not for nothing. (I could write to my electricity supplier and ask them to skip my next bill because I'd like to do a job for fun.)
After the brisk initial discussions I emailed my suggested fee and headed off to the festival for 3 days.
Upon returning, all my messages receive no further replies. I dared ask for money so I now get the cold shoulder.

 

First poster idea in colour. As far as I got.

I could be wrong but I was under the impression that the work I was going to produce was to be used to generate interest in the tour. This would hopefully result in people becoming interested in the shows resulting in the record label/promoter making money. So I am essentially the tool to generate more money. Yet, as an mere illustrator, I deserve no money for generating money for their pockets.
Please, for anyone out there drawing for free, whether you are just starting out, studying or trying to build a portfolio please stop working for free because you are screwing everyone else over and killing the industry which you one day want to live off.

P.S. I would love to do so many more gig posters but this is too common an occurrence when dealing with record labels.

Foodbanks - Private Eye extra

The craze in foodbanks that is sweeping across the UK isn't all it seems to be. Check it out in the new Private Eye magazine this week - #1341. Still just £1.50! You can't buy a jar of coffee for that.

Below is an extra moment we couldn't fit into the report.

The allocation list used to ration the food isn't set in stone. Fussy eaters who prefer Cornflakes to Weetabix are even tolerated to a degree.

Coince La Bulle - Mini-Affiche

Pour le festival de Coince La Bulle #4 a Montargis j'ai fait une neuf affiche.

Il y serai 3 les versions pour les personnes heureux. Sur chaque affiche, j'irai dessiner leur favori fruit ou légume pour la personne. (Je ne vais pas comprendrai les noms mais il serai fun!)
Et badges aussi!

For the Coince La bulle festival in Montargis, I've made a mini print. There will be three versions for the (un)lucky people. I will draw peoples' favourite fruit or vegetable in the bottom space. (I probably won't able to understand the names but it will be fun.)
I've also got new badges!!

Bees!

New Private Eye magazine #1340 out now!

There was ton of information on the plight of the bees that I couldn't fit into this report.

Visiting an apiary was exciting. Behiving myself was very difficult!!!!

2013 Festival # 4 BD & Comics Passion - London

 Oh Boy!

In between my French trips to Montargis and Marseille/Paris festivals, I will be taking part in the BD & Comics Passions' live Drawing Jam on Fri 31st May in London. There's music and drawing!

I'm rather excited about both Edika and François Boucq

coming to a UK festival.

2013 Festival # 2 et # 3 - France

Mon festival spirituelle revient! Le puissant et étonnant Montargis Coince La Bulle.
J'ai l'honneur d'être seul d'un petit club de créateurs d'avoir assisté à toutes les Coince La Bulle puisque la première festival en 2010.

My festival spiritual home returns! The mighty and amazing Montargis Coince La Bulle.
I have the honour of being one of a small club of creators to have attended every Coince La Bulle since its first in 2010.

Donc...
Then...

Il y aura un exposition et dedicace a Marseille!!!
An exhibition and signing in Marseille!!!

Ensuite à Paris pour...
And then back to Paris for.... 

Aussi, j'ai l'honneur être sélectionné pour le prix Bulles 2013!!!!
Comment cool. Wooooooohoooooooooo! C'est mon sélectionné premier.

Si vous avez lu et aimé Nager Avec Des Chaussures, s'il vous plaît, votez pour moi!
Merci mille, mille fois d'avance.
(CLIC L'IMAGE A VOTER)
Et passer le mot si tu veux. 

My book Nager Avec Des Chaussures (Swimming With Shoes On) has been nominated for book prize at the very cool book and music festival Bulles Zik in Paris.
One of the awards is picked by public vote (Which you can vote for by clicking on the amplifier above).
My hopes aren't high on that one because I'm very rubbish at promoting things online.
It is a huge, huge honour to be nominated for something for the first time.

Alternative Press Poster

My friends at Alternative Press are having a Spring fair. I can't make this event but I still did a squiggle to help them launch their flyer design...

Please try and make it because these guys run the best events in the UK.

Botox!

The new Private Eye #1339 has my little look into the world of Botox and derma filler.

