29 November, 2007

Dutch golden Age II




Just to complete the series, including some beggars especially for Sue.



And my client asked me to change the Batavia harbour scene a bit, because she thought it to be too crowded and I think she was right.

21 November, 2007

Good Morning America


I met this woman while jogging one early morning

15 November, 2007



I am living in Spain at the moment and thought a Spanish Bull would be suitable for this years Christmas card.

I have used pen & ink with coloured pencils for a bit of texture.

Well i know it is a bit early but Merry Christmas or as the locals say Feliz Navidad

07 November, 2007

One of the Three Pigs

I thought I'd get my watercolours out for a change. Here's my first offering. Please be gentle:¬)

05 November, 2007

Dutch Golden Age (17th century)


First of all I want to apologise for my poor english; I hope I'm able to convey my meaning.
Currently I'm working on 5 full-colour illustrations (42 x 28 cm) on the Dutch Golden Age,
which will be printed on a 60 x 40 cm size and used for educational purposes.
Here are two roughs; one of a ficticious master-painters studio and another of a dutch VOC-ship lying on the roads of the dutch colony of Batavia roundabout 1650 AD.
Still to do: merchants and beggars, the siege of a dutch town by the Spaniards and scientific discoveries.

And now for some thing completely different.....


This is a wood engraving of our Jack Russell Charlie, that I've been working on in odd moments. Almost finished (just clearing out some background that kept picking up ink and printing itself). I must say I do enjoy the slowness of engraving...the delibarateness that is necessary; once a cut is made in the block, you can't erase or un-cut it. What a change to the comparatively frantic dashing out of illustrations in the course of 'the day job'!

I'm also still getting used to my press, an old Farley galley press , fresh from the composing room of some Lancashire printer, victim of the new photo-lithographic age. It found a home in my already-cosily-proportioned studio, next to the Mac. Proper job! (As they do say down in Cornwall)