The Beast of Levelling Moss

Well... the introduction to The Beast of Levelling Moss. This is a little death ditty that will run for about 20 pages or so, I think! The story came after a trip North, visiting my folks and is set on the Moss north and east of Southport. With any joy this little tale will be finished by Easter, after which I will turn my attentions to 'Life' and erupt in a wanton blaze of colour and frivolity!

The Hunter

I really should have been doing other things, but late last night, at the witching hour no less, I needed to doodle this fellow - he's the Hunter. A dark character that will one day 'soonish' inhabit a world of whispers and shadows!.............


SO the world of whispers and shadows is moving on a pace and below this initial character sketch of 'the hunter', is the intro frame for what will be his story, 'The Beast of Levelling Moss'.
I'm a little excited! Hopefully I can work on at least a page a week, whilst juggling other jobs. It's all good, I just have to remember to not mix up my worlds and scenarios!! No slain creatures in the other book! Although.....

FOOTFALL in Valletta

Following the British Council/Wicked comics  'Boz' workshop I ran in Malta last month, this is my contribution to the IMAGES OF VALLETTA exhibition that will be held early in December in Valletta. It's something of a documentary/comic/poetry/hommage mash-up and I LOVED doing it!!! It seems that I get little poetic flurries when doing things like this (London - Dickens 2012). I do have a beloved that checks my cheesey factor when these flurries take root...which is good!! My little creative journey is documented on our 'Images of Valletta' Flickr page http://www.flickr.com/groups/imagesofvallettaworkshop/ - check it out. There you'll also find the initial work of the workshop participants, and soon their marvellous final pieces will be up there too.
P.S. Times of Malta article relating to the project - http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121021/arts-entertainment/The-story-of-a-storyteller.442208

Venus and Wegg Parley

A snippet from an 'Our Mutual Friend' piece I did for Diavazo Magazine, Greece. This ties in with much of the other Dickens 2012 work I've been up to these last 12 months. I also thought I'd take the opportunity to post the Flickr link to my recent Dickens inspired workshop in Valletta.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/imagesofvallettaworkshop/

There's always a price to pay!!!!

Me and the lovely Michael Quinton from Wicked Comics, Malta

All the lovely peeps who came along to the Dickens inspired 'Images of Valletta workshop

The Suq - sketch

Fruit seller - sketch

And the price for enjoying the sun in September in lovely Malta is...freezing my fingers off in my shed. A few days away and it's got a bit nippy, am back in my woollies and thermal socks....nice!
The British Council/Wicked Comics sponsored workshop in Valletta was great fun; beautiful city, beautiful people and LOVELY work. Will add a link to the on going Flickr gallery when I get my head round it - bit of a luddite  - there you can view everyone's work as it develops. The final work will be exhibited at the Malta Comic con this December. http://www.maltacomic-con.com/

Oo0h EerRr, a bit sp00ky

This is some work for Deirdre  Whelan

Publishing, that was REALLY fun to work on. I haven't done many scary or bloody images in the past, I find I rather LIKE doing them. Although, working in the shed at night, when its all dark and things go bump and so forth - I do get a little spooked - well I did when doing an illustration of a man freshly risen from his grave. 0!0

A tale of 2 comics

Two contrasting images: The first is from my recent visit to the Athens comicdom con, where I was invited by the British Council to run a 'Boz' workshop as part of their Dickens 2012 celebrations. This is a little snapshot image of my time there, however, the British Council website will soon host some of the great work produced by the participants during the workshop. In the meantime this a link to the their blog and my adventures in Athens.
literature.britishcouncil.org/news/2012/may/zara-slattery-comic-con

The second has nothing to do with work and everything to do with pleasure. This is the birthday card drawn in celebration of my father-in-laws 85th birthday last weekend. An inimitable chap with a penchant for fine whisky and antiquarian childrens books.

The day Mrs Prune became Prunella

After creating Mrs Prune I sat back, ever so contented, and admired her. I admired her until a little comment about noses burst open a little niggle that had sat quietly brooding. A week went by with quiet indecision - life rolled on, but with a higher than normal propensity for distraction. And then it came, more with a pop than a fanfare - Mrs Prune would become Prunella, her nose would be different and all the characters in the story will be children. Bingo! I slept well in my bed that night.

Starting with The Apple

The cover! And the rest will surely follow!

The Apple

The Apple is a short graphic story that begins in the garden of Mrs Prune. From it's hazy days growing amongst the leaves of an old apple tree to its crunching end, the apple lives a brief but fruitful life amongst the inhabitants of Windy way. Or at least I think it's called Windy way, haven't quite decided yet. Anyway, this is an initial sketch of Mrs Prune, the first of five characters that encounters the apple and she has a penchant for sherbet lemons.