chichi parish

Happy New Year - Face your Demons

2012-01-04T15:37:00.001Z

Illustration Friday 'Sink'

2011-12-17T09:30:00.006Z

Flower design produced for a soap company

2011-11-17T21:08:00.002Z

Flower design for a soap company

2011-11-17T18:02:00.003Z

Here's a sample of one of my flower illustrations I drew for a soap company.

Bird

2011-09-13T20:10:00.001+01:00

Illo Friday 'Shadows'

2011-06-04T14:08:00.002+01:00

Illustration Friday's theme is Asleep

2011-06-01T01:36:00.001+01:00

Bird ginger biscuit turned into a fancy pants label

2011-05-24T20:20:00.003+01:00

Another fancy ginger biscuit turned into a label, for those who love labels and biscuits.

Animal ginger biscuit

2011-05-22T11:28:00.007+01:00

Last week I was lucky to be invited to dine at the illustrator Paul Bommer and animator Nick Appleton's home. Their hospitality is always wonderful, their house stuffed with curios for the curious such as a ginger bread biscuit which is as hard as baked clay and far too good to eat. What can a girl do, but draw it. A double broad nib Pelikan fountain pen was used for drawing the outline combined with a slap splash of digital Photoshop colour.
Global rumour purported that the world was going to end on Saturday 21st May 2011, so naturally I downed my tools. Monday is a preferable day for an Apocalypse since most people I know don't enjoy or welcome Monday's and would very much welcome the excuse to doze all the way through the start of the very last day of the week. On Monday, I thought it reason enough to slut about in my pyjamas for most of the while, not bothering to do very much at all until it looked more than likely that nothing was was actually going to happen. When the Apocalypse failed to show up, I decided it would be better to look busy afterall and get on with this job called living. To make up for a wasted day, I drew a ginger biscuit. So now it's back to the drawing board, the pencils and pens are out, the wind blows, the dogs howl, and the drugs are still being pushed in the street corner. Bliss.

2011-03-31T18:28:00.001+01:00

This year Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival have invited me to take part in their annual event. It is indeed a great privilege to be asked again, especially because Shrewsbury is a stunning but highly flammable Medieval black and white timber-framed town, and the event organisers and volunteers are so very welcoming, so it is a real pleasure to be taking part in the festival, and speaking as someone with an RHS qualification in Amenity Horticulture (which improved my risible Latin exponentially as well as gaining a knowledge of evapotranspiration) the eye popping communal planting and spring-time bedding in this floriferous town is a delight for those who enjoy the green stuff.

For 2011, the annual festival hosts a sporty theme offering an exciting program of talks, workshops, live cartooning events, portfolio consultations and cartoon exhibitions. For details of the events click on the link below:
Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival Events 2011

Here’s an interactive map for your convenience, courtesy of political cartoonist, Alex Hughes.
For further news updates regarding the festival, click on the Professional Cartoonists Organisationblog .

Foghorn Cartoon Magazine. Wagnerian Valkyrie strikes a musical note.

2011-02-22T09:08:00.012Z

Foghorn cartoon magazine Issue 49. Foghorn, the Best of British Cartooning Talent.

Here's the current issue featuring my artwork on the cover. The magazine is packed full of cartoons and this issue has a musical theme. What a blast!

The formidable Wagnerian Valkyrie was drawn using a dip pen, Noodler's ink, and coloured in Photoshop.

CLICK HERE TO GET PREVIOUS ISSUES OF FOGHORN

Another drawing using my new Pelikan M400 fountain pen

2011-02-19T21:56:00.008Z

Birds are hugely interesting to draw. Since I’m still enthusing over my recent Pelikan M400 fountain pen purchase, I decided why not try and draw a Pelikan today? Perhaps it is customary to demonstrate handwriting when it comes to discussing the merits of a particular fountain pen, but there are plenty of folk with beautiful hand writing to do that, so I'll post a drawing instead.

