Napkin Bolognese

Further to my recent post on napkins, I have just returned from the Bologna bookfair, where collaborative drawing happened in a grand number of ways, including this three-napkin bonanza by Elena, Becky, Caroline, Emily and me in Bar 51 (click to see it bigger).
Napkin drawing by Becky, Elena, Caroline, DaisyWe also drew on placemats and on giant paper on the side of our stand at the fair, and we played a stunning game of telephone pictionary which I hope to share at some point.

In other news, I met hundreds of beautiful books and several beautiful ice creams; I also had an altercation with a wheelie-suitcase on the way to meet a publisher, which resulted in a split lip and an afternoon spent in hospital on a sugar drip. Many lovely Cambridge people looked after me and I am getting less scabby every day.

Oh and here is the suitcase I took (and didn’t trip anyone up with):
Monsters packed for Bologna bookfair

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Mail Me Art

I do like to draw on an envelope yessir, so I decided to take part in Mail Me Art 3: Short & Sweet, in which 200 people send decorated envelopes to Mail Me Art, and then there is a show in the summer and a book. You are supposed to not mind when bits fall off your art in the post, but probably it is rash to stick so many bits on in the first place?
My mail art after postingI was trying to make a collage in the way I make screenprints, taking the shapes from photocopier-enlargements of tiny doodles. I originally drew these birds on the back of an envelope, which seems nicely circular.

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Napkins

Sometimes I draw on a napkin during Christmas dinner and then my dad puts the napkin away in a drawer:
Doodles on my napkin during Christmas dinner 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And sometimes I draw on napkins with Darrel in the Hebrides (the blissful sleeping seal is his, and then there was the kite):
Seals drawn on napkin by Daisy and DarrelOther times I draw on napkins with Becky in Paris:
Napkin drawn in ParisNapkin drawn by Becky Palmer and DaisyNapkin drawn by Becky Palmer and DaisyAll those times are good times.

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Pictures from the show

Publishers are grand, obviously, and I wouldn’t be without my auntorage – or, indeed, the other lovely family and friends who came to our MA show – but you can’t really beat the kind of visitors who properly test your toys and write things like this in your comments book:
From my comments book 2It was amazing how many people came to see – I honestly do value the over-tens very much too. Below are a few pictures in case you couldn’t make it, although the show will be up again in Cambridge from February 27th until March 14th.
My work in the MA show at Foyles


My shelf in the MA show in FoylesMA show in FoylesMA show in FoylesMA show in Foyles

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Some monsters are cake

Can you BELIEVE the ridiculous splendour of this cake? Love and Cake made it for our private view on Thursday because she is cakemaestro extraordinaire.
Monster cake by Love and Cake for MA show private view It’s not even the first time she has rendered my persons in cake. Just too good, I can’t even.

It was also exciting how Elena was striding purposefully around the gallery delivering slices on the point-forwards blade of the knife – although this resulted in surprisingly few maimings. Whoever snuck into the box in the pub afterwards, when only the monsters were left, and transplanted the red eyes onto the blue monster, is a monstrous human indeed and likely to be eaten when found out. Nyahaha!

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Darrel goes to the gallery

This monster Darrel, from Monster Clothes, didn’t make it to Foyles Gallery until yesterday because I had some trouble with his dress. So then he had to come on the bus to work with me:
Monster in dress on public transport

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we did some admin:
 And finally, made it to Foyles just in time to meet the other Darrel (that’s his hand):
Thanks everybody else who’s been to see too! Tis open til 5pm Saturday, more details on the MA show website.

 

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Getting ready for Foyles

I have spray-mounted myself to the kitchen floor again, blunted three scalpel blades on foam board and sewn some strange beasts, and now I can’t stop making badges.
Monster badges for MA showOh nose! I’m sure this is not what I’m meant to be doing. However, if you scamper down to see our show at Foyles next week you just might get one.

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Come see us at Foyles

The graduation show for our MA in Children’s Book Illustration will be at Foyles Charing Cross Road from the 4th to the 9th of February. I am hugely pleased my monsters got voted onto the flyer:
MA show invite with monstersThere should be lots to see as there are almost 40 of us exhibiting, showing pictures on walls, dummy books to pick up and read, sketchbooks, portfolios, 3D models and toys. Here’s a website to show how various and splendid it will be. Hope to see you in Foyles!

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Oh Evie

Next time Evie, choose your own drawer-handles – I printed SIX options.
First spread for Monster Clothes

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Some monsters are late

Three and a half days until my MA deadline and the monsters are still coming. Witney from Monster Colours is a…
White monsterand these ones from Monster Food are trouble:
Monsters who eat money

Evie from Monster Clothes is in progress, and I guess she should probably be my last print before the Photoshopping and scalpelling and making of dummy books. Today’s most debilitating dilemma was: which of the three on the left is Evie?
Which monster is Evie?I chose the leftmost one eventually, with assistance – but this is really no time for arriving threefold.

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