Llanddwyn Island

Watercolour painting of Llanddwyn Island, Anglesey. Available as a print HERE.

Guillermo Del Toro tribute show

Here's my piece for the Guillermo Del Toro tribute show "In Service of Monsters" at Gallery 1988. Despite there being plenty to choose from I couldn't resist painting Hellboy. My piece is based on the Troll Market scene from Hellboy 2. It's watercolour and 297 x 420mm (approx). Available to buy online (or in person) from the gallery from this evening (September 11th). The show runs until October 3rd at Gallery 1988 (West), 7308 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles.

Welles & Murakami

Two recent portrait experiments. Both in pencil (the trusty Palomino Blackwing!) and watercolour. I've been trying to experiment with crossing my usual stylised approach to portraits with more realistic shadowing. I saw an incredible Janniot sculpture in Lisbon last year and it got me thinking. It was beautifully stylised but with it being a real 3D object reacted to light and shade in an interesting way. The same goes for the stone heads created by Modigliani (a long time influence). This is what I've tried to achieve with both of these drawings. I think I may have lost track with the Murakami drawing and veered a bit too close to realism for my tastes but sometimes it's fun to interpret rather than reinterpret.

Tove Jansson

A sketchbook portrait of Tove Jansson to celebrate her 101st birthday. She was an incredible artist from an early age and her career was far more diverse than I'd original thought (watch this superb BBC documentary to find out more about her life and career). I think she's more influential now than ever.

Goonies 30th Anniversary Show, Gallery Nucleus

"The Original Goonie" - my piece for the Goonies Show at Gallery Nucleus. Watercolour, 210 x 297mm. The show opens on May 23rd. Curated by Seb Mesnard.

Japan watercolours

A series of watercolours based on the sketchbook work I produced in Japan (see previous posts).

All available to buy as prints HERE.

Swallow Falls and Llanberis Pass watercolours

Two recent watercolour paintings based on the Welsh landscape. Swallow Falls, Betws-y-Coed and the Llanberis Pass. Both available as prints HERE. Some process pics for your perusal below.

Californian House painting

Another recent painting. This time it's a case study-style/California Modern house loosely based on the Eames House. I've included the original sketch along with some process shots. I tried to keep the pencil drawing as faint and as simple as possible so I could make most of the decisions while painting. Sometimes this works other times it doesn't!

It's available as a print HERE.

Moss, Rocks, Trees, Snow

Another watercolour painting. I wanted to leave a lot of the white of the page visible on this one so what's better to paint than snow?

Stag Painting

Here's a stag watercolour painting I did earlier this week along with some process shots and the original sketchbook page that inspired it. I wanted to draw an animal and I enjoy drawing trees so a stag seemed like the obvious choice as it appears to be a bit of both.

Jazz Portraits

Some recent sketchbook portraits of jazz musicians (colour pencil and watercolour) - John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, Thelonius Monk, Nina Simone. I wanted to experiment with different shapes and space and I thought jazz kind of reflected what I wanted to do hence the subjects.

New York watercolours

Two new watercolours of New York (both approximately 297 x 420mm). I really enjoyed the watercolours I did for the Hiber-Nations exhibition so I wanted to try the same techniques with a more urban subject.

Prints available HERE.

Striders keep on stridin'

New painting for our Hiber-Nation exhibition (see previous post) - "Striders Striding". Watercolour 40x50cm. Exhibition starts at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff on the 5th December at 6 o'clock with a special launch night. Everyone welcome!

"Tony Cloudburst" for the Monster's Club Exhibition.

Here's my contribution to the Monster's Club exhibition. An A4 watercolour of your friend and mine, Mr Tony Cloudburst. It's an A4 watercolour available to purchase at the show. There's absolutely LOADS of great artists taking part. If you're in or near Bristol make sure to go along. Here's the official press release.

Explore a fun and bizarre exhibition that explores the playfulness and interactivity of character art. Featuring everything from plush designer toys and sculptures through to paintings and prints from illustrators, graffitti artists and monster makers from around the world.

Monsters Club celebrates art that can capture and communicate extreme emotions, encouraging the audience to imagine and contemplate fantastic narratives.

Curated by Bo Silvestre, Paul Roberts and Dom Williams, the show will be presented creating an environment with the feel of another universe. A universe inhabited by unique creatures, bizarre beasts, cute critters and magnificent monsters.

Just some of the amazing line up includes work from:

45RPM | Bill Giles | Bo Silvestre | Cat Rabbit | Cheo | Deth P Sun | Dom W | Felt Mistress | Hannah Dymond | Joel Millerchip | Jonathan E | Kristyna Baczynski | Lala Gallardo | Loch Ness | Matt 'Lunartik' JOnes | Michael C Hsiung | Muxxi | Niark1 || Paul Monsters | Rachel Pitler | RichT | Seb Burnett | Sepr | Seven Seas | SiMitchell | SpZero76 | Squirl | Steven Silverwood | Tim Ulewicz | WJC | Yema Yema | and more…

Opening Tuesday 29th October until 3rd November, with the preview night on the 29th, Bristol will see Park Street’s Parlour Showroom, opposite College Green, transformed into a different world.

Recent paintings

We're working towards an exhibition at the end of the year (details soon). Here's some of the work so far.

Painting for the Amy Winehouse Foundation

Here's my portrait of Amy Winehouse for the Amy Winehouse Foundation's fundraising events. Amy would have been 30 this September. It was an honour to have been asked to contribute something.

"The Amy Winehouse Foundation works to prevent the effects of drug and alcohol misuse on young people. We also aim to support, inform and inspire vulnerable and disadvantaged young people to help them reach their full potential." More information about the good work they do can be found HERE.

Follow @amysfoundation on Twitter for updates and on Facebook HERE.

You can see the Felt Mistress contribution HERE.

Mini Submarine watercolours

I've just added four mini submarine watercolour paintings to my shop. Ideal for framing and adorning the walls of any underwater lair! Click HERE.

UPDATE - Sold out! Thanks to everyone who bought one.

Waves

A few recent drawings of waves (no real reason!). A watercolour and ink drawing - still stretched on the board because I always prefer them that way - and the sketchbook pages that preceded it.

Searle in America auction piece

I love Ronald Searle's work. He's one of my favourite illustrators of all time so I was delighted when Matt Jones asked me to contribute to his "Searle in America" auction to raise funds for a Searle exhibition in California. I could reinterpret any Searle character or image I wanted. I went for St Trinian's. Looking back on the old Trinian's cartoons I was surprised just how dark they were (drowning, poisoning, beheadings!). Hopefully I've retained the spirit of St Trinian's in my piece. I've also posted some progress shots because I usually find them more interesting than the finished piece.