Grimm Tidings

Morrissey

2012-01-30T21:46:00.000Z

Rather chuffed with this one - managed to get some really nice thick brush strokes with the pen this time.

More inky portraits

2012-01-30T21:04:00.001Z

More of my 10 minute pencil portriats printed out and inked nice and loose with my pentel brush pen. Really getting into these, can knock out 4-5 in an hour whilst watching Battlestar Galactica, so that's good!

These ones are Madame Blavatsky, Joseph Merrick, Lon Chaney Sr and Nikola Tesla.

Icarus Dangerous

2012-01-30T17:45:00.002Z

Part of the cover art for Paragon issue 10.

Corporal Starkweather

2012-01-26T22:51:00.001Z

About six weeks back I posted this. That has now evolved into the above, which I think is pretty much there now.

More Jikan pics

2012-01-24T20:25:00.004Z

Did these in preparation for my forthcoming cover for PARAGON #10, which will feature a montage of 5 characters - Jikan himself, Battle Ganesh (who doesn't actually feature in the issue but I really wanted to draw), Mekko-Sapiens, Icarus and Spencer Nero.

The cover work is nearly all drawn - just got Icarus to do, then I'll be colouring it too.

The third pic relates to the pin-up I posted the other day - tried a few different heads with different expressions and hair to see which worked best (went with the first one in the end - isn't that always the way?)

And a few more

2012-01-22T13:32:00.002Z

Charles Darwin, Betty Page, James Ellroy and Louise Brooks.The original pencil drawings can be viewed here.

Warm up sketches

2012-01-21T23:57:00.001Z

Printed off some of my 10 minute pencil portraits earlier today in blueline - turned out to be a great way to warm up for an inking session.

They are: Aldous Huxley, Anna Karina, David Lynch, Egon Schiele, Edgar Allan Poe and Erich Ludendorff.

If you want to see the original pencil versions, have a look at my other blog - I'm posting one a day for a whole year.

Jikan pin-up art

2012-01-21T17:50:00.002Z

Pin-up for the next collected edition of Jikan from PARAGON. Enjoyed this hugely.

Myrna Loy (unfinished portrait)

2012-01-17T23:40:00.001Z

Another A3 pencil portrait copied from a photograph, of the actress Myrna Loy (getting some more practice in drawing 1930s/40s glamour pusses in preparation for 'Last Road to the Backwoods'). I say unfinished but I think I'll leave it as it is now.

SIX endpiece

2012-01-16T21:30:00.000Z

Last year I illustrated Ryan Henry's superbly disturbing zombie horror novel 'Six'. Towards the end of that process, as well as doing the front cover, he requested one final illustration, which was this.

It was a hugely enjoyable project and I learnt a lot, so I was delighted when he contacted me again and asked for a couple more for his next project - a novella called 'Two' which features - you guessed it - two more survivors in a 'sidequel' of sorts.

I'm currently finishing up these new illos and will hopefully be able to blog the results soon.

You can download 'Six' for absolutely bugger all here.

Bela Lugosi as Dracula!

2012-01-16T20:27:00.001Z

This one is on A3 so I had to photograph it rather than scan it.

Carpathian Vampire Elder

2012-01-16T20:14:00.002Z

Started this last Autumn after reading Kim Newman's excellent Anno Dracula. He's one of Vlad Tepes' elite guard - wearing the canines of fallen rivals on a string around his neck to prove it. If there's any justice the book will be adapted into a multi-million dollar HBO miniseries - it totally deserves to be.

Cthulhu-Kraken awakes!

2012-01-15T20:53:00.000Z

One from last year that I never got round to blogging. Not entirely happy with it, think of it as a colour rough/experiment that went slightly squiffy.

Late night doodles

2011-12-30T01:51:00.000Z

Christmas round-up

2011-12-27T17:54:00.001Z

Done as a few xmas pressies for various friends and family. Particularly enjoyed the Lansbury/van Dyke commission.

More Slaine doodles

2011-12-14T12:58:00.000Z

Shoggey Beast

2011-12-07T22:06:00.000Z

A few years ago when I decided to rekindle my love affair with all things 2000 AD, my first move was to buy Warrior's Dawn, the first Slaine collection, and leafing through the glorious artwork by Massimo Belardinelli, Angie Kincaid and - most of all - Mike McMahon, well, the nostalgia was immense.

McMahon is undoubtedly my favourite comic artist of all time, and his stint on early Slaine (around the same time he was drawing 'Monkey Business at Charles Darwin Block' & 'Block Mania') etched itself onto my fragile young mind like nothing else (with the possible exception of Cam Kennedy on Rogue Trooper).

