Tashcen Illustration Now! 3 Desk Calendar

Wow! It has been SO long since I last posted here!

Well, after spending a busy few months trying to get my caricature business up to speed, I seem to have really neglected this blog.

So, to kick off 2011, here are a couple of pics from Taschen's Illustration NOW! 3 Desk Calendar 2010/11 featuring yours truly!

I got this as a gift from my lovely wife on Christmas morning.

Seeing your work printed up, and being sold, is still a buzz for me after all these years. Some of the illustrators in it are FANTASTIC so I'm pretty smug about managing to git in.

Anyway, watch this space for news of a forthcoming book of portraits I will be featured in later this year!

Dr Sketchy June 2010

Hidey hi!

Remembered that I hadn't put anything on the blog from my visits to Dr Sketchy's Anti Art School Burlesque Life Drawing classes!

Dr Sketchy's events can be found in over 100 cities around the world. The sessions are every other month, on a Saturday afternoon at Escucha, Nottingham.

The Nottingham branch is run by the gorgeous burlesque performer Scarlett Daggers and the brilliantly talented illustrator Charlotte Thomson.

It is the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon! There is a great atmosphere, the performers are brilliant and there are prizes too!!! Only £8 for a ticket, bargain!

Here are a couple of drawings I did in June. The poses are quick- between 5 and 15 minutes.

The performers here are Khandi Kisses and Lola Pops who were excellent. The cheesy face pic of me was taken by the uber talented Luna Rain. Check out her site to see some beautiful photography, instead of my Brian Blessed mug!

Continental Philosophers

My good friend and colleague, Lee Hazeldine has worked really hard getting my sister site: beefys-caricatures up and running. As a thank you (and trade-off) I created these 3 illustrations.

The portraits are of French continental philosopher's; Lacan, Foucault and Derrida, and they look great (if I do say so myself) in Lee's newly decorated dining room!

Creative Nottingham Image Competition!

Hey hey hey!

Check out my competition entry here!!

Creative Nottingham Image Competition

Here is a commission I completed a couple of months ago for the Economic Review of Abu Dhabi. This is His Excellency, Mubarak Hamad Al Muhairi - The Director General of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority.

I love these portrait commissions - the turn around is usually quite good and the subjects are always varied!

New commissions

Wow, it's been a busy few months and I have totally neglected my blog!

Am now setting myself a challenge to blog at least once a week for the next year! If I fall behind then give me a nudge!

Anyway, here are a couple of commissions I have been working on- 1st is for Greene King IPA, and second is my last image for the Abu Dhabi government (I still love saying that!)

Anyway, enough exclamation marks for 1 post!

Richard Branson- Economic Review rough

Here's my latest commission for the Economic Review for the Abu Dhabi government. Just waiting to see what changes they want. Been a very stressful job- tight deadline! Well, hope they like it!

Now this is what a professional brief should be...!

New Painting

Have been wanting to start painting again for a while now. Been hung up on whether it should look good? whether it should communicate something specific? if it will be fine art or illustration? commercial? it makes my head hurt and my motivation dwindle.

I heard a colleague of mine recently tell our students that creativity was as much an act of bravery than inspiration. where's the fear come from? the fear of ridicule, failure, derision?

I have tried to concentrate on the process rather than solely on the final product. i must admit, it gave me a thrill to peel off the masking tape, revealing the crisp white paper juxtaposed with the pink brushstrokes.

eh! look at me! Juxtaposed! Must be an artist now!

Illustration Now! 3 My pages

Here's my spread. Surprised they didn't choose The Queen or Vivien, but am still very pleased! I even feel OK with my pretentious statement!

Illustration Now 3

The latest volume in Taschen's Illustration Now! series features 150 illustrators from around the world, using a vast range of techniques.

It's out now, and I'm in it!!! You can leaf through by clicking here.

It's a brilliant feeling to fulfill ambitions!

Shane Meadows signs print!

Went to see the new Shane Meadows film, Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee at the Broadway Cinema! Absolutely FANTASTIC film, laugh-out-loud funny!

Shane, Paddy and rest of the crew held a Q & A afterwards and it was great to see they were still 'pissing around' like they were, 15 years ago.

Anyway, overcame my deep and utter self-conscious embarrassment and got Shane to sign my illustration of him. Seemed to like it anyway, despite my inept ability to hold a coherent conversation, and will be sending him a large print! Chuffed.

The golden age...

Am in the middle of writing new project briefs and a guide to visual research for Sept and was rummaging through my old college sketchbooks and came across these two drawings. I did these at a convent hospital after being refused permission to draw at a morgue! HA! Next best thing... an old peoples home!

The nuns at the hospital were brilliant and i spent the day with this woman (feel really ashamed that I can't remember her name). She had a heart monitor beeping away and the room was BOILING hot but I felt really privileged to be able to spend the day drawing. Aaaahhhh, 1993, seems like a lifetime ago! Actually for some people following this, it is!!!

The Romantic Movement in French Literature

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Have just posted this on i-am-visualjournal blog, thought it might be of interest here too..

Am just sorting out the office / studio as we are moving this summer and came upon this old book i bought when i was living in Brighton.

It's a really lovely crimson coloured hard backed book, written completely in French. I painted over the pages with emulsion and started using it as a visual journal. Have just added the last page 'Heartburn' as I seem to have had it for days! Will definitely keep this little book going. Might even set it as a project for the new students!

Stelios image for Economic Review

Here's my latest commission for the Economic Review, Abu Dhabi.

Another oldie!

Here's another oldie! This was in my first ever portfolio that I dragged around London. Aint got a clue why I called it 'Golden Showers' though!! Still quite like the drawing.

First!!

Ha ha!! This is my first EVER attempt at a digital illustration! Can't believe it was nearly 10 years ago!!! The type is shockingly bad but I can def see the style forming. Will put some other oldies on now I've found this disk!!!

Adios!

Zaha Hadid-Architect

Hi all. Here's a pic I did a few months back for The Economic Review, a new magazine of the Abu Dhabi Council for Economic Development (ADCED).

The image is of Zaha Hadid, an internationally renowned architect. The brief was to represent her colourful personality, and to showcase some of her recent buildings.

If you are interested in her work, she is just one of a myriad of creatives showing at this year's Manchester International Festival!

Why not pop along and check it out!?

Climate Change

Here's an image I was working on last week for the Telegraph. Unfortunately the job has been canceled due to timings. Shame.

Biker Illustration

Here's the image I have just finished for Building mag. Will post the published image when it comes out. Big thanks to me uncle Gary, for posing with his Harley Davidson at 7am. Nice work!