And now for some some exciting news for pen and ink aficionados: Noodler’s Ink is now on Facebook. Yes. How wonderful. You can watch enless clips of the ink god genius Nathan Tardiff demonstrating and talking about his beautiful liquids. The Facebook page is administered by the pen passionate folk at Goulet Pens. For further information about Nathan Tardiff’s inks, this fascinating article published in The Economist may be of interest to you. Enjoy.

Fountain Pen Forums, Love, St Valentine's Day & the Pelikan Souverän M400

2011-02-17T20:54:00.011Z

Having never owned a Pelikan fountain pen before, I thought a purchase was well overdue and perhaps an imperative since losing one of my all time favourite fountain pens in a transit flight last year. After considerable research which included dipping into fountain pen forums-yes, fountain pen forums, I finally decided to gift myself a Pelikan M400 especially for Saint Valentine's Day. Saint Valentine's is about love is it not, so where better to gain a deeper understanding of the subject other than on a fountain pen forum?

The Pelikan Souverän M400 arrived presented in a large red heart shaped box which included a bottle of Pelikan ink-ok, so I selected it during the online check-out process seeing as it was listed as an alternative packaging. Why opt for a pen coffin when you can get an irresistible heart shaped box and a bottle of ink? Pen purists may probably shake their heads in despair. Perhaps that could be my only mistake in the purchase of this item because other than that, my heart thumps with excitement. The fountain pen is wonderful.

But what is the pen like? The Souverän M400 (nib size BB) fountain pen makes quite a statement on my studio desk, though it does blush to be sitting next to my somewhat meagre collection of fountain pens. Part of my collection includes a vintage Swan flex, so it's not all bad. The Pelikan Souverän M400 is dreamy: minimal pressure need be applied to the nib upon contact with paper and so it glides like a professional ice skater. The fountain pen is pleasing to hold with a good weight and balance. But does the pen work as a drawing instrument? After knocking out a few drawings with the beauty, I can confirm that the results are mighty pleasing. This is a pen which will certainly remain on top of my desk.

Now I've got my eyes planted on the soon to be released Pelikan Edition Demonstrator M1005. The instrument appeals because the internal mechanisms are visible. It's a beautiful piece of engineering. It is, of course, beyond my budget. If life is about unsatisfied desires, I've just added another one to my interminable list.

Every time I hit the 'Done' button on my Smartphone, I think of Lady Macbeth.

2011-02-06T23:48:00.010Z

At present, it is a little irksome trying to key in significant calendar dates into my Smartphone, more so when somebody else is watching me. Accomplishing this seemingly simply task with an air of nonchalance is something I have as yet to master. Invariably, the Smartphone makes me feel like a klutz because once all the information has been entered, it soon becomes apparent that all the details I have painstakingly keyed into the device have gone in a puff because I forgot to press the 'Done' button.

'What's done cannot be undone.' Perhaps Lady Macbeth wouldn't have had the same problem. She was a tremendous do-er. If she had a Smartphone, one wonders what her preferred ap(s) of choice would be?

Bleech Sisters

2011-01-25T01:38:00.000Z

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-07T19:24:00.002Z

Already the year settles 2011 dust in my studio, however, it's still not too late to wish you all a very Happy New Year. If you seek new chapters in your life, may they be joyful. Here is my Bleech Sister strip, fresh from the ink bottle.

Short tale for Christmas

2010-12-08T16:59:00.008Z

Can you believe it? I'd been on the waiting list for a stay at The Despicable Inhospitable Hotel for over five years, then suddenly, I get a 'phone call from a man called Elvis: 'Mr Rudzinsky, it's your lucky day, we've got you a Christmas reservation, especially targeted at couples wanting a crummy seasonal romantic get-away.' Jesus, I thought, is that some kind of new spin on customer service?

The last person I'd want to take on a romantic get-away is my shapeless wife, Rachel.

I've been telling Rachel to go to hell for over thirty years.

