NARC MAGAZINE ILLUSTRATION (AUGUST 09)

This makes it three months in a row of illustrations I've got in NARC, everyone's favourite North East music paper.

This month the brief was to illustrate an article on music companies whoring out the names and legacies of dead musicians, so obviously I went with Michael Jackson (especially after the debacle of his funeral-come-pantomime-come rock concert). Originally, the illustration was to have been more elaborate and offensive, but I paired it down to a much more simple image - not so much to censor myself, but because it was getting too cluttered to work.

Feeling a little concerned about the tone, I posted a Facebook message asking if it was possible to do such a drawing without prompting a fatwa from lunatic Michael Jackson fans - which instantly prompted a tirade from one such fan! I suppose when you're trying to make a serious point (or at least illustrate an article that is making a serious point), you've got to bait a little controversy in order to catch people's attentions.

On the other hand, they're selling This Is It tour t-shirts in HMV with MJ in full Thriller zombie mode on them, so my attempts to shock seem kind of tame in comparison.

THIS MEANS WAUGH AT THE COMICS REPORTER

The Comics Reporter picked up on my reimagined Batman cover a week or so ago and kindly flagged it and the blog up on their site.

Thank you muchly!

BALTIC TRIP

The other week my sister came down with her class for a trip round the BALTIC art gallery in Gateshead and she asked if I would come along and talk to the kids about illustrating and stuff.

My apprehension at speaking about myself to a group of 6-8 year olds was exacerbated when my sister, having promised her pupils a surprise guest, asked the group to guess who I was. "Is it your grandad?" came the first (entirely innocent) reply.

My sister is four years older than me.

I need a shave. And a haircut.

However, the kids were lovely and the talk went really well, so I'm assured. I dunno how impressed they were by the old man sitting in front of them pointing at drawings of Jarvis Cocker in a music paper, but when I showed them the Batman cover, their eyes lit up.

COUPLEDOM IS COMING...

...I swear!

However, for those doubters among you, here is some artwork I produced recently for the cover.  I've got a couple more pages to do to make sure the tone of the collection is balanced and then I reckon I'll be satisfied enough to let it loose.

Beware!

24-MINUTE COMICS PT.6

More hastily-produced comic goodness for you.  These two were produced over the last two Paper Jam Comics meet-ups.  Particularly difficult words/phrases picked out of the hat on these occasions - I had to get shown how to draw a violin (and the results are poor at best) and "pie chart" and "starting...now!" I'm sure were never supposed to be seen together in any context.  However, I think I had a good crack at both.

These are also two strips in a row that don't have any gratuitous swearing in them.  I must be losing my touch.

British comedy fans will notice that the second betrays my love of top 90's sketch show Big Train.  If you didn't notice - get yourself down to the shops and pick up the DVD - you won't regret it.

(Warning: contains scenes of a violent nature)

(Warning: contains sweaty businessmen)

MORE JARVIS

For those of you who enjoyed the Jarvis Cocker illustration I did for this month's NARC., here is the alternative one I did around the same time.

I went with the original illustration as it fitted into the required space much better.  My girlfriend prefers this one - and I have to admit it does have the Jarvis stance - but I think the original has much more life and movement about it.

SQUARES POSTER

I recently completed a poster/flyer design for Daniel of the band Squares to advertise the launch party for their debut album.

The brief was to do a cartoon version of the album cover (photographed by Ian West)...

...while putting across all the information necessary to advertise the launch and the CD (which was a lot).  Daniel and I knocked the design back and forth til he was completely happy with it and the resulting poster can be seen below...

For those in the local area - the launch will be at Hedworth Hall in South Shields on Saturday 15th of August.  Check out the poster for more details - after all, that's what it's there for!