Judge Dredd

I've always struggled drawing Dredd. It's a great design, but it's not one I have any affinity with, I just can't make the eagle and shoulder pad work. I've faked the odd Dredd, and I could probably do a passable pastiche of other people's interpretation, but I've never managed 'my' version. I also have a fondness for the early design, the 70s biker/punk ethic, that I feel is lost nowadays. I also like the rounder elements of the original helmet, back when it made the Judges look more skull like, rather than the stylised look that I think loses that. None of this is criticism, I think many other artists (McMahon being the obvious example) make it work brilliantly, just not me. Anyway, I tried to have another go at doing my version, and these are what I came up with. They're doodles really, the B&W is a fingerpainting (my first) done on an iPad, and the colour one was done on a scrap of paper and probably half the size it is on screen. But, they're actually quite close to how I'd like to draw Dredd.

More Astrodog

Here's a random panel. The Star Wars cantina influence is strong in this one.

Astrodog page 1

Here's an early showing for the revamped Astrodog comic. I've inked 10 pages, which means I'm 1/3rd of the way through.

Kids, snow and a robot?

This is for a thing that might happen.

Desperate Dan

Here's my version of Dandy classic character Desperate Dan (the bull's a nod of the hat to 'Bully for Bugs'), created by the brilliant Dudley D. Watkins, and presently featuring the wonderful work of Jamie Smart.

UK comic institution 'The Dandy' is at risk of folding due to low sales with it's 75th birthday coming up. I used to get The Dandy delivered and was a regular reader for at least 5 years. To be honest I'm not sure why I read it (my memory seems to think it was picked by my dad, not me), the truth is that the IPC/Fleetway titles appealed more, with only old issues featuring David Law's Corporal Clott, or reprints of Dudley D. Watkins' Desperate Dan providing interest.
The point is that even at the age of the target audience I found The Dandy to be pretty stale.
I started to pick up the odd issue of The Dandy a few years ago for some reason and found it a much changed, and improved title, then it was revamped and became Dandy Extreme. The revamp appears to have been criticised, which is a bit unfair, yes the new look had less comics and more gaming/film content, but the comics in there were still pretty good. Eventually the revamp was revamped into the present incarnation, into comic that absolutely trumps the version of the Dandy I was stuck with for the 70s. I do think much could be done to improve the present Dandy, but it is still a great comic bursting with enthusiasm.
I hope the news of possible cancellation spur people to go out a buy a copy, I think they'll be impressed.

Poop poop!

Been busy on work I can't really show (not that it's getting published, it's a pitch, so either it'll get picked up and you can see it, or it won't and I'll post it here_, but in the meantime I painted a Wind in the Willows picture for a friend's birthday, and here it is.

Balloon

This is the first page of a strip that will be appearing in ink+Paper #2. The first issue was excellent so I'm really pleased to have something for the upcoming one. This was based on a conversation with my daughter about a year ago and it feels nice to turn it into something concrete.

More Paintgirl

Here's another Paintgirl pic. Within 10 minutes of posting it on twitter I was getting replies wanting to know when the comic would be coming out. So I guess Paintgirl will definitely be a comic, it'll have to get in line right behind Astrodog though!

Paintgirl

After explaining to my daughter what a utility belt was, she told me if she had a utility belt it would be full of different coloured paint that she'd shoot out of wrist bands. That way she could colour all the things the baddies made look miserable. And so 'Paint Girl' was born. And I had to draw her.

RIP Maurice Sendak

Second drawing in respect to another fine creator loved and lost.

The Beastie Boys

Marking the sad passing of Adam Yauch/MCA/Nataniel Hornblower.

Felt like drawing Thor. Thor was created by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. Kirby designed, drew, did the storytelling and original dialogue. Lee did some stuff too.

Sneak peak

This is a rough(ish) colour test using the first panel of a strip for the 2nd issue of Ink+Paper.

Ghostbusters

No Astrodog this time, I came across a Ghostbusters doodle I did and decided to turn it into a finished piece. No real effort to get the likenesses right, and I didn't bother getting any refs for Stay Puft either. There's a couple of mistakes on this one, but that's the problem when you try and keep the best bits of a doodle in a more finished style. Still, I can live with that.

Astrodog Meets Dune

Love Dune. Love it. Love the book, love the Lynch adaptation. Never seen the TV version. So why did I stick a dog on deckchair into it? Love.

Astrodog in Unusual Suspects

Astrodog meets.... well, quite a few folk. We've got Yoda, E.T, Wall-e, Vincent, Huey, Louie and Dewey (from the wonderful Silent Running). It's a bit of a Usual Suspects type line-up, but that's not an intentional reference.

Astrodog meeting these guys doesn't mean there won't be a more self contained pic later, I've got an idea for a Silent Running one, and I can't draw Vincent without wanting to draw Maximilian (who was, frankly, much cooler). Anyway, these will keep coming until I run out of ideas - or busy with other things.

The Dog Barks Back.

Episode 3 of Astrodog meets. This time it's Empire Strikes Back.

2001 A Space Odd-yssey

Number 2 in the 'Astrodog appears in sci-fi movies' series. Apologies for the terrible pun of a title for this post.

Smarter than the Average Bear.

Slightly off model because, well, Yogi and Boo would never do this.
I had this idea ages ago, but figured someone must've already drawn it. If they have, I never found it, and felt like drawing it anyway.
Bit of a minor break though streamlining the colouring process quite a bit. Also reduced the filter colour fx, it was a little overpowering what with all the textures and whatnot, so I'm trying to calm it down.

Astrodog

Here's the first in a series of 'Astrodog meets....' posts. Not only will there be more of these, but I'm probably going to do some prints of them.