As in all hotels of note, this one comes with the highest of highest recommendations, from the best of best people, though it depends on what you mean by 'the best.' I have a best suit which I wear at funerals, but it doesn't mean that I like it. I wear it a lot now, I guess I'm of that age. A person with a global profile, a power-wallet, and a big mouth, is all it takes to puff up an hotel. Everyone who is visibly a somebody, and even an invisible nobody-noddy, hungers to stay there. The Despicable Inhospitable, is the most expensive hotel in the world. I had to go there, in spite of that telephone call. I took Julie. Julie doesn't know I'm married.

Set off one of the most desolate spots on the planet, The Despicable Inhospitable Hotel, can only be accessed by a ski-plane. I can't take seriously a plane with propellers, it's like being inside an interminable whoopee cushion. Julie didn't know what I was talking about, she wasn't compus mentis, thanks to the Valium and three Barcardi and Coke's. She barely noticed the pop star, Morris Smacker, try hitting on her in the First Class Lounge. 'Who's the grandaddy?' he asked her, as we boarded the aircraft.

Once that can of sardines commenced it's turbulent descent, passengers were near stupefied by the sight of the hotel which shot out from the side of a mountain like a giant golden splinter. It stretched way way up into the snow clouds, and beyond.

It is fair to say that neither the namby-pamby nor the lilly-livered arrived at this romantic Christmas destination in one piece. There were a number of these guys traveling on our plane, they all had that flaky look, especially the younger ones. Within minutes of disembarkation, that nancy pop star was the first to be ripped apart by three hungry bears. Hunger always looks better behind expensive shades. I took off my sunglasses when the snow turned pink.

If you did chance to arrive at the hotel intact, there was no bell boy to take command of your suitcases, no bootlicking receptionist to greet you with a warm smile, nor a concierge to dance attendance to your every whim. Where is everyone? ‘Elivs? Elvis? Ya hear me?’ No answer. A gold key marked for my attention, was left on reception. Julie sighed and stretched out her arms. ‘Let’s just go to bed,’ she said picking up the key. I was thankful Morris had gottten gobbled up and not me. That stupid punk won’t be pawing Julie’s long soft limbs again.

We stepped inside the elevator and set down our luggage, some goof, dressed up as Santa, jumped into the cage. 'Ho, ho, ho, good evening, Mr Rudzinsky, I'm your elevator operator for this evening. You're staying in the Penthouse Suite, is that correct? Allow me, if you please' he went on, sliding the scissor gate shut and depressing a button marked 'Penthouse' on the control panel. I sensed his smirk whilst I fumbled inside in my coat pockets for my blue pills. Darn, if they weren't in my pockets maybe they were in my jacket, or in the suitcase? I should have taken one earlier. I didn't want bendable Julie falling asleep on me. 'Are you okay, Rudzie?' said Julie helping me take off my coat, 'you look awful unsettled.' 'That red moth ball gives me the creeps, it's like he's tanked up on something. I've never liked Santa. As a kid, I always thought he was a drunk. Santa tapped me on the shoulder, 'Mr Rudzinsky, Sir, you're wife called earlier, she wants to speak to you urgently regarding the matter of your daughter's twentieth wedding anniversary .' Julie's face screwed up, I've seen smoother looking walnuts. Examinations of the heart and soul are seldom complimentary, especially within the confines of a gilded cage. 'Julie, honey, that stupid crusty's got his wires mixed up. I've never been hitched.' But she wouldn't listen. If that punk hadn't opened his mouth, I'd be pawing Julie right now. When the elevator reached the top floor, Julie kicked me out .

I last saw Julie kissing Santa. There was no mistletoe. That crushed me. No goddam mistletoe. He was pawing her long legs. When she did manage to catch a glance at me, she yelled: 'Go to hell.'

Images 35, the best of contemporary British illustration

2010-11-12T00:40:00.002Z

Described as the ultimate prestigious jury-selected illustration source book competition in the UK, it fills me with delight to report that the two pieces of artwork I submitted for Images 35 actually got selected. I am thrilled.

