Happy (IF NEW) Year 2013

                                                                Size: 28 x 12 cms
                                                                Media: pen and ink
                                                                Pen: Sailor Sapporo

It's slightly early to be wishing a Happy New year, but its officially New years eve in Australia already and just because those guys or their ancestors were shipped there for being naughty, we can't ignore them!! So Happy New year 2013 everybody including OZ!! Hopefully this is the last post that I will be making this year....See you in 2012+1 for more...(That's for the superstitious...haven't forgot you lot either!!) to the brave... see you in 2013!!!

After Christmas Dinner (IF Glow)

                                                                Size: 15 x 15 cms
                                                                Media: Graphite on paper
                                                                Pens: Prismacolor pencils

OK...its a bit of a rough 5 minute quicky drawing!!!.But I wanted to say to all of my visitors and followers
HAPPY CHRISTMAASSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cheers Guys!!!!.............Better have a drink now!!!

IF Snow

                                                               

                                                                Size: 13 x 24 cms
                                                                Media : Indian ink on paper
                                                                Pen: Sailor Sapporo


I'm back after a week off my blog without any excuses apart from blogitus.....These two guys are back as well...you may remember them from a few weeks ago...( If Water )....

IF Stretch

                                                                Size: 12 x 17 cms
                                                                Media: pen and ink
                                                                Pen: Lamy Fountain

       

IF Whiskers

                                                                Size: 20 x 22 cms
                                                                Media: Tattoo Ink on Pigskin
                                                                Pens: Tattoo machines

I like to throw in something different now and again. There is a financial crisis in Spain and some of you may be aware that for the past two months I have been trying to teach myself how to tattoo as it is difficult to survive solely on the illustrations that I do and I need some regular income from somewhere else...still illustration, but on skin...with needles.
Its probably the most difficult medium that I have used to date and I have full respect for all tattooists.....when a mistake is made, it stays. I obviously cannot practise on human skin.It is fairly common amongst tattoo 'apprentices/wannabes' to use pigskin as this is physically quite close to human skin. What does this have to do with whiskers? Well some pigskin is hairy...this bit was and I had to shave it prior to tattooing it...otherwise Al Capone would have had whiskers.

IF Tree

                                                                Size: 14 x 16 cms
                                                                Media: Pen and Ink
                                                                Pen: Sailor Sapporo
                                                                and Gillott 404

100th Post

Thanks to all those who have followed or visited this blog and to all those comments...(you are funny guys!)
The truth is...this is my 100th post (that hasn't been deleted...I have deleted a few posts in the past!)..I must admit, in reflection, looking at the above montage...it doesn't look like much...but this IS just the first hundred and some of those above posts actually contained more than one fantastic artwork!!!. I'm not really one for commenting or celebrating landmark numbers...well I wasn't until now...But this is unpaid work...and I actually enjoyed it!!!!! Blah blah blah blah...

IF Shy

                                                                 Size: 23 x 14 cms
                                                                 Media: pen & ink
                                                                 Pen: Sailor Sapporo

IF Haunt

                                                                    Size: 21 x 14 cms
                                                                    Media: Pen and ink
                                                                    Pen: Lamy Fountain



In a sequel to last week's cartoon post...................these two characters are back to haunt you again.

IF Sky

                                                                 Size: 22 x 12 cms
                                                                 Media: Pen & Ink
                                                                 Pens: Sailor Sapporo

IF Water

                                                                Size: 15 x 26 cms
                                                                Media: Pen & ink
                                                                Pens: Lamy Al Star

IF Mirror 2

                                                                 Size: 15 x 15 cms
                                                                 Media: Pen and ink
                                                                 Pens: Sailor Sapporo

I think this cartoon is the mirror....Philip practised his introductory speech in front of the mirror long and hard...he wanted his new dance class to kick off with an electric, exciting atmosphere...his disco mirror ball was polished and so were his Travolta moves.....

IF Mirror

                                                 

                                                                  Size: 50 x 60 cms
                                                                  Media: oil on canvas
                                                                  Pens: paintbrushes


I painted this in 2005. It doesn't probably require any explanation as it is an artwork made from the well known iconic photograph of Ernesto 'Che' Guevara, the Argentine Marxist revolutionary. It does however fit this weeks Illustration Friday theme, 'Mirror'....because of an error that I made whilst doing the pre drawing layout with the 'grid method' on tracing paper, he is painted as a mirror image.. I still see the Spanish buyer occasionally and I haven't actually mentioned it, although he still tells me he loves the painting. If he ever questions me, I will tell him it was a pre planned decision to make the icon my own and not the same as everybody else's...t shirts, lighters, posters etc etc.
I don't usually post old work but this is also appropriate as 'Che' died almost 45 years ago to the day on 9th October 1967.

edit: I just googled this image and it seems that I am not the only person to have used this image in reverse..although the majority use it the other way!
                                                                   
                                                 

Dream XIV (Book)

                                                              Size: 23 x 23 cms
                                                              Media: Graphite on paper
                                                              Pens: Pencils

 Gerard shouldn't read before he goes to bed. It'll make him dream.................... it'll cage his mind.