Anyway, within this faultless and highly recommended volume is a story entitled 'The Shoggey Beast', and here's my depiction of said beast (based quite closely on McMahon's I must admit).

A work-in-progress

2011-12-04T22:19:00.001Z

Colour rough character design for a spin-off from the zombie horror novel SIX I illustrated earlier in the year. Author Ryan Henry has been working on a novella that takes place in the same continuity and this time focuses on two more survivors.

Still beset by a multitude of technical problems, and STILL haven't moved house. The latest clusterf*ck involves my wacom's pressure sensitivity refusing to work despite spending hours looking for drivers and restarting and restarting the PC.

Anyway, this is the best I can do at the moment really.

German soldier

2011-12-04T10:14:00.000Z

My effort for the weekly themed art blog last week, from the iconic photograph of a German soldier during the Battle of The Bulge. 20 minute pencil sketch.

Ampney Crucis

2011-10-11T16:11:00.000+01:00

Last one for now.

Harry Absalom

2011-10-11T15:55:00.001+01:00

Another one for today (well, this was actually inked a few days ago). I had the idea to try my hand at some 2000AD characters I've never drawn before. One of the standout strips so far this year has been Caballistics spin-off 'Absalom'. Here's the man himself.

Jack Dancer

2011-10-11T14:21:00.001+01:00

I drew something! Life continues to conspire against me at the moment - computer still dead, things packed up for the impending house move (then discover it's been delayed), but I managed to sketch this today. Took a lot longer than I wanted, and it's not great, but what are ya gonna do - I'm rusty! Got a couple more I'm working on too, just to help get back in the swing of things.

Durham Red returns...

2011-10-02T15:35:00.000+01:00

...Well, to my blog at least. Drew this a couple of months back, and was going to make some more changes but then my laptop bust (I'm still without a computer, but working on it). So because it's been too long since I posted anything, I thought 'what the hell', and here it is. It was inspired by a Durham pin-up drawn by that erstwhile gentleman and scholar Kev Levell.

Le Marquis

2011-08-29T15:09:00.000+01:00

Did this while on holiday in Anglesey last week. Took my laptop but not scanner (obviously), so this started as a quick messy pencil sketch which I then photographed and inked digitally in PS. Recently finished the collected volume, and it's grand. A tad wordy and repetitive at times but in terms of the art, the overall mythos and the creature design, I can't fault Guy Davis at all.

Hellboy Wormbait

2011-08-11T23:53:00.000+01:00

Just Hellboy beating the tar out of some over-sized worms. Thanks to Jim Campbell for the SFX.

Gyrocaptain

2011-08-08T23:41:00.003+01:00

Another quick one for TWTAB. This week's theme is proving to be great fun.

You're dog-meat, pal!

2011-08-06T21:10:00.001+01:00

Drew this today for The Weekly Themed Art Blog. Another character I've been wanting to draw for ages, the current theme (1980s Action Movies) gave me the perfect excuse.

Sadie with cigarette

2011-08-05T00:55:00.001+01:00

Cop studies

2011-08-03T13:40:00.000+01:00

Last Road to The Backwoods

2011-08-02T19:47:00.000+01:00

Second promo piece, evoking the mood of the backwoods...

The Sheriff

2011-08-01T01:32:00.001+01:00

He's a pipe-smoking man

2011-07-31T23:27:00.001+01:00

My starting point for this character - the agent who arrives in a small town to investigate a strange disappearance - was the actor Fred MacMurray, although there's also a touch of the Brosnans about this study. Unintentional, but not entirely inappropriate.

Last Road to The Backwoods

2011-07-31T19:51:00.001+01:00

I'm getting excited about this strip now, so here's the first of a few promo images I'm going to do. What secrets lie beneath the fragile veneer of the town of Archangel? And who's blood is that?

Sadie study

2011-07-31T13:36:00.000+01:00

Sadie and her red dress

2011-07-31T00:39:00.000+01:00

She's the femme fatale, obviously.

Dredd portrait

2011-07-30T19:19:00.000+01:00

On a bit of a roll at the moment with these grey wash pencil portraits, so I thought I'd give old stoney face the same treatment. It's a nice break from all the period folk too. Took about 30 minutes.

And here they all are together

2011-07-30T14:10:00.000+01:00

Well, some of them anyway. A few more to design yet, then I think I'm gonna have a crack at a pin-up as a sort of promotional piece.

And more character studies

2011-07-29T17:25:00.000+01:00

More character studies

2011-07-29T13:43:00.000+01:00

Character studies

2011-07-28T23:28:00.002+01:00

More character studies, quick 10-15 minute pencils sketches which are then quicly toned in photoshop. Really enjoying the looseness with these.

