Jonathan Edward's Inspector Cumulus

He's nearly here! You can pre order Jonathan Edwards Inspector Cumulus from Crazylabel right now.

I drew him.



So did Joe List and Dan Berry

and Jonathan.

Dandy Day Again

Hey! Dandy week three and Tag-Team-Tastic is hotly contesting a place behind a voting option that is Not In Use.



If you like the strip let me know but if you don't like it, let me know too! Next time I could do it different

I enjoyed doing it very much and very much hope to continue.

Live pencil action

I've always been keen to try this out and to be honest I thought i'd make it as fancy as possible before posting it anywhere. But I haven't. Tried it this morning with a new camera. First go on iMovie and first Youtube upload. There are likely to be more, though any expectation should be for exactly the same as this.

Slightly odd seeing myself draw. A lot like seeing yourself walking or hearing your own voice. Interesting.

Z Cars Theme by Johnny Keating & HIs Orchestra

The Shoot

Quick after Expo post

I had an EXCELLENT SPExpoat the weekend. Loads of ace people coming to chat, lots of people who told me they read or have read the blog or flickr.

Thank you all, it was great to meet you.

Shortly after arriving and setting I was presented with a Kani themed birthday cake expertly decorated by fellow Birdsongers Will and Lou



I did not buy enough comics while there and did not see everyone I wanted to but I came home having had my best 'con takings' day so far (been to 6 now)

While all this was going on, I had a cover in saturdays Guardian newspaper.

New Swag

Some newish swag i'll be selling at SPExpo tomorrow.

WJC Comic #1 (catching up with WJC Comic #2) and contains Angel and Metal, both previously published so not new strips.

Variety pack for a short while has 6 Gungle postcards, 4 badges and a Sweary Bear and Hot Dog sticker.

Some Kani Fancy packs, which includes a Kani comic, A5 original art and A BADGE!

Also my usual gear; A3 Gungle, Kani and Passenger of the Day prints, assorted A4 prints, Birdsong and NBC comics, postcards and original art (most likely)

The Bull defeated

Panel from Defenders of Albion for Birdsong/ Songbird #2

Cons

I did my first Comic Cons last year, this is the pile of gear I took to sell. I'm planning to do them all again this year starting with the London Comic and Small Press Expo at Goldsmiths University, New Cross, London this Saturday 12 March. Come along and browse, chat and buy!!

Underdrawing.

Sort of a follow up from yesterday. Where I showed my sketchbook progress. I always liked the way drawing come out in sketchbooks and translating them to 'artwork pages' often upsets some of the character of the line or drawing. I don't really manage whispy lines well, more sort of a stab at the page. But i DO do underdrawing.

Here are the roughs lines for the Vampire Whorehouse spread, thinking and planning while drawing.



Then I stick the Layout Pad page over and build on it from there. I've piles of layout pads and marker paper pads for bringing sketches out of sketchbooks for finishing, easily best for short deadline commissions.



Vampire Whorehouse dps for NBC#3



But 'freefall' drawing is great if i'm feeling bold and often the results are more satisfying. Gungle thumbnails, in the main are around 3cm for a page then go straight to paper, sometimes in the bin but thankfully not often.

This A3 Forty Apes drawing on bristol board went this way, though no thumbs and Underdrawing free.



Though i'm saving for a lightbox, that looks fun too.

Process Post

Drawing at my day is something of a necessity, it gets in the way enough. This is another moleskin drawing finished off in Pshop.



I took the opportunity to take these process pics with my flipping awful phone camera while doing it. I'll try this exercise again sometime with some better gear, these pictures make Boggy Creek and Loch Ness Monster footage look positively 'HD' but I hope you get the idea. Taken between 11:59 and 12:36 on sunday.

New British Comics #3

New British Comics #3 will be out this month it seems! A smashing cover by Lawrence Elwickand strips from some of the previous artist and new too. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing Will Dawbarn's.



This is a panel of my 9 page strip, Von Trapp.

Lightning Season Page

NBC#3

One panel from my strip for New British Comics #3

Dandy Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow's Dandy will include the first of 6 strips of TAG TEAM TASTIC! with Bob Etherington doing words and me doing pictures. I'll hand over to Bob at this stage as he is far better at these things than I.

The strip is one of 4 that will be in popularity contest of sorts over the next month and a bit, readers get to vote who gets to stay (at least that's what I think is going on)



I certainly hope it's enjoyed by one and all, let me know (whatever you think)

The Marquis

A few years ago I did fan art for the superb Guy Davis' superb Marquis Diableries. I love his work and really enjoy (in a grim way) Inferno. When I was recently asked by the greatly talented Graeme Neil Reid to draw a Marquis piece, I jumped at chance and very happily sent the art to Guy Davis who seemed to like it enough to post as my second appearance in the Diableries.



This all cheered me up no end.

Coincidentally, having been away from home these last few days, I return today, to find delivered, a pile of B.P.R.D issues to catch up on. More cheer.