Wrapping Paper Designs

I've been playing around with these designs today, as I'm hoping to produce some wrapping paper in time for Christmas. I'd love to hear your thoughts on which ones work best. Thanks :)

Rose in Venice

Here are the front/back cover illustrations for the 3rd title in Holly Webb's 'Rose' series, published by Orchard Books.

Build-A-Bear

Experiment in Fluff

Star Belly Model

Here's a model of Starbelly on the moon. Arms, legs and purpose to follow shortly.

It's frustrating in Maya to not be able to create the effects I have in mind yet - although a few months ago I couldn't create anything. I use Photoshop so much that I instinctively try to use Maya in the same way. In fact, I use Photoshop so much that when I'm drawing I catch myself trying to Edit > Undo my mistakes.

Anime Sketch Page

Inspired by Serial Experiments Lain, .hack//Sign and Azumanga Daioh :)

Snow Glow

Here's another small snow scene created in Maya. Hoping to get stuck into modelling and texturing next :)

Snow Princess Roughs

Here are some of the roughs for The Snow Princess. The final illustrations are a few posts down.

A trip to Norfolk

I went to stay with my friend Anna in Norfolk the other day and we made bling out of our art work. The waiting room at Anna's local train station is decked out like a lounge, with books, arm chairs and ambient lamp shades, making it the best waiting room I've ever waited in.

I made a montage of the trip.
It was lovely to hang out with Anna again as I don't see her that often now I'm in Bath. She was my dancing buddy in Cambridge. We'd avoid the main street clubs and head to the Manky Kambar instead, where the floor was gross and the drinks were even grosser, but the music was great.

Snow Orbs

Here's my first Maya animation. Just getting to grips with nparticles, volume lights and texturing.

The Snow Princess

Here are some of the spreads from The Snow Princess, which is due out next month.
The story is about a princess who has her heart turned to ice by an angry Snow Fairy. Forced to live in an icy castle for fear of her heart melting the snow princess seeks solace in her fuzzy companions, namely a polar bear called Arthur.
Written by Emily Hawkins
Illustrated by me : )
Published by Templar Publishing

Please click to enlarge.

Nose Job!

These images were created for a German medical magazine exploring the function of the nose. Commissioned by Werbewelt.

Wonky Brooch

Last night I made some greeting cards and a wonky brooch.
I was pretty happy with how the brooch turned out until I realized it was designed for landscape images and usage! The pin on the back is positioned off centre so when you wear it vertically it leans slightly to one side. Ho hum. I still like it though : )

Grumpy Sunday Sketches

Page 4 of Astral Airlines

New website on its way!
Here's a recap of the first three pages.

Hand Made Notepads A6

Here is a great online tutorial for making notebooks: http://photojojo.com/content/diy/make-your-own-photo-notebook-journal/
These are now available for purchase from my shop

3D Star Belly

I recently began learning Maya and I finally have something to show for it. A 3D Star Belly.
His arms look silly and he is far from finished, but I'm pretty pleased with this as a first step.

Moomin demons and ufo's

Here are some close ups...

Rose

Here are the front and back cover illustrations for the second title in Holly Webb's 'Rose' series.
The book is due out in 2010 but the first title will be out on the shelves next month.

Made Up Galaxy

Made up galaxy created in Photoshop and inspired by the 'The Beautiful Universe: Chandra in HD' podcasts: http://chandra.harvard.edu/index.html

Half Baked **Updated**

(This image has been updated. Ginger and Stealth are now holding lollipops instead of feathers and sage)

Here is an unfinished picture. It will get finished one day. I have lots of commissioned work on at the moment so there is no time to play with personal projects.

This will eventually be a picture of Ginger and Stealth smudging a tree of cranky spirits and bad mojo. The rainbow sprite has already appeared which is a good omen for the pair!

Astral Airlines Page 3

Wee Ted kicking some humanoid butt.

Infectious.com

Yay! I'm the new infectious artist.

Sneaky Peek

Here's a quick preview of page 3 of the comic (panels 1 and 2). I still have lots of work to do on this page but I thought I'd post what I've been working on this week.

Things To Come

Here's a glimpse at the book I have just finished illustrating for Templar Publishing. The book is called The Snow Princess and is due for release later this year.

iPhone Designs

Hi folks, I recently stumbled upon infectious.com, a great site which lets you create designs for iPhones and laptops. Once created, your designs are submitted into a gallery for public voting and the design with the most votes gets turned into the real deal! How cool is that : )

Here are my entries: Starbelly and Bellamy
I hope they do well but they are up against some stiff competition, plus Bellamy is probably a bit gruesome!

