the moon's a balloon

Has my current illustration project been influenced in any way, shape or form by the fact I've just read American Gods? You betcha. Go impressionable me.

This is a section of the pencil rough, which I'm currently working over in more pencil and pastel.

shutting shop

You might notice the link to my prints for sale takes you to a closed shop - I just have too many other things to focus on right now, so have decided to take a wee break from Etsy selling. I still have giclees and a few linocuts available, anyone interested in my work can get in touch directly and I'll be happy to help!

baby snakes

It's not a hat. An elephant inside a boa constrictor (from Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)

So apart from drinking endless cups of tea, far too little wine and enjoying (*ahem*) the glorious Scottish summer of too much rain and not nearly enough sunshine on interminable repeat? This month I have been in an alternately decadent/distracted cocoon (and deeply immersed in American Gods, so don't want it to end and I never, well hardly ever, recommend a book) but have finally emerged on the other side of June with a new career in the offing and some interesting commissions.

The next two Juno illustrations are underway and ooh, some illustrated snakes (in the style of the Little Prince) have been requested. It's good to be drawing again.

technically

My goodness, I've moved so fast I'm still waiting for myself to catch up with myself... if you see what I mean... No? Me neither. Anyway, after making my grand announcement on 11th May to go back to full time work, I've managed to reinvent myself as a Technical Illustrator working in the... dun dun duh.... oil industry!?! So by day I'll be drawing oil rig platforms, by night I'll be working on my illustrations (assuming I can fight off the urge to veg all evening a full time job usually brings with it). Go super me.

But it's a scary world out there, and getting scarier by the day I reckon, so all in all it's a good move for me and my boys. And I'm a Technical Illustrator, so really I'm still an illustrator right? Technically.