Happy holidays or, to be secularly contrary... a very merry Newtonmas to all, and to all a goodnight!

         Twas the night before Newtonmas and all through the lab

         not a creature was stirring, not even the lab crab (...crustacean experiments?).

         The white coats were hung by the black board with care

         in hopes that old Isaac soon would be there.

         And then from outside peering in through the dark

         The bewigged face of jolly Isaark (...?!).

         He swung in through the window with haste and alacrity

         His motion directed by the force of gravity.

OK, OK... I won't do anymore. I'll just end by saying happy Newtonmas to all and to all a good-night!

By way of explanation, and not to repeat myself needlessly, here are my previous Newtonmas card blog posts

Newtonmas 2011
Newtonmas 2012
Newtonmas 2014


See you in the new year with a great deal more illustration work going to be posted in 2016. (That's a pre new year resolution!)

It's Newtonmas 2014 !!! Deck the halls with prisms and apples fa la la la laaah...

Well it's that most wonderful time of the year when all those so inclined celebrate the mind (though perhaps not the personality) of Isaac the birthday boy. I don't know at what point something becomes a tradition but as this is my third Newtonmas card (see the others here and here) I'm going to call this a tradition of mine.

Raise a glass of spiced cider and don't forget the apple on top of your Newtonmas tree this year. Warmest compliments of the season and a very happy new year to everyone!

yule frog eats mince flies holiday pun shocker...

Nothing says festive celebration more than weak word play for comic effect ;-) Well that and poor handwriting on a card (it's been years since I wrote this much in longhand). Pull a christmas "croaker" just hopped to mind too (lucky I didn't use that then). Puns and poor penmanship aside, "Hoppy holidays to all and to all a cracking new year!" See you in 2014 folks.

A very merry Newtonmas (or Isaac's prismatic birthday tree)

That time of the year if fast upon us once again dear folks so here's my secular way of marking the festivities. The short explanation for the image is that December 25th (might) also be said to be Isaac Newton's birthday... the longer explanation, and my similarly inspired card from last year can be found here. For a funnier 'Big Bang' explanation Sheldon explains it more fully than I can ;-)

To slightly elaborate on this years card... Newton ascertained by shining light through glass prisms that white light, far from being colourless, contains all the other colours (just think Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon album cover artwork...). Did you also know that, to experiment on how our eyes function and perceive colour Newton took a bodkin needle, shoved it 'betwixt the eye and the bone' and prodded his own eye ball! I decided that probably wouldn't have been the best thing to show on my card, memorable though it would be.

Physics (and anatomy) lesson over, my very best wishes of the season to everyone and to all a very sparkling new year!

Secular seasons greetings to all, and to all a happy new year!

Here's my virtual card... to explain. When I read Robin Ince and Brian Cox's "O Come All Ye Sceptics" piece in the Guardian last week I just had to do a 'Newtonmas' card when I found out Isaac Newton was born on December 25th (unlike other individuals supposed to share that birthdate...?!). To quickly digress, I highly recommend Robin Ince and Brian Cox's other joint effort, The Infinite Monkey Cage podcasts and Robin's other podcasts with Josie Long, Utter Shambles. Now back to the card...

Well OK... so it isn't as straight forward as all that. Now I preface the following by saying I've only dipped into the (sometimes factually murky) pool that is wikipedia to find out more, so a pinch of salt might be necessary...? Depending upon which calendar and religion you prescribed to way back in the 17th century you would say Isaac Newton was either born on December 25th 1642 (if you were a Protestant following the Julian calendar) or January 4th 1643 (if you happened to be a Roman Catholic using the Gregorian calendar). Religion making something straightforward more complicated... well I never. Still, it makes for an educational illustration... there will be a test! For the purposes of this card, and a cheap gag, I choose Julian!

Have a Very Merry Isaac Newton's Birthday and my very best wishes for the new year!

My