always trying to keep him away

243. The wolf at the door.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I've been freelancing for almost a decade, and believe me sometimes the wolf gets pretty damn close!

chickens are coming home to roost

242. All your chickens are coming home to roost.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I understand this to be a some what negative term, if I understand it at all, but this is the image I get in my head.

Antlers

239. Antlers in my work represent responsibility and stress.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

ever since I started my career (almost 10 years) I have had characters with antlers in every project / exhibition (I'm amazed its taken this long for them to appear here) I always explain to people that I use antlers to represent the burden and pressure of responsibility. right now, I'll be honest I'm feeling that burden.

Autumn is coming!

238. Autumn is coming .
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

Given the down turn in the weather of late, I feel like its almost time for scarves and falling leaves... I'm a big fan of Autumn :)

The many headed beast

237. The Many headed beast.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

People often say this in relation to governments or companies, I really like the idea of this as a character.

is Summer over already?

236. Take a deep breath, I think summer might be over!
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

Given what the weather was like yesterday... I'm thinking so!

One too many :s

235. One more, and I'm going home. (I promise)
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I've uttered these fateful words on some of the best and worst nights of my life. I suspect this is how many people have felt on this bank holiday weekend.

coffee goes right through me.

234. Coffee goes right through me.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

that's why i stick with a nice cup of tea :)

comfort food.

233. Sandwiches are my comfort food.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I eat far to many of them.

letters

232. why can no one resist an unopened letter?
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I know I can't.

Laundry and Ideas

231. Sometimes trying to come up with an idea is like putting my Brain in the washing machine.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

8 months into this project It certainly does.

Street smarts vs Book smarts

230. street smarts vs Book smarts
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

Just a comparison I was thinking about the other day.

Sad times

229. Depression is an unrelenting heavy machine.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I've never had depression, so i can't do an honest artwork about it, but based on things I've read and all the stuff in the news about Robin Williams' tragic death I felt I should do an image about it.

all my troubles come at once.

228. sometimes, troubles come all at once.
watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

Recently (as you may have seen) I've bee trying out different ways of working, each has their merits and flaws, the last few images have been about an absence of detail, seeing how relatable the image is without fussy renderings. Over the years I've taught a lot of illustration and drawing classes often to those that think they can't draw, I'm a firm believer that every one can draw. the quality is just down to practice. I've always loved the simplicity of stick men and I suppose my slightly chunkier versions appear through out my work.

this image is about, those day when nothing goes right.

Spots

227. No one is looking at that big spot on your face.
Acrylic on board

14.8cm x 10cm

This is loosely based on a conversation I overheard two teenagers having on the bus the other day, one was pointing at a spot and telling their friend how hideous it was and the friend was not really saying anything helpful about it, I'll be honest I had a look and I couldn't even see it.

dragged down.

226. dragging me down.
Acrylic on board

14.8cm x 10cm

Felt like doing a quick, un-fussy painting today, I have a lot of work on at the moment, and thats always a good thing, but I do feel like its getting me down a bit, a little bit of free time would be nice.

Computer issues!

225. My computer went Kaput.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

the hard drive on my computer went Kaput, it's getting fixed, but this somewhat irritating.

:(

Sentient Toast

224. The world from the point of view of a sentient piece of toast.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

Today I received a nice surprise in the mail:

Which was really nice, it was based on an earlier image a day piece about ideas and toast popping out of the toaster, it reminded me ( I have no idea why) of when I was a child and how when I'd eat certain food (particularly toast) and imagine it was a live being that I had caught and I was eating it and really there was a whole world of sentient food stuffs running about and we eat them because we didn't know they were sentient. thats messed up isn't it, I blame early 80s kids TV.  A big thank you to 

NelliePea Teatime for sending me a really cool hand made object :)

a mid week beer.

223. Signs that a midweek beer has gone too far.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I think we have all either been here or know of someone who has. Happy wednesday :)

going back to the Gym.

222. reasons to go to the gym.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

someone asked me the other day why aren't any of my characters fat, I'd never really thought about it before, and i don't really have a reason, so here is a fat character, also listing some of the reasons that have prompted me to get my ass back to the gym.

self portrait.

221. portrait of the artist during this project.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

Some of this is true and some of it is not, I dedicate this image to all my friends who have had to put up with me this year :) thank you.

it's the end of the world as we know it!

220.preparing for the end of the world.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I love zombies a lot (I'm amazed there have been none in this project). So I watch a lot films about said subject matter, here is what I've learned should the end of the world arrive.

exploring illustration

219.A brief guide to facial hair.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I think for a long time I've ignored my work as an illustrator (this has so far been a very fine art oriented project) so I think I'm going to explore it a bit so here we go:

Toast / Ideas / experiments

218. the eureka moment is akin to the moment when your toast is finally ready.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

more water colour experiments, to varying degrees of success, this sums up how I feel about when ideas initially pop in your head.

king of the birds.

217. The wren is the king of the birds.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

Here on the rock, the wren is the king of the birds, if you wan to know how or why, look it up.

speaking for others.

216. The voice of many.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I think the title sums this one up.

Ideas :s

215. I hope the ideas tree does not run dry!
Acrylic on board

14.8cm x 10cm

215 images in and, probably because I have a lot of other work on, I am starting to feel the pinch!

who are we?

214. We are all just meat and bone.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 10cm

I'm enjoying working with the watercolour, tomorrow I may use more than just one or two colours :)

Drift Wood

213. Drifting wood.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 21cm

I day dream too much while walking through the street, just drifting toward my destination.

nighthood

212. Nighthood.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 21cm

more watercolour experiments. Also I just like the play on words between knight and night.

something different.

211. If sleep is an ocean, then fish must be dreams.
Watercolour on paper

14.8cm x 21cm

I feel like I've learnt as much as I can  with the photo manipulation digital technique, now it's time to try other things and I miss paint. I've not used watercolour in close to a decade so I thought I'd try something new.