our favourite shop

If you are near the Buxton Gallery in the next few weeks pop in and see the Derbyshire Open Art Competition. This drawing, of mine, is in the exhibition. It's of the gorgeous Atticus Boo in Buxton. It's the shop where I buy my Moleskines and other sketchbooks and is jam packed full of gorgeousness.

So get your arses along to the Museum. You can also vote for your favourite piece, so vote for this! Even if it's not your favourite still vote for it. There's a cash prize. And, boy, do I need cash prizes.

squashed tomatoes and stew

You know I should never ever mention anything I have lined up. It's it the kiss of death. This is not the exciting project update I mentioned in the last TWO posts. My excuse this time is that something else popped up. A birthday to be precise. My little old blog's birthday. Apparently this blog is actually five years old. Well, it was about two weeks ago. I forgot. Again. Which, my family and friends will tell you, is also very typical.

So I'd like to say a Happy belated Birthday to my blog and I. And, I'd like to say thanks. Thank you for all the visits and comments over the past five years and 568 (!) posts. I appreciate each and everyone of them.

so you think you can tell

This is one of those drawings that I was moaning about in my last post. The idea was there. The will was there but somehow it hasn't quite worked out as I wanted. That's okay, though. This is another from the graphic novel idea that has been keeping me awake at night. The way I see it is that when I finally get a publishing deal for it I'll have to redraw them all anyway. That's when I'll get them just right. So, I suppose these are just warm ups.

By the way, on Monday I'll be listing a new little zine in my Etsy shop. It's a very limited edition, so I thought I'd let you know in case you would like to get your hands on one. I think they might go quite quickly.

etched forever as a moment

Another one of those things that I would really like to do is to write and illustrate (mainly illustrate!) a graphic novel. I have had this idea for a storyline, which I've been playing around with , in my head, for some time now. Just another thing to add to the list.

where sleeplessness awaits

So I started this drawing about two or three weeks ago but unfortunately it's going to have to be put on the back burner for the next few days as a new, more pressing deadline has emerged from nowhere.

This is one of the most ambitious drawings that I've undertaken yet. It's on A3 paper which is double the size I normally use. Plus it's full colour. Thus far it has taken approximately 20 hours.

Anyway, I thought I'd take this opportunity to show you how I make these big mad drawings as it is a question I'm asked often. In the past I've been asked if I set up the compositions or whether I draw from a photo. The answer to both of those questions is no. I almost always draw from life.

What I do do is start with a couple objects (in this case the tram ticket, the Mary and baby Jesus and the seahorse) and then add the rest around them. I place the other objects on the paper, mapping it out piece by piece. It's almost as though the composition works itself out. I love drawings like this. I love the way they reveal themselves to me, the way they unfold in front of my eyes.

leave no track don't look back

The girl who served me at Cafe Nero in Manchester Airport must have thought I was a total pig. I bought three Espressos, Sicilian Lemon cheesecake, these Amaretti biscuits and some hazelnut chocolates in the 15 minutes I had spare before boarding my plane.Of course, what she did not know was that I was only buying these Amarettis to draw. There was no way I could ignore gorgeous packaging like this.

The Aftermath

After I'd finally finished drawing them, earlier today, I decided that the only right and proper thing to do would be to eat them. It would be wrong to let them go to waste. However they had been to France and back in my hand luggage and were pretty much powder and crumbs. Therefore the only thing left to do was to tip my head back and basically pour them down my neck. I am, of course, a total pig.

These drawings are from my travel sketchbook. You can see the other drawings from that book HERE.

Now where are those handmade chocolate Florentines that I bought to draw?

my little box at the top of the stairs

If I'm honest this isn't actually my little box. I've also taken to drawing other people's souvenirs in my quest to fill my travel themed Moleskine. This box of crap, I mean beautiful collection of memorabilia, accompanied my friend Tim home from his world travels. I am a big fan of tat and have wanted to draw this for the longest time.

Actually I've probably wanted to use this blog post/drawing title for even longer than I've wanted to draw his little box, so to speak.