Microsketchbook

microsketch in the media: Londonist (again)

2012-02-10T19:22:00.002Z

On of my photos was used by Londonist a few weeks ago accompanying an article on Ken Livingstone's rail plans (if he wins the next mayoral election, that is).

I took the photo using a Lomography Supersampler, which takes four quarter-sized photos in quick succession, which get developed as one photo.

microsketch in the media: southbanklondon (again)

2012-02-10T18:37:00.005Z

One of my photos has again been picked as Picture of the Week over at southbanklondon, which is once again an honour!

The previous time this happened can be found here.

This is like, even more random

2012-02-02T01:18:00.006Z

I love the GIF the Random Project have created with the images from my previous post!

Like, Totally Random

2012-02-01T18:46:00.007Z

This is my postcard for Random Project 2012, the topic I was given being 'Home'. I was keen to show the limits to my involvement in the Olympics with this drawing.*

As they were keen that I didn't draw it on a computer, I totally ruined it by trying to colour it with real pens, which resulted in me making a real mess, with the coloured ink going dark when I went over the black lines. Pretty awful; I wish I'd left it black. Oh well!

Home (black), 2012

Home (colour), 2012

*I'll probably turn over to something else when the Olympics are on T.V.

***Click to see the wonderful animated GIF of this created by the Random Project***

Skeletons on Holiday meet Fox on Windowsill

2011-12-19T19:26:00.004Z

Up and coming London-based band Skeletons on Holiday recently used one of my photos as the cover artwork for their new double A-side single 'Night of the Long Knives/Silence is Broken.

You can listen to it here.

For camera nerds, the photo was taken using a Diana F+ camera and double-exposed. For location nerds, it was taken at Columbia Road Flower Market. Amazingly, I actually got permission from the man dressed as a fox to use this photo for the single as he was looking at something else on my Flickr account, found himself on there, and got in touch with me.

My cover photo for 'Night of the Long Knives/Silence is Broken' by Skeletons on Holiday

The Most Expensive Picture

2011-12-19T19:10:00.003Z

I recently paid to have my photo 'Fish Kiss' included on the home page of The Most Expensive Picture (and fortunately quite early on in the project). It remained there for about two precious hours before someone paid a buck more than me to shunt it off.

I'm a sucker for the kind of projects I wish I'd thought of myself (and actually been motivated enough to put together) - good luck to them!

No Short Circuit

2011-11-30T16:55:00.009Z

Earlier this year I did some design work for Sue Austin and Nick Lee, two intrepid and eco-conscious travellers who plan to drive around the world in an electric car.

Their ambitious project goes by the name of Global Circuit, and they were among the first people this year to buy the brand new Nissan Leaf to carry it out in.

Their blog about their trial run in Europe earlier this year makes for very interesting reading, particularly in regards to struggles to find charging points before the car ran out of electricity, the kindness of strangers in helping with this, the non-standard technology and schemes for charging a car in different countries, and in the questions they posed to those at Nissan HQ in Paris, their ultimate destination, about the practicalities of running such a car.

Good luck to them, and I look forward to hearing more about their travels!

Global Circuit logo

I Got 99 Problems

2011-11-29T18:35:00.004Z

This image often pops into my head when I hear Jay-Z's '99 Problems', so I had to get it down on paper.

Peculiar Pictures #01

2011-11-23T16:37:00.003Z

The inside of my head, earlier.

In honour of National Freelancers Day

The Fresh Prints

2011-11-18T14:53:00.010Z

Hot off the printing presses I have 5 copies each of my prints 'A Little Horse' and 'London Plane on Hampstead Heath'.

Being as it is somewhere between Halloween and Valentine's Day, might I suggest that these would make an ideal Christmas (*ducks for cover at the mere mention of this occasion with more than a month to go*) present for your loved ones?

Both are individually numbered giclée prints on Hahnemühle FineArt Photo Rag paper (translation: incredibly high quality prints on the finest paper there is), and of an edition of 50.

Prices for each are as follows:

£120 unframed or £220 framed + £10 P&P (or hand delivery by the artist, if you live in London and ask me soon enough before Christmas) per item. You can avoid the £10 fee if you're able to collect your order from Stoke Newington in north London.

To place an order, or to ask further questions, please email microsketchdesign@gmail.com

A Little Horse, 29.5cm by 29.5cm

A Little Horse, 29.5cm by 29.5cm

London Plane on Hampstead Heath, 29.5cm by 42cm

3D design - The Fantasy Ball: A Masquerade Affair

2011-11-18T14:36:00.004Z

I was commissioned by events audio/visual specialists BMEAV to create and animate a 3D version of the CLIC Sargent event The Fantasy Ball: A Masquerade Affair, which took place on Wednesday. Let's hope that huge amounts of money were raised for the charity.