My Maker & I - more previews

2011-07-27T23:06:00.000+01:00

The last few posts have all been black and white, so to remind myself that the world is in fact a colourful place, here a few more sneak peaks at 'My Maker & I'

The Curator

2011-07-26T23:16:00.000+01:00

Another character sketch. Guess who this one's based on?

The Doctor

2011-07-26T17:30:00.001+01:00

Another character design for my next strip.

Samurai

2011-07-26T12:36:00.000+01:00

Lords of Death

2011-07-22T00:10:00.001+01:00

Time for another John Carpenter pic I think.

Preacher commission (with greytones)

2011-07-19T01:30:00.001+01:00

Spent all day on a new Durham Red pin-up, then toned this up (without the wacom I might add) in about 20 minutes. Guess which one I prefer?

Hellboy doodle coloured

2011-07-16T14:30:00.000+01:00

Quite pleased with how this turned out.

Hellboy

2011-07-14T18:26:00.000+01:00

Worked on a Hellboy scene last night, then quickly sketched this afterwards at about 1.30 in the morning. Quite like it.

Man With The White Eyes

2011-07-13T16:11:00.001+01:00

So as you may be aware, I have an 'illustrator' page on Facebook, and when I noticed that the number of 'likes' was approaching 300 the other week, I decided to do a free sketch for whoever became the lucky 300th. I threw it open to them - what would they like me to draw? The answer, from a very nice Polish lady, was a picture of 'Zly', or the 'Man with the white eyes' (its english language title) - a polish postwar novel that features a sort of Zorro-type outlaw guy. I confess to not having read the book at all, and it's a pretty obscure request I know, but this is what I came up with. As I say, absolutely no idea how accurate this depiction is, but I thought the noir-ish route was a safe enough bet!

More character sketches

2011-07-08T18:22:00.001+01:00

The Agent

2011-07-06T21:40:00.001+01:00

Second character sketch.

The Deputy

2011-07-06T19:32:00.002+01:00

First character sketch for an upcoming strip.

To tide things over

2011-07-06T16:14:00.001+01:00

A wee pencil sketch of the actress Jean Marsh (who will always be Queen Bavmorda from George Lucas' crappy fantasy effort 'Willow'), as a young lady. What a beauty!

Tulip O'Hare

2011-07-05T22:20:00.000+01:00

Another one for the Preacher Project. Just added some quick tones in photoshop for this version. This plus another two pics will feature in the finished book.

Jesse Custer

2011-06-27T20:45:00.001+01:00

I was recently contacted by one Ryan Ballard to take part in this. It's a wonderful and totally generous project, and I'm honoured to be rubbing shoulders with other participants like Rufus Dayglo, Simon Fraser, Jim Mahfood and my old partner-in-crime Kev Levell.

This is a quick sketch I did last night, worked up from a sketchbook doodle. I'm trying out a few ideas, and my final contribution will probably involve either Jesse and the lovely Tulip or just Tulip on her own.

Being commissioned to take part was a great excuse to re-read the comic (it's been at least ten years), so I picked up the first hardback collection and have been thoroughly enjoying it. Now I'll have to buy the entire series! (damn).

Now go out would you!

2011-06-22T23:16:00.000+01:00

Nest - final colours

2011-06-19T15:58:00.000+01:00

Khal Drogo - inked

2011-06-19T14:47:00.002+01:00

His name's not Khal (it's Luigi)

2011-06-13T23:14:00.000+01:00

Drogo! Holding aloft the tongue of his enemy (after slashing open throat of said enemy and yanking it out through the hole). Nuff said.

What's that? He's the new Conan too? Sweet.

Game of Thrones pics inked

2011-06-13T19:04:00.000+01:00

Winter is Coming

2011-06-12T12:50:00.002+01:00

'Joffrey is a strong-willed child and has a vicious temper and an unchecked sadistic streak'.

Robb Stark - 'called "The Young Wolf" by many of his followers and foes alike, he shared his father's devotion to honour'.

You win or you die

2011-06-10T23:37:00.000+01:00

The best show on tv since bee-ess-gee. Might do a series of these; first up: Jon 'The Bastard' Snow and Sansa Stark.

Loose chips sink ships*

2011-06-10T00:46:00.000+01:00

Latest one for The Weekly Themed Art Blog - this week's theme is Norts vs Southers, and as any loyal squaxx will tell you, this relates to the devastating future war on Nu-earth as seen in the 'Rogue Trooper' strip. I decided to do a vintage recruitment poster, in the style of those grand old WWI propaganda posters.

