UPFEST 2011

Phew! What a PERFECT weekend I've had! I wish it was UPFEST every weekend! I got down to the Tobacco Factory to pick up my paints and find my board at 10:00 - I didn't stop painting or leave my post until 17:30! And I think I happily chatted to people the whole way through! My face still hurts! Thanks to EVERYBODY that stopped by, said a kind word, brought me sweets, bought me a step ladder cause I didn't think my shortness would be a problem (Thanks Dave!) or just stopped to take a photo or have a nosey! If I could high five everyone I would. It meant so much to me and kept me going all day long!

Here are some progress shots: I wish wish WISH I'd taken more photos.. I know people who have so hopefully I can scrape some better ones together for this blog post!


First Roughing in.. I relaxed after this! But it was nerve-wrecking laying the first bit of paint...


ESPECIALLY since this is what the guy behind me had done by that point! What a talent! His name is DANK (I think? If anyone knows please correct me!?)







Few more progress shots before the only one I have of the finished piece...



Weird huh!?

The fest was heaving and the mood was so hyper! I was surrounded by some amazing artists... I had to remind myself to have a look around once in a while to see what they were doing! Here are some faves:





Cheo said some nice words about my piece this weekend! I wish I'd had the balls to introduce myself to him when I had the chance :) I wish I'd taken a photo of his piece on the butchers shutters but here is his Gorilla -



And I don't know who this guy is but sodding WOW...



There was so much more I wish I could post here but there is shit tons more on the UPFEST webby and Facebook Page! Please have a look!

Also, in other news, the canvas that I posted last week was also sold during the show! I wish I'd seen the guy that bought it.... but then I might have tried to talk him out of it like a shy weirdo artist....

Anyway, thanks to everyone again who made it down :) Hope you had as much fun as I did!

My UPFEST Canvas

Ladies and gentlemen; boys and girls, here is my canvas piece for the UPFEST show for this weekend - 4th/5th June over at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol! It is for sale at £120 for 24" x 12" mixed media on canvas. You can buy it at the show and money raised will go to NACoA Charity! Yay!
As well as an eclectic exhibition there will also be over 200 artists live painting on every scrap of wall available on Raliegh Rd and North Street and many more locations around Southville! :D
I will be butchering a board in the Vector Car Park... pleeeeease drop by and say 'Hi!' ..Pint of cider!? Words of wisdom!? ..Give me a friendly wave!? ...Don't throw rotten tomatoes at me!!
Also keep an eye on the Try Again pub... they're gunna paint over that reet big Yoda!! :D

Lorenzo!

Lorenzo, as many will know, is one of my favourite artists around! He does solo stuff, but is mostly known for this collaborations with writer bro' Robin, collectively The Etherington Brothers! Together they make awesome comics for kids, chiefly Monkey Nuts and Baggage, but also have work in The Dandy!
Bristol peeps will know Lorenzo from his Weapon of Choice live shows and exhibitions as well as his many contributions to Ink Dot!

He also releases his sketchbooks - and I have been lucky enough to get him to doodle an original drawing in the 2 books I've bought - his 'El Sketchbook Lorenzo Deluxe Collection' and 'El Sketchbook Lorenzo Volume F.I.V.E'

Here is one:



But the COOLEST thing in the world is having Mr Lorenzo Etherington Himself ask me to sign his bought copy of Tales of the Spiffing - and request a doodle!

So here it is...



And there you have it... I've made it. It's totally official.

Please check out these links - you have just found yourself a new favourite artist!

Happy Bloody Easter!

Just for a bit of fun :D Japanese school girls with swords seem to be coming out of my ass these last couple of days...

UPFEST

I will be one of the artists live painting at the annual Upfest in Bristol this year! Upfest is Urban Paint Festival and is held at the Tobacco Factory in Bristol on the 4th/5th June :D
The event attracts some seriously awesome painters and writers from the graffiti scene and also some illustrators and animators too! Boy am I nervous!
I am hoping to get a little dark for this one so expect some creepy art updates as I get ready for the event!

Right... suppose I'd better get good or something...

Short Comic : Voucher

My colleague and friend Michael Green challenged me to creating a comic in my lunch hour based on a concept he'd written on a post it note! The concept was 'A character finds a super-power coupon and chooses a power to redeem it on!' This is the result...