A still from the 3D animated logo

Hair This

2011-11-18T14:25:00.003Z

I recently photographed and designed a website and for Jane Edwards, a rather excellent hairdresser in Stoke Newington. If the top of your head is looking shabby, and you're in the N16 neighbourhood, I highly recommend a visit. She's right next door to brand new cafe, Fred & Fran which is also very good.

Jane Edwards,
53A Kynaston Road,
Stoke Newington,
London N16 0EB

Telephone: 020 7241 0393

To the Rescue

2011-10-17T16:05:00.010+01:00

I recently designed and built a website for Search & Rescue, a new shop in north London (oh, and produced the photography for).

Search & Rescue homepage

In terms of what they sell, in the words of its owners:

'Some things are old, some things are new, and most things are truly unique.'

If you're ever on Stoke Newington Church St, why not pop in? They're at number 121, opposite The Lion pub.

The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted one of my prints in one of the screenshots here, which is on sale at the shop.

Search & Rescue homepage

In a dark dark cellar...

2011-10-10T16:19:00.006+01:00

Hip new band and Artrocker favourites Skeletons on Holiday are using one of my photos as the cover for their next single, and in promoting their forthcoming gig at the Buffalo Bar on Fri 21 Oct. Check them out and be as down as any 'kids'.

Going Postal

2011-10-07T15:27:00.004+01:00

A postcard I designed for Search & Rescue, Stoke Newington Church Street's new premier shopping location.

Search & Rescue

2011-09-22T18:01:00.008+01:00

Search & Rescue (121 Stoke Newington Church Street, London, N16 0UH) opened today and is selling some of my prints. It's well worth a look, and there are plenty of other interesting items on sale by artists local to N16, including Josie Beckett's 'Four Corners' range of cushions made using fabric she's collected from every corner of the globe.

'A Little Horse' shown in the window

'Blanket Coverage' and 'London Plane on Hampstead Heath'

'Maggie' in the changing room

microsketch in the media: southbanklondon

2011-09-05T15:46:00.006+01:00

A couple of weeks ago the folks at southbanklondon kindly selected a photo I took of the National Theatre as their Picture of the Week.

It's very nice to be getting so much coverage over the past few weeks from my photos and design work, including Time Out (this is no longer on their site, unfortunately), Londonist and the Guardian.

My photo on the southbanklondon site

Behind the Masque

2011-09-05T15:16:00.003+01:00

I just found this advert I did back in 2007 for a masquerade ball. I've removed the text from it as I quite like as a standalone piece.

Masquerade, 2007

microsketch in the media: Time Out

2011-08-22T17:27:00.004+01:00

One of my photos went live today as the header image on the Time Out blog. It should there for a couple of weeks.

I took it at the Wellcome Collection; it's of the ceiling in the cafe, which is adorned with lights in the shapes of flasks, beakers, and whatever the pointy things are.

My photo (top), used as the header image for the Time Out blog, August 2011

The full version of that shot, as well as a few others I took that day around King's Cross are available here on my Flickr page.

microsketch in the media: Londonist

2011-08-15T16:16:00.004+01:00

A recent photo of mine taken during sunset at the South Bank made it on to the home page of popular London blog Londonist yesterday. While it's since been pushed off this hallowed page, it still lives in their Sunday Seasoning section which is described as such:

Every week we select a photo from the Londonist Flickr pool, taken in the last seven days, that illustrates this season or time of year in London.

For the purists out there, the colours in my original are far more flattering than in the version that they kindly posted on their site!

My photo, shown in its glory while still on the Londonist homepage

microsketch in the media: The Guardian

2011-08-15T15:53:00.006+01:00

An article recently appeared on the Guardian's website with my Agit illustration for an app I recently designed the icons for. I now wish I'd spent more than five minutes on it, but it's nice to see it there all the same!

The app itself continues to win praise; If you'd like to know more about it, please see my previous post on it.

App-solutely Fabulous

2011-06-13T14:52:00.007+01:00

I recently had the honour of being asked to create some icons by Roberto Tyley for his just-released app for Android, Agit (Buy it here!)

If you're a fan of the version control system Git, it allows you to do some very clever things with it on an Android device. If you have no idea what any of this means, it's all about checking files out, and then back in again (it's the virtual equivalent of the hokey cokey).

Here's a video of Agit it in action.

Did I mention that you can buy it here?

