When you think of Gargoyles...

...think of me! Hello fans, Leighton Noyes here and this is one of my preliminary character roughs for a new Random House book series called Gargoylz. I snagged this job last week and I'll be starting work on it as soon as the books are written.

Random House wanted lots of loose lines to bring each character to life so I loaded up my dippy pen with ink and got some quick, juicy marks down on the paper.

Further revisions are still needed (very common for me this) with regards to clothes and stuff but I'm nearly there.

And where I say 'Hello fans' above, that's supposed to be read with an appropriate degree of irony. Just thought I'd better clear that up right now. Although my mum thinks I'm brilliant! Thanks mum xx

These are the last of the illustrations for my latest brief. The starfish was a bit of an epic, having to attach dozens if not hundreds of legs and spines, many of which decided to fall off mid camera shoot.

Orphan Works

It's a bit dry and there are no pictures but I believe this issue is relevant to all of us:

The subject of 'Orphan Works' is currently causing a stir in the USA with proposed legislation called the 'Orphan Works Bill'.

It basically proposes that if someone cannot identify the creator of an image following a basic search, then they can call the image an 'Orphan Work' and use it however they want without having to obtain permission and regardless of who owns the copyright.

Though this is proposed US legislation, it could affect all international artists as it could be your images that are described and used as 'Orphan Works' in this way.

The Illustrators' Partnership based in North America is leading the campaigning against this bill and is asking people to write in now and express their concerns with a pro-forma letter they have supplied:

"For international artists and our colleagues overseas, we’ve provided a special link, with a sample letter and instructions as to whom to write."

http://www.illustratorspartnership.org/01_topics/article.php?searchterm=00267

The King and I

When Elvis died in 1977 I wasn't able to attend his funeral because,

a, I didn't know him and

b, I was only 6.

So what's old Leighton's connection to Elvis? Well, apart from the spectacular burners that streak down the sides of our faces, we're both beautiful and can sing the birds down from the trees with our deep, honey-toned drawl. Admittedly Elvis was more successful with his singing career than me but how many books did he illustrate? Eh?

Thank you. Thank you very much. You're a beautiful audience ladies and gentlemen.

Leighton has left the blog.