12th May 2012
Here's a very quick drawing I did of some nightshade I found hiding near a tree, in a field, in the hills, where I live.
(click image for full view)
This is Solanum nigrum (European Black Nightshade), the leaves and berries of which are edible when ripe and prepared properly, not to be confused with Atropa belladonna (Deadly Nightshade), which will make you go to sleep forever.
I think that declaring a triumphant resurgence in website activity just two weeks before moving house was perhaps a tad ill-timed. I'm thinking I might start putting some more quick, sketchy drawings up on here more regularly, just to keep things moving along. If I only post ridiculously detailed pieces like Mr. Wolf, then it may be very slow going.
Share This
1st April 2012
Good friend and former bandmate James has released a new cd through his studio based project; The Black Hundred. 'Future Sedations' is available now, and features my illustration 'Resigned' as a cheeky bonus. Check it out.
theblackhundred.com
facebook.com/theblackhundred
Share This
9th March 2012
This one's been haunting me for a while. Feels good to have it done. Inspired by the title of the Martin Cruz Smith novel Wolves Eat Dogs ..
(click image for full view)
Share This
29th February 2012
So, it's been a while. You all look well ...
If there's one thing worse than a neglected website, it's reading long, apologetic posts attempting to explain said neglect. I'll spare you that, and simply say I've been busy doing things which aren't illustration, and shall be redirecting as much time and energy as I can back into illustration from now on.
To that end, here's something new. I felt it was time I had more than one starling around here, so here is number two. Still not quite a 'cloud', but enough to keep Eric up there company (I may not have mentioned it before, but the bird in silhouette at the top of my site is named Eric. Eric the Starling.
(click image for full view)
More soon ...
Share This
1st August 2011
(click image for full view)
Share This
19th July 2011
T'was a good night indeed ... the 2011 A3 Print Show that is.
Northcote was buzzing with the Northern Exposure Visual Arts Festival in full swing. Lots of great work on display, and it's nice to be reminded of just how good well-printed work can look, as these days we all seem so accustomed to viewing everything online. Not all art benefits from being back-lit on a computer screen.
Unexpected Bonus #1: Someone out there (with impeccable taste) purchased a Giclee print of Memories of Green.
Unexpected Bonus #2: I received an email from Illustrators Australia resident superstar Jodi Pratt, with the amazing news that "Resigned" (pictured above) was the winner of the People's Choice Award for the evening. I literally smacked my gob upon reading this. The Award includes a prize of $100 redeemable at Image Science (who did an excellent job of printing the Glicée prints for the exhibition). Colour me chuffed.
Unexpected Bonus #3: After the show I bumped into an old friend from a former life. We ducked in to The Wesley Anne to drink beer and compare notes on the years that have passed. It was good.
Big thanks to everyone who came along on the night, everyone who submitted work, everyone who voted for their favourites, Illustrators Australia and Image Science for supporting Australian Illustrators.
Share This
15th June 2011
"... beautiful Giclee prints from some of the best Australian illustrators in the industry - all on sale for an amazing $125 each! The exhibition then travels to Sydney to be exhibited again in August!
All prints are available as multiples and can be ordered so you won’t miss out if it has sold already."
View prints online at the Illustrators Australia website.
Should be a good night.
Share This
18th February 2011
(click image for full view)
And now for something completely different. Unlike the hand-made piece I uploaded yesterday, almost all of the work here in this one is digital. The original ink lines I scanned in were very simple, and 90% of the work went into digitally colouring and re-colouring, building up layers of texture and light.
I'm pleased enough with the result, but I'm keen to start producing more 'finished' work without any digital input, as opposed to using pencil and ink lines as the basis for a largely digital piece, as is the case here.
Two posts in as many days! Unprecedented.
Share This
17th February 2011
Two of my favourite things, together at last.
(click image for full view)
This took me a couple of hours, and was a gift for my neighbour Alice who kindly let me steal it back so I could scan it. Here's what Lola (the staghound) and Rupert (the beagle) usually look like:
This was painted through 3 stencils onto watercolour paper using espresso coffee in 3 strengths. The darkest tone was mixed with a small amount of black India ink. It's nice to have some work that involves no digital component for a change.
Lola looks like a polar bear in stencil form. Rupert just looks like Rupert.
More very soon. Tomorrow? .. see how we go.
Share This
20th January 2011
We have 2 new residents. I deem this to be post-worthy.
After much discussion, we named them Molly (the black one) and Rose (the white one). The list of proposed but rejected names was long, and included Martha, Ethel, Telemachus, EFTPOS, and Mr Susan.
Share This
21st December 2010
Also known, because of it's scent, as the chocolate lily.
(click image for full view)
Share This
13th December 2010
(click image for full view)
Share This
6th December 2010
Some more work to share, not particularly happy with or fond of this one, but for the sake of keeping this ball rolling ...
This was conceived, pencilled and inked all withing about 4 hours, which is a much faster turn-around than I usually have, and may explain why I'm not overly happy with the result. Hand inked and digitally coloured.
Share This
2nd December 2010
(click image for full view)
Share This
24th November 2010
(click image for full view)
Share This
22nd November 2010
Welcome to A Cloud of Starlings.
Getting this site online involved more HTML coding than I've done in several years. I'm really looking forward to refocusing my energy back on illustration.
Please have a look around the site and let me know if anything looks hinky on your end.
New work and lots more coming very soon ...
Share This