The jury for Images 35 are:

Sam Freeeman – Art Director, Design Week (SP and DE)

Harriet Russell – illustrator (SP and DE)

Martin Premm - Director Premm Design Ltd (SP and DE)

Martin Harrison – The Times (ED, AD, BK)

Sheri Gee – Art Director, The Folio Society (ED, AD, BK)

James Joyce – illustrator (AD, BK, ED)

Mike Jolley – Art Director, Templar Publishing (CB, NT, NM)

Fred Flade – Design/Art Director, Poke London (CB, NT, NM)

Geoofrey Pais – BBC Learning - Schools (CB, NT , NM)

The Big Draw Festival London Friday 22nd & Sat 23rd October 2010

2010-10-14T22:44:00.004+01:00

This year I've devised a 3 dimensional Fantastical Fountains making workshop for the free Big Draw Festival London. In my team are the amazing talented cartoonists/illustrators:

We will be holding our free Fantastical Fountains workshop on Saturday 23rd October 2010 from 3pm-5pm at The Scoop More London. Pop along and say 'hello'. Why not join us in making a fantastic fountain of your very own. See you there. We are dot number 6 on the 'clickable' map below.

Entry for Illustration Friday: Old Fashioned

2010-09-26T11:30:00.002+01:00

'Double Expressive' postcards

2010-06-21T00:20:00.003+01:00

Wrote a handful of 'Double Expressive' postcards this evening. So much more enjoyable than email.

Jenni Murray's Women's Hour Radio 4 on why are there so few female political cartoonists

2010-06-16T23:48:00.003+01:00

With ref. to Women's Hour on Radio 4 last week on the topic of why there are so few female political cartoonists in print in Britain today, one would argue there are many talented female political cartoonists in the UK doing their stuff, not necessarily in the print medium such as the fabulous Jacky Fleming, but online, take BlueLou for instance, she's political and online prolific.

Political cartooning is not my arena, I am however female and a cartoonist and bloody livid about stuff and felt enraged having to listen to crap on the radio about 'women not being angry enough.' When women, in Britain, get angry, we are labelled lunatics, unstable, attributed with untold personality disorders, advised to go to the doctor or shrink or take anger management classes or CBT, and of course, how many times has a woman been told she needs a good shag to quell her rage? It is tiresome. Some of us may put up and shut up and grow clusters of creative anger fibroids-they usually manifest via slow burn.

And now for a non scatological cartoon sans farts, sans merde, sans anything clever and of course, sans humour. It is called:

Cause and effect (Botox)

You can learn a lot from a cat, particularly if it's stuffed badly.

2010-05-17T14:16:00.001+01:00

A trip to the British Museum with some rare coins.

2010-04-19T19:46:00.006+01:00

An insightful trip to the British Museum with learned artist mates, took place last week. We covered the new Medieval Europe gallery in room 40.

A brush pen isn’t the ideal vehicle for sketching however, it’s all I could find in my handbag at the time. Here are some wee sketches from the day trip. After two hours of sight seeing, we wound up at the London Review Bookshop for some wild tonics and cake but our intrigue did not stop there, afterwards we thumbed through some wonderful illustrated first folio editions.

Top failed sketches of the week-more to come!

2010-04-07T22:35:00.016+01:00

If life is all about failing, I would prefer to be a winner, not a whiner or a wino. I suppose I have whined a tiny bit just by stating this fact. But failure is about erm, failing and some, like me, excel at failure. Failures should be celebrated and rewarded. Why? Because people who fail ultimately make everyone else feel fabulous, albeit for a moment. Are you feeling fabulous? I do hope so.

Here is a sketch I did this evening which needs further developing. Ok, let's cut the crap. It has failed in more ways than one. And that is ok. I am calm. The wind still blows and the sun may not come out till next autumn. But I am always strangely excited by cocking it up, erm, to put it in the vernacular so to speak. And why? Because. There, that is my succinct explanation: because.

The character in the image wearing the bizarre head gear is Mrs George from Mervyn Peake's novel Mr Pye. She's a cookie of the tough molar breaking variety, you don't want that sort hanging about inside your biscuit tin for too long-assuming you own such an item. In the novel, she never, not once, removes her hat. Ah the stench of stale hair.

