It’s very busy here- but have just about enough time for a brisk sweeping scan of the sketchbook.
This is a mini selection of roughs and some sketchbook workings done in 
the last couple of months..
This is a little snippet of a sample for a picture book I’m working on. It’s about a Queen and a grumpy jelly. Loving colour as always, truly one of life’s little joys! (seconded only by grumpy jellies..)
I work from Happiness At Work Studios in Wapping, London. It’s a great place to work, and really helps me to escape the inevitable ‘cabin fever’ i get when working from home for long periods of time. It’s very quiet, reasonably priced, we are above a Cafe AND in Zone 2!
HAW have 4 spare desks available at the moment. Would suit Designers, Illustrators, Writers, Photographers and the like! Come have a look, we have especially good coffee and Jaffa cakes too.
For more info speak to Jon Aldenton on jonaldenton@hotmail.com or go here for the H@W site
This is a fantastic vision for the combination of art & reconciliation/ providing for the poor.
“INSIDE OUT is a large-scale participatory art project that transforms messages of personal identity into pieces of artistic work. Everyone is challenged to use black and white photographic portraits to discover, reveal and share the untold stories and images of people around the world. These digitally uploaded images will be made into posters and sent back to the project’s co-creators for them to exhibit in their own communities. People can participate as an individual or in a group; posters can be placed anywhere, from a solitary image in an office window to a wall of portraits on an abandoned building or a full stadium. These exhibitions will be documented, archived and viewable virtually.”
More info at www.insideoutproject.net
Wanted to show you some sketches I’ve been working on lately. These sketches are for a picture book called “You Get What You Get” ”to be published by Picture Window Books of Minneapolis.
The story is funny, it’s about a character called Melvin, who (after much deliberation on my part) is a squirrel. He represents the classic little child who has a temper tantrum when he doesn’t get his own way. One day Melvin hears a terrible rule issued by his teacher: ‘You get what you get, and you don’t make a fuss!’ He tries to keep the rule secret at home, so he can go on having a tantrum whenever things don’t go his way. Of course he gets found out when his sister has a tantrum, and he accidentally lets slip!
I thought a squirrel would get across this highly strung, flippy and demanding character in a funny way. I love watching squirrels, we have many scampering around our studio. (Outside, of course!)
Here’s s a colour piece, some of the early character pencil sketches and the cover sketch
.
The best way to tidy the desk I’ve found, is to take it by surprise! Here’s a peek at some of the critters saved from the recycling bag!
It’s been a very busy time lately and I have been taking on lots of new and exciting projects… including a very lovely pop up book entitled ‘Haunted House’.
I have been working also on a hilarious series written by Timothy Knapman called ‘My Uncle Foulpest’. I soon begin work very shortly on a series called ‘Vulgar The Viking ‘written by Odin Redbeard. (a pseudonym- his official author picture is below!). And today I am drawing a character called Melvin. The big dilemma really, is what kind of an animal is he? At the moment I’m thinking a Duck.
Here’s a little glimpse of the drawing board of late…… (click the images to see em bigger)
