It's so hard to get going sometimes. You start thinking this funk may never end. I did intend to do a pen review on the right hand side of the page, but then I just decided to go with what was troubling me at the moment. It's more relevant and maybe it'll free up some space inside.
Those of you who visit my blog regularly must be bored of hearing me say this; but there is just so much happening for me these days I can't keep up. Opportunities come and go before I've even had time to do anything about them. I suppose it's about prioritising but I'm not sure that I always get that right. People have often asked me for advice on becoming an illustrator and it's the same answer every time; don't ask me, I have no idea! I'm just muddling though it all.
A little while back I was asked to participate in a new little Moleskine project. The idea was to get a bunch of artists to decorate covers of Moleskine notebooks which would be placed for sale HERE. I was most excited to be asked, anything that associates my name with the beloved Moleskine is good with me, but by the time I got around to it it was too late and submissions had finished. This is typical with how things are going right now. But, I'm not complaining. It means there is a lot of interest in my work.
I'd like to say my life was my own again, for a little while but I have another deadline lined up. My next project is my first solo exhibition at the Buxton Art Gallery. That's in three weeks. After that I intend to take stock and think about what happens next. Make some changes, particularly to my business and shop . That's unless anything else comes up in the meantime. But really, I'm really NOT complaining!
So, I've taken a moment for a little commercial break. I thought I'd just let you know that I have now listed my first three zines (above) as a package. This is the cheapest way of buying them, so it's perfect for those of you who have not yet started your AJ collection (can't tell you how uncomfortable I am about writing this sort of stuff). Anyways, you can find them in my Etsy shop HERE. 
Also, new to the shop is this hot of the press limited edition zine based on my children's book. I have just 75 of these little fellas for sale. You can read more about them on my children's book blog or HERE. Plus, in other news, I have recently been interviewed by the folks at the brilliant Empty Kingdom. If you are interested in reading about my work, and me, then click HERE.
Right that's the end of the sales pitch. I promise.
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.
I'm in one of those frustrating periods where everything I touch (drawing wise) turns to crap. It's kind like the opposite to the Midas touch. But hey, it'll pass. 
Another image that just appeared in my head a couple of days ago. I'm not sure that I've executed it as well as I could have, but it's a part of this whole graphic novel idea which is currently growing and taking over my life. I feel, when I get like this, that I have to draw as much of it as I possibly can. So that I don' forget. So that I always remember the feeling of it. I don't know if that makes any sense. Maybe it does. Maybe it doesn't. It might come to something one day. Or it might just pass. But, right now, I'm living and breathing it.
I was going to say that this is the finished version of the drawing I posted part of a little while back. But now looking at it on the screen I think it could do with more shading; a little sepia to give it an antique feel. That's how I had seen it in my head before I began. Also, I always intended adding a handle because it is supposed to be a drawer full of souvenirs. Or, the handle could have made it look like a suitcase. And, I love that ambiguity. I'm often asked how long my drawings take. Well, at a guess, this one took a mere fifty hours. To appreciate the obsessive attention to detail click on the drawing and stick your conk in. Please do; FIFTY chuffing hours.
Oh dear, it seems that some of you have having trouble enlarging this image. I'll try to fix it, until then you can see the bigger version HERE.
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.
I'm so tired these days. I'm exhausted and need my bed as I type this. I just cannot keep up with everything I have to do. When I started this blog I guess I just wanted to start drawing again. Then some time went by and I realised that I might just have some skill and, who knows, I could actually turn my hobby into work. Now I'm at the stage where I can't keep up with it all. I know that all small businesses go through this transitional stage and this is where they can flourish or, for want of a better phrase, go tits up.
I've been doing so much of that very precise detailed drawing recently - the stuff that I'm probably best known for. But, I feel that I don't actually learn anything new from that kind of work. I guess that I'm always improving my technique but it's nice to have a bit of a change and do something a bit more freehand. That's what I did hear with these sugar sachets. I did draw around each of the sachets to get the shape but there were no pencils involved or any measuring up. I just drew. And that's refreshing.
Hi guys, sorry to leave you hanging there like that.
Anyway, I am currently deadlineless (call the Oxford dictionary I've just invented a new word) but I do have a huge bag of London underground souvenirs which should finish off my travel Moleskine nicely. Okay lets draw.......
Although everything has been quiet around here lately I'm still busily beavering away at this one. So, I thought I'd share another stage of this mammoth drawing with you. So far I've been drawing all the bits and bobs in with colour ballpoints and fine liners. I still don't know how, or if, it'll come together as I rarely do a full-on colour drawing like this. I'm thinking it's nearly there. The final stages will be to get the whole drawing down in pen and then I'll add the final details and, hopefully, a little more 'atmosphere' (is that the right word?) with some soft pencils. That's the plan anyway.
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.
