I’ve been putting together my presentation for Pen & Ink, the new comics/book art convention in Newton Abbot on the 24th and 25th of this month.
Category Archives: Cartoons
What I’m learning about Arts Council England grant funding
Until you get your head round this, it’s quite hard for a comic artist to approach the application form. You’re coming at it as someone who wants money to fund the time it takes to sit at your desk for weeks or months on end, and as far as you’re concerned, the end product is the comic.
Publishers/agents: come and talk to me about the Noisy Valley
It’s been an amazing year. As the tweet above says, my 2021 Inktober project – where I drew a different protester ever day of the month – led to me putting out my self-published book Sorry For The Inconvenience We Are Trying To Save The World. This sold faster than any comic I’ve ever madeContinue reading “Publishers/agents: come and talk to me about the Noisy Valley”
Zines and Bungaroosh
I’ve been trying out making zines, and helping form a local comics collective.
Two takes on one subject
We go to London and accidentally engage in artwork about suicide. Plus, more comics developments.
Come and celebrate Draw the Line’s UK launch
Come to the Draw the Line book launch and hear comic artists talk about their work; plus, see which two graphic novels I’ve been reading.
The naming of pages
If you found a half-finished comic in an estate sale, would you finish it?
Protest, rumbling on
I’m a bit late with this week’s blog post, but in the spirit of ‘never explain, never apologise’, here we go! Great news this morning, as the Lords reject the anti-protest measures Priti Patel added to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill. That’s great on two fronts: one for UK democracy, and one, muchContinue reading “Protest, rumbling on”
Print prep and comics doings
The protest comic gets ever closer to print, and I read two transporting books.
It is the new year
In which I look back at a year of making comics and forward to what I hope to achive next year… in a highly maudlin fashion. Sorry ’bout that.
Putting things aside, all the way down
Putting off drawing a comic to draw another comic but then putting that comic off to promote another comic. Yeah that’s what life is now apparently.
What’s happening this week?
Today was the last day of Inktober. In as much as it is a challenge, I guess I aced it? It was good to post something every day, plus, Instagram likes that too so I saw my follower numbers and engagement etc go up, for what it’s worth. The downside, of course, is that timeContinue reading “What’s happening this week?”
The Nib, Comics Up Close, Kendal and Inktober – whew!
Reporting back from LICAF in Kendal, as well as lots of comics news and links from elsewhere.
Running around
A real hit-and-run post this week, as I’m busy packing. Actually my suitcase was already half packed, because last week I went down to sort a few things out for my elderly parents in Devon; having come home to briefly touch base, I’m off to Somerset for a three day work retreat, and from thereContinue reading “Running around”
Comics thoughts, tweets and links
Tweet life I lived on Twitter quite a bit this week. First, while waiting at the opticians for an eye test, I happened to see playwright Molly Naylor tweeting about the new book she authored for Lizzy Stewart to illustrate. I love Lizzy’s style: she came and talked at our local comics meetup Cartoon CountyContinue reading “Comics thoughts, tweets and links”
Artquest and fashion drawing history
An exhibition of fashion illustration, and wondering whether Artquest peer mentoring is for me.
Inspirations and Comics up Close
Podcasts are a great accompaniment to drawing – you can enjoy them without having to look away from the page – and sometimes they can even inform your work. This week I listened to a long chat with Wayne Hussey, who as a member of Sisters of Mercy, The Mission and Dead or Alive wasContinue reading “Inspirations and Comics up Close”
Perfection is the enemy of progress
Just how good does your drawing have to be when you’re making a graphic novel? And at what point do you decide to screw up a drawing and start again?
Roughs to pencils to inks to colour
Thinking about the ‘proper’ way to draw comics.
Telling someone else’s story
Last week I’d started drafting page 74 of Satin and Tat, and this week I’m about four fifths of the way through finishing it. Not very fast progress, but my excuse is that we’ve got a new kitten – kitten! – and my time has been spent fishing her out of plant pots and savingContinue reading “Telling someone else’s story”