"Dance, and Provençal song, and sunburnt mirth!"

Hey everyone! I hope you've all been enjoying the manic sunshine/crushing rain.

I'm pretty pleased with my offerings this week, I have to say.

I drew a Harry Potter in a cynical bid for Tumblr popularity. It didn't work out even a little bit, but I do not mind. I'm extremely happy with it. One of those moments where I feel I've "moved forward" a step.

I'd love to tell you that this is a damning social critique, but really it's just something that would absolutely terrify me. I don't think I could cope if I woke up one morning as a puppet. 

I made some slight changes to the colouring on the Middle-Aged Superman from the last entry. I think it looks better like this. 

I'm working on something as I type that I wish I could share with you, as I think it will be pretty good when it's finished, but there's no way it will be done this evening. Hopefully for next time! 

I guess every superhero need his own theme music.

Cartoon of an old friend of mine. Pretty natty if I may say so myself.

This is a sketch of a lady called Stephanie. Really pleased with how this came out. 

Finally, here's a Superman. An old Superman. 

The following is copied directly from my Tumblr, which you really should check out. 

"I drew a Superman. 

So far as I can remember I have never read a superhero comic, with the exception of Neil Gaiman’s Eternals, which was alright, and Watchmen. If that counts. This isn’t me being pretentious, it’s just never happened. 

To a degree I suspect that this is a cultural thing. No-one that I knew whilst growing up read superhero comics. I don’t even know if you were able to buy them. We grew up on The Beano and The Dandy and so on. Since then I’ve never really got around to it; I have gone into bookshops with the express intention of buying something superhero-y, but have invariably walked out with a regular book or some other form of comic. 

That said, I’m fascinated by Superman, and it’s not like I grew up completely divorced from this titanic cultural symbol. I had a book about Superman, I remember that. Lois & Clark was also on the television when I was a wee man, plus of course there was always the movies. 

For a long time the idea of Superman bored me. Perfect, invincible, unstoppable, and so American (often “American” was a dirty word to me when I was growing up. I’m over it now), but my opinion has changed over time.

I have an idea for a Superman story. As I’ve never read the comics I don’t know if it’s been done before, and honestly I don’t know if it’s even any good, but it seemed interesting to me. I might as well give you the background to it; it’s not like I’m in a position to do anything with it. 

From what I understand Superman ages somewhat more slowly than regular humans, yes? I hope so, because if this is wrong, the whole thing falls down. In any event, I’d quite like to see Superman’s world as though time had progressed normally since his appearance in the 1940s. The story would be set in the present day, he’d be a bit greyer, a bit tireder, but still, you know, super. Lois, Jimmy, Luthor will all be long dead, of old age or whatever, and now Superman’s dealing with the passage of time. Living in a world that’s better off than it would have been, but still imperfect enough to leave him slightly disheartened. A world that’s evolving rapidly, as our own world has evolved since the 1940s, and a man of steel in the middle of at all that has to constantly has to evolve and rethink his own position. 

It would absolutely, one hundred per cent, not be a dark story. It might occasionally have dark elements, but dark does not mean “grown up” or “intelligent” and I am not holding with it even a little bit. It would ultimately be a story about hope and goodness, because so far as I can tell that’s what a Superman story should be about. 

Obviously there’s a plot too, but I ain’t gonna tell you that. "

Congratulations if you reached the end of that. Hope you enjoy the rest of your week! 

All our most brilliant friends are doubting themselves.

Hello all! How the devil are you this fair Tuesday? I am decidedly comfy. Here are some pictures for you.

This is the first time I've used paint in well over a year, I think. Exciting! 

This is a sketch of the extraordinary burlesque dancer, Vicky Butterfly. Eventually I'll clean it up a tad and colour it. 

Finally, here's some hard-boiled type. I suspect that he has Woes. 

Allow me to sweep the dust off the place.

I've been terrifically busy lately, which I would like to think excuses the lack of drawings, and the updating of the blog.

Except that it doesn't. I'm always terrifically busy, it's just a different sort of busy at the moment.

What actually happened was that I got really really sick of the internet, and by extension my computer. I deleted my Facebook (which I actually highly recommend. To my surprise I do not miss it at all.), turned off Skype, everything. Except twitter. I stopped drawing too, though this just may be because "drawing" has become synonymous with "Wacom tablet" for me these days. I've started messing with a sketch book again though, and I'll be back doing colourful things soon enough I am sure.

In any case, here are some pictures that'll get me into the swing of things. I've taken a good look at my work lately, and I know exactly what I want to improve, and why. The how is proving a tad more difficult but hey ho.

Carey Mulligan, yo. 

This last image I'll replace with a decent scan when I get an opportunity. They're Tintin characters, lest you're unfamiliar, doodled during a lunch break. 

See? I'm trying to start using a sketchbook again. 

With a smile on your face and a tear right in your eye.

Sorry I didn't post last week. This week will be very brief as I'm in a bit of a rush.

I did a drawing of Chrestomanci as a bit of a tribute to Diana Wynne Jones, who sadly passed away recently.

Just a quick job. I like her though.

A small section of the Mother's Day card I made for, well, my mother. 

This is a picture of The Doctor, from Doctor Who. It's <i>by far</i> the most popular thing I've ever posted on Tumblr. The power of fandom eh?

This is Jack, Linton, and Sonny, from John Allison's excellent Bad Machinery. It's an excellent read and I highly recommend it!

I drew a picture on paper! I didn't have a clue what to draw so I just did some hair, and then took it from there. 

Roll over Beethoven.

Just a quick update today, which reflects the images themselves I guess. Each one was done pretty rapidly.

Simple cartoon of Eva Green done whilst watching Casino Royale. 

Trying out a new colouring technique. It's some way of perfect, but it's in the right direction (the poor girl looks like she has a rash on her face). The original sketch is here.

I have reinvented the men's nightie everyone. Now you can sleep safe at night. 

The worst Paul McCartney I've drawn? Certainly, but I'm short of decent material this week. 

Remember that I've a tumblr that has assorted sketches that I don't put up here. Feel free to ask me questions too.  

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.