As you can see in the sketch below, I had a problem remembering Mrs George's leg count. I do believe the character should be mistress of two pins rather than three or four. You see how I have failed to acknowledge how many limbs a human being should be in possession of? Are these the sketches of an imbecile and the fearless scribblings of a half wit who knows nothing about the anatomy? You can tell me in person, or write to me even, I will shake your hand and maybe even agree or disagree with you. And if you don't care, well, who cares? I will enjoy the attention either way. Now do please go away and remember to feel good about yourself.

Happy Easter

2010-04-04T01:12:00.006+01:00

Illustration Friday 'Dip'

2010-04-03T08:17:00.015+01:00

I dipped into Mafia Wars, when the snow came. That's where I met Lucky, through an online computer game. She fought tough. I got excited by her industrial strength skin, so I plunged in at the deep end and wrote: 'Will you marry me, Lucky? I am all alone in the world.' She replied: 'Have you got a UK passport, Rocky?' 'Of course my darling gold haired beauty.' She asked me for my real name. 'My surname is Dip. My first name is Sherbert.' 'I prefer Rocky' she wrote.

By the time Lucky arrived at Terminal 3, Heathrow Airport, the snow had almost melted. She said I looked older than on my photograph. Although I am 80, I sent Lucky a photograph of me aged 30. Lucky did not have gold hair. She had brown hair. She was fat. This was not obvious in her photograph. I felt cheated. After two days of honeymoon, I shed my trousers for the last time. She wore them thereafter. She split them. Lucky dreams about dogs and sings mournful songs about her homeland. I think she's dipped into a depression, so I am back playing online war games again. Women are difficult and sometimes obtuse. Lucky tells me she is no longer interested in Mafia Wars because she now plays a war game of her very own making.

Medieval clouds in Photoshop

2010-03-30T11:24:00.002+01:00

Illustration Friday 'Rescue'

2010-03-28T06:20:00.002+01:00

2010-03-14T22:25:00.001Z

Shrewsbury Cartoon Festival by Matt Buck

Mr Matt Buck reports:

"The confirmed cartoonist attendees this year are:
Andy Davey, The Surreal McCoy , Dave Brown, Martin Honeysett , John Landers, Clive Goddard, Will Dawbarn, Gerard Whyman, Rupert Besley, Steve Bright , Bill Stott, John Roberts, Angela Martin, Steve Way, Helen Martin, Jed Pascoe, Simon Cassini, Sheba Cassini, Tim Leatherbarrow, Chris Ryder, Chichi Parish, Cathy Simpson, Andy Gilbert, Tim Harries and Martin Rowson.

The festival will also be welcoming three Australian Cartoonists: Steve Panozzo, Jason Chatfield and Dean Alston, and a large contingent from Greece.

Alex Hughes, Royston Robertson and Matt Buck will be there for reporting for Bloghorn and we think that there will be a large “fringe event” going on too. So, if you are planning a trip to the festival as a cartoonist or as a fan of the fun, please tell us in the comments below."
_____________________________________________

New website

2010-03-09T23:14:00.010Z

chichiparish.net

London Illustrators' Gathering-10th March 7pm, Clerkenwell, London 2010

2010-02-22T22:34:00.000Z

Check out Paul Bommer’s website for further details and feast your eyes on his glorious clickable image:

London Illustrators’ Gathering

London Illustrators’ Gathering (LIG)

Wednesday 10 March 2010, 7pm onwards
@
The Crown Tavern
43 Clerkenwell Green
London
Ec1R 0EG

All Image Makers Welcome!

A nasty short tale written for Illustration Friday's theme: 'Propagate'

2010-02-21T11:23:00.003Z

Illustration Friday 'Focused'

2010-01-31T11:04:00.016Z

Here's my contribution to Illo Friday: pen and ink, a splash of photoshop, and a touch of melodrama.

The fellow didn't focus on digging which is how he managed to pierce the heart of a sparrow with the tine of his fork. Thankfully this hasn't happened to me, though I did manage to puncture a few snails in this manner. If you are a keen gardener, a few less snails in the yard is but a good thing however, I'm not the sort who can crunch snails with my boots or slam them against a wall. Whatever method people use to eliminate snails, I simply do not have the heart for it.

