over my shoulder

This is where I've been hiding all week - in this drawing. Do you know what ties all the objects, on the shelves, together? If you want to know, find out HERE.

(Click on image to view)

hurt

A while ago I asked you if anyone could guess the song that inspired the drawing you can see HERE. The answer was Johnny Cash's cover of the Nine Inch Nails single 'Hurt'. It's a stunningly gorgeous song, great album and, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful videos ever made. You can see that video HERE.

looking down on everything

I've been kicking about some ideas on the the theme of 'mail', which is how this drawing came about. I don't know how I feel about it. Well, I do, but I won't say! I'm trying desperately hard to be less self critical. I don't think it's very helpful, and sometimes, I think, it sounds like I'm fishing for compliments. Which I'm not. These are just the thoughts that go through my head. The habits of a life time are hard to change.

gypsy dancer

Here is the first entry that I made in my little Japanese Moleskine (well, as much as I could fit on the scanner anyway) for the Moley Exchange project, that you can read about HERE. And, get this; yesterday this little book arrived at France Belleville's place in New Jersey and today Suzanne Buchanan's Moleskine dropped through my letterbox. How fabulous is that?

It's also given me a good excuse to get the camera out, so if you'd like to see this book from every possible angle, then you need to get a life. Only kidding, check out THIS.

(Apologies to Gabi, whose surname I completely and utterly misspelled on the inside cover of my book.)

on the couch

I'm sure that I really shouldn't be sharing these thoughts and abstractions, but I suppose once you've revealed the contents of your underwear drawer then any thing's material.

drawn to all things

I used to be a hoarder. Then some years back I decided to declutter my life. And was quite successful. Then I started drawing. Now I have boxes of stuff. Lots of boxes of little things. I have little boxes for red things, green things, and orange and purple things. I have boxes of badges, bottle tops and buttons. A separate box for novelty buttons. This is a box of tags, labels, tickets and bits of paper. Now I see everything as drawing opportunity. Now I say to people 'oh don't throw that away, I'll save it...' and they just go 'yeah, yeah, to draw'.

Illustration Friday; SAVE.

cool for cats

Wagonized and I are having a camera-off. It's like a face-off but with drawings of cameras. I lose, dismally, with this dull attempt. I obviously wasn't paying attention at cool school that day. However, France gets top marks for THIS very, very cool drawing of Tom's camera.

Must try harder.

your blog needs you

I'm sorry, my lovely little blog, but I've got a confession to make. You know I've been neglecting you recently? Well yes, it's true; I've been seeing someone else. He's called MoleyX and for a while, back there, he turned my head. I don't know what happened. You know, you and me were going through a rough patch. I seemed to be spending more and more time with him and things just happened. I'm over it now though. Really. It was just a silly fling. It's not like it is between you and me. We have too much history. I promise to make it up to you. I promise to pay you more attention. Will you forgive me?

jet set sigh

Just thought I'd tell you about a new, and exciting, project I'm involved in. I was honoured to be asked by Miguel Herranz to join the Moleskine Exchange group (also known as MoleyX). The idea is that a group of artists each purchase a little Japanese Moleskine, draw on a couple of pages and send it on. The next participant will then add a bit more before passing it on. This keeps on going until the books are full of lovely drawings.

Anyway, for a better explanation (!) and to keep track of the adventures of our little Moleys, as they jet around the world, check out the new blog HERE. Oh yeah, you can also see the list of artists taking part. At which point you will be able to fully understand why I'm so intimidated! Sigh.

back in the black

A few weeks back I was listening to my MP3 player on a long drive home. One particular track, which I've listened to a hundred times or more, was playing and this drawing just popped up in my head. Just like that. This exact drawing. From nowhere. I love it when that happens. It feels like a real gift.

There is, of course, always a downside and ever since then it has been niggling away at me. Saying 'draw me, draw me', 'you can't keep ignoring me' and 'I will continue to annoy you until you draw me'. I had been trying to avoid it. I knew there were just too many complicated little details. And I knew that there was to be a black background which would take a lifetime. Finally, I decided to commit it to paper. So, this is what I did over Easter.

The question is can you name that tune?

along for the ride

Just a couple of driving drawings. Obviously, I wasn't drawing whilst driving. That would just be dangerous. Although, it would be quite a skill. The car is a good place to draw for the shy. I absolutely cannot draw out in public, so the car is the closest I get to drawing outdoors. I have tried drawing al fresco and I hated it. I am just too uncomfortable with it. I am British, after all. I'm far too self conscious. And a recluse. Hey, we all have our own neurosis.

caught in a moment

The major mistake with this drawing is that I drew the boot whilst it was unzipped and unworn. I should have put it on, zipped it up and then drawn it. That, of course, would have shown a more shapely ankle. I mean, ladies, imagine in a gust of wind your bustle rose to reveal an unshapely ankle. Oh, the embarrassment. You'd be mortified, right?

Imagine how this poor lady feels, a shapely ankle is the least of her worries. Click HERE for a glimpse of something a little cheeky.

stuck on you

How come whenever you really need a plaster there are only these ones left in the box?
Plasters in ink. Go on then, I'll throw in a cat hair. Free of charge.
(Click on image to view)

the line it is drawn

There is not a great deal of drawing going on at the moment. I'm still wiped out after the last one. And still no colour. I do, however, have a pile of half finished drawings that seems to be growing all the time. Thought I'd finish one today. This one.

Everyday Matters #17, draw a musical instrument.

i will pin and mount you like a butterfly

(Click on image to view)
Now, I've often said 'this is the longest drawing I've ever done' but, hey, this time I really mean it. I had wanted to do a colour piece, I felt my blog could do a with a little burst of colour, as the last few drawings have all been in this pen. So I started a colour drawing over the weekend. I was unsure of the it right from the off. I worked on it for a couple of days and really disliked the result, so I went back to a subject that I know and love.

It may well look familiar. I've done a couple of versions of this theme in the past. But this one took the longest by some way. I'm guessing over the last few weeks approximately 30 hours of work have gone into this drawing. This kind of subject is so fascinating to me. I really enjoy the drawings within a drawing thing. They are so easy to get lost in. I hope you can too.

I also want to say thanks to everyone who was given me and/or my blog awards over the last few weeks. I'm touched by the kind words. Cheers folks.