Pitzhanger Manor

2011-05-30T17:43:00.011+01:00

I was fortunate enough to attend a wedding over the weekend in the very pleasant surroundings of Pitzhanger Manor in Ealing. As a wedding present for the happy couple I produced this illustration of the entrance to the building.

Pitzhanger Manor, 2011

The manor was once owned by a hero of mine, Sir John Soane, who was an architect during the end of the Georgian era, and most famously designed the Bank of England (although most of his design has since been demolished). He also designed his own tomb, which was then an influence on Giles Gilbert Scott's design of the red telephone box.

Pitzhanger Manor, 2011

Pitzhanger Manor, 2011 (original drawing)

Along with Pitzhanger Manor, the 'dream house' he set out to build and subsequently used as a weekend retreat, I'd highly recommend a visit to the other house he designed and lived in towards the end of his life which is now open to the public as Sir John Soane's Museum (nearest tube station Holborn). This contains an eclectic collection of architectural features that he liked and encouraged students to draw at the time (something which still happens today). There's also a seemingly empty wood-panelled room which, should you find a helpful member of staff, can be transformed using its hidden compartments to reveal the original copies of Hogarth's 'A Rake's Progress'. If you're lucky enough to have a member of staff explain what is happening in this highly entertaining series of pictures, you will perhaps see why those such as Robert Crumb hail Hogarth as being one of the pioneers of the comic strip.

Both venues are free to visit, although you'll probably want to leave a contribution if you enjoyed them as much as I did.

Hear that noise?

2011-04-25T19:03:00.005+01:00

I've just been trawling through an old hard disk and found this poster in the archives, back when I did most of my work in 3D. The main shape represents the concept of 'noise' in 3D. I quite like the font that my younger self created.

Hear that noise? 2003

Shoreditch Safari

2011-04-11T21:43:00.005+01:00

I recently added a new Photography section to my website at www.microsketch.com (which in fact links to my Flickr page). To celebrate this, I ventured into the wilds of Shoreditch on Saturday. Here are some of my favourites. (The full set of photos is here).

Trois Garcons, 2011

Gals, 2011

Man with Pram, 2011

Minding my business

2011-03-08T14:34:00.006Z

I recently ordered some business cards and am very pleased with how they've turned out (I have never had one before, so feel like I'm a proper grown-up now). There are six different designs each with a small version of one of my illustrations/photographs.

Let me know if you'd like one and I'll try and get it to you somehow.

I've stopped pickling my nose

2011-02-16T13:01:00.002Z

I attended the anti Valentine's Day event at the Hunterian Museum on Monday. If you've not heard of the place, it's a free museum (well worth making a donation) within The Royal College of Surgeons on Lincoln's Inn Fields and contains thousands of jars of pickled human and animal body parts.

Unfortunately you can't take photos of the exhibits, although you can draw them, which I plan to do at some point.

As part of the evening there was a 'pickle a body part' session - here's my effort.

Pickling my nose, 2011

Not the most lifelike of things, although it might just get me a job in a sweet factory.

Brian

2011-02-12T13:30:00.004Z

A quick sketch of my Dracaena Marginata, also known the dragon tree, more often know as Brian.

Brian, 2011

The New Photographer

2011-01-21T02:09:00.003Z

I recently treated myself to a new camera. You can see my latest efforts on my Flickr page here.

Jellyfish, The London Sea Life Aquarium 2011

The Peoples' Prints

2010-11-26T10:30:00.008Z

A recent and unexplained surge in orders for my prints sees these limited editions fresh from the printers. These are both approx. A3 in size and are currently £65 (not including postage and packaging, but hand-delivered if you're in London), each of an edition of 10. If you'd like to order one, email me on: info@microsketch.com

A Little Horse

A Little Horse

London Plane on Hampstead Heath

Please note, pencil sharpener not actual size.

Logo development: The Exchange Project

2010-10-30T14:52:00.004+01:00

Another one from the archives; the development of a logo for The Exchange Project at Stoke Newington School. The bottom right logo is the one that was used.

Elbbub, elttob

2010-10-18T22:21:00.006+01:00

All has gone a bit quiet on the illustration front from me of late, as I've been busy with other things (mainly a new job). But the guilt at this has been racking up, so I figured that I needed to put something on here for my own sanity. I've added a few photos to my Flickr page recently, including this one taken no more than an hour ago...

Elbbub, elttob, 2010

RScruffVP

2010-09-15T23:21:00.002+01:00

RSVP for a friend's wedding. Definitely more than a hint of Mr Scruff about this drawing now that I look at it again...

