Happy March - desktop calender

Hello March!

Finally, a spring month!

I have been incredibly busy but I hope to keep at least the calendars going on this blog...

Have a great Spring!

For you to download to use as a desktop wallpaper calendar.
Please note that this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Parenting editorial work

Two illustrations I did for Leben + Erziehen (Germany) March issue,

it's for an interesting feature about how to build self-confidence in shy kids without making them even more aware of their 'problem', i.e. encouragement instead of discouragement.

Happy February - Desktop Calendar

For you to download to use as a desktop wallpaper calendar.
Please note that this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Radio Times - The Enchanted Island

Radio Times have asked me to create an illustration for their Opera on 3 - Live from the Met season. Something spooky and enchanted like my Flamingo Guiterrez covers for The Enchanted Island by Jeremy Sams.

I decided to show the four shipwrecked lovers of A Midsummer Night's Dream as they land on this bizarre island, where Placido Domingo is Neptune!

It's on BBC Radio 3 tonight at 6pm.

Happy 2012 - January calendar

Hello 2012!
Have you been out stargazing on Christmas? I read a kids' book on the subject and actually spotted a few planets and Orion!

For you to download to use as a desktop wallpaper calendar.
Please note that this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Editorial work - Kids Need Bullerby

An editorial illustration I made for Leben+Erziehen, the German parenting magazine.
Great subject for me as I LOVE Bullerby and most other Astrid Lindgren stories, books and films.
This feature is about how kids can become more confident if they are allowed to have more freedom, like the Bullerby kids! And what I found particularly interesting: that activities organized by parents couldn't substitute for the loose, independent play time between kids.
Good point!

I've hidden Emil of Loenneberga in this picture, can you find him?

The Three Little Pigs + Red Riding Hood

Some new cover images of the 2 books I illustrated for Cowley Robinson Publishing.

Happy Nikolaus!

Today, the 6th of December, is St. Nikolaus Day, a big tradition in Germany in case you didn't know...:o)
I forgot to put my snow boot outside the front door last night otherwise I would have found the above this morning!

Hawaii & Kentucky

2 new states are done and available to buy as prints/framed prints/Tshirts at Society6!

December Desktop calender

Happy December!

For you to download to use as a desktop wallpaper calendar.
Please note that this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Parents' Pages - illustration + handlettering

A fantastic publication I worked on with Surrey County Council and Preface Studios is out now: Parents' Pages - winter issue (download pdf).
Below are a few of the illustrations and some of the lettering I created throughout the magazine.
I have worked with Surrey County Council before a few years ago, illustrating parenting publications and creating a logo/identity that involved more child-like handlettering.
This time the illustrations are slightly more grown-up, and some cover more serious subjects, all very interesting and worth a read!

The cover. Drawing onto photographs is something I don't do very often for commissions but which worked well within this context, a girl in a wellie-throwing contest as part of the Decathlon Feature.

The Health Check feature. Lettering and a few spot illustrations plus what I've used a few times throughout the magazine - photo collage illustration, here for Dr Mark who works in A+E.

Another very inspiring feature about childcare and learning, with Rebecca and her daughter Billie-Dee.

The Surrey Focus autumn/winter page, I will create more seasonal banners for the next issues.

One of my favourite handlettering pieces I've created in this job, see the full feature on fire safety via the pdf download link if you want.

A very touching feature about self-harm and mental health, a self-written account from daughter and father.
I used a diary style handlettering for the quote up in the sky and the whole feel and look was supposed to be similar to my Northline book jacket illustration which the commissioner really liked, and it fits well I think.


These are 2 of the featured GB Olympic hopefuls, both runners, and these medal-like photo collage illustrations stand alongside their Q+A's.

New State

Can you guess which state it is?

Aliens, Rio Grande, Albuquerque and Pueblo Art -
....it's New Mexico, of course!

Open Studio Weekend

Thanks to everyone who came to SFSA's Open Studio event and stopped by my studio this weekend!
Here are some pics of the US postcards (these seem to be popular - lots of requests to finish further ones!) hanging on a laundry line,
and copies of my kids' books which I kept signing and selling until 2 of them sold out!

There's my lucky horseshoe, my oil pastel art, my drawing desk and a mood board of the Western States in the background.

New States - Alaska, Kansas, Florida

SFSA Open Studio Days

Come along to the Open Studio Days, details above in the invite!

It's Showtime...

...with Little Red Riding Hood and The Three Little Pigs!
Here are some pack shots of the two Showtime books that I illustrated.
It's a book and a theatre in one with slide-in scenes and characters on sticks, designed and created by Sally Symes for Cowley Robinson Publishing.

November - Desertfriends desktop calendar

Happy November!

For you to download to use as a desktop wallpaper calendar.
Please note that this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

Where I've just been

I just had a really nice autumn break in Germany to walk along the North Sea, woods and corn fields and to catch up with family and friends, and even with Willy Vlautin and Richmond Fontaine on their show on a boat near to where I'm from!

Nearly Halloween

A crazy werewolf on his way to the next house...

Lettering - new work in progress

What I've been working on...a little preview of the sketch-work for a great lettering + illustration project for a publication, more on that later this year when this is out.

Rocky Campground stuff

Rocky Campground prints, canvas, skins and more are now available to buy in the Society6 shop.
Follow this link...
Rocky Campground is made with oil pastel+pencil on wood.
To see more oil pastel artwork, click here.

Studio update

Some snapshots of the studio I have at SecondFloor Studios + Arts in Woolwich, SE London, and it's surrounding areas - good for lunch breaks at the river or in Greenwich Park!

DesertFriends desktop calendar - October

Happy October!

One of my favourite months and so far it's been sunny + hot with leaves falling and long shadows and warm early dark nights - a very untypical combination for London!

For you to download to use as a desktop wallpaper calendar.
Please note that this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.

see the whole set here

Latchkey Kids duvet pattern

I just found a duvet cover set from my childhood which has a warm 70s colour scheme and cowboy+cowgirls theme, then I saw a piece of paper in my bin with some latchkey kids prints on and thought it was the pillow cover with the cowboy kids....
So I just had to make up a pattern of my LatchkeyKids drawings to see how it would look like as a kids' duvet set:

Recent Work

A recent commission that I have just worked on and am quite excited about,
I can only share snippets at the moment and here they are: