Chip Charlton & Mr Woofles of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police

Here's your one and only sneak peek at what I'm working on for The Phoenix comic - a 4 page standalone adventure story about a new recruit and his dachshund partner. I've been very excited about doing this, and nearly have it all coloured and ready to send off.
Shall update you once I know which issue it'll be in.

New Linoprints

Recent linocuts produced in reponse to a new logo brief for a shipping company based at Salford Quays. Not quite what they were after, so won't be used, but I think I might start my own firm now I have a logo. I thought the heron represented timeless and effortless grace and soloidity, as well as suggesting a positive ecological element (one full cargohold of grain can replace 100 wagons on the road). I did the yellow and grey on the same inking, before cutting away to print the black outline.
The crane (from a photo taken next to their dry docks) is quite a landmark down there. In black it looks a bit brutal, so I mocked up a more positive one, inspired by old transport and shipping posters -

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.