The writing's on the wall

2010-08-30T23:12:00.007+01:00

I carried out a commission today in South London to paint a mural based on one of my London Plane drawings. Somehow it took half the time of the original drawing, which was a fraction of the size, so perhaps I need to up the scale of my work.

This is for a baby's bedroom - I hope it's not too terrifying for him.

Thanks for coming

2010-07-01T23:44:00.005+01:00

Thanks to those who came along to my 'for one night only' exhibition at Motive at The Book Club. Thanks to the Motive head honchos, Jon and Louis for letting me take part - if you're interested in design, I recommend heading along to one of their future events, which combine talks, music and art (and it's all free).

Mini exhibition at The Book Club, Thu 1 July 2010

2010-06-24T19:02:00.004+01:00

For one night only, some of my drawings will be on display at trendy design meetup night, Motive, at The Book Club, 100 Leonard St, London. There should be plenty of other interesting things happening that night, so come along!

You may need to sign up here to attend, or if you can't be bothered, pester me and I'll add you as a guest.

Stoke Newington Schools' Carnival Banner

2010-06-23T13:55:00.001+01:00

The banner I designed for the Stoke Newington Schools' Carnival 2010 has gone up!

The birth of a logo

2010-06-07T19:53:00.006+01:00

I recently found these printouts from a few years ago, of ideas for a logo for e-TASC (an online educational tool). I like the way the ideas at the beginning are fairly random and independent of one another, but become more finely honed as they evolve to the final design.

Even though I say it myself!

(I've added this photo and a few others showing some of the printed materials I've designed over the past few years to this page on my main site)

There's no business..

2010-06-07T19:49:00.002+01:00

..like no business.

A recent business card design turned down as being "too much of a cliché" by my own flesh and blood. I ask you.

Just as well I only spent about half an hour on it.

Fingers

2010-06-02T20:48:00.006+01:00

I was inspired after seeing Jeffrey Lewis in conversation last night (at the Old Queens Head in Islington) to try combining drawing from life with whatever else pops into my head, which is what appeared to fill many of his sketchbooks.

Is this drawing I've just finished a commentary on the state of affairs that large corporations / banks leave the rest of us in? Is it my subconscious acting out following the letter I received today from the Royal Academy letting me know that, despite one of my pictures being shortlisted, I've not made it into the Summer Exhibition? Or are the fingers actually doing the 'peace sign'?

I just don't know.

But I don't think it's that last one.

fingers, 2010

Hairy like the Wolf

2010-05-08T15:58:00.004+01:00

I'm not sure why I just drew this, and it's not even that good, but perhaps one day I'll look back on it and work out its profound meaning. But I doubt there is one.

Wolfie, 2010

Monsterous blue things

2010-05-07T17:51:00.003+01:00

A monster created for Stoke Newington School 's carnival.

A Little Horse

2010-05-05T00:51:00.003+01:00

This image popped into my head about an hour ago, so I had to get it down on screen.

A Little Horse, 2010

iCan

2010-04-27T20:24:00.002+01:00

A logo and tshirt I designed last year for the iCan drumming group at Stoke Newington School & Sixth Form.

Snap Happy

2010-01-07T00:17:00.006Z

I've just started a Flickr account for some of my more arty shots. I have loads of photos I've been meaning to do something with, and never get around to developing them, so at least this way I won't feel they're sat on my hard drive doing nothing.

More photos will be added as and when I feel like it.

On display in N16

2009-11-26T17:24:00.004Z

Being the cutting edge Banksy-style street artist I am, I've just bombed my tag on a dark and gloomy underpass near Croyden.

Not really - that's not my style. I have, however, recently hung a selection of my pictures on the walls of London(the World?)'s finest patisserie, Belle Epoque (37 Newington Green
London N16 9PR) map.

Even if you're not interested in my pictures, it's well worth going there as they make a darn good mocha. And the chocolate almond croissants are amazing. And the cakes...and...just try everything.

Omar Little

2009-11-10T02:08:00.003Z

Amazing Feet

2009-11-02T19:42:00.002Z

The results of me playing around with the 'Women and Nanotechnology' drawing I did a while back

Amazing feet, 2009

Paper Michael

2009-10-14T13:14:00.001+01:00

I did this to frighten my girlfriend the other night.

Paper Michael, 2009

'She Laughs' at Nexus Art Cafe, Manchester

2009-10-11T17:38:00.003+01:00

If you haven't made it along to the 'She Laughs' exhibition at Nexus Art Cafe in Manchester yet, head along before it ends on 21 October. I have a few things on display there, and prices start at £2-£5 for some of the prints, so what are you waiting for?

