Chrimbule Time

It's very festive looking round our neck of the woods in London after a good dumping of snow over the weekend followed by the inevitable travel apocalypse and hysterical panic in the streets. Ahhh, Christmas. On that note I'll wish everybody a wonderful time over the holiday and a happy New Year. Bring on that 2011!

In The Zone

The TIF zone to be precise. Here's an illustration for Estates Gazette looking at Tax Increment Funding which is all about boosting the infrastructure through future taxes...innit.

Friendo

Here's a cover illustration for CIO magazine in the States looking at how big business is going about friending a more social media savvy customer base. Hello good buy!

Brutal Sugar

Here's the latest Design Week illo for an Adrian Shaughnessey article entitled Sham Parade that lays waste to the corporate 'circus tricks' of The Apprentice and regressive advertising industry gimmicks that hark 'back to a sort of 1950s Brutalism'. Everyone's fired!

Mad Coast

Here's this year's design for Anna Goodson Management's annual coaster promotion. Mad Men was the theme which is fine by me as it's one of my all time favourite TV shows. My Old Fashioneds will be all over it.

Cyclorama Part Deux

Speaking of cycling around the city here's a design I created recently with that theme in mind.

Shard Times

It's snowing in Londonshire today but on a clearer morn last week, on one of my regular cycle rides around the capital, I stopped to take in the latest skyscraper reaching for the smoggy heavens. Renzo Piano's The Shard is going up pretty quickly and will be the largest 'pointy thing' in London Bridge, and the European Union apparently. Let's see if they can build higher than the enormous lampost next to it.

Now That's What I Call A Plug

Studio bud and talented 'crazyman' Ian Stevenson has just released an excellent little book of drawings that opens a big can of comedic whup ass on art in all it's modern guises. Now That's What I Call Art is well worth a looksy.

Noir Heads

Here are a couple of choice characters I've been meaning to draw for a while. They're plucked from two classic film noirs I've only just recently got around to seeing. First up is Johnny Clay, played brilliantly by Sterling Hayden, in mid-heist iconic clown getup from Stanley Kubrick's fantastic The Killing. A riveting and highly influential (Reservoir who?) horse racing robbery caper with cracking dialogue by Jim Thompson and stunning black and white photography. Get on it!

Back in August I went along to a petrol station cum pop-up cinema in London called Cineroleum to watch classic noir D.O.A. A rollicking, slightly laughable, murder mystery with the killer hook of having the hero, Frank Bigelow, investigating his own demise to some absurdly slow-acting luminous green poison. Everything is cranked up to fever pitch including a stand-out oddball performance by Neville Brand as Chester, a simple wild-eyed thug eager to kill Frank in the most painful ways possible - 'Think I'll give it to you in the belly!'

Ah Juicy Fruit

It was Secret Cinema again recently and this time the secret was pretty well shrouded. Wellbeing and Ladbroke Grove tube station were the only obvious clues and directions, two things that don't normally end up in the same sentence. At the station we were shepherded by whitecoats about a mile away towards a derelict building that turned out to be a former hospital, originally The Princess Louise Hospital for Children that opened in 1928. Everyone was handed inpatients overalls before shambling into a crazy maze of overcrowded dank corridors with flickering strip lighting which created an all too convincing asylum atmosphere. It soon became clear that One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest was the film as orderlies patrolled the corridors keeping MacMurphy, The Chief and other recognisable loons in check. Booze was handed out at medicine stations to prescription card holders and patients were lobotomised while activities were laid on in the various wards that also screened the film later on to smallish groups providing a more intimate setting than usual. I've seen this classic a number of times but seeing it again here was like watching it afresh with all it's comedy highs, such as the inebriated party in the ward (for which the audience were handed out medicinal vodka shots), to the crushing but redemptive finale. Go Chief Juicy Fruit!

Bibelot Bashing

Here's the latest illo for Design Week's Private View column. It's all about trinkets and knick knacks (or bibelot apparently, you learn something every day) and why we tend to fill mantelpieces with tat. If only I had a mantelpiece to start with.

I Am The Law

The last month or two have seen me brushing up on my law illustration for an all new rebranded website from UK law firm Cripps Harries Hall in Tunbridge Wells. The site went live this week so I can post a few choice samples here for you to deliver your verdict on. Guiltyyy!!!

Release The Liz

Liz and I popped along to ATP's Release The Bats Halloween party at Kentish Town Forum a couple of weeks ago which, apart from having some great bands playing, also held a fancy dress competition. While I made ziltch effort with my garb, Liz cranked it up to 11,000 and ran with the theme of 'Factory Floor' who were playing on the night. The theme then ran over her and reversed for good measure. Liz ended up winning Best Costume Of The Night and may even win Best Overall Costume if she gets enough votes...hint, hint. Greeaaat jaarrrb.