Astral Airlines Comic Page 2

Here is page 2 of the comic.

Astral Airlines Comic Page 1

Happy pancake day people!

When I should have been sleeping I've been working on a comic with my partner called Astral Airlines, and here's page one of the first part, which when complete will be five pages long.
Graham wrote the words. He's the brains and I'm the muscle : )

What if you had control over your dreams? What if your dreams had control over you? When Herb and Ada meet their Keepers, two gentle monsters of the soul named Star Belly and Wee Ted, they begin a journey aboard an Astral Plane populated by turnips, giant rabbits, disembodied hands and the Immortal Flour God. Here, with the guidance of their Keepers and the help of the Astral Airlines staff, they'll navigate their dreams, conquer their nightmares and learn that there are no-cost flights to any destination you can imagine.

New Badges and Magnets on their way!

Introducing from left to right...
Bow, love birds, king bear, wee ted, owl, pumpkin carriage, ponycorn, sugar plum fairy and Heather the cape wearing rabbit.

All Things Shiny And New

I have been playing around with the layout and design of my blog and I think I have finally reached a point of satisfaction... kind of. I'm never that good at the whole writing side of things but I hope to update my blog or at least the news section once a week, assuming I have something interesting to say!

I'm really enjoying Etsy at the moment and having my own little haven on there. For once I love playing the shopkeeper : ) Probably because I'm selling my own work rather than futons, fudge or shoes (past jobs). Although working in the fudge shop was often fun.

Anyway, I digress. I have been thinking about other products I could sell aside from prints and have a small wish-list on the go. I'm hoping to craft my images and designs onto books, notebooks, cards, postcards, mirrors, and other bits and bobs and would love to hear your feedback on what you think looks good and what products sound appealing.

I have just received my shiny new mirrors through the post and I'm really pleased with the quality of them. Here they are...

*Ponycorn Ponycorn*

'Hips Like Cinderella'

Originally I wanted to create some pictures around my favorite song lyrics and had begun working on a an image for 'Tame' by the Pixies. 'Hips like Cinderella' is such a great lyric.
Anyway the image started to evolve and the horse headed man morphed into a uni/ponycorn. I ditched Cinderella and replaced her with the not so ugly step kittens... and this is one of them!
Hope you like her. I am planning on having her eaten alive by rabbits in my next image : )

Oh and here is a link to a live performance of 'Tame' by the Pixies.

Rose

'Rose' by Holly Webb. Published by Orchard Books UK

Country Life, UK

Holiday Campaign for Nordstrom

Holiday Campaign for Visa

I recently had a lot of fun creating the scenery and train for Visa's Holiday Campaign. Please click here to see it in action.
The wonderful characters were created by Faye Durston.

And Now For Something A Little Darker

Bellamy and the Birds

Work has been pretty intense lately and I have been longing for a moment to myself. I found that moment this weekend and created Bellamy. He's currently lacking in arms and birds, but is all there in spirit.

Star Belly

Werberwelt: Bus Tour Through The Body

A Couple of New Drawings

Star Belly beneath my bed

Sailing with Star Belly and Wee Ted

Rickety Karl: Werbewelt

Editorial commission for Werbewelt.
The narrative is set in a basement and tells the story of a boy and his dog looking for the lost leg of a skeleton ghost named Rickety Karl!

The Keepers' Tea Party

In the future, the predominant fuel will be jam. Three eighths of the world's surface will be covered in fluff. The favoured method of transport shall be the badger and the world's sole currency will be carpet samples. The future is a strange place, defined by the imaginations of children. But we will all be kept safe by the Keepers, gentle monsters of the soul who provide guidance and comfort. Also, cakes will fly.

Pictures by me. Words by Graham Smith.

For Gooo Magazine, Argentina.

Astral Plane

Limited Edition Prints available through Etsy

sketchbook work - cakes, star belly, astral planes and dwellers on the threshold

Mojo Magazine - Bon Iver

http://www.myspace.com/boniver



Limited Edition Prints available through Etsy

Star Belly Flying

Limited Edition Prints available through Etsy

Alice in wonderland - tea party sketch

Domestos Campaign 2007 - 2008

Panama the dreamy demon...

Nordstrom window display

Nordstrom Christmas Campaign

Nordstrom Holiday Book

Bazaar Tales - 'A pottle of brains'

Shell - Advertising

Pan Advertising - Little Red Riding Hood

Limited Edition Prints available through Etsy

Dom and the twins...

Limited Edition Prints available through Etsy

Yee Haa!!

Limited Edition Prints available through Etsy

Fire fluff sketchbook 2003

'Alice' sketchbook 2005

Princess

Paintings

Drawings

The Flower - Childs Play