A rising tide lifts all boats. I love that saying, partly because it’s such a visual image. And it’s true. And it’s also true metaphorically. In comics – or I guess, any art practice – it’s a reminder that the success of one is good for us all. Take, for example, the reception to KateContinue reading “A rising tide”
Tag Archives: comics
Pen & Ink
Convention report: what happened in Newton Abbot.
Coming to Devon soon
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.
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.
New year’s resolutions
Many years ago I resolved to do something toward my comics practice every day: if not drawing, that might be something as simple as reading or rereading a graphic novel, or joining in a comics discussion online.
2022 in review: the protest book
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.
You guys
I guess I’m writing some end of year roundup posts, loosely speaking. In this one there are a lot of thankyous to the people I care about in comics. Happy Christmas y’all.
Book of the year
This is the year I discovered Swedish comic maker Anneli Furmark. I picked up ‘Red Winter’ in January, attracted by the loose style. Now and again I just fall for a book, and this was this year’s grand passion. It’s difficult to say exactly what hit me so hard – certainly not a satisfyingly wrappedContinue reading “Book of the year”
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”
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”
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!”
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.
Two takes on one subject
We go to London and accidentally engage in artwork about suicide. Plus, more comics developments.
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.
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.