Enjoy.

Cloud-maker

2010-01-27T20:00:00.007Z

My other web/blog site is down at the present because I've exceeded my bandwidth. So, to while away the time, I thought I'd post an image up on Blogger.

Here's an illustration I did today.

Enjoy.

One of my new online portfolio websites can be seen at

2010-01-17T14:12:00.006Z

Hire an Illustrator

Happy Winter Solstice

2009-12-21T20:15:00.004Z

Hail artists, bloggers, Druids, readers,
Wishing you a creatively potent year ahead.
Yule tidings,
chichi

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas 2009

2009-12-12T11:18:00.002Z

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas 2009

Thanks for visiting this site, you may also like to follow me on my website at

chichiparish.co.uk

My new website: chichiparish.co.uk

2009-02-04T23:56:00.009Z

Take a look at my new website, it's full of fun stuff:

chichiparish.co.uk

Dr Sketchy, Birmingham, Diva Hollywood, a burlesque fairy with attitude

2009-01-30T13:20:00.007Z

A couple of weeks back, I attended Birmingham's second ever Dr Sketchy event, hosted by photographer Candee Handful. Above is a sketch of the the fabulous Ms. Diva Hollywood.

Freezing Britain

2009-01-07T13:26:00.005Z

Illustration Friday 'Resolve'

2009-01-02T23:13:00.007Z

In this sketch, my two antagonistic sisters, determined to resolve their disputes, get rat arsed on Wychwood Green Goblin oak aged cider. Peace one minute, concussion the next. For a brief but beautiful moment, everything in the world feels ok.

Happy New 2009. Be kind to yourself.

Illustration Friday, 'Clandestine.'

2008-12-27T21:19:00.010Z

Dear Illustration Friday creatives,

Did your thighs grow exponentially this season? Mine did.

Enjoy.

Best wishes,

chichi

Right, let's get back on track...

I drew the following images using a Pilot G-Tec-C4 pen.

Long Man of Wilmington, 'Let it Snow, let it snow, let it snow.'

2008-12-22T10:30:00.005Z

Happy Winter Solstice.

Illustration Friday: Rambunctious. Before and After.

2008-12-13T21:31:00.013Z

During:

After:

Publish Post

Rambunctious: never used the word before, never knew what it meant, opened the dictionary, closed the dictionary, forgot whether it was an adjective, discovered it was an adjective then ceased to remember the meaning of the word, so I opened the synonym finder, then closed the synonym finder, thought for a bit, wrote down the word but clueless how to spell it, so I looked out the window to see if it was snowing, there was no snow, searched for the moon but I couldn't find it. Typed the word up on my image (in Photoshop), saved the image, uploaded the image onto blogger. Sat back, took pride, then discovered the typo. Abandoned the project.

A busy week

2008-12-12T21:17:00.003Z

Illustration Friday: Balloon burlesque

2008-11-28T22:26:00.003Z

The Indomitable Cheesecake Ladies from Chesapeake Bay. Illo Friday: Opinion

2008-11-23T23:26:00.003Z

2008-10-31T15:28:00.000Z

The Big Draw, St Pancras, Saturday 18th October 2008

2008-10-15T17:56:00.012+01:00

Pop along to The Big Draw, St Pancras this Saturday 18th October 2008. Join cartoonists Lou, Tanya Tier and me at our funky Time Travel workshop. It's fun, it's fabulous and it's free. See you there.

Illustration Friday: sugary

2008-10-03T22:19:00.005+01:00

Originally, this ballerina had 6 meaty legs, however, in keeping with the Illo Friday theme, I stuck to a more palatable narrative.

Hadron Collider-the night before the bang.

2008-09-16T23:32:00.004+01:00

DIY boob job

2008-09-11T20:20:00.002+01:00

Bedroom guest rules

2008-09-07T22:01:00.003+01:00

Feng shui your bedroom to attract your perfect partner. De-clutter your crap. Illustration Friday: Clutter

2008-09-05T09:15:00.005+01:00

Illustration Friday: memory

2008-08-31T00:21:00.004+01:00

Woohahhhhhh, I'm back.

