Great workshop today with a talented bunch of teenagers at Riverbank Arts Centre in newbridge

Dance Monkey Dance!

Illustrator Bren B modeling one of my illustrations for the Triple Bill Jameson Dublin Film festival last week. Very smart!!!

Illustrators Ireland has quietly launched a brand new portfolio site featuring 50 of Irelands brightest talents (& me :) http://www.illustratorsireland.com

Exhibition
I was delighted to sell both my prints at opening of the IGI book exhibition in the United Arts Club (Dublin) last night!!!
The exhibition also features tremendous work from PJ Lynch, Niamh Sharkey, Chris Judge, Kevin McSherry, Peter Donnelly, Brian Gallagher, Eoin Coveney, Adrienne Geoghegan, Karen Nolan, Donough O’Malley, Maurice Pierce, Margaret Anne Suggs and Annie West and runs until 13th Feb, 11am-11pm.

Exhibition from December last year. Bit like where’s wally:) My finger puppet fox & rabbit illustration is in there somewhere:)
LACDA Los Angeles Center for Digital Art
“SNAP TO THE GRID 2011”

EXHIBITION

Delighted to have been invited to take part in this group show at LACDA.

If you’re in LA check it out - 102 W. 5th St.

LACDA Los Angeles Center for Digital Art

“Electron Salon”
January 12 - February 3
Reception January 12, 7-9pm

AWARD NEWS

Delighted to find out I’ve been awarded a medal in the AOI’s Images 36 competition for my 7up Winter Wonderland illustration. Medal colour? Will find out later this year. 

Images is the UK’s leading illustration competition, annual, awards show, and touring exhibition dedicated to showcasing the very best in new British (even those now based in Ireland) illustration. It is unique in that it is Britain’s only jury-selected illustration competition, judged by a highly regarded panel of industry experts. 

(my Cavistons Coffee Cup also made it into the book:)

Rock Icon Tee

BBQ Chilli Sauce label

Graphic Design/Illustration

ROCK ICON - personal project

Thanks to the guys in Futa Fata for sending me these 2 translations (Chinese and Scots Gaelic) of my Lulu book. The Chinese version is so cool!

Winning entry for the Fire “Revolution” illustration competition.

All the Signs of a Revolution.


For a while, as a kid I was fascinated by sign language and spent hours learning it with a friend. To us, it was a secret language only we could understand. 

I think my best illustrations always have a element of the unpredictable about them, a serendipitous input. Something that wouldn’t normally be associated with the subject. While roughing out my thoughts on the Revolution illustration I’d photographed my own hand (in the traditional fist of defiance pose) for reference. As I sketched away my mind flashed back to the bookmark I’d used to learn sign language as a kid. It had had the full alphabet in a grid pattern, each hand position had a small black and white line art illustration with the letter underneath.

I quickly found reference for the Sign Language Alphabet online and played around with a grid pattern. I’d earlier thought the idea of a silent revolution was a powerful idea but hadn’t found a way to represent it. The “Signs” idea seemed to cover this also. In the grid format I still had 2 squares to fill. So I dropped in a 17th century General (to represent past revolutions) at the end and a hash tag, representing modern media’s role in calling forth, reporting on, and tracking down revolutionists.

The other element I should mention is the illustration style. I have quite a mixed  background when it comes to style influences. I studied technical illustration, worked on The Beano and had several years in TV animation before finding illustration about 20 years ago. I’d like to think that successfully merging together multiple styles within the grid represents a more personal struggle to find a style that is mine. Possibly for me, this is the real resolution and evolution of this REVOLUTION.

Book Launch in Hodges Figgis, Dublin

I is for Inca

From the Small Print page: “We invited 26 of the very best illustrators from around the globe to produce 52 original pieces, 1 letter and 1 illustration [based on the letter]. A huge variety of wonderful talents from [A] Oliver Jeffers to [Z] Chris Haughton, make up this newly imagined alphabet which encompass a broad range of disciplines and concepts.”
Artists featured are – Alan Clarke, Ben Newman, Bjorn Lie, BRENB, Craig & Karl, Chris Haughton, Richard Hogg, Eduardo Recife, Emily Forgot, Genevieve Gauckler, Jonathan McHugh, Joven Kerekes, Kevin Waldron, Martin Haake, Michael Gillette, Nate Williams, Olaf Hajek, Oliver Jeffers, Rilla Alexander, Serge Seidlitz, Steeve Doogan, Steve Simpson, Tara McPherson, Tomm Moore and Una Gildea
http://thesmallprint.ie/projects/illustrated-alphabet/

Delighted to have taken first prize in the Fire illustration competition for my signs of a revolution poster

Winter Wonderland Eco cab 

Delighted to have had 2 illustrations accepted for the 54th Society of Illustrators (NY) exhibit and book. This is one of the biggest annual awards in illustration. I’ve only had work accepted on two previous occasions (over 5 years), so to get 2 this time around is (as Tony the Tiger might say) Gr-r-reat!

on the streets of Dublin