Urbtopia

I recently illustrated the cover and feature story for the current issue of New Scientist which looks at the concept of Urban Utopia and why it's greener to live in the big city than the country. Flip those preconceptions right out the highrise window!

Poker Faced

More editorial illustration shenanigi for French company Groupe W's magazine, simply titled, 'W'. There are six illos in total for a large feature looking at the increasingly popular world of Online Poker. Snap! I cannot play poker.

Trauma Centric

It's been a tad quiet at the ol' bloggo. I've had my head down beavering away at a number of editorial illustrations all waiting to get posted in due course. Here's one I can release into cyberspace, a recent illo for D Magazine looking at the potential disaster looming for Dallas' trauma centers and their inability to cope with major catastrophes. Pass the defibrillators please.

Intruder Alert

Like, Totally Neo Rural

Here's a cover illustration for France's Journal Europa looking at the history of migration between urban and rural areas and all the attendant social impacts and expectations that go with it. Look out for those cow pats.

Loch Nessing

Went for a long weekend family break to Inverness, Scotland to support my cousin Warren as he took on the mighty challenge of the Loch Ness Marathon. We stayed in a couple of cosy lodges in the gorgeous Falls Of Foyers area near the Loch, supping booze and chomping on haggis in the warmth while Warren 'bust his ass' to complete his first, very hilly and wet, marathon in four hours, 8 minutes. It tired me out just driving down the route so we were all very proud of his outstanding achievement, as was Nessie who made a special appearance...that absolutely nobody saw.

Interactionville

Here are a series of colourful illustrations that can be seen in the current issue of Design Week gracing their Interaction Design supplement. It looks at the current state of the industry and features a lot of iThings.

Back Of The Future

Here's a full pager for Shepherd Center's APEX magazine in the States looking at trauma surgery technology for spinal cord injuries.

Billboard No Mates

Latest illo for Design Week's Private View column looking at over-eager brand advertising that just wants to be your bestest chum.

Start Spreading The News

Here are a few snapettes from a fantastic couple of weeks spent in New York recently. It was hot, hot, hot in the city for the first five days as we checked out the sights and sounds from our base at Hotel Chelsea. We strolled the Highline and Brooklyn Bridge, the boardwalk from Brighton Beach to Coney Island, cycled Central Park and took in the Big Bambú sculpture and view from the roof of the Met. For the weekend we drove up-state to Monticello in the Catskills for the All Tomorrow's Parties festival at Kutsher's Country Club, a fading seventies style venue with insane carpets and a charming lake to sit beside inbetween gigs. And what gigs, highlights for me were Iggy And The Stooges, Mudhoney, Breeders and the dry-ice drenched quasi-religous metal experience Altar. For the second week we continued driving north staying at the amazing Pollywogg Holler eco-lodge, a cluster of beautiful log cabins in the middle of the woods, for an enjoyable night with the wonderful hosts that kept any Blair Witch flashes well at bay. We passed through NY's take on the Grand Canyon, Letchworth State Park en route to Niagara Falls. The awesome spectacle of the falls was offset by the sheer naffness of the tourist trap town above it, one night was more than enough. On to the lovely Seneca Falls before settling in to our very own Airstream at Kate's Lazy Meadow, a fifties styled trailer park with a picture postcard setting next to a creek in the Catskills. Bliss. Back to the Big Apple for one last 9/11 memorial illuminated night before hopping the Atlantic home. Click the pics to big 'em up.

As Seen On DVD

Hush Your Mouth, the British independent film I designed and animated the titles for, has finally been released on DVD and has a spanking new website to promote it. It's an interesting South East London urban tale, well directed by Tom Trywhitt and produced by Liza Brown. It features some great performances from a solid cast and is well worth a butcher's hook, er, look.

Images 34 Awards

It was the Association Of Illustrators Images 34 Award night last week and I was fortunate enough to pick up a Bronze award in the Design category for my Pyramid Breweries Audacious Apricot Ale illustration. Action Stations also picked up a Silver award in the New Media category for last year's Dallas Guild animated 'Burn' promo, a collaboration between myself and Mark Taplin. I'd like to thank ... (ohh shutuppp!)

Steve Thorogood 1949-2010

While away I was very saddened to hear that my UK agent Steve Thorogood had passed away after a brave fight against cancer for well over a year. Steve was a very decent man with a great passion for illustration and I respected him a great deal. He was the first person to give me a break in the industry by representing me and I'll never forget that. He has had amazing support from his family Doreen, Kate and Tom and they are continuing his amazing legacy with Good Illustration. RIP Steve.

Oh My Grammar!

Greetings all. I've been off the grid for a couple of weeks in the good ol' US and A, more of which I will post about shortly. In the meantime here's a recent illustration for Design Week's Private View slot looking at how the increasing digital transmission of the written word is killing off the artistry of crafting a letter...with propa gramma n spellin n stuff.

