Box Fresh Books

Got a call from the Faceless office today, informing me that a box of ‘Stories of Movement, Migration and Home books’ had arrived from the printers. I casually fired up the Welding Cycle and pedalled like mad to get my first glimpse of what I’ve been working on for the past few months. First impressions are… IT LOOKS GREAT! Book Details ’Stories of Movement, Migration and Home’ is a project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and delivered by Faceless for the people of Agbrigg and Belle Vue. Between September 2010 and March 2011 we worked with and interviewed people who live, work and visit the area, exploring the different heritages of the diverse communities there. A4 100 Pages 2 Colour Hardback Cover, B/W internal pages 14 B/W drawings illustrating the text. Retail Price £15.99 First edition 150 copies. www.facelessco.com

Book Covers

Got the invite for the ‘Stories of Movement, Migration and Home’ book launch today. I’m pleased with how the A6 card looks and if the A4 book comes out the same, it’s going look good.

If only for a few days…

It’s been a lovely few days here in West Yorkshire, signs of spring are every where and I have had the doors open to the garden. Finally, after a long cold winter of uncomfortable clothes, darkness and a churning heating system I can – oh heck, my hay fever has just started!

Storytelling from last Friday, (better late than never)…

Watching storyteller CONRAD BURDEKIN tell the ‘The Battle of Wakefield’ amongst the ruins of a cold and wind swept Sandal Castle on Friday 11th March 2001. An energetic performance which involved the children in the audience going on a long march and even some heckling from the Yorkists in the crowd. I like drawing while listening to stories, it’s a way of isolating yourself from the real world and entering the shared imagination of the story.

Tuesday Morning Warm Up Drawing

Yesterday's freehand warm up drawing of grubby Jack on sofa. Pilot Drawing  pen 02, Pental colour brush, Scanner and digital overlay.

More Illustrations for Oral History Book

Here are a few more Black and White illustrations for the Oral History Book I’m working on.  The book captures the stories of travellers old and new and people local to the area who have spent lives living and working in and around Agbrigg & Belle Vue. They gave their time freely to have their history recorded, because one day, even the memory of something as mundane as washing your clothes on a Monday will be lost.

Deadline Time Approaches…

More illustrations for the Oral History Book I’m working on. Got the final text through today which means everyone is now waiting for me to finish the artwork and lay it out in an orderly fashion. It’s annoying when you start a new pad of paper half way through a project and find out that it’s slightly different to what you have been using. This happened with the layout paper even though both pads were identically marked. First pad smooth and tasty, second pad rough and slightly sour. Not that it notices in the final version of the drawings, now the fine liner pen I’ve been using is on it’s way out. This is why proper illustrators use traditional refillable tools.

Agbrigg Illustrations

Spent time yesterday redrawing illustrations for the Oral History Book Project. My first attempts didn’t quite match up with my recent efforts, which I thought were better. These are made using a light box to trace off elements with pen and brush that are needed then moved around to make the picture work, to place emphasis  where it’s needed. For instance the Truevine Charity Shop above, their A Board sign is in need of repair, as a local Agbriggand’ I walk past the Truevine nearly every day and the picture above is how I remember it. The book is all about capturing peoples memories and listening to their side of the story, so it only right that the illustrations reflect this too.

Pecha Kucha Sketchbook Pages

Not particularly good pages from an evening of Pecha Kucha, things went at such a pace it was difficult to keep up with the talks and presentations and draw at the same time. Each of the subjects was very good but Bob Clayden’s on making pinhole cameras from out of absolutely anything light-tight caught my attention. The Art House Green Communications

Home Town Illustrations…

First of the illustrations for the Agbrigg & Belle Vue Oral History Book I’m designing and illustrating. Colour is available to me but I’m thinking about what an image will look like surrounded by text. Even the monotone colours and textures distract. Maybe text around it will make it ‘fit’ in better?

At this stage I have decided to go with a fairly flat ‘greyish’ overlay, it seems less distracting to the eye and I’m having to restrain my use of inky textural splats too. I don’t want them looking like graffiti or blood stains, this is Agbrigg after all.

Drawn freehand A5 Size with a UniPin 0.3 fineliner and a Pental pocket brush pen, digital colour added over the top.