Thanks to those who came to the opening night on 11 September, and to the folks at Nexus who put the whole thing together.

'She Laughs', Nexus Art Cafe (exterior)*

'She Laughs', Nexus Art Cafe (interior)

*photo taken by 'big bozo'!

Micro in Japan

2009-09-08T23:44:00.003+01:00

I recently spent a month in Japan, which was thoroughly amazing and I'm still digesting it as there was so much to take in. While I'm doing that, you can have a look at some of the sketches from the diary I kept there

'She Laughs' at Nexus Art Cafe, Manchester

2009-09-08T14:52:00.005+01:00

Some more info on the 'She Laughs' exhibition in Manchester, which I have a few drawings on display at, starting this Friday - come along for the opening night if you're in the neighbourhood:

SHE LAUGHS 11^th September – 21^st October 2009

Opening Friday 11^th September 7 – 9 with performance

What does humour do, what does it say or can it simply function as something to be enjoyed?

Nexus is constantly changing & developing the ways in which it approaches visual art. Not being a ‘white cube’ adds a number of things to the work that is shown in the space & this exhibition, designed by Liz Gaunt & Dylan Thomas takes that forward in its installation. This space has been transformed as a heightened reflection of its Northern Quarter surroundings. There are many visual references to the shabby chic vintage shops & record stores all around making this exhibition something familiar. The visitors to this show know how to flick through records & are welcome to use the same action with the 12’ mounted pieces. Like there rest of the northern quarter enjoying the comfort of nostalgia, rummaging through like old records, absorbing their images the way you might next door or across the road.'

Exhibitionist

2009-08-31T01:00:00.002+01:00

I have a couple of drawings on display at the forthcoming 'She Laughs' exhibition at the Nexus Art Cafe in Manchester which opens on Fri 11 Sept 2009. I'll be there for the launch, and I think there will be some interesting things happening that evening, so please come along!

(I'll update this blog should I hear any additional details)

Not quite as shockingly bad iPhone art #2

2009-08-31T00:30:00.003+01:00

Another attempt at drawing using the iPhone app 'Brushes'. Animation of it being drawn here. (and previous attempt here)

This is a pretty awful attempt from memory at drawing Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea, having seen him at the Ghibli Museum, Tokyo.

I'm glad to see that the Brushes app was updated the other day with the introduction of layers, which means it'll be much easier to use, but I'll now have even less of an excuse if the next picture I draw with it is shockingly bad.

Drawing on the back of a bus

2009-07-19T14:58:00.003+01:00

I've done some ads for Stoke Newington School & Sixth Form to appear on the back of 20 London buses throughout August (I'm not sure which routes but they're probably based around Hackney). If you see a bus with this ad please take a photo of it and email it to me. The person who sends the highest number of photos of different sightings (no cheating allowed!) wins a small prize, not yet decided.

Antifreeze / Trade City

2009-07-02T15:35:00.004+01:00

I'm taking part in Manchester's first 'art car boot sale', Antifreeze, this Saturday (4 July 2009), as part of Trade City and the Manchester International Festival. If you're quick, you should be able to pick up one of my masterpieces for £1 or £2 at the 'She Laughs' stand (organised by Nexus Art Cafe).

Unfortunately I won't be able to make it up there, so please take a photo of the stand for me if you do go!

Saturday 4th July 2009
12-7pm
Free entry

CHIPS Building, Upper Kirby Street, off Old Mill Street, New Islington, Manchester, M4 6EB

http://www.multimap.com/s/M7wfs331

Further details, including directions:

http://www.citylife.co.uk/arts/news/13628_antifreeze__the_alternative_art_car_boot_sale

http://antifreeze2009.blogspot.com/

Life Drawing

2009-06-30T00:10:00.004+01:00

I've just attempted to tidy my room, and instead ended up trawling through some old drawings and scanning them in. Here are a couple of sketches from a life drawing class in late 2007.

Sitting man, 2007

Man with quiff! 2007

Morocco

2009-06-22T11:12:00.002+01:00

A couple of drawings from Essaouira, Morocco done in April last year.

Doorway, 2008

Boat, 2008

Kuniyoshi - behind the scenes

2009-06-22T11:05:00.000+01:00

Kuniyoshi

2009-06-19T00:50:00.006+01:00

Having really enjoyed the Kuniyoshi exhibition at the Royal Academy (which ended a couple of weeks ago) and also having promised myself for some time that I'd have a go at using watercolours (rather than Photoshop), I decided to have a go at copying a Kuniyoshi print and then ruining it with watercolours. Results (badly photographed, just to make things worse), below:

Kuniyoshi woman, black and white, 2009

Kuniyoshi woman, colour, 2009

Illustreeous

2009-06-02T18:41:00.007+01:00

Some experimentation in Illustrator last year that I'd forgotten about. I can't find the original files, only printouts that were buried in a folder I was looking through yesterday. I drew the bare tree image, and then played around with Illustrator's brushes by creating different leaf images and setting the colours to vary as I painted with them.

