Latest screenprinting fun..!

Latest screenprinted offerings...! I've been having fun drawing animals again lately. :) All these items are currently available from the Whirly Collective Folksy Shop. I'm especially pleased with how the Rhino & Small Rhino notebooks turned out..!

Bright Owl

Been working on a few ideas for some one-colour print designs, for possible use on cards, tote bags 'n' things. :) This one's dedicated to all those who I've played at a certain app-based word game, where brightowl is my username. I don't always win, unfortunately, but I thought it'd be a cute idea for a picture.

Daffodils

A drawing to celebrate spring. :) As well as being a developmental piece for a story I'm working on, this drawing was also an opportunity to experiment more in Adobe Illustrator. Fun stuff!

Little Valkyrie - screen print

I've completed a new screen-print..! It's inspired by fantasy, the love of books, and Norse legend. :) It features the sun, moon and stars, ravens, the branches of the legendary ash-tree Yggdrasil, a book featuring a serpent on the back cover, and a little Valkyrie with a fantastic hat.

(click thumbnails for larger/higher quality pics)

If you'd like your own Valkyrie to hang on your wall, take a quick look at the Whirlygig folksy shop. :)

Next up: making more books and probably some Christmas cards! If you haven't already, try following my twitter account for more updates.

Update - fairs I'll be attending..!

After much preparation (fingers ache from trimming books, argh - see picture above for only a fraction of the huge heap of offcuts!), I'm off to Edinburgh. :) Looking forward to a few days' fun and relaxation before Stripped Mini Comic Fair.

I'll take this opportunity to post the current list of some upcoming events:

24th-25th August, 11:00am - 18:00pm
Stripped Mini Comic Fair (part of Edinburgh International Book Festival)

5 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, EH2 4DR
Twitter: @StrippedFest

7th September, 11am to to 5pm (open at 9.30am for Advance ticket holders)
MCM Scotland Comic Con (exhibiting in Comic Village)
The SECC, Glasgow, G3 8YW
Twitter: @MCMExpo

23th-24th November
Thought Bubble Festival (Allied London Hall)
Armouries Drive, Leeds, LS10 1LT
Twitter: @thoughtbubbleuk

6th-7th December
Volume: Birmingham's Art, Book and Print Fair
The Library of Birmingham, Centenary Square, Birmingham, B1

If you should come to any of these events, do come and say hello. :) I'm excited about all of them and looking forward to meeting people..! I just need to carry on working on new things to bring to them... in the meantime, wish me a safe trip up to the Festival city. :D

New Book: Twa Corbies

After having it in my mind for ages whilst juggling other projects and commissions, I've had a little chunk of time recently to complete my latest personal project, Twa Corbies, which I posted initial doodles for back in February. It's based on a folk song from the Scottish Borders and takes a wry look at mortality, with the narrator in my own adaptation arriving in the form of a hare. I've more copies to stitch together in the next week, but here are the first few, fresh from being bound, trimmed and pressed. :)

Twa Corbies will, appropriately, be making its debut in Scotland at the Edinburgh International Book Festival "Stripped" mini comic fair on 24/25 August. :) Expect an update in the next day or so about more summer/autumn 2013 events I'll be attending!

Summer bloggin' ... Part One: Indietracks

Hello all! A bit of a life-y blog-post, this, but why not?

As it happens, my birthday occurred this year right before Indietracks festival in Derbyshire; after going for the first time last year I definitely wanted to go again; the fact it was over my birthday weekend this year made it extra good! :) It's a smallish festival, and as it's indiepop even the headliners are bands many people haven't heard of. But it is so relaxed and I left feeling tired but happy - and having heard lots of amazing music, some familiar and a lot that was completely new to me. I miss it already - can't wait for next year.

Because I want to clutch onto the memories that feel like both yesterday and months ago (but were actually a week ago now), I thought I'd post a few of my pics here - I didn't take many, but here's a few just for a taste (maybe I should post a few from last year?). And a few sketches of Indietracks-goers, too!

Did I mention one arrives at the festival via steam train? :)

...and what other festival has an eagle owl propping up the bar? :) Bet he went for one of the fancy real ales... the "Poet's Pippin" cider was my choice. Wonderfully tangy and appley.

Aaaaand some sketches! The top one's actually from a train journey back from London (to catch up with the lovely Lou), but the rest are a few scribbles done whilst reclining on a picnic blanket at Indietracks and watching people go by. :)

Lastly -  although I didn't spend much time in Derby, this has to be my favourite thing that I saw in the city. Who doesn't love Henry?

Anyway, thanks for reading this far. A busy rest-of-the-summer (and probably autumn) is planned...! Had MCM Expo in Manchester on the 20th, which was wild and wonderful and very, very busy. More events lined up... keep an eye on my Twitter if you can, and I will post updates soon. :)