MERRY CHRISTMAS

Have a lovely Christmas everybody x.

VWORP VWORP, DR WHO MAGAZINE 1979-2009

Let's travel back through time and space to a few posts ago where I showed you my drawing of new Dr Who Matt Smith. Here he sits alongside his former incarnations each drawn by a different artist either from Doctor Who Magazine's past or present. You can find out more about the non-profit making fanzine Vworp Vworp and order it here.

More of my work (some Dr Who, some not) can be found on my website.

IT'S BEEN A HARD DAY'S NIGHT...

...And I've been drawing a dog. That doesn't quite work does it? Never mind! My daughter's school is holding a bit of a Christmas do where things get made and sold and the money gets given to charity. And I've been volunteered to draw 100 pictures by the first week of December to sell at 50p/£1 each. This scruffy doggy is my first one so only 99 to go then...

READING BETWEEN THE LIONS

Hello, with all the business of work going on I quite forgot to mention that I've a new book out, Reading Between the Lions by Gillian Swordy and published by Tamarind. It's a lovely rhyming story that deals with bullying and about the little boy who overcame it.

I've dedicated this one to my daughter's junior school, Sherwin Knight, where she's just been made deputy head girl and very proud of her I am too.

MATT SMITH is the ELEVENTH DOCTOR

I've been very lucky to be asked to draw a picture of the next Dr Who, Matt Smith for the cover of a non-profit making magazine called Vworp Vworp! The cover will feature all 11 television Doctors with each one being drawn by a different illustrator who's drawn for Dr Who Weekly/Monthly/Magazine since it started all the way back in 1979. The content of the magazine itself will focus on the comic strip adventures of the Doctor.

When the cover's finally finished with each Doctor added I'll show you- it's quite exciting for me to be in company of such talented (and in lots of cases, such downright famous) illustrators.

Right-o, work has kept me away from this blog for a while (I've got three books on the go) and will keep me away again for the next month at least but I'll try and pop on and add to it when I can. In the meanwhile, if you'd like to see some more of my Dr Who drawings you can pop onto my website if you like and have a poke round.

GARGOYLZ AT WATERSTONES

Here's a little display of Gargoylz at Waterstones in Maidstone which was good to see since my books aren't usually afforded promotion like this. And it's 3 for 2 at the mo so better hurry down there!

GARGOYLZ ON THE LOOSE...

As of 2nd July, the Gargoylz are now available to buy in shops and online. What's more they have their very own brand spanking new website which I've just visited for the first time. The website contains info on the Gargoylz books, characters and toys and there's even a game and special competitions where you can win lovely gargoyly goodies.

MY ROCHESTER TUTORS- Jackie Clark and Peter Gowers

These are two of my most favourite people I've ever known and I first met them when the world was 18 years younger than it is now. I was a fresh faced pup with a pocket full of rainbows and a head full of dreams in '91, just out of school and embarking on an art education. Jackie Clark (the smiley one without the beard on the right) and Pete Gowers (the grizzled one on the left. I'm joking, he's a sweet kid) were the very first tutors I had and I only had them for a year.

Now, I'm not the sort of person who makes an awful lot of friends- I tend to hang about on the periphery, I hide in the shadows and hope the world leaves me alone but in 1991 Jackie opened the door and coaxed me out and was warm and lovely and made me laugh. A lot.

And I'm not the sort of person who's awash with confidence either- I tend to muddle along, hope for the best and fumble my way through the dark but in 1991 Pete turned on the lights and illuminated the path and he was warm and sagely and swore. A lot.

Today, for the first time in months and months I had a day off and for the first time in years and years I went to visit them. Every bit as fantastic as they always were, I completely enjoyed several happy hours whiling away the time in the warmth of the sunshine and their company.

I can't begin to tell you how dear they are to me but I'm absolutely certain had it not been for that one glorious and golden year I had with Jackie and Pete, I wouldn't be an illustrator at all.

GRAHAM-CAMERON ILLUSTRATION

Some years ago when I was struggling to find any sort of work as an illustrator I was considering packing up and moving to the bleak town of Giveupsville. Until one afternoon a small chink of light broke the gloom and I received a life changing 'phone call from Mike of the illustration agency Graham-Cameron Illustration. He had responded to a letter I'd sent some time before asking for representation and he, Duncan and Helen lifted me up, put me back on my feet and jump started my career.

And I'll never, ever be able to thank them enough for all their hard work, support and advice through the years.

The little guy above who's splashing through a puddle of paint is a promotional drawing to be placed on a beermat for GCI, probably the best illustration agency in the world.

BAD WOLF

I've only managed 14 hours sleep since Sunday morning and today's Friday. I think.

My poor little eyes are littler, blearier and redder than they've ever been before. And they sting a bit. The reason for the lack of sleep is having to meet my deadlines (or 'dead lions' as my little girl calls them). I've been bustin' guts to complete the final drawings of Gargoylz Put on a Show in which a ridiculous version of Little Red Riding Hood is performed.

But all the subterfuge that comes with that story and the red eyes that comes from illustrating that story reminds me of a time when I got up to some pretty good subterfuge myself...

I was a wee, freshed faced lad of 17 in 1990 with high ambitions and the world at my feet, which I suppose is why I had a part time job working at Tescos. They always made me do Saturday which is the worst day of the week to be sitting on a till from 8 in the morning 'til half 7 at night. I hated every minute of it and invariably left work with a headache. But the worst Saturday for a lad of 17 to be working on was FA Cup Final day and the 1990 Final was between Man United and Crystal Palace. I forgot to ring in sick.

So I arrived at work and was sent to my till by a sour faced supervisor and whilst ringing in the frozen peas (groceries, 59p) I devised my escape plan. Kick off was at 3pm but I had to be sitting in front of my telly by lunchtime as the FA Cup commanded a considerable build up back in the day, so I was going to have to work fast.

Break time came in which I had just twenty minutes to execute the most brilliant plan any boy ever devised to get out of work to watch football. Before going for a rest upstairs I bought a pack of colouring pencils (home and wear, £1.49), a pencil sharpener (also home and wear, 49p) and a small pair of tweezers (again, also home and wear, 99p). Upstairs in the changing rooms I sharpened a red colouring pencil down until I had a fine red dust which I applied around my eyes. I was starting to look a bit ill.

Next, I used the tweezers to pluck nose hairs from my nostrils which had two desirable effects: it made my eyes water uncontrollably and made me sneeze violently time after time so before getting back to the shop floor I plucked several more times. It was now do or die.

Slowly I shuffled back to my till, holding my head in one hand as I went. Immediately it was noticeable I was very sick. I started squinting, believing the lights ought to be hurting my eyes and the sour faced supervisors (not you Sandra, you were always very nice- I hope you're well) were now showing some concern as to my welfare especially as, believing noise ought to be hurting my ears, I couldn't hear a word they were saying.

Within 10 minutes I was skipping work and skipping all the way home. Back of the net!

United and Palace drew 3-3 with United winning the replay 1-0. Result!