I've photoshopped these images to clean them up a bit post-scanning, but quite liked the paper image of the second one, so I've left that relatively untouched.

Illustreeous 1, 2008

Illustreeous 2, 2008

Illustreeous 3, 2008

Illustreeous 4, 2008

Shockingly bad iPhone art #1

2009-05-28T17:43:00.009+01:00

I read this article yesterday, whereby an artist by the name of Jorge Colombo managed to get a gig doing the cover for New Yorker magazine using his iPhone. Naturally I was intrigued to see how his images were made, which turned out to be done using the Brushes app (£2.99), so I immediately downloaded this to have a go myself.

Lozenge of Love, 2009

It's not easy drawing on such a tiny screen, although Brushes makes it easier than you'd think by allowing you to zoom in by 800%, and my favourite function is that of 'undo', which is probably the one I've been using the most. It doesn't have layers, which I've become accustomed to using in every other piece of graphics software, so drawing (painting?) something requires quite a different thought process. Namely, having to start with the background and work upwards. Much like a real painter might, I suppose.

I've just figured out that Brushes stores every brush stroke you produce, so you can get it to produce a video of the creation of the drawing. Pretty clever!

Not the greatest image I've ever produced, or subject matter (it was 1am, I was in bed and just grabbed something nearby to draw), but a worthy experiment and I'll possibly add some more 'Shockingly bad iPhone art' using Brushes in the near future. It would probably look cool with the New Yorker logo at the top, if anyone from that particular publication wants to run an add for a popular sore throat lozenge brand, using the latest technology?

P.S. this blog is not sponsored by Brushes, Strepsils or Apple. If anyone from those companies is reading this, I'm willing to accept your cash provided you can convince the other two companies to do the same, in the interests of fairness for all parties.

Le Marche Des Enfants Rouges - Finished version

2009-04-23T00:53:00.004+01:00

I've tidied up my original sketch, and coloured it as best I could from memory (so it could be completely wrong). Presenting the finished version...

Le Marche Des Enfants Rouges, 2009

Le Marche des Enfants Rouges

2009-04-21T17:13:00.005+01:00

Another good Parisian tip I was given was to visit the Enfants Rouges organic market on Rue de Bretagne. It's a relatively small market with a good choice of things to eat, e.g. sushi, falafel, Italian, etc. all under one roof. I drew this while eating a falafel sandwich and waiting for my girlfriend to get some sushi.

She came back with a falafel sandwich.

I may add a bit of colour to this drawing at some point if I remember.

Le Marche des Enfants Rouges, 2009

2009-04-20T14:33:00.004+01:00

I recently came back from a five day jaunt to Paris. Due to the terrible exchange rate at the moment, I spent most of the trip wandering around like a zombie having had no sleep in the cheap (£90 a night - not sure if it gets much cheaper than that in Paris) hotel room which had built-in amplifiers in the walls with surround sound toilet, shower and building-work noises.

A top tip if you're heading there soon is to visit the Rodin museum, avoiding the museum itself (which was about 8 euros to see) and just heading to the garden, which was only 1 euro and contained some amazing sculptures. One of which was a little old thing called 'Le Pensuer' ('The Thinker', to you and I). I spent 20 minutes trying to draw it and messed it up (particularly the head) due to the pressure of too many people looking at what I was doing.

Interesting that there seemed to be three stock reactions to seeing one of the world's most famous sculptures:

1) To reenact the pose for a photograph
2) Complete indifference (mainly seen amongst younger people)
3) To say "Ah...Le Penseur!" in a wise and knowing voice (seen exclusively amongst Dads)

Le Penseur

Idea Planted

2009-03-30T17:05:00.002+01:00

I was playing about in Illustrator with some shapes, and this appeared.

I'm Only Sleeping - available as a limited edition print

2009-03-17T17:38:00.004Z

'I'm Only Sleeping' is now available as a limited edition print.

The print is A2 in size, and comes on fine art paper. Edition of 40, £150 each (not including postage & packing). If you'd like to purchase one, please contact me on: info (at) microsketch (dot) com.

I'm pleased to be able to display photos of this print without the clichéd use of bulldog clips or people holding them up.

