The Died Laughing Cavalier

The Q&A for this month's BBC History asks 'Has anyone ever died laughing?'
Thought the Laughing Cavalier was a good pic to parody here!
Maybe the return of putting collage in my pics...?

p-p-p-pick...

Sometimes you just feel you need one...

ey? oh! aye...

I realised that I've been a member of the AOI (the Association of Illustrators) for a long time but I've never added a folio onto their website. Anyway, I've remedied that now and I've added my pics. Have a look at aoiportfolios.com. There's some old favourites and some previously unseen pics (in webland that is)

Cheap Coronation

It seems William IV was concerned about not spending too much on his coronation in the 1830s.

oops

Just realised I haven't posted for a while so I'll put one of the recent BBC History pics on the blog. This one was asking who was the first British person we knew by name. The answer it turns out was a King of Sussex that the Romans had dealings with. I thought it'd be fun to have him as the first British holder of an identity card - getting some topicality in there too!

Contact 24

Contact (the illustration sourcebook) 24 is now out. I'm on the very important page 228! Click here for the web version of the book. Click here for my Contact portfolio site. Have a look!

Directory of Illustration

Have a look at the Directory of Illustration. Just added a portfolio onto their site!

Whaur's Wullie

Family Advertising for Progressive Partnership asked me to produce a townscape with the detail of the 'Where's Wally' childrens books. The 50 or so scenarios originally briefed to be in the picture multiplied into more like 75 but they all fitted in somehow to the overall townscape.

Sniper's Kiss

This month's BBC History magazine Q&A pic. The snipers in the World War One trenches would try and effect a last killing on the edge of nightfall. This ritual became known as the 'Sniper's Kiss'. Sinister stuff!

Boudicca, ca, ca

New pic for the April issue of BBC History magazine. Apparently there is no record of the language spoken by tribes such as the Iceni (famously lead by Boudicca (or Boadicea)). If only the Romans had tape recorders!

Scottish Illustrators show

Frames Gallery in Perth, Scotland are currently exhibiting a collection of work from around 30 members the Scottish Illustrators group ( including some of my 'Walk of the Week' maps). The exhibition continues until March 15th. Contact www.framesgallery.co.uk for details.

tic toc bots shots

The Tic Toc family have rebranded their website and added some fun animations with the robot illustrations I did for them last October. Follow their link on the right to see the full animations.

Big Picture 7 online

The Wellcome Trust have added an online version of the drug development pathway. Have a look at the Wellcome Trust link and click the 'current issue' and then the drug development animations.
All of the previous fact filled Big Picture series available to download too!

Spring?

Spring is coming! It is in the National Trust for Scotland's magazine anyway! Here's a section of a DPS I've just done for them highlighting their spring events.

China vs Columbus

Did the Chinese get to the new world before Columbus? A Q in the Q&A column for BBC History Magazine that I'm illustrating from January. It seems that maps from the time (which I referenced for the pic) show that the Chinese visited many places in the world before Columbus' 'discoveries'. Have a look at www.1421.tv if you're intrigued.

Big Picture 7

Here's one of the latest illos for Big Picture 7 for Wellcome Trust. Following hot on the heals of Big Picture 6 (see below) this time the subject is Drug Development. An idea was needed to show the different ways a drug will protect a cell. Some repel attackers, some fight them inside the cell and some protect the core of DNA. Seemed to lend itself to a castle idea! It'll be out in December and the pdf will be downloadable on their website (in my links list) along with the other 6!

Come to Cumbernauld

I've just completed a map commissioned by the Scottish Wildlife Trust for the friends of Cumbernauld Glen. Haven't done a map for a while and boy was this one complicated! Hopefully it'll attract people to a more picturesque area of Cumbernauld (made semi famous in Gregory's Girl). There'll be slate waymarkers set into the paths around the area too. Never had images set in stone before!

tic toc bots

Tic Toc design agency rebranding. Robot pics to show a combination of creativity and technology. Follow the link for their website.

wee spuggy too

The full 'wee spuggy' pic. See below!