So it's to the gallows with the long lost Kingdom of Light.

I'm late updating because I didn't think I had any pictures to upload here. Clearly I am massively forgetful, because I do. Here are three of the better ones.

This is a quick cartoon of Rebecca, personal style blogger who has a website here. I've drawn her once before when I was first trying to work out how to draw again. My style has changed a fair bit since then, it's fair to say, and sped up considerably. (I mean, these two styles aren't really comparable when it comes to time, but in general...)

I drew this because apparently I draw too many skinny women. 

I then recoloured it, and it ended up like this. Which I prefer. 

Because he doesn't know how to love.

I've mostly been experimenting with different ways of drawing/colouring this week, with varying degrees of success.

Not sure what I think of this one, even now. You'll note I wasn't really paying attention to the pencil settings, thus the big ol' chunky lines, but the results aren't that bad. 

I suspect this lady isn't very nice. 

This is possibly the least successful picture here, but in an odd way it's the one I'm most pleased with. It's not great in and of itself, but it's a good stepping stone.

This was an extremely quick draw and colour job that I did whilst watching Boardwalk Empire. It came out pretty nicely though I thought.

I saw an elderly guy in the street dressed like this yesterday and thought it was brilliant. I hope this is the 2011 look for the older person. (I actually saw him again today, in much the same get-up but with different trousers and trainers...he's actually much older than I first realised/drew).

Oh yeah, it's Barça versus Arsenal tonight at the Camp Nou. If I have my way it will be a repeat of last year's Messi Show, but we'll just have to wait and see. Either way it'll be a good watch. 

Love and Murder

Oh hello, I hope 2011 began in fine fashion for you. I intend to fill this year with some exciting things, and so I've spent much of the week having Ideas. A few of these relate to things I'll eventually be able to post here, but not all, and none are yet ready.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures:

There were three(!) new Marples on over Christmas and New Year. I not nearly so much of a fan of any of the versions over the years as I am of Suchet's Poirot, but I felt a quick doodle was in order anyway. For some reason, in my head, Marple should have very beady eyes; at least when she's sleuthing anyway. 

In this case I just felt like drawing something sincere. A little nervous sincere person to love you all. (Well, to love someone anyway). 

This is a very rough sketch done from memory of a photo I once saw. If anyone knows where it's from, or has seen the photo, it'd be great if you could let me know. For some reason her clothes fascinate me. (I'm not sure how accurate it is, so anything half-similar might be the picture I'm thinking of.)

These two come as a pair, and they are intentionally drawn and coloured in a simple way, particularly the chap with the green t-shirt. You'll see why soon. 

I'll be doing a new comic this year by the way. Adventures in the Airtrade, all four pages of it, isn't something that's going to take off (ahem) for me right now. I still know the story, and I'm sure I'll come to it one day, but there are a few things I didn't think through beforehand that I need to work on. It was, however, a great learning tool, and has helped me a lot when it came to writing this new story. 

The only thing I can promise so far is that I'll be breaking what seems to be one of the main rules of comics and doing lots of small panels to a page, Hergé-style.  Almost all of them will be rectangular. How you'll cope I can't imagine. 

Merry Christmas

Also here's Mike and Antonia: 

Man how we used to tear apart this town.

Here's a quick M. Ward, as promised, to complete the She & Him set.

Edit - I've since put the two in one picture: 

"She was not one for emptying her face of expression."

It was suggested I try draw a cartoon of Zooey Deschanel, and lo:

I think at the next opportunity I'm going to complete She & Him and draw M. Ward, because why not?

After that I may redraw Zooey with a better expression (an actual expression would be a bonus).

I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.

To begin, it is my brother Kieran's birthday today. Hopefully he'll have a terrifically acemazing day, but the poor chap's at school so who knows?

I haven't really drawn anything otherwise, as I've been dealing with this university thing. I do however have this to offer you, which is essentially a straight copy of this photograph. 

Hopefully I'll be picking up the pace now though, at least for a while.

Here is a colour practise I did the other day, with an old drawing:

I'm a bit rubbish when it comes to colours, if I'm honest. I usually know exactly what I want, but it's hard to find the colours in my head. Usually a fair bit of messing around is required. I've also found the actual application of colour to be difficult, quite often. 

In any case, I thought this picture was interesting as a comparison to the picture of the lady in the previous post. I think that picture, done only a few days later, and pretty rapidly, is already considerably better than this. Not good, by any means, but certainly better. 

Which is nice.

Distracted from distraction by distraction.

I've been busy with all manner of things lately, so haven't really drawn an awful lot, besides a Christmas card that you clearly can't see yet.

Anyway, to fill a gap, here's a quick scribble I did last night whilst watching Rear Window. It doesn't actually have anything to do with Rear Window, but I like to imagine that it's these little details that keep you captivated.

Kind Hearts and Coronets.

It's not as though I'm particularly a fan of the monarchy. Indifferent, for the most part, I'd say. In any event, everyone loves a good wedding, and I like silly things.

I should sell this on a tea-towel.

Spooktacular.

Hello!

In addition, here's a very rapid drawing of my favourite television detective, as there was a new Suchet episode on the other day (I have never read the books, I'm not sure if I ever will; to me David Suchet is now the definitive Poirot).