2008-08-27T22:23:00.004+01:00

Sorry about the blog blackout. Been in a zone of zen. I thoroughly recommend it, it's better than going away on holiday.

Illo Fri-poof

2008-08-05T06:30:00.001+01:00

Mrs Larmour at the Victorian Reenactors Group

2008-07-28T19:59:00.010+01:00

Here's a rough of Mrs Larmour as Queen Victoria. It's the final image in my story.

Celebrate 70 years of Comic Mayhem at The Cartoon Museum 30 July - 2 November 2008

2008-07-28T10:43:00.004+01:00

Cartoon Museum

35 Little Russel Street

London

WC1A 2HH

Exhibition runs from 30th July to 2 November 2008

www.cartoonmuseum.org

Thumbnails-lykewake

2008-07-22T22:30:00.005+01:00

A thinking woman's rough-if you know what I mean

2008-07-15T00:09:00.008+01:00

Illustration Friday: Sour

2008-07-05T16:43:00.012+01:00

Dear IF creatives,

Here is a wee lyric wirtten today in response to the word 'sour'. At first I thought of a Zifandel I drank yesterday but then decided against it.

ta ta

chichi

Face your demons

2008-07-04T09:14:00.000+01:00

Garden gnome vs. Rafael Nadal -Bleech Sisters

2008-06-25T16:49:00.005+01:00

2008-06-25T06:20:00.000+01:00

Belated spring clean discovery

2008-06-21T11:58:00.007+01:00

This caricature of me drawn by the loquacious celebrity penman Martin Rowson was done last year. I think it's terrific.

Movement of assets

2008-06-20T09:16:00.002+01:00

Work in progress

2008-06-04T20:45:00.002+01:00

Mrs Gillian Smock

2008-05-29T22:12:00.004+01:00

Mrs Larmour

2008-05-28T18:44:00.005+01:00

Hmm, Mrs Larmour's becoming rather inflatable at the moment. A little consistency in the drawing is desirable, especially when handling such a voluptuous creature. Spent all day trying to draw her. Am currently abroad at the moment so I blame the weather, mosquitos and um, my fear of the unfamiliar (including compters and Swiss German interfacing). Life is like bobbing on water, one never knows where one is going to end up. A rudder would come in handy.

Illo Friday-worry.

2008-05-24T23:37:00.005+01:00

Brian Smock, retired accountant and alcholic poet, falls in love with his next door neighbour Mrs Larmour. He's spent all night waiting for his lover to show up. Saddly, she fails to materialise. Enjoy.
Ta ta

Life before inking

2008-05-20T08:07:00.004+01:00

Bleech Sisters

2008-05-09T22:13:00.003+01:00

Is it me or is Blogger slow, ce soir?

From my sketchbook

2008-05-08T23:32:00.003+01:00

Sex and death

2008-05-01T13:11:00.005+01:00

Red lilly beetle, a rapacious defoliator.

2008-04-30T20:33:00.002+01:00

Barrow-in-furnace

2008-04-29T09:06:00.002+01:00

Mis lagrimas son flores para ti

2008-04-28T22:23:00.003+01:00

LIG-London Illustrators' Gathering-Thursday 15th May 2008

2008-04-22T10:22:00.003+01:00

Fellow creatives, you are invited to attend a friendly gathering organised by the fabulous Mr Paul Bommer on May 15th 2008.

Where?
Here: http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/17/17288/Crown_Tavern/Clerkenwell
The Crown Tavern
Clerkenwell, London, EC1
Thursday 15th May, 2008 from 7.30pm onwards.
The pub is only a 5 minute walk from Farringdon tube.

