Know Your Limits

Here's some brand spanking cover and spot illustrations for the current issue of New Scientist. They're for a feature about the limits of human knowledge and how there are things that will simply always be beyond our ken. Know what I mean? No, oh, ok.

Studio With A View

The Action Stations crew moved into a new studio space over the weekend just around the corner from our previous digs in Shoreditch. We've got more space to play with and panoramic views over the back of Liverpool Street to ogle at all day. Mmmniccce. Place is a mess right now but will post better pics when we've straightened the joint out, toot sweet.

Kent Dash 2: Naked Boogaloo

Had a lovely ol' time in Whitstable again over the bank holiday weekend. We attended the Post Nude exhibition opening night which was a hit, lots of folks queueing up to see hundreds of naked postcards arranged in the smallish gallery space. My two contributions made it through the postal service intact and were up amongst some really good stuff. I though it best to keep my clobber on during the show to the relief of everyone in sight. For the rest of the sunny weekend we visited the new Turner Contemporary Gallery, a welcome addition to the Margate coast, lounged on (and under) the sandy beach and took a return shuttle to Planet Dungeness to explore the solitary wind-blasted terrain once more.

East London Mornings

I was recently invited to contribute an illustration of a local(ish) cafe to the East London Mornings project, set up to celebrate the diversity of independent coffee shops in the area. I chose the charms of The Counter tucked away in deepest Hackney Wick and well worth a visit if you're roaming nearby. There's an upcoming exhibition of work from all the artists involved in the project at Mouse & De Lotz Cafe in Dalston on May 17th from 7pm. Thanks to Katya for getting me onboard.

Balkan Bash

Next up is a rousing cover illustration for Songlines magazine which explores the music (and seeming brutality) of the Balkan brass scene. Who knew?

Consumer Bundle

Hold on a min while I brush the tumbleweed from the blog. Ok, back in business. I've been away and busy in equal measure recently so I'll be catching up with a few posts over the next few days. First up is an editorial illustration for Consumer Reports in the US for an article rating the best value telecom bundle packages available to mankind.

Nudelings

Here are a couple of clothless original artwork postcards that are making their way down to Whitstable in the post as we virtually speak. First up is Nudo followed by The Burning Bush (...ooooh matron). They're for an upcoming open invite exhibition at the Horsebridge Arts & Community Centre entitled Post Nude which opens on 1st May. Disrobe your mind.

Colourspaces Interview

Thanks to Brand Nu at Colourspaces for the interview that was posted last week. Get ready to read!...If you're in the mood that is.

Inside Outsider

Here's a new illustration for Design Week's Private View column which looks at the creative/client relationship and whether a designer should have an outsider's perspective or an insider's understanding.

London Flow

Here's my entry for this year's Serco Prize for Illustration run by the AOI and London Transport Museum. The theme was the River and the brief was to depict the Thames as a central feature of London life and transport. The swirly composition was loosely based on wake patterns in the water and it was fun working iconic city elements into the shapes. So this week I was pleased as punch to hear I've been selected amongst the Top 50 entries for the exhibition on May 9th at the London Transport Museum where the winners will be announced. Splosh!

McDynamics

Here's a cover illustration for the Redmond Channel Partner magazine looking at franchising amongst the Microsoft Community. A disc drive-thru of sorts (sigh).

Snappy Update

The Photography section of the website has been given an overdue update today. I've been rummaging through the archive to pick out some of my favourites from the last two years. Very cathartic, if a little distracting. Back to work, fool boy!

Y Face

Today's rumblings in the sketchbook laboratory.

No Balance

Here's a speculative pitch illustration I worked on last year for New Balance's New York store. This long organic strip of an image was to represent a runner's journey through the Big Apple and also a history of New Balance itself. Unfortunately the job did a runner on me and never materialised but I sure enjoyed working out with it.

Talkin' Shop

I've contributed my tuppence worth of thought bubbles to an article in the current issue of Design Week by Garrick Webster. It's about how advances in technology have had an effect on the illustration world, Photoshop for me in particular. I cited one of my IBM campaign illos as an illustration that, at the time, stretched my lassoo tool throwing ability to the limit. Yehawww.

Cee Lo Redux

New re-edit of the recent Cee Lo Green online promo for Big Lights, Brighter City made here at the studio by Action Stations. This time featuring Wiz Khalifa so you'll find some fresh animated wizbits in there. It's well Taylor.

Schieß Dem Fenster

Direct from Nakatomi Plaza, the incomparable Alan Rickman as uber 'Eurotrash' villain Hans Gruber from the classic Bruce Willis vest odyssey Die Hard. This one goes out to Plug and Alex in Japan.

Norwegian Wood Posters

Here are a couple of designs I created recently for a Norwegian Wood film poster competition over at Don't Panic. There were some official film stills to work with and my fading memory of the book from a few years ago. I entered the first design for the competition as I felt it was probably closer to the tone of the story but have a soft spot for the second nonetheless.

Introducing The Japanese New Wave

I was asked to write an introduction, along with 20 fellow international illustrators, for a book entitled The New Wave Of Japanese Illustration compiled by Cristian Campos. Some spreads from which are online here. It has some amazing work in it and it doesn't make me a lurid shade of illuminous green with professional envy at all! It's well worth a look if you can get your hands on it, currently published in Spanish, French and Italian editions. Subarashii stuff!

It's Business Time

Here's a recent illustration for CIO magazine looking at how IT execs can transform their tech know-how into business skills. Suit up.