It's actually an homage to/direct rip-off of this:

If I get time I'll keep working on it - the colours are very basic at the moment, and I'd like to include a similar background too.

*with a big thank you for to Johnny Mc for that title

Dragon Tattoo

2011-06-05T23:25:00.000+01:00

Bit of a departure, but you've got to experiment haven't you?

Warped!

2011-06-05T01:04:00.003+01:00

First attempt - after being challenged by Neil Roche - at Slaine undergoing the legendary warp spasm. Quite like it, but there's one problem: he's nowhere near warped enough. Back to the drawing board!

Another sketch - Roth Bellyshaker.

Nest - ink sketch

2011-05-31T00:47:00.003+01:00

My take on Nest, celtic sorceress from Slaine. The colour version isn't quite finished yet.

Kiss his axe

2011-05-28T22:17:00.003+01:00

I was recently challenged by the ever affable Kev Levell to have a bash at drawing Slaine, and this was the first result (a quick sketch to determine how my Slaine was going to look). After sharing the B&W sketch on various sites - and being well chuffed with the positive reaction it has gotten - I've decided to have a go at a proper pin-up, with the eventual aim of firing it at Tharg himself. Worth a try I reckon - he can only say bugger off can't he? Stay tuned for updates.

PS - yes, I have been watching Game of Thrones, and yes, those are Khal Drogo's tatoos. Couldn't resist!

You found him in a junk pile?

2011-05-16T23:51:00.001+01:00

Sketching Star Wars stuff makes me feel like a contented eight year old again. Colour version is unfinished.

My Maker & I update

2011-05-14T00:04:00.001+01:00

Still beavering away on the colours for this, and thought it was high time I posted some more teasers. Things are going well and I'm continually blown away every time Dan Duncan sends a new batch of pages through. If you haven't seen it already, there's now a facebook page dedicated to charting the creation of 'My Maker & I', so if you'd like to join or comment, head over here. You can also find a link there to download the first 5 pages in an exclusive preview.

Actually, it's probably a terrible time to blog this, with everyone at Bristol, but hey ho.

Zombie Girl

2011-05-06T00:13:00.000+01:00

Profile pic for a new facebook page that Matthew 'Locust of Death' McLaughlin is launching, where people can 'document' their experiences of a zombie apocalypse. I'll post a link when it's up and running.

Victorian folk

2011-05-01T15:15:00.001+01:00

Just to keep the drawing mechanisms well oiled, here are some quick pencil portrait of various (not all strictly) Victorian people. 10 mins each approx, and each one is about 10-14cm (in my continuing effort to draw smaller). First to name them all wins an eccles cake.

Anderson versus Death

2011-04-29T01:40:00.000+01:00

Latest contribution to the Weekly Themed Art Blog.

Toshiro Mifune

2011-04-25T01:54:00.000+01:00

Last one tonight. Not a fantastic likeness, but lots of fun nonetheless. As far as I can recall, I've never drawn a Samurai before, so this at least remedies that.

Wild Bill Hickok

2011-04-24T23:57:00.001+01:00

Just finished watching 'Deadwood', having missed it entirely when it was originally on TV. What a show, and what a cast. Not least among them is Keith Carradine as Wild Bill.

Dredd - up close and personal

2011-04-24T21:54:00.000+01:00

Quite pleased with this one.

Dredd rough

2011-04-24T16:02:00.000+01:00

Another one from the pub on Friday night.

Constantine

2011-04-24T15:13:00.000+01:00

A very quick, slightly drunken sketch of John Constantine, drawn in the pub on friday night.

Wolfmen print

2011-04-20T17:35:00.002+01:00

Andy Bloor - art editor at Accent UK, comic artist and all round nice guy - asked if I'd have a go at colouring his frighteningly good Wolfmen 2 cover so he could have a few prints made in time for the Bristol con. Here's what I came up with.

Charming to the last

2011-04-19T01:32:00.004+01:00

I'm always trying to get away from tight drawing. Sometimes I try so hard that the finished product ends up tighter than if I'd just not tried. Anyway, in that spirit, here's a (fairly) quick and quite exaggerated portrait of the mighty Peter Cushing as Governor Tarkin.

An attempt at inking, although he now appears to resemble Prince Phillip more than Peter Cushing, so I may have another go (maybe in a different style).

The above version coloured.

Re-inked in a much tighter style, and coloured.

Erm...SHAKARA!

2011-04-18T15:07:00.000+01:00

Can't think of anything else to call this post... another one for The Weekly Themed Art Blog.

Rogue sketch

2011-04-15T03:38:00.002+01:00

Old skool Rogue. Pentel brush pen.

And a quick colour job.

