Global Policy Dialogue on Sustainability and the City comic

Possibly my most interesting and unusual brief to date - to draw the proceedings of the day at the above event. Being in Edinburgh, it was also probably the furthest I've travelled for work. It was pretty tough going. Partly because adults are harder to draw than kids, teens or animals, as well as more easily offended. They are also offended if they get left out, so I just got on with the job. It was a bit like being a court artist, just not with brown pastel paper.

The resulting drawings are below, and the final 'comic' which everyone went home clutching is now downloadable too (see link at the bottom). The day itself was very interesting, with some great provoking arguements and xxxx-stirring; the image of the ostriches is meant as a prompt for a caption competition, following observations made on one panel member's passion for cars and consumerism as 'having his head in the sand'. Both were very eloquent and persuasive. I'm not sure how interesting it might be for anyone not there, or not interested in 'the city' - see what you think.









The downloadable version (click the badly cropped image below) also features the City Manifesto drawn up by the delegates on the day.

Townie Annual 2012

By Jim Medway in Paw Quality Conferencing Services

12 pages, published 3 APR 2012

Comic produced to document the Global Policy Dialogue on Sustainability and the City, March 30th 2012, organised by the University of Edinburgh and the British Council.

Bodelwyddan Castle

I've realised that I spent pretty much all of this summer working on something, and then never got around to putting it up here, so here it is. This isn't all of it, but represents the main body of illustrations. Bodelwyddan Castle near Rhyl houses a selection of the National Portrait Gallery's 19th Century collection. Katy and I were asked to create a family portrait trail to make the experience more fun for kids. We devised loads of games, drawing and writing activities and open-ended questions, then Green Land Design did a great job of laying it all out and making it look like a neat desirable package.
I spent a lot of time researching the various figures portrayed in a number of the portraits, and collected images from their lives to work from. We then threw them together in an imaginary banquet, and let them show off about their various achievements and life stories.

Clockwise from the left - Ellen Terry, Amelia Ann Edwards, John Speke, Florence Nightingale, HM Stanley, John Gully, Grace Darling and James Brooke-


- and their accompanying images - (click to enbigger) -









combined to form this foldout poster 44 x 42cm -



To see the rest, including the kids activities and other nice drawings - please visit the delightful Bodelwyddan Castle and tell them I sent you.

Bodelwyddan Castle

Light is at the end of the tunnel. I've spent the last few months hammering away at illustrations for a family portrait trail leaflet for Bodelwyddan Castle, Wales. It's just about all approved - when I get the 2 thumbs up I'll post a load of it here. In the meantime; explorer John Speke (as featured on Radio 4's Book of the Week, ending today) -

Ophelia

click to enlarge

Really pleased with how this worked out - a single page now on display in Manchester Art Gallery, in front of Arthur Hughes' Ophelia 1852 -


Our response was created by myself and a young people's mental health group of from Wigan. They chose the painting which provoked the most discussion and comments amongst them, which we then drew using the basic comic skills we'd covered in the morning. The background and layout I completed afterwards.
I'm excited by this as it seems such a simple way of responding to a particular artwork: depict those stood in front of it in discussion, so you see what the artwork would see looking back at the viewer. Now I'm keen to try this with other paintings or sculptures in the collection, before the Tory-led government has the place converted into a detention centre or abbatoir.

May Queen 2010

Johnny took part in last weeks Hayfield May queen procession, as an occasional attender of Hayfield playgroup who all dressed up as Mr Men characters. Seen here chaperoned by Grandpa Pete.



This years theme - Cartoon Fun - for which we built a 9ft high Top Cat. Craftily we were able to use him yesterday for Furness Vale scarecrow day too, though he kept falling over so I removed his shoulders and just propped his head on the rim of his bin. Need to get rid of him now, as he's on someone else's back deck.


Current task - Manchester Art Gallery's Heroes & Monsters imagery, exhibition starting 10th July. More to follow.

Update

I'm having a trial period with Twitter, and not sure what I make of it yet. I abandoned Facebook as a depressing waste of time so we'll see how we do. Anyway, I'm there known as catdrawerjim if you've time on your hands. And if I have.

Today I was asked for my autograph, twice. I was photocopying children's mushroom pictures at the gallery and a couple realised from my badge that I'm the one that did them cats.

Found a lovely set of 2nd hand A3 steel shelves for a nice price. So nice in fact that I'll probably post a photo of them as soon as I get someone to help me carry them up into my loft. Not got desk or anything sorted yet, so that's why I've not been particularly productive with drawing or this blogging.

Forthcoming - I'm doing some murals on the walls and associated illustrations for Manchester Art Galleries Superhero Summer show and events. It's all based around the classical/Greek myths and heros in a handful of their Victorian collection, and will be lots of fun for kids and parents alike. And quite a bit of work for me, which I'm not complaining about.

I've had an idea for a new Jim Medway book - a silent woodcut (well linocut) novel, working title The Olden Days. I shall do absolutely no research into historical accuracy, just to see if it matters or not. Place your pre-orders now!

Hey 4 Eyes!

I was chuffed when CCS tutor Robyn Chapman asked me to contribute to her fantastic and highly specialised Hey 4 Eyes! spectacles 'zine. Especially as it was for the cover.

first idea

much better idea

final screenprinted version of full wraparound cover.

coptributors include ellen Lindner, Joseph Lamberty, Colleen Frakes, Harry & The Potters, Alec Longstreth, Tom Kaczynski, Robyn Chapman, Hilary Florido, Jon Chad, Scott Urban, Nate Beaty, Adriana Yugovich, Karen Sneider and Jeff Sharpe.

It also features my very own article on Colonel Blink (of The Beezer) - but you'll have to buy it to read it. But it's not for sale on her online shop yet, so I'll keep an eye out for when it is (or you could contact Robyn to pester her personally).

Mural at St Matthews RC High

Just got a disc in the post from the very kind Mr Tamburro, containing his great photos of the finished school mural - thanks Sir!
See how many scenes of Moston past and present you can identify -




-and here it in in it's entirety as seen from the assembly/lunch hall below -


I must thank Joanne Davies at Manchester Art Gallery for organising the whole project, Carmel Hardy for looking after me so nicely, Mr Pirelli for the coffees, Mr Tamburro for the pictures, and all the students who gave their time (during Science, Maths, RE, English...) to help complete the mural - a very nice bunch of young people to work with.
I should also credit Fr Brian Seale's The Moston Story and Central Libraries brilliant Manchester Image Collection, where I found almost all the original images to work from.