I'm Only Sleeping, 2009

I'm Only Sleeping, 2009

So Far Gone

2009-02-09T22:43:00.000Z

So Far Gone, 2008-9

Blanket Coverage

2009-02-02T19:41:00.003Z

Last night's snowfall may have caused havoc for UK businesses, with the BBC reporting that this may have cost them about £1bn, but it's not all bad news. I've done this drawing of how it looked out of my window at 1am this morning, for example.

Blanket Coverage, 2009

Bathroom

2009-01-29T00:20:00.005Z

I was commissioned to draw this bathroom, which was built recently in a converted attic. It's a great room and feels rather like a posh health spa (but without the inconvenience for the owners of having random strangers wandering around).

Bathroom, 2008

Punch the air!

2008-12-23T11:08:00.003Z

...like Spike

Stoke Newington School flyer

2008-12-10T19:21:00.001Z

A recent flyer for Stoke Newington School, featuring some of the drawings I've highlighted here previously.

Brussels

2008-12-08T14:48:00.002Z

Waiting in a cafe in Brussels over the weekend for a lift to Rotterdam.

That Sinking Feeling

2008-11-18T01:30:00.002Z

I've been meaning to do something with this drawing for a while, and just had a very quick attempt at colouring it. I don't think this is finished, but you never know.

Seizure - Roger Hiorns

2008-10-30T11:12:00.009Z

Last weekend I visited the Roger Hiorns installation, Seizure, which is just off Borough High Street in SE1. If you've not heard about it, Mr Hiorns sealed the windows and doors of a soon-to-be demolished flat, poured copper sulphate through the roof, left it there for two and a half weeks, and then drained the liquid out. What you're left with is brilliant blue crystals covering every surface of the flat.

The flat itself had been almost entirely stripped, save for a bathtub and some lightbulbs, none of which escaped the crystallisation process. The bulbs look particularly interesting as they still function, and in some areas the heat of the bulbs has burnt the adjacent crystals to a chalky white colour.

I recommend visiting this fun and atmospheric exhibition (I believe it's been extended to 30 Nov), and they lend you gloves and wellies so that you don't stab yourself on anything. Just make sure you don't spend ages taking photos of one of the lightbulbs, only to bash your head on it the second you move away.

Below are a few of my photos, along with a drawing I've messed around with.

Seizure 1

Seizure 2

Seizure 3

Close-up of one of the walls

One of the cystallised lightbulbs

Walls and lightbulbs covered in copper sulphate crystals

Under the microscope

2008-10-29T22:09:00.002Z

There's no 'l' in home

2008-10-06T00:19:00.000+01:00

A work in progress..I'll explain once it's finished

Things I'm scared of

2008-09-30T01:02:00.003+01:00

Music Mayhem and Monsters

2008-09-23T17:24:00.007+01:00

A booklet I recently designed and illustrated for Stoke Newington School. Oh, most of the photos featured within are mine too.

Music, Mayhem and Monsters Booklet - Outer

Music, Mayhem and Monsters Booklet - Inner

Portait, again

2008-09-21T18:25:00.000+01:00

Guess what? Another portrait!

Portrait - Basim

2008-09-16T13:28:00.000+01:00

Another new portrait.

New animation: Sandbag

2008-09-12T17:04:00.005+01:00

I've created an animation for a new charity being launched next week, by the name of Sandbag (http://sandbag.org.uk/). Their aim is to reduce the number of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphere, and this is done by...well, you'll have to watch my animation to find out!

If you happen to be reading the Guardian or listening to Radio 4 tomorrow (Sat 13 Sept) you may well see/hear mention of them.

Conspiracy theory corner

2008-09-11T15:00:00.004+01:00

I wanted to keep this blog strictly illustrations, but couldn't resist pointing this out:

The top-left highlight on the logo for Google's new browser, Chrome, looks mighty familiar, don't you think?

Portraits

2008-08-20T16:56:00.004+01:00

A couple of recent portraits. I'm a lot happier with the girl than the boy; I'll keep practising...

I'm Only Sleeping

2008-07-02T23:04:00.006+01:00

This is another one from the life drawing sessions I went to earlier this year, which I've just finished colouring.

I'm Only Sleeping, 2008

London Plane 2

2008-05-30T00:01:00.007+01:00

I had another go at drawing a London Plane and got more carried away this time, finding it hard to stop adding more and more branches. The dangling things look a bit like musical notes.

