Friday 31 May 2013

Paper Tiger Roooooooar!

Good afternoon to you. I have just had a nap and some crisps so I feel great. Hope you do too.

Last night I attended the Edinburgh College of Art 2013 Degree Show business view with Pointy-Ear. It was lovely to see so many of my favourite people who roam in the illustration world. I only got as far as the illustration show because talking, but I was very impressed with the work this year. My made-up award of Business Card of the Year goes to Eilidh Muldoon with Oliver Ninnis a close second. You should definitely go and see it and buy a lovely print.

Also yesterday was my third day of the month working at the Sick Kids. I only do 3 days a month and hadn't been for 4 weeks which felt like ages and ages. The Day Case Unit was stuffed full of children which made for a fun time in the playroom. We worked on drawings and poems of what they would like to see out of the window. I worked with a 6 year old boy who drew his favourite person (a self portrait) and some fish and chips copied from my drawing (top left). Obviously the other things are a dog, a swimming pool and a football pitch. Then he got bored and started painting some plaster of Paris stuff.




I do a lot of work as Paper Tiger and Studio One's illustrator. For non-Edinburgers, Paper Tiger is a really really good card shop which also sells stationery and nice things. Studio One is its sister company and is just the best shop ever. It sells lovely things. Anyway...we have joined forces and created a range of cards that are a bit cheaper than your average card. Most occasions are covered and more are being added soon. Here they are on the website http://www.shoppapertiger.com/shop/index.php?cPath=29 and here is my favourite one. I do love champagne.



That's quite a lot of things for now. Next week I have loads of things to draw and an exciting book event to attend so I am sure I will be bothering you with news of all that nonsense. Have a super weekend.

Wednesday 22 May 2013

Raining work and just raining.

Hello there! I have another collection of things which must immediately be blogged about in order to put off drawing so many things, and scanning even more.

First of all here I am in the Daily Record. I spent a fun few hours being interviewed and photographed. The journalist only ate one biscuit which was good. I had planned for many more.
He wanted to focus on my Grandad which was nice because Reg was super. I have his name tattooed on my back, along with my Grandma's initials and my Dad's name. It isn't a Jeremy Kyle style (rhymes) tattoo, it's actually very lovely because I designed it and it is based on a fish with a big floaty tail. It's massive and really really hurt. Anyway...here is Reg and me reunited in print. Awwwww.



What next? Ummm...How about some dinosaurs that were drawn by nursery pupils in Aberfeldy yesterday? I was collected from my house by the lovely ladies from the Scottish Book Trust and driven up to Aberfeldy to be a prize in a competition for Bookbug Week, which is this week (obviously). What a picturesque journey! We talked about food for most of the time and then had a library picnic. I never thought my spare paper plates would come in so handy. 
The session was 45 minutes of controlled chaos and I left feeling exhausted.




I like the standing up yellow one the best. He has attitude in that right leg.

Here is a sticker for Bookbug Week that I drew. I didn't design actual Bookbug though.




On Sunday I went to the best wedding ever and was very proud to have made the table names. Each table was named after a book and I was on Harry Potter table. I don't actually like Harry Potter but I do like to be on the top table so I let it go. Here are the books.



I can't really be bothered to upload any more photos so that'll do. In other news, Lollipop and Grandpa's Dinosaur Hunt came out last week. Also, pointy-eared Fraser and I got free ice cream in Grassmarket (after eating a delicious massive curry) and I am now addicted to it. So may I recommend Ben and Jerry's Peanut Butter Me Up. Terrible name, superb ice cream. Tomorrow we are going to eat lots of cake. HOORAY! Goodbye for now.

Monday 13 May 2013

The strange old life of me

When everything in my family is going wrong I can always rely on my work to get me through (and some truly great friends). Today is a tough one, and I have worked all day long to keep it all at bay. So let me show you what has made me laugh today.

I have been to Clydebank library and Dumbarton library today, and have met some lovely nursery pupils. One insisted on calling me by my full name (countless pleas of CATEJAMES CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME TO COLOUR-IN?).

This is a selection of what they drew





I think that Ella is ahead of her drawing years there, and the rainbow dinosaur is ace, obviously.

Here is me being a dinosaur, along with the dinosaurs of Dumbarton library. It is scary.




That's all for now. I'm sure that tomorrow will be a better day, after all, I am meeting some of my favourite people for hugs.