Pipe Nightmares

Here's another recent illo for What Car? Magazine for an article called 'Tailpipe Truths' looking at the current state of car pollution. Chokes me up every time.

For Local People

Here's an illustration for Ethos magazine about the history of Localism as an ideology, you know, whether public services should be commissioned by locals or central government bigwigs. Look, a steam train!

Stay On Target

A recent illo for Target RED Magazine. It's here. Online shopping technology in a big hand...yeah!

Down The Albert

Popped over to the Albert Hall this week to get some cheeky snaps of the Proms illustration in full swing before the festy ends next month. Lovely evening for it.

Don't Hang The VJ

Good chum and fellow studio peep Ben Cook has launched a new site showcasing his cracking audio-visual work called Synthetics. Check out the footage of his live animated projections for Finnish group Villa Nah, filmed by Tom Bunning, and good ol' boys, The Orb.

I Need A Holiday, Holiday, Holiday

I've been a bit AWOL again over the last couple of weeks catching up on the illustration work I couldn't do in July as most of my time was spent working on this music video which I can finally unleash. It's for the Australian artist Vanessa Amarosi's new single 'Holiday' and was created as another Action Stations collaboration with Mark Taplin. We came up with the initial concept, designs and storyboards with director Dan Ruttley for Metropolis Studios, assisted on the green screen shoot and then worked our asses clean-off to animate the whole video in just over two weeks. It was tiring but we're pleased with the results which you can see on my site here ... and there's a poorer resolution version of it on Youtube replete with appreciative comments such as "sack the video production team"! Gotta love that 'tube.

Heads Du Jour

First And Last

Escaped to Cornwall again for a long weekend with Liz, my brother and a few friends. This time to beautiful Sennen Cove near Land's End, home of the famous First And Last Inn where a few Rattlers were caned. The weather was meltface hot so plenty of beach action, barbies and some seriously amateurish surfing attempts were in order. When the sun took a break we walked up the coastal path to nearby Cape Cornwall, originally mistaken for the real Land's End, and hitched a hilarious ride back atop the local 300 bus...into the foggy void!

Festivus

Here's a few editorial pieces for a spread on Edinburgh's festival season in the nicely designed Velocity mag for Cityjet. Och aye!

Eat My Rust

Here's a film poster design for a recent Little White Lies competition to, yes, design a film poster for a future film of your dreams. On this particular day my dreams were filmed with flashes of B-movie madness and minotaur like savages wreaking havoc ... on Mars. Hellooo Hollywoood!

Le Weekend

For a birthday treat my wife whisked me off to Paris on the Eurostar for the weekend and it was proper fantastiche! Firstly we headed over to the Foundation Cartier to check out an exhibition by my favourite Japanese all-round whacko auteur 'Beat' Takeshi Kitano, his film Sonatine is in my all time top movie list and who can forget the mayhem of Takeshi's Castle. The show was fun and eclectic featuring comically surreal animal/warfare hybrids, crazed elephantine sewing machines, brilliantly daft interactive exhibits and striking naive paintings all topped off with a visit to a cool Japanese kiosk he also designed. The total Takeshi experience. We then popped to the Champs for macaroons at Laduree before leaving the tourist havens behind and checking out the gems of North East Paris and the 19th arrondissement. We spent a lovely summer's evening at the spectacular Parc Buttes Chaumont, walked the length of Canal Saint Martin with drinks at Point Ephemere and explored the amazing Parc de la Villette chock full of bright red post modern structures, submarines, huge mirrored spheres and a Claes Oldenburg & Coosje Van Bruggen buried bicycle sculpture. Incroyable!

And Now A Corporate Message

Here's the latest Design Week illustration for an article on corporate dissonance, the difference between what a company says and what it does...and how it can sometimes get them in to Deepwater.

As Seen On TV

It's Promsmania at the moment as the big Beeb music festival kicks off for three months. Spotted this well-made ad on the tellybox featuring my illustration being painted on a massive billboard in a park with crowds of people walking blindly into it. Can't say I had anything to do with the making of the ad but it's sure nice to be a part of it.

Notes From The Bunker

Well, July has been razed by a time consuming hurricane of extreme work and play so the blog has suffered somewhat but I'll be posting with a vengeance over the next week or so to remedy the situation. First up is a big thank you to Francesco and the Italian design aces at Bunker who I worked with on the Carraro Annual Report and kindly sent me a lovely package of notebooks made up from a couple of my personal illustrations, Pier and Cuba.

Prodeal Or No Prodeal

Here's a double page illustration for SNEWS Outdoor Magazine looking at the ups and downs of Prodeals and their impact on business performance. Got to use some of my Grand Canyon photography to play with on this one.