(NB: you can view larger versions of the images by clicking them)

London Plane

London Plane (Detail)

Life Drawing: John

2008-05-24T13:21:00.005+01:00

Taken from a life drawing session on 18.02.08

John

W.C. (Weird Commission)

2008-05-07T23:03:00.002+01:00

I was recently commissioned to paint* someone's bathroom. As I scoffed at the idea of manual labour, I realised I'd misunderstood the instruction and promptly** produced the image below (work in progress)

* A lie. I was actually asked to draw it, but then the joke doesn't work.
** Another lie. It's taken me about a year to get round to doing this.

Woman with cloth

2008-04-26T09:25:00.001+01:00

Self portrait

2008-04-21T19:53:00.003+01:00

This is a drawing of me drawing this drawing (I've flipped it upside down as I thought it looked better this way). As you can see, I've ended up with rather an odd perspective, and the thought of drawing my own head just became too Escher-esque, so I gave up at that point.
(drawn on 25.02.08)

Easel

2008-04-01T01:35:00.006+01:00

A doodle done during a break at a recent life drawing session at the Prince's Drawing School (see if you can spot their initials).

Easel

Easel (Detail)

Newton

2008-03-26T23:09:00.004Z

A pencil sketch of Eduardo Paolozzi's bronze sculpture of Newton (based on William Blake's original study), which lives outside the British Library. This is from January 2007, around the time I signed up as a member of the library (I'm not sure how I managed this as I think the reader rooms are for academic research, whereas I just wanted to read my own book in there). I managed to get a membership card but I actually think the cafe's a nicer place to sit so I wouldn't bother if I were you.

San Francisco

2008-03-05T23:18:00.004Z

This is the Marriott Hotel in San Francisco, which I drew in April 2006. It's a rather striking building, and I drew it from a very cool outdoor vegan cafe run by monk-like people. The top floor gives good views of the city; even better after a few cocktails.

Life Drawing: Maggie

2008-02-25T23:18:00.005Z

I've just returned from a life drawing session and managed to draw the worst I have done in weeks. It spurred me on to finish this drawing from a couple of weeks ago (11th Feb) which I'm quite pleased with.

Maggie

Bear

2008-02-19T01:44:00.006Z

I have no idea what I was thinking when I drew this, or why I'm up so late for that matter.

Hampstead Heath

2008-02-16T12:05:00.008Z

I took advantage of the freakily nice weather last Sunday and visited Hampstead Heath, which seemed not to have been the most original idea judging by the number of other people there.

On my way out, I spotted some very interesting trees (no idea what they were - probably something really obvious like oaks), and took lots of photos of them. This drawing was done from one such photo. What really looked odd about them was that the little balls (conkers? I don't know) were hanging from branches that had created almost perfect right-angles. These shapes seemed to go against the otherwise typically organic shapes you would expect from a tree.

TREE UPDATE: It sounds like this is a 'London plane' (thanks Jeff)

London plane

Dodgy weeds in the Netherlands

2008-02-14T01:22:00.005Z

I drew this plant at Keukenhof in the Netherlands (a short bus ride from Amsterdam), which is a big flower garden that everyone tells you to visit if you're there in April. It was a bit of a disappointment as it was so pristine and organised that it felt like a giant garden centre.

Interesting(?) fact: if you visit Amsterdam in April, when all the tulips are out, thinking that some tulip bulbs (as sold by almost every market stall) would make a nice present...STOP! For the precise reason that it's the very time of year that tulips are looking their best, the bulbs you're buying won't do anything. Otherwise they'd already be...tulips! (fact garnered from the Tulip Museum, which explained why they had bulbs for every flower other than tulips on sale. I just thought they were really stupid.)

If anyone knows what this plant is, I'd be interested to know. Hint: I had completely forgotten what colours it really was by the time I coloured it.

Media Tedia

2008-02-05T19:02:00.001Z

I can't remember how many years ago I drew this (2005 perhaps?) or even why. Maybe it was a comment on the annoyance at the ever-increasing and overwhelming number of media formats available. Or maybe it's just that it rhymed.

British Museum Artifacts

2008-02-05T18:29:00.002Z

Items drawn while wandering around the British Museum - a great place to go for inspiration. Be warned - even if you think you've found the perfect quiet spot to draw at there, there is still the chance you'll be set upon by a bunch of rowdy schoolgirls who throw tampons at you (not used, thankfully).

Amsterdam

2008-02-01T10:12:00.003Z

Some illustrations from a trip to Amsterdam in April 2007. A great place to spend a week; I could have spent the whole time peering through the windows of the canal-side homes. There seem to be far more people in that part of the world showing off their stylish taste in home décor rather than their bodies through their windows than you'd think!

Bridge 124
(While I was drawing this one, a bird pooed on me. Presumably it was wishing me luck )

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