Percy Gulliver's Printshop and Social

Great news - fellow gig posterer Gary McGarvey (you may know him as Horse) has set up shop temporarily on Bold Street, and will be supplying Liverpool with alternative gift options in the run up to Christmas. As well as selling a number of my posters/prints/comics, there's also a boss selection of screen prints, t-shirts and other work from loads of brill local artists.

Check out this video and link, and make sure you pop in - its open late and will be host to numerous dj's and bands throughout December.

I've also dug up some old work that I did with a friend, and am pleased to say that Fantasy Fantasy will be on sale here, available to purchase for the first time in a long time.

Here's a saucy reminder:

Blessed Blog #2: The Man with Two Brians

A few months ago I got an email asking if I'd like to work on this iPhone app - it was mostly finished but needed an animated Brian Blessed riding a rocket to really set it off, and they'd seen my previous post and thought I might be able to help. It's demented and great, so if the idea of a bellowing national treasure waking you up is something that appeals to you... well you should totally buy it.

I'm in talks to develop another app with them, so watch this space if you've got a soft spot for Big Bri.

Lollaparooney

This weekend, my friend and future studio buddy Niki decided to throw a party to celebrate two seminal events - specifically her birthday, and the airing of the first Hollyoaks episode to feature her as head writer. Congratulations!

We played alongside some other bands, and I thought it might be nice to sort out a gig poster for her to mark the event.

I'm all out of bubblegum...

I've been working on the artwork for a tribute album of John Carpenter scores - everyone involved is an 8-bit artist which means it will feature loads of cool-sounding videogame interpretations of his already cool-sounding themes, and I'm a big fan of both his films and his soundtrack work, so I'm dead happy to be involved. It's been organised by arcadecoma, who previously put together this 8-bit weezer tribute, and did this banging cover of my bands song 'Metropolitan'... *

As well as the above artwork, here's a sample of the back cover:

* buzz off all those hyperlinks.

Just the facts, ma'am

I blasted this Department of Eagles drawing out to try and win some Bella Union goodies and gig tickets via The Line of Best Fit... I don't think I was successful although to be fair, it could have done with being significantly more twee (or significantly less cartoony and silly)

It's a long shot, but it just might work...

I've been working on an illustration based on the films of the Coen Brothers, specifically the period from Raising Arizona through to the Big Lebowski. I like all the wide angle shots they use, hence the stacked letterbox outcome of this print.

Seeing as it's the Coen Brothers, I was spoiled for choice when it came to quotes...

(It's a work in progress at the moment, as I'd like to include the railroad from O Brother Where art thou as well.)

You know, it's so nice when it happens good...

Finally, here's the fully assembled Seinfeld illustration - I'm getting few copies printed on a big A0 sheet on Friday, then they'll crop them ready to be delivered early next week.

I can't wait to watch them slice this fat bastard up!

When you control the mail, you control... INFORMATION!

Finally, the big boy. When it's all put together, Newman will go right in the middle of the piece, imposing himself on everybody like a bad smell. He is merry though, I'll give him that.

(Also, this bit is my favourite Newman moment.)

White Lotus. Yam-yam. Shanghai Sally

I'm down to the last few now - here's J. Peterman, importer/exporter of exotic garments and master of the poetic sales pitch.

Gotta support the team...

Another minor character that I'm pleased to be able to include: David Puddy

I considered having him wear the eight-ball jacket - or even sharing a meal of dip with George, and then calling him out on double dipping the chip.

MAYBE THE DINGO ATE YOUR BABY!

Next up, Elaine - I've done her doing the dance from the Little Kicks episode. As George put it, it's like like a full bodied dry heave set to music.

It's outrageous, egregious - preposterous!

Alongside the main characters, I'm doing five extra recurring characters - and I'm happy to say that selection includes Kramers lawyer of choice, Jackie Chiles.

Apparently there were plans for a spin-off show - probably for the best that it didn't come about.

These pretzels are making me thirsty!

Next up: Cosmo Kramer - man's best friend. Giddyup!

If you watch the show, the background should also be familiar...

Billions of blue blistering barnacles!

