What would the community think?

Remember when I used to draw pictures?

This is pretty much all I've scribbled in 2012. I don't like the Jon Snow very much, but it's here as filler. I do like the Valentine's Day card a lot though.

I haven't drawn anything at all in over a month now. Oops.

Sherlock.

Jon Snow.

Edit, forgot this one: 

A Year in Cartoons.

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December. 

I sincerely hope that your 2012 is incredible. I have decided that mine will be electric. 

And we'll watch Christmas TV.

It's been a while, I will admit. I was a bit hesitant about doing a post on Christmas Eve, since I reckon most people have no time for this sort of thing, but apparently I did it last year so we might as well ignore sense and make it a tradition, yes? Yes. (Incidentally, what a different a year makes, that Father Christmas is just plain embarrassing).

I drew this back in September/October-ish. I intended it to be a Christmas card, but it never really worked out. It can be my digital card to you, if you'd like. 

I've been obscenely busy the last couple of months, what with one thing and another, and with the exception of that quick Sherlock Holmes thing I posted previously, I did not draw a single thing. This was my first effort, and it came out better than I could have hoped. It's default drawing territory, but I like it. 

FilmFour are having a bit of a Studio Ghibli trip at the moment (incidentally I highly recommend having a gander at the little ad they put together for it. Brilliant.), and Porco Rosso is amongst my favourites. The Miyazaki films in particular have a habit of depicting flight as it is in my head: full of magic and freedom and....being alive; rather than the dull, soporific airport realities of it all. You can't see it, but I'm making swooping motions with my arms as I type this. 

Mike and Antonia get married next month. Today they finish moving into their new home. I drew this, mostly, because why not?

And then we close on one more festive one, and one more friend one. This is Rebecca, and rumour has it she dresses up as Father Christmas even in July. I suspect that the rumour is true. 

A Scandal in Bohemia.

I picked up a book from my bookcase at random. I then opened the book, also at random. I drew a comic based on the page it opened at.

You can click on the image to make it larger if you need. 

I don't draw comics often because, as much as I quite like to write them, I find them endlessly frustrating to draw.

I travelled among unknown men.

Updating weekly died a bit of a death didn't I? I do apologise, but life got hectic in all sorts of ways. It still is, and still will be for a while. I haven't really drawn at all, asides planning sketches for a job I later had to cancel.

I drew this mid-September, but I didn't want to do a post with a single image, so I have been waiting for other pictures to materialise. I really want to do a Rivals series, so, for now, I refer to this as Rivals I:

(As an aside, I could watch Messi play football all day.)

With the exception of a Christmas card (yes, already), I didn't draw anything in colour for a month and a half. To get back into the swing of things I did this:

And then, as I love Tintin, I did these:

I regret the second one a little bit, as it steals the humour from a great character. Let's just pretend it's from before Haddock's first meeting with Tintin.

At this rate there probably won't be another update until December now, but here's hoping there is more to come.

Maybe "Boutique" would be classier.

You may have noticed that at the top of the page I've added a "Shop!" link. With a single click you will be redirected to a veritable Aladdin's cave of wonders, and prints, and iPhone cases...and so on.

I think there's a decent selection to be going on with for the moment, but if there's any picture you are particularly eager to get your hands on that isn't currently available, then just drop me an email and I'm sure something can be arranged!

I am not going to try and sell the goods to you by pointing out how lovely the prints would look on the walls of your home. I certainly won't mention that one or two would look especially grand near the door in your kitchen, or behind the sofa in your living room. I clearly, furthermore, don't need to suggest how much nicer (and safer!) your phone would be if it was adorned by one of the beautiful cases on offer.

I will, however, mention that I am a poor and destitute student who would be grateful of any meagre additional income though. Because I love a good bit of guilt.

One thing I'll add is that, because the shop is US-based, shipping to the UK is currently dearer than I would like. Hopefully I will be able to find good alternatives in the future.

"You've got to see the dream through the windows and the trees of your living room."

This blog is over a year old! I originally started it as a way to force me to improve. Looking at those early scribbles I think it's fair to say that there's been a marked changed for the better. Hopefully I'll continue to grow in the coming year.

I have started my studies, which have been nice and gentle so far (plenty to do mind), but I suspect I will be getting very busy, very fast. You can still expect drawings, I hope, but my descriptions are likely to be shortened, if not completely omitted.

As ever, my Tumblr updates more frequently as well. I'll frequently have very rapid, nonsensical, scribbles going up on there.

This is the second time I have tried to draw Amy Pond. I couldn't get the face right, again, but I liked everything else about this. It's nice and clean. 

Ryan Beckwith! One of very few characters John Allison has chosen to carry over to Bad Machinery from both Bobbins and Scary Go Round. I'm not going to say that Ryan is like me, but I will say that there are parallels in our respective growth. Weird, bizarre, almost simultaneous, parallels. 

He's one of my favourite characters ever. 

I think sometimes you just want to sit in a tree. 

P.S. I know that this is nothing at all to do with drawing, or art, but you need to watch this, it's incredible.

P.P.S. It's my birthday tomorrow. I'm old.