Observing the British at Home and Abroad 'Pont'

2008-04-22T06:48:00.002+01:00

An exhibition of cartoons by Graham Laidler, 'Pont' 23rd April -27th July 2008 at The Cartoon Museum, 33 Little Russelll Street, London WC1A 2HH.
www.cartoonmuseum.org

Naked lawn mowing fails to make the right impression. Illo Friday

2008-04-15T12:45:00.006+01:00

London Illustrators' Gathering, Tues 15th April 7.30pm, Clerkenwell, London

2008-04-11T11:02:00.005+01:00

Fellow creatives, you are invited to attend a friendly gathering organised by the fabulous Mr Paul Bommer.

Where?
Here: http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/17/17288/Crown_Tavern/Clerkenwell
The Crown Tavern
Clerkenwell, London, EC1
Tuesday 15th April 2008 from 7.30pm onwards.
The pub is only a 5 minute walk from Farringdon tube.

Poster created by the very man himself, check out out his funky blog:
http://paulbommer.blogspot.com

Bleech sisters- The hidden potential of phytonutrients

2008-04-11T10:05:00.002+01:00

Illustration Friday-Save

2008-04-06T21:32:00.003+01:00

Bleech Sisters. Empathy.

2008-04-02T22:57:00.003+01:00

This doesn 't quite work as a standalone...I'll have to rejig it.

Quit smoking, suck pencils.

2008-04-01T21:17:00.002+01:00

Bleech sisters. Quit smoking, suck pencils.

2008-03-31T10:23:00.005+01:00

Amnesia negation = smoke cessation

2008-03-27T21:19:00.002Z

Illustration Friday 'Pet peeves'

2008-03-25T23:34:00.005Z

2008-03-20T21:04:00.002Z

Illustration Friday 'Heavy'

2008-03-17T22:14:00.008Z

A stomachful of home-truths can be a heavy burden, best lace it with positive messaging.
I enjoyed drawing this fellow, he's on the cusp of thickening middle age. I used a Rotring pen for this sketch; it's a bit like drawing in a straight-jacket (as far as I'm concerned).

Illustration Friday 'Garden'

2008-03-07T21:51:00.010Z

I found it tricky drawing Churchill. Drawing likenesses isn't my bag, but what the hell, I did it anyway 'coz it's a good challenge for me and I need stretching. However, on a personal note, it does carry a great risk, namely in the form of having one's lights punched out if the subject dislikes my work.

The last time I sketched a real live human being was at a London comedy club in Soho a couple of years ago. A comedian came over to see the sketch I'd drawn of him. Reluctantly, I turned back the pages of my sketchbook mumbling get-out clauses (which stank of excuses) such as: 'it's only a rough' or 'I never went to art school' or 'my arm hurts' etc...Anyway, this bloke grabbed my sketchbook, studied the artwork for a bit, then threw it on the floor: 'That's crap, it don't look like me, you're really f*cking sh*t at drawing'. He was about to punch me in the face, so I ducked.

Acer pseudoplatanus (Sycamore)

2008-03-05T22:06:00.002Z

This pernicious weed is a right pain in the @rse.

Lee Jasper resigns

2008-03-04T21:04:00.005Z

Watch commitment-phobic men quiver in their metrosexual shoes on Leap Year. Illo Friday 'Leap'

2008-02-29T11:59:00.011Z

M&S plastic bag repair kit

2008-02-28T22:03:00.001Z

Earthquakes and dandelion salad

2008-02-27T08:51:00.010Z

Britain dozes off to the rumblings of a 5.3 earthquake. Chimney stacks fall, houses grumble whilst pernicious dandelions pop out of their earthy comfort zone. It's a lovely day here in the fault line world for organic dandelion strategy management gardening. Simply tease out the tap root, ensuring it remains thoroughly intact, then watch them slowly transpire or, better still, (depending on your palate) pop the leaves into a well dressed salad for a bitter experience. Enjoy.

Illustration Friday 'Multiple'

2008-02-25T14:18:00.004Z

Dead roses for Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T18:28:00.004Z

Hello.
Apologies over my absence. My head is full of botany at present.
Here is a drawing of a diseased rose. Some organisms do not thrive on neglect.
Let that be a lesson to you on this day of global loving.
Feel the love babes.