No ideas for supper?

Why not support your local fish and chip shop?

Stuart Kolakovic

The fantastic Stuart Kolakovic has now posted his epic diorama Never Been online.

Highly recommended.

Old Winkle and the Seagulls

Today's children's book; Old Winkle and the Seagulls by Elizabeth and Gerald Rose, first published 1960 (this Picture Puffin a 1976 edition).
I'm posting this mainly for the pleasure of Oliver East, as I think he sometimes works in similar ways - drawing with paint to create a very particular atmosphere, and despite often being reduced to daubs or puddles of pigment, an attention to detail which creates a convincingly familiar world.





My own childhood was filled with Picture Puffins, by the likes of Jan Pienkowski, Tomi Ungerer, John Ryan, Raymond Briggs, John Burningham and Maurice Sendak, all now read ragged.
With about 11 weeks until Baby Popeye is due, I'm starting to relish having a genuine excuse for revisiting all these tatty old books other than putting off getting some drawing done.

The Reunion

Beano and Dandy fans - nice 45 min programme bringing together some of the old staff from DC Thompson. Go to Radio 4 'Listen Again' here and scroll down to 'The Reunion'. They only leave them up there for a week, so do it sooner rather than later.

 Thanks for the tip-off Dad!

YESDEAR

This just chugged past. Only just managed to catch it on camera. Not that it was going fast or anything.

Drink and Draw

My results from last night's Drink and Draw with members of the Manchester Comix Collective, set up by the very talented Adam Cadwell. Had a very nice evening in Sandbar, drinking Mallard IPA and meeting a whole bunch of nice comicy people.
The above drawing is part of a game where everyone draws their own character in the middle then it gets passed around for everyone to do their own versions. I think I might form a cats only sub-collective, as I really struggle with drawing humans.

New Mini Art Club Flyer

Frou the Hare

As one of those people that appreciates maps anyway (is there a word for that? Cartophile?), it made me go 'oooh!' when I turned the page and saw this topographical explanation of Frou being chased by a hound. I enjoy how these illustrations are unafraid of depicting the story as information - as diagrams or lists -


On Ebay there's loads of original French editions of this series, but on top of wanting English versions, there's something quite joyless about finding these things online, despite the 'game' of bidding. As more and more secondhand book sellers realise that they can do good business through Ebay, is leaves fewer and fewer treasures to just stumble upon or rescue from beneath piles of Giles or Garfield. Occasionally I do get the odd Beezer or Beryl the Peril annual off Ebay, but it really does take the fun out of it. The fact that people know the proper price for these things now really spoils it, though I've never been one for needing the mint condition copy (most likely 80% of my childrens book and annual collection are scribbled and crayoned in, or have their 'this book belongs to' section filled out. If I was Amelie I'd return them all to their original owners). Whatever happened to jumble sales?

Whitby

Katy and I had a few days in Whitby the other week (North Yorkshire coast, home of Captain Cook, site where Dracula - as a slavering hound - leapt ship and came ashore). Excellent cakes and pies. Quality fish and chips (Magpie Cafe). Best meal in a long time (Ditto Restaurant). Best museum ever (might warrant a post of it's own). Pleasant chug round on the world's only surviving six-wheeled steambus Elizabeth -



As you can imagine, I got very excited when we came around the corner of Grape Lane and saw Endeavour Books -


-contrary to the very appealing sign above the shop, and good solid namesake (one of Cooks sailing ships), I came away downhearted, with only one find -


I remember encountering the American (imposter) Dennis the Menace as a child, and being completely confused as to how this could have happened. Whilst I enjoy Ketchums artwork (and someone else's version of it here)-



- he's got nothing on our own original Dennis and his genius creator David Law. I will write about him at some point soon, arguing that he's long overdue a treasury/anthology/ no - Complete Dennis (followed by Complete Beryl the Peril).
Elsewhere in Whitby I got this for 50p, convinced it will come in handy if I ever need to draw crying princess cats or a riotous jailbreak -


Best find though, and at a mere £2.50 - Frou the Hare - part of the gorgeous French series by Rojan - see previous post.
Here's a teaser - will do a full post on it next.

The DFC

Now my contract is all signed, and I feel like it's really happening, I think it's time to announce officially that I am to be a regular contributor to Britain's brand new weekly kids comic The DFC.
Put together by David Fickling Books (children's publisher extraordinaire), and launching at the end of May, I'm very excited to be involved in something potentially accessed by kids all over the country. More info here.
The comic will be starting off as subscription only at first, mainly due to the huge cut demanded by newsagents and distributors, but hopefully as word spreads and it establishes itself, you'll be able to pick it up all over. On the plus side it will be completely free of adverts, which I thing will be very refreshing compared with all the other film/TV tie-in kids comics.
Anyroad, what it means is I've got loads of work, and I can't post any of it here, so you might just have to subscribe (or give a subscription to a young relative/neighbour then borrow them). As well as drawing, I'm having to come up with stories, characters, scripts and all that other stuff, so it's going to keep me well busy, which can only be a good thing. I do have a small advantage in that I have instant access to focus groups through my teaching - The DFC being aimed at 8 to 12 year olds, and the kids I usually work with are bang in the middle of this in Years 5 and 6. I've already put 2 schools to work as consultants, coming up with ideas and antics for me to incorporate.
Afraid I can't really tell you anymore or show you anything as I'll get in trouble.

Playing Football

A nice find at Katy's parents house - one of her brothers old books - Playing Football by M. Graham-Cameron. I expect most British readers will be familiar with Althea's Dinosaur Books, a real institution of the 70's -


I've just found her site, and I'm pleased to report she is still creating her own books, but unfortunately no longer publishing other peoples books.
I'm drawn to Playing Football by these intriguing illustrations which somehow remind me of Chaing Lee's work (previous post) - simplified and flattened figures rendered in a slightly trembling line.
What is it about this economy of line and colour that I find so appealing? Answers below please!

New pal

Been exchanging emails with an excellent comics teacher (and very nice man) in New Hampshire America! Marek Bennett has been running all sorts of interesting workshops and sessions alongside his regular school teaching. For those interested in learning a bit more about teaching comics, you'd do well to explore his stuff, including his blog (which I've added to my links on the right).

Workshops outline

click to enlarge

Here's an outline of what the school gets when it signs up for 4 days of creating comics with me, through Manchester Art Gallery's Artist's in Schools sessions.
They're in the middle of organising an exhibition of work produced by classes that have worked with myself and the other artists involved - will post on this v.soon.