IF Crooked (The Kray twins?)

                                                                  Size: 22 x 15 cms
                                                                  Media: Pen & Ink
                                                                  Pens: Lamy fountain

The Krays were a crooked bunch. A family of English Gangsters in the 50s and 60s. The famous pair were the twins, Ronnie and Reggie....It was rumoured they were actually triplets, but one of them, Gerard, wasn't exactly like the other two.

IF Burst (into flames)

                                                                 Size: 22 x 21 cms
                                                                 Media: Indian ink on paper
                                                                 Pens: Gillott 404

Night Witch

                                                                 Size:  11 x 16 cms
                                                                 Media: graphite on paper
                                                                 Pens: Pencils

Why did I draw this?..... I don't know, maybe she made me draw her in the future. It makes you wonder.

IF Imagination

                                                                 Size: 25 x 15 cms
                                                                 Media: Pen and ink
                                                                 Pen: Gillott 404
           
Gerard and his imagination.......

No man is an island, entire of itself
every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main
if a clod be washed away by the sea, 
Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, 
as well as if a manor of thy friends or of thine own were
any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind
and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls
it tolls for thee. (John Donne)
                               

IF Identical

                                                               Size: 10 x 16 cms
                                                               Media: graphite on paper
                                                               Pens: various pencils

Dream XIII (Tall)

                                                                 Size: 21 x 14 cms
                                                                 Media: Graphite on paper
                                                                 Pens: various pencils

                                                                  Size: 21 x 14cms
                                                                  Media: Ink & gouache
                                                                  on paper
                                                                  Pens: Gillott 404 & 290
                                                                  & waterbrush

I thought I'd better do a Gerard dream for this one as I seemed to draw a blank on anything else. I was also confused as to which medium to use...so I did two drawings this week in different mediums...I could call one of them a rough and one of them finished, but I won't as neither are finished and both are fairly rough!
                                                     

IF Teacher

                                                                 Size:  15 x 13 cms
                                                                 Media: Pen & ink
                                                                 Pens: Lamy & Sailor FPs

                                                                    Size:  9 x 11cms
                                                                    Media: Pen & ink
                                                                    Pens: as above.


Some thoughts I had and sketched whilst thinking about this weeks Illustration Friday word...'Teacher'. I don't necessarily agree with the saying that I wrote, or even know who wrote it, but because I hated the school system when I was a young tearaway/hooligan/anarchist....my Mum used to amuse me by saying 'He who can....does, He who can't.... teaches.'....she knew that it would be something that would make me feel good whilst putting up with another days education. The first drawing just landed on the paper like that..I think it does say something about teaching though.

IF Freeze

                                                                 Size: 13 x 20 cms
                                                                 Media: Ink on Paper
                                                                 Pens: Lamy fountain

Dream XII (Bounce)

                                                                Size: 20 x 18 cms
                                                                Media: Graphite &
                                                                crayon on paper
                                                                Pens: Pencils

Gerard's dreaming again. I think this dream may be interpreted as yearning for praise, maybe..what do you think?

IF Lonely

                                                                 Size: 17 x 17 cms
                                                                 Media: Graphite on paper
                                                                 Pens: Pencils

Lets face it.......this was never going to be a happy post... " I suspect that you have noticed that making art can be lonely." Jenny Holzer

IF Carry

                                                                 Size: 21 x 21 cms
                                                                 Media: Graphite &
                                                                 gouache on paper
                                                                 Pens: Pencils and
                                                                 Pentel waterbrush

IF Lost

                                                                Size: 24 x 32 cms
                                                                Media: graphite on paper
                                                                Pens: mechanical pencils

This week I decided to start drawing various characters on a piece of paper. Each day that passed I worked a little more and added a couple of more. I challenged myself to finish the drawing and make it fit the Illustration Friday topic word...I decided this with only ten characters drawn. The topic this week is 'Lost'.

"......if man is living in fear, he will be a lost soul even in death." Unknown

Dream XI (Suspend)

                                                               Size: 15 x 16 cms
                                                               Media: Indian ink &
                                                               gouache on  paper
                                                               Pens: Dip pens
                                                               Gillott 404 & 170 & 
                                                               Pentel waterbrushes

IF Refresh

                                                                 Size: 21 x 23 cms
                                                                 Media: Ink on paper
                                                                 Pens: Dip pen Gillott 404

If Space

                                                       Size: 26 x 21 cms
                                                       Media: Graphite and crayon on paper
                                                       Pens: Prismacolor crayons and pencils

Gerard is a model!

