This time last year, I was using my Christmas holiday to frantically draw some of the most complex crowd scenes I’ve ever depicted, true to my absolutely typical habit of thinking ‘Oh, this single picture won’t take long’ – before finding I’m chained to my desk for two days straight.
Category Archives: Digital artwork
2022 in review: something to worry about
At work, colleagues were having fun with the new AI chatbot chat GPT . They fed it little tasks related to what we do, like “write an explanation of how Freedom of Information works in the UK” or “create a strapline for our new website where people can look up councils’ climate action plans”. AsContinue reading “2022 in review: something to worry about”
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”
Buy a protest print and help support the Workers Gallery
Treat yourself The four most popular images from my exhibition at the Workers Gallery are currently for sale as prints. They’re just £14.50 each, or two for £25.00. Bargs! Buy one, and not only will you have an inspiring furious woman on your wall – you’ll also be helping the gallery. A sustainable gallery onContinue reading “Buy a protest print and help support the Workers Gallery”
A comic of Rhondda protest memories: coming soon
This time last week, the long-anticipated trip was in progress and I was sitting in the Workers Gallery in Ynyshir, Rhondda, setting up for my zine workshops! I had such an unforgettable time visiting my exhibition Word on the Street (which still runs until Sept 11) and seeing the gallery for myself. No small partContinue reading “A comic of Rhondda protest memories: coming soon”
How much do you really see when you read a comic?
Not a way I’ve ever spent a day before and possibly not a way I’ll spend a day again.
The naming of pages
If you found a half-finished comic in an estate sale, would you finish it?
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.
Turns out my entire ability to draw rests on a single pen
I’ve mislaid my Surface pen. Argh! Isn’t it just a symbol of the current age that I am entirely in thrall to one small pen, and that without it I am unable to draw? Yes, sure I can pick up real paper and a real pen, but that isn’t a great deal of help whenContinue reading “Turns out my entire ability to draw rests on a single pen”
Draw The Line books are here
In this week’s blog post I unpack a brand new box of delicious books, muse on my hatred of making comics, and point toward the best holiday gift list I’ve seen so far this year.
Protest, continued
While creating extra pages for my comic on Protest, I fall down a rabbit hole of research on the local grassroots CND branch that was ever present in my childhood.
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”
Tove Jansson, graphic medicine and some small progress
I have finished page 73 of Satin and Tat and have started drafting page 74; halle-flippin’-lujah. As per my recent posts: I’m drawing on a new platform and it’s been a slight learning curve to get to grips with the various menus and tools; plus despite my high hopes at being able to import themContinue reading “Tove Jansson, graphic medicine and some small progress”
Mostly gripes, some comics news at the end
Last week, progress on Satin and Tat was unchanged, and this week it is still the same, stalled on page 73. This is partly because of the comission I’ve been working on (which I can’t share, due to the terms of the agreement I signed), and partly down to the technical problems I blogged aboutContinue reading “Mostly gripes, some comics news at the end”
Technical woes
“You seem upset,” says the harried little bot. “Let me pass you off to a sentient being who understands emotion”.
Graphic memoir as social history
Last week I had just finished page 70. This week I’ve made a good start on page 73, so I’m making progress but am shortly going to put Satin and Tat aside for a short while as I’ve had a commission elsewhere. (Yay!) I’ve been listening to a really excellent podcast recently, as recommended byContinue reading “Graphic memoir as social history”