Yoda

2011-04-15T02:16:00.000+01:00

Because every now and again, you can't beat a bit of Star Wars.

Painted Dredd

2011-04-14T01:55:00.000+01:00

Well this turned out a bit naff, and I spent far too long on it too. But never mind.

SIX cover - from roughs to finished artwork

2011-04-10T00:17:00.008+01:00

Working on the cover for 'SIX' at the moment. So far, I only have one cover under my belt (issue 7 of Paragon), so it still fells like a big deal for me to tackle one. I had a pretty clear brief for this - the author had a very specific image in mind and even provided a rough sketch to work from, although I have changed bits and given it my own stamp (I hope). This was put together to make sure the composition works and to try laying down some quick colour, although so far it's missing the vital ingredient: the shambling hordes!

Phase 2 - tighter pencils, repositioning the figures, adding a few zombies.

Phase 3 - inks, plus some quick colour and dirty textures to evoke that post-apocalyptic feel. Need to balance the overall tones, add more flat colour then shading and highlights.

Phase 4 - building more colour. Thought the faded logo on the factory was a nice touch, although it won't appear on the final artwork as the factory is a specific location and processes something else entirely.

Phase 5 - flats are finally finished (bar camo pattern on the middle guy's pants), and a final texture added to get an idea of how the finished might look. Of course, I've yet to really get stuck in with the shadows and highlights, so the final one may look totally different.

Phase 6 - shading and a few highlights, and even more texture! Think it may be complete now... we'll see.

Barbie Guitars! (inking practice)

2011-04-03T22:12:00.002+01:00

Deviantart is wonderful for several reasons. Not least is the wealth of fantastic photo ref available. 'Barbie Guitars' (real name unknown) is a model, artist & photographer, and to me she looks like an Ian Gibson character made flesh. These sketches are based on her, and were done to practice inking. More importantly, they were done to practice inking small. If left to my own devices I'll draw everything on A3 or bigger, but that don't fly in comics, so each of these is 10x12cm.

Blonde girl - pencil sketch

2011-04-03T22:07:00.000+01:00

Quick pencil study.

Abe Sapien

2011-04-03T22:04:00.000+01:00

Another one for The Weekly Themed Art Blog - Hellboy's pal Abraham Sapien. I'm ashamed to say I don't actually own any of the comics or trades, so my reference for these two were the movies.

HB

2011-04-03T11:21:00.000+01:00

Some of you may have already seen this over here. But things have been quiet here at Grimm Tidings for a while, and I quite like this one, so here it is again.

Will you deliver Spain from bondage?

2011-03-13T14:28:00.000Z

Death is the road to awe

2011-03-10T23:29:00.001Z

Some 'Fountain' sketches

2011-03-09T20:19:00.000Z

Been commissioned to draw something from Darren Aronofsky's staggering 'The Fountain'. Another of my favourite films from recent years. I'm planning to combine these images (along with some other elements) in to a sort of Drew Struzan Star Wars-style movie poster.

Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf

2011-03-06T21:44:00.000Z

Quick ink study of Brendan Gleeson in one of my favourite films of recent years, the pretty-much flawless In Bruges.

Wanna see something permanent?

2011-03-06T21:23:00.001Z

First goddamn week of winter

2011-03-06T00:23:00.001Z

Been meaning to colour this for a while.

(Steel)horns of a dilemma

2011-03-02T01:40:00.000Z

A teaser panel from my ABC Warriors strip for the next issue of Zarjaz.

Shadow of the Titanic

2011-02-26T01:04:00.000Z

Alien

2011-02-06T19:47:00.001Z

Bit of colour practice.

Murky Depths illo

2011-02-06T15:10:00.000Z

To accompany a story in issue 15 of Murky Depths.

So here it is - the reason things have been so quiet around here

2011-01-30T21:33:00.002Z

I approached Accent UK at the British International Comics Show back in October, and after a lovely chat with editor Dave West and writer Owen Johnson, I was offered the chance to colour an original graphic novel. Naturally, I told them to bog off. Only kidding, I said YES, and I've been beavering away on this project recently, adding colour to some truly wonderfiul lineart from an american artist called Dan Duncan. A graduate of the Joe Kubert School, Dan is a gifted fella, and his loose, expressive and always dynamic work is a joy to colour.

The GN is called 'My Maker & I', and it's a visual feast with a protagonist described as a cross between Jesus and Conan. All being well, this should be released either at the end of this year or early 2012. I've had the go ahead from the chaps at Accent to show a few panels, so here we go:

Alternate Lucy

2011-01-27T23:06:00.001Z

Revised character sketch for SIX. Rough version, and with muted colour and inks.