One of my blogging buddies, Magyarix, recently made a post on his blog about Gerard and me (The Pen Mover)...he also made a 3d version of Gerard.....That in turn inspired me to make my own 3d model of Gerard (above). I used the open source digital sculpting program called 'Sculptris'. I thought it may be useful to have a 3d model to use as a drawing aid for a possible future Gerard comic strip.....as suggested (the comic strip) by another blogging buddy Ted Blackman. Take a look at Magyarix's ink/watercolour cartoons...they are fantastic...and why not look at the amazing work of Ted Blackman on his blog Crotchety comics.....I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Gerard's little secret

                 
                                                         Size: 28 x 21 cms
                                                         Media: Ink and graphite on paper
                                                         Pens: Dip Pen Gillott 404 & pencils

IF Shiny (Queen's Jubilee)

                                                                Size: A4
                                                                Media: Pen and Ink
                                                                Pens: Dip Pens
                                                                Gillott 404 / 290


As it was the Queen's Jubilee this week I thought I would take the Illustration Friday theme word 'shiny' and do something patriotic for her. A first for me in the comic strip style...I know.. don't give up your day job!
Three cheers to the 'Baked Bean' and three cheers to all who bothered to come here! Thanks Rod

Edit: (13th June 2012)
I noticed that this cartoon didn't open in lightbox very well so I have disabled view images in lightbox until
I can find a better solution...Now if you click on the comic it will open a window offering you a plus or minus zoom on the cursor..By zooming...it brings the comic up to a more readable size. If anyone knows a better solution please let me know. (I drew the original on international A4 size and scanned it in at 600 dpi).

IF Hurry

                                                             Size: 20 x 15 cms
                                                             Media: Pen and Ink
                                                             Pens: Dip Pen Gillott 404/ 170

Dream X (faded)

                                                             
                                                     
                                                             Title: Dream X (faded) (A)
                                                             Size: 22 x 15 cms
                                                             Media: Ink, graphite
                                                             & gouache on Canson paper
                                                             Pens: Gillott 290 dip pen

                                 

                                                             Title: Dream X (faded) (B)
                                                             Size: 22 x 15 cms
                                                             Media: Ink, graphite, gouache
                                                             coloured crayon on Canson paper
                                                             Pens: Gillott 404 / 170 dip pen




                   Credit to Richard Ewing for the venn diagram idea in Dream X (faded) (A), thanks.

Dream IX (First Sight)

                                                             
                                                                Size: 22 x 8 cms
                                                                Media: Ink on paper
                                                                Pens: Dip Pen Gillott
                                                                404/290 & Marker

Dream VIII (Kernel)

                                                            Size: 16 x 14cms
                                                            Media: Ink & gouache on paper
                                                            Pens: Dip pen Gillott 404/290
                                                            & Pentel waterbrush
                                                               

IF Hitched

                                                               Size: 21 x 14 cms
                                                               Media: Ink on paper
                                                               Pens: Sailor Saporro/
                                                               Copic Marker


This was my first rough which I was going to redraw...but I liked something about this one so I left it as it was! (As usual drawn directly onto paper with ink with no pre drawing, erasing or photoshop work...I leave the world to look at my mistakes!!)

Dream VII

                                   
                                                     Size: 23 x 15 cms
                                                     Media: Ink and Gouache on paper
                                                     Pens: Dip pens/nibs Gillott 404 /290

IF Jump

                                                                 Size: 13 x 13 cms
                                                                 Media: Ink on Paper
                                                                 Pens: Lamy Fountain

IF Heights

                                                                 
                                                                 Size: 13x15 cms
                                                                 Media: Ink on paper
                                                                 Pens: Dip pen Gillott 404

Dream VI

                                                           Size: 25 x 15 cms
                                                           Media: Graphite on paper
                                                           Pens: Various pencils

IF Puzzled

                                                              Size: 13 x 18cms
                                                              Media: Graphite on paper
                                                              Pens: various pencils

                                           "Such evil deeds could religion prompt." Lucretius

Paper Cellulite

                                                               

                                                                Size: 21 x 28 cms
                                                                Media: Ink and Gouache
                                                                on Paper
                                                                Pens: Lamy & Pentel Brush


                                           "Rebecca, Rebecca, get your big legs off of me,
                                            Rebecca, Rebecca, get your big legs off of me,
                                            It may be sending you baby, but it's worrying the hell out of me!"


                                            Using cheap paper with gouache gave me some wrinkles,
                                            Using cheap paper with gouache gave me some wrinkles,
                                            But I aint worry babe, it look like cellulite.


                               The first verse by Big Joe Turner....the second verse....by The Pen Mover!

IF Vocal

                                                                  Size: 9 x 13 cms
                                                                  Media: Ink on Paper
                                                                  Pen: Sailor fountain

No one can accuse me of being obvious..... not in all of my posts....I wonder what this guy is being vocal about...what is he saying?  "Get me out of this blog!!!"...." I just fell out of a pen!".... I think you guys can come up with something better....Be vocal on the pages of The Pen Mover...get your five minutes of fame!!!