 I'd like to point out that it's a female-heavy piece not by choice but even the clinic experts

told me that it's rare for males to use treatment for anything other than tattoo or injury repair.

But who knows what the future holds.

(Warning! Reading Private Eye may increase both worry and laugh wrinkles!)

Fan Art - Axel du Thomas Priou

Un fan art d'Axel le P'tit Viking. C'est le caractère du nouvelle livre par Thomas Priou.
C'est très, très chouette!

www.thomaspriou.com

L'enterrement de Thatcher - Charlie Hebdo #1088

BOWIE - Private Eye #1338

It had to happen. Private Eye has my little visit to the V&A's David Bowie Is exhibition.
The editor had thrown the idea at me before Thatcher died. There was a small chance of covering the 'death party' in Trafalgar Square instead but I decided to go against the tidal wave of Thatcher-mania and stick with something people wouldn't expect.
There was such an abundance of things to draw, I used more paper than any other PE report so far.
Below are some bits that I thought might be enjoyed.

 

My version of a hand-drawn self portrait by Bowie.

 

A look into one of my layout ideas + a close up of lipstick stained tissue.

 There's Adam McQueen's measurement book for Bowie's Earthling cover coat. I thought this would be an

item of extreme worship for the hardcore fans but everybody seemed to pass it by.

Everytime David Bowie farts the Kemp brother that's not from Eastenders is close

by to hold onto any fame or cash that might rub off.

He is to Bowie what Uri Gellar is to Michael Jackson.

A little Bowie classic....

Micks Tape - April 2013

Occasionally music guru Mick will post a few songs that he's been listening to.


johnnyill.com


theeohsees.com


tothebones.co.uk


lookingforgold.blogspot.co.uk

2013 festival # 1

On April 20th in London the Comica Comiket takes place and I shall be there with books

to sell and pens to draw in them if you wish. (I'm happy to deface pre-bought books too.)

I might try and have something brand new done too, if I pull my finger out.

I'll have the great pleasure of sharing a table with quiffed comics and animation

supremo Alex Potts and his brand new book. His Blog.

More festival news coming but this may be my only UK show of 2013!

Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead...

Thatcher is dead. I'd dispute if she was ever 'living' in the first place.
Here is something which appeared in Charlie Hebdo back in 2010. Please keep in mind
it was only the second or third piece of 'reportage' I'd ever done so it's a bit rough.

Private Eye extra - Staying Alive

The new Private Eye #1337 is out and in it I look into the need for resource centres for the elderly. For an aging population there seems far too few place that creaking bones can go and socialize and stay mentally healthy.
So here is and extra couple of bits I could not fit into the room.

For this report I re-visited a place which may be familiar to those who have read this report.
It had been almost 18 months since I visited Millman Street centre in Camden, London. It was great to see the centre had survived the closure threats from the council but it was also sad to see that some of my original interviewees where no longer around. But the ones who were still using the centre were more than happy to catch up. In fact their views on the centre were unchanged (although delivered with a little less sharpness). Therefore I chose to included two quotes from my first visit as they are just as relevant today and fresh for Private Eye readers.

Nuclear Eye...

The new (unregulated) Private Eye magazine #1336. I grabbed qualified and unqualified thoughts on nuclear power.

Avis à la plèbe!

Le RIEN A VOIR n°28 spécial "Antiquité" est dans l'arène !

  
 Couverture par Kanapé.

Wisdom....

Had a wisdom tooth yanked out of my head recently.
The patient information guide was a great read!
"The socket may ooze slightly for a few hours. Some bony spicules may outline the edge of the wound."
Reminded me of this comic from a little while ago. This is the 'demo' version as it failed to find a home in a magazine so I never finished it.

Where's North From Here?... BACK IN PRINT!

Look what just feel onto my desk - More copies of the greatest book ever published!

64 pages of comics and more stuff now for £7 (+postage) direct from this button -

Includes stories: Snow Trap, Rubber Sandwich, Picacho Del Diablo and lots, lots more!

* Cette livre a les choses dans l'edition Francais de Nager Avec Des Chaussures mais en Anglais.

Festiblog - Une Histoire Vrai....

Quelques plus informations des festivals bientôt.