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”
Category Archives: Pictures of people
Workers here we come!
After months of emails going back and forth, poster designing, conversations about printing, plotting and planning the accompanying activities… Word on the Street opens at the Workers Gallery next week. And here’s the poster translated into Welsh. As the events are part funded by the local council (for which I am very grateful), the WelshContinue reading “Workers here we come!”
Success?!
This week I’ve been setting up a new online shop and figuring out ISBN numbers, but there are also some crumbs of interesting content in the post as well. :)
It’s here, yay!
In case anyone was worried, the Protest books arrived yesterday, and they are fine. More than fine actually. I’d even go so far as to say great! I really was beginning to have literal sleepless nights over them, so this is very cheering. You can see a flick-through, at the chipped nail varnished and multi-silver-ringedContinue reading “It’s here, yay!”
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.
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.
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”
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”
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”
Pacing and jumble sales
Last week: I’d just pencilled page 68 of an estimated 170. This week: I’ve just finished page 70. Why an ‘estimated’ 170 pages? Because although I’m working from my own dummy copy of the whole book in thumbnail form, printed out and stuck together, now and again I come across a sequence where I haven’tContinue reading “Pacing and jumble sales”
Shortlisted for the Myriad First Graphic Novel competition
My work in progress, Satin and Tat, has been shortlisted for the Myriad First Graphic Novel prize. Surprised? Not as surprised as me. You should have seen me squawk when I got the email. It means a lot, and here’s why: Since lockdown began, I haven’t been able to draw any comics at all. IContinue reading “Shortlisted for the Myriad First Graphic Novel competition”
Panel show at Sunnybank Mills in Leeds
Just a quick note to say that a page from my graphic memoir-in-progress, Satin and Tat, is on display in the Panel Show exhibition at Sunnybank Mills, Farsley, Leeds. The show runs until November 10 and also includes work from Darryl Cunningham, Joe Decie, Kate Charlesworth, Katriona Chapman, Luke Pearson, Zara Slattery and many manyContinue reading “Panel show at Sunnybank Mills in Leeds”
Satin and Tat: study sketches
Sometimes it seems like the more you learn about how to make comics, the longer it takes. While working on Satin and Tat, I’ve changed my habits a bit, placing much more emphasis on preparation. Now, before I even put the final strokes to paper (or screen, since it’s mainly digital work), I’m working onContinue reading “Satin and Tat: study sketches”
Laydeez Do Comics: award and festival
It’s the Laydeez Do Comics festival this weekend, at the Free Word centre in London. Why not come along? Laydeez Do Comics is a “women-led but not women-only” organisation with chapters in cities across the UK and beyond. For the past couple of years, they’ve run an award for a graphic work in progress byContinue reading “Laydeez Do Comics: award and festival”