After a heroic run as indie heavyweights, our friends The Bluetones are unfortunately throwing in the towel after one last tour. We've been asked to play their final show, and to mark the event I'll be doing an extremely limited run of these Tintin themed posters to promote the gig.

It's just a work in progress at the moment, so that mustard background might be subject to change...

Million to one shot, Doc...

Frank Costanza. It was a shame not to be able to include Estelle in the line-up, but at least she's present in doll form in one if the linking panels.

I would drape myself in velvet if it were socially acceptable...

Here's George Costanza, the George you know - Movie George, Coffee shop George, Liar George, Bawdy George!

If you look closely at some of the other illustrations, you'll see the rest of that fishing rod eventually hooking a marble rye from Jerry...

... And you wanna be my latex salesman!

Here's the first of the Seinfeld illustrations that I've been doing - they'll eventually all fit together to form a big mad print. In case it's not clear, this one is Jerry...

More Seinfeld buttons...

Here's a better look at the rest of the connecting icons I'll be using in the finished image - I'm going to put them in between the various characters as a way of connecting them with plot points.

(Looking at them in this layout, I can totally imagine them as a neat little sticker set - I'd probably put the Bro one on my homework diary if they were.)

Work in progress: Seinfeld buttons...

Been working on a big Seinfeld illustration and it's going to be pretty densely packed with details - these are a selection of icons that connect Newman to the rest of the cast.

NEWMAN!

Congratulations Emma and Gregor!

A friend very kindly commissioned me to do an illustration of some friends of hers who were getting married - lucky for me that they were getting married in Iceland in a ridiculously picturesque setting, and I was able to match it with the style of illustration. The church at the top might as well be a photograph, it really was that small and that sweet.

Gingerbread Academy II: Their First Assignment

Following on from the last bit of work I did for them, this is another artists impression for Gingerbread Academy - hopefully they'll get me to do another five installments like the Police Academy series did.

(I might duck out on the last one like Guttenberg...)

We have to go back to the Island...

I've just started in my new studio space, but prior to this I had a placement with Setgo games who are based in the same building. My role consisted of working on Castaways, an adventure game set on a desert island.

I dabbled in game design and story development aspects, but I mainly made artwork to be used within the game itself. Here's a selection...

Blessed are the Primates

I'm on a roll here, so I'm adding some old work - get onto this Brian Blessed monkey mash.

Also, I did a couple of freelance portrait jobs ages ago that I never posted - I don't know the subjects, but I think the pictures came out ok.

How to Design your Dragon 2D

A few months ago I agreed to do some character development on a pitch for a children's show involving a young dragon called Alan, along with a variety of dragon classmates and teachers.

I came up with a design for Alan that was ultimately not what the brief called for, but I've included it here because I think he's pretty endearing.

Here's a selection of some of the other original character designs:

I'll be putting together a one-sheet of the finished designs and sending it off - if you're interested, any progress on the pitch will probably be posted here.

When Larry met Monty...

I put this together for a friends birthday, as a way of combining Larry David and Monty Burns- it didn't really come together as well as I'd hoped it would, but the idea kind of works in theory.

I mean, they're both bald rich curmudgeons, right?

Gingerbread Academy

Gingerbread Academy is a nursery under development, and once finished it'll be located round the corner from my flat.

I was asked to provide an artists impression of what the building would look like once all the scaffolding has been taken down, which would in turn be thoughout their promotional material.

(Whilst scouting out the location I met the owners dog, Casper, and I would have much rather provided an artists impression of what he would look like sitting on my lap.)

Panic on the streets of Liverpool

Once again, I did a run of posters for the recurring '10 Bands 10 Minutes' gig that we put on every few months at the Masque in Liverpool - this time the theme was The Smiths, and as per usual it was a belter of a night. The line-up was as follows:

Mark Magill
The Readymades
Cavalier Song
Town Bike
Go Heeled
Sparkwood & 21
Puzzle
Hillary and the Democrats
House That Jack Built
Married to the Sea

Click on the links for some videos from the night, and make sure you come to the next one - we're thinking Neil Young, David Bowie or Prince.