Busy Busy Busy

I’ve been quite productive lately!

I’d Just quickly like to let you know some of the wee things I’ve got in the works…

Firstly is something I’ve been planning for a long time now, a little book! It’s about a little ghost, and all the mad stuff you’d get up to if you were a ghost. I’ve been co-writing it with my pal Campbell, as although I like to think I’m good at pictures I’m actually useless with the words side of things.

Here’s a sneaky peak!

Also! I’ve been designing some T-shirts with one of my screen printing pals, do you think this would look cool on a shirt?

Also in the works is an exhibition at the end of the year and an epic zombie comic which should hopefully be done around then, here’s another sneaky peak!
Right that’s all for now pals!

Take care

nx

There is Always Inspiration.

As I sat yesterday evening scratching my head wondering what to draw I remember something one of my lecturers told me ‘if you’re feeling un-inspired just draw anyway’. I know it’s not the most epic or quote worthy piece of advice but none the less it rings true.

See, I haven’t done much drawing this week, aside from stuff in work and my usual daydream doodles so I felt a strong urge to at least draw something worth looking at. I thought and I thought, and what sprang to mind was something of constant inspiration, something so amazing and entertaining that always makes me want to put pencil to paper, and has done since I was about 4 (I’ve got school reports to prove it). I am of course talking about Zelda! and ‘A Link to the Past’ especially, which I’ve been playing through again. What I drew was all the cool items that aid you in your adventure.

I dunno how Link managed to fit all this in his bag, in fact he’s only got wee pockets, maybe they’re magic pockets. Anyways If you have a snes or a wii (with access to the virtual console) I strongly recommend A link to the Past. It may be 18 years old but its Zelda at its best.

So yea go play it.

nx

My Nice Weekend

Hello! how are you?

I’m afraid I don’t have any work to show today,or at least none worth showing but I had quite a big urge to update the blog so if you don’t want to know about my personal life look away now!

As most of you know I play in a band and one of my favourite parts of band life is getting to travel. So this week we were in Northern Ireland, which was totally brilliant! We met some really lovely people, saw some really cool places and basically just had a really good time, it felt really more like a holiday than a tour.

Anyhoo I’m not to great with photos but I did take one, It’s from when we went to the beach beside my friend Pauls house.

But as good as beaches, beer and gigs are, one of my highlights would be visiting Belfast’s massive forbidden planet comic shop! Yup it was 2 floors of sheer comic heaven, I even bought myself a ninja turtle to add to my toy collection.

He’s a limited edition Raphael designed by Artist  Geoffrey Trapp to mark the 25th anniversary of the ninja turtles. Score!

On a totally unreleated note, last month I met a giant tortoise, He was super cool and I felt like we made a connection.

Ok I promise I’ll have more interesting stuff to show next time, as much as you all probably love hearing me talk about my toys and favourite animals I’m sure my art is slightly more interesting, at least I hope so!

take care!

nx

‘Shut up about comics Neil’

Nup, I’m gonna talk about comics for eeeeever, or at least for this post then i’ll be done for a wee while.

As many of you know, I love getting Mail, especially from real people. Well today I received a comic! It’s called ‘The Lobster King’ and it’s written and drawn swedish illustrator Clara Bessijelle .

Reading through the comic is like being transported to a surrealist painting where things are just that little bit darker and stranger yet still retaining a dream like quality.I actually had the pleasure of meeting Clara last year, she was living next door for a wee while and I got to show her around Glasgow, as well as showing her some of my naff pictures. The whole experience was quite expiring actually and since then I’ve gotten more into indie comics, to the extend I’ve started working on one myself but shhh it’s a secret.

Anyhoo for more about Clara check out her blog.

oop before I go,I did another zelda picture!

well that’s me for today, take care!

nx

Edinburgh Adventures

Hello everyone!

Just a wee update about my day today, It was mostly spent in Edinburgh in the Roxy Art House, there I set up shop for the day along with 20 something other designers and crafty types, basically my kind of people.

I took a wee picture of my stall mid set-up, I really need anew camera :/

It was a very lovely way to spent a saturday actually, I got talking to a lot of people about my stuff and even sold some bits and bobs.  I think for me though, I got the most out of talking with the other designers, especially the other illustrators, I don’t often get the chance to talk to like-minded people in person so for me that side of things was priceless.