Caroline eating an Octopus

While my friend and colleague Caroline was animating in Korea, she encountered the common occurance of eating Octopus so fresh that it would still move! She said her friend felt it's little suckers 'kissing' her cheek! Caroline has a blog too and it's chock full of wonderful beautiful drawings! Go go go!

Short Comic : Haircut

Yes. Yes this happened. I thought, being a bit artistic, haircuts wouldn't be all that taxing...

Girl in white socks

This is a scribble in my sketchbook that I attempted to colour...when I should have been doing a million other things...

Short Comic : Box

I didn't have much time this week due to a family visit! I have so much work on at the moment that I hope my weekly comics don't suffer D:

Smile Japan

Here is an image I created for a Comics for Japan event happening today! Many artists are creating short comics to encourage others to donate to Japan! I have donated through Crowdrise who are putting shipments for winter clothes, drugs and food together and sending them to Japan constantly. We are also really happy that Pantsmans company are matching their employees donations - so we get our donation doubled! THANK YOU SONY!
If you would like to donate to the disaster relief please do so through The Red Cross or you can send supplies through Second Harvest (maybe you and some friends can put boxes of supplies together and share on the shipping cost?)

Smile Japan! Do your best! 頑張れ!

Short Comic : TV

Bloody women...

Bear Pit Zine #1 : Upheaval

This is a sneaky preview of my new 8 page comic that will be featured in the first issue of the Bristol-based Bear Pit Comic-Zine (This page was a prelim before the final that you will see in the book!)

This is page 3/4 of my comic! Intrigued? I will update with details of how to get hold of a copy of the zine as and when I know them, friends!

Short Comic : YLOD

Losing a PS3 is.. (I imagine...) like losing a child.

Short Comic : Gore

Here is my longest short comic yet! Phew! 4 whole pages for your pleasure :D Please let me know what you think!

#mymorning

A lady I follow on twitter by the name of @lindsaysellors tweeted the events of her morning so far with the hashtag #mymorning! I thought it would make a cute strip so I drew it up in a flash :D Hope she likes!

Short Comic : Lost

Short Comic : Pantsman!

Things My Boyfriend Does #2 : Transforms Into Pantsman Within Seconds!

Short Comic : Dignity

Things My Boyfriend Does #1 : Attempts To Remove My Dignity At Any Given Opportunity!
The first part of a (hopefully) ongoing series!

Tales of the Spiffing

The anthology book created by artists at Aardman Animations is officially released tomorrow. It is over 140 pages of pure comicy awesomeness and features work by some of the most talented people in the industry. I also blagged a few pages! If you like to order one please follow this link (you can pay through Paypal)


Tales of the Spiffing

Go on! :D

Short Comic : Boundaries

They say write about what you know... right!?

Today is...

...Comic Book day! Today is the day we get the first prints of the book 'Tales of the Spiffing,' that I contributed to, delivered to work! We are sat clock watching and willing it to suddenly skip to 3pm when we can finally hold them! mmmm new book smell.
This is a sneaky peaky at my 2 page spread featuring my favourite thing on earth... hot girls with swords...
So buy it, bitches!

More details to follow... :D

Character pic!

Who is Linjin?

Illustration Friday : Sneaky

Sneaky mouse!!
This took me a little longer than an hour... as I could not decide what I wanted the finished image to look like..! Have you ever done that? Just set off without a plan? It's happening a lot lately...
I don't know how I feel about the finished piece, or whether it is finished rather.

I am really enjoying Illustration Friday though!

Ink Dot Submission

This was my Ink Dot : Tonic submission - it wasn't selected for the show so here you go! :D

Exciting news!

I can confirm (because the chief confirmed it first...:D) that...


Tales of the Spiffing

is the name of the book that I will be contributing to! Look... there's my name! Right there!

Remember that line drawing?

I coloured her in I did!

Illustration Friday : Burning

This is my first illustration Friday too! Day of firsts today eh?




This image took me about an hour to sketch, scan and colour! Lovely fun!
Stick around and have a look at the rest of my blog if you like :)

Short Comic : Time

Here lies my first attempt at a short comic strip...





Please let me know what you think! :D