Alice and the Invaders from Wonderland

Tres important announcement!

Alice discovered Wonderland as we all know, but what would happen if its kooky inhabitants found the rabbit hole and invaded Earth?


Intrigued?

Myself and author, Bret M. Herholz are currently "crowd funding" to support the creation and publication of a graphic novel. It will be drawn by me! Click ---> HERE <----to go straight to the Indiegogo page. For the uninitiated crowd funding is a way of sourcing funds from you, the interested public. Donating can lead not only to the product being made but also exclusive rewards.

The Graphic Novel "Alice and the Invaders From Wonderland" is a great concept and I'm keen to get stuck into something of this scale. IMPORTANTLY you can not only donate to the project but also purchase some artwork along the way. Prints and postcards featuring character designs by both myself and Bret (he's a fellow scribbler in his own right). All proceeds will be piled into the production costs.

Here is an example of one of my original character designs currently up for grabs:

Original art. Ink on A4 paper.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT! 

Click HERE to view the page.

The Manchester and London Marathon

If I'm an illustrator first, then I'm a runner second. Specifically I'm a member of "Chorlton Runners," though no membership is required. http://www.runningmanchester.com/

Recently a whole bunch of us ran marathons. Chorlton being in South Manchester, meant that many from the club ran the Manchester Marathon, though myself and several others ran London the very next weekend instead. ...Or the "Virgin Money London Marathon" to give it its full contractual title.

I ran London because I was lucky enough to win a place through Chorlton Runners (yay!). ...A wonderful, painful, exhilarating day was had... though this is slightly beside the point because this post is really about who I trained with and moreover who coached me and my fellow marathon runners to overwhelming success. ...(Success as in a) attempting the bloody thing and all the training, (or is that insanity?) or b) just getting through the bloody thing.)

To cut a long story short, by way of thanks from me and the club I dedicated a framed picture to our coach Gavin Cameron. Giver of many, many man-hours; though a self titled "Dark Lord" of blood sweat and tears, he devised our training plan and was on hand pretty much every step of the way. A good man. This picture was presented to him during the post-Manchester marathon party...

Me and Gavin: Incidentally, I was a marshal at the 

Manchester Marathon so felt entitled to join 

in with a celebratory a pint (last one before 

London, the week after - hey, I never said I 

was Mo Farah).

The caricature in all it's glorious fun-poking detail. 

Yes, he does indeed say all those things.

Me, just after finishing the London Marathon. 

Mmmm, tastes like running-bling.

Softball Girls

Pull your socks up, let's play ball...

Dee Foster is the marvel behind obeyyourobsession.com, and she commissioned yours truly to draw a ton of female softball players. She knows how to add colour digitally, so I just got down and dirty with the old brush and ink.

Now, why is there not a comic about a vengeance-

hungry team of female softball players?

Also, this guy.

What was that Simpsons song? ..Oh yeh (I haven't copied and pasted this in a pathetic attempt to get more hits, honest).

Well Mr. Burns had done it,
The power plant had won it,
With Roger Clemens clucking all the while,
Mike Scioscia's tragic illness made us smile,
While Wade Boggs lay unconscious on the barroom tile...

We're talkin' softball...
From Maine to San Diego.
Talkin' softball...
Mattingly and Canseco.
Ken Griffey's grotesquely swollen jaw.
Steve Sax and his run-in with the law.
We're talkin' Homer... Ozzie and the Straw.

We're talkin' softball...
From Maine to San Diego.
Talkin' softball...
Mattingly and Canseco.
Ken Griffey's grotesquely swollen jaw.
Steve Sax and his run-in with the law.
We're talkin' Homer... Ozzie and the Straw.

Book Preview!

I am currently illustrating a book for Mr Shaan Sharma a client in LA, the book is called "A Session Director's Guide to Commercial Acting in LA." It will be available fairly soon, but in the meantime I have some cropped preview images right here...

 Guaranteed to be a clucking good read.

 You'll need some sweet profile shots if you 

want to succeed in the commercial world.

 It's pretty much the best book ever written.

We Got Death Star!

I was commissioned by Scott Jensen of Texas to create this: his family portrait transformed into Star Wars characters. Here's what happened:

1) He emailed me a photo and told me which Star Wars character each family member will become.

2) I did the rest.

 Here's the original photo

Here's what I did

So, from right to left: Darth Vader, a Storm Trooper, Princess Leia, Wicket, C3P0, R2D2, Queen Amidala, Yoda and The Emperor.

Wreck It Rock

I was asked by Starburst magazine (The UK's longest running Sci-Fi, fantasy and Horror magazine), to come up with a poster featuring one or more characters from Guardians of the Galaxy. I opted for Rocket Raccoon.

Here's the blurb from the official page.

To celebrate the release of our new Movie/TV Preview issue, we're pleased to unveil a set of free Limited Edition Collectors Prints, each dedicated to one of our specially selected Icons of 2014!

There are 3 to choose from, and they’re available exclusively from TESCO stores when you purchase Starburst #395. Pick your favourite below and get down to your local TESCO while stocks last!

Here's the original line drawing:

For those not in the know Rocket Raccoon is a Marvel character and will feature in next year's Guardians of the Galaxy movie. I won't pretend that I knew much about this particular Marvel strain until recently, however funnily enough I was reading "The Thanos Imperative" when I got this commission. That particular book features not only the Guardians of the Galaxy but an overwhelming ton of Marvel characters so start there at your own risk.

Here's the colour version:

Big thanks to "Starburst Shauna" for finally getting me into the magazine and to the others for agreeing. As Stan Lee would say "Excelsior!!"

Inglorious Bastard

A couple of months ago, a commission arrived in my inbox which was so baffling in concept that it made me think that a friend was playing a trick, just to see what the most outlandish thing I would ever draw for the promise money could be. However, soon I found myself getting stuck in, getting down with the synopsis presented before me and treating this job the same as I would with any other; by employing a high degree of professionalism (what? I can be all self-promoty sometimes.) ...I can't wait to read it.

I'm rambling. The project was an E-book cover image for a story titled "The Adventures of Bastard." The Author is Sam Gwillim and it is unleashed upon the world in December this year.

I won't say any more about the project, rather I will leave it to the official website which acts as a virtual  companion to the book; containing extra features, diary excepts from the characters and fun facts. Go there: http://adventuresofbastard.com/