But that’s not it! On my way home I decided to pop in to Edinburgh’s massive(compared to Glasgow’s) forbidden planet, where I almost exploded with excitement at the site of the thousands of comics and geeky memorabilia. It was in this nerd haven I found something very special, something I never dreamed of seeing with my own eyes, Chris Wares ‘Acme Novelty Library’. So without a second thought I nabbed it, and here it is.

Yes, as I previously said, I do need a new camera but you can clearly see it’s set apart from most comic books, first of all, it’s huge, secondly it has gold details that go round the spine. And on opening the book I was nothing short of amazed.

The amount of work and details that’s gone into the book is almost sickening,  to the point I almost want to give up. I just can’t get my head around how one man can do all this, from the delecate typography to the weaving story lines and amazingly technical drawings and perfet colouring, It’s almost beyond reason.

Well I guess on the plus side It’s always good to have something to aim for!

Sorry about my blabbing I got a bit carried away :P
nx

Then I’ll Dig a Tunnel

Hello everyone!

Hope you’re all enjoying the summer, I just have a few bits and pieces to share today, Firstly a little drawing.

This was actually a commission for a friend, It’s actually one of favourite kind of  jobs because I was only given a lyric and then had the freedom to interpret it any way I wanted, anyways that’s what came out and I was very pleased with it and so were they(yay!).

In other news I’ve been spending most of my free time preparing for the Made In The Shade Summertime Hop which will be in Edinburgh in the Roxy Art House this saturday!

I’ll be there setting up shop with some new pictures and prints as well as almost 30 other indie designer crafty vintage people, If you’re around that area It’s definitely worth a peep!

Oh a poster!

For more about Made In The Shade check their site or facebook!

Tarra!

nx

Time to Grow Up?

During the course of my day I’m usually confronted with some kind of remark against my life choices, this can be anything from ‘why don’t you get a real job?’ to ‘why does someone your age have so many toys?’ and even earlier today I was getting a slagging from the ladies at the post office for my messy handwriting.

Anyways I’m not going to get a ‘proper’ job or learn how to write anytime soon, and I love my robot collection so if you don’t like it go stuff yourself :P

nx

Nintendo Power!

Hello! How’ve you been keeping?

I’ve been busy painting the last few days and would like to share my new pictures :) I’ve been lacking slightly in inspiration for the past wee while, I guess nothing all that interesting has been happening, so I thought to myself, what used to inspire me when I was a lil’ un? and of course it was computer games!

So I started off with my all time favourite series Zelda! Here’s Link, he’s found a triforce.

It’s based on the concept art for the first nes game where all the characters were a bit more cartoony which fortunately lent itself quite nicely to my style.

But It didn’t stop there! here’s a magic mushroom,they make mario grow big.

And so no mushroom is left out, I also painted a 1-up!

I’d love to do more stuff like this, but obviously I don’t want to turn into ‘that nintendo guy’ im only just getting over being commonly known as ‘the robot guy’ I do love it though, I remember reading my first school report card which went something like ‘Neil could go far if he spent less time doodling video game characters on his jotter and more time on his work’ and that was pretty much the same right through to secondary school :P

Alright I’ll stop geeking out now.

take care!

nx

A thought for today

Do you think robots would like music? or even understand it? I was thinking this earlier, also today, as I put  my shopping through the self service checkout I had a think about the aspects of robots in our society getting closer and closer.

Maybe in about 10 years or so I’ll be able to have a robot companion to help me about, do the shopping, walk herman and basically be my personal assistant, that would be amazing!

Anyways thats my nonsense for the day.

take care!

nx

I’ve been thinking about ghosts recently..

wouldn’t you love to be a ghost, even for just one day? imagine all the crazy capers you could get up to!
I myself, have always had a little fascination with the paranormal.I love hearing ghost stories and about other peoples possible experiences with the other side, although unfortunately I’ve never any.

Although if you remember on my 2010 to do list meeting a ghost was pretty high up so i aim to fix that.
Anyways here’s a comic about being a ghost.

Also before I go, if you’ve had any spooky experiences let me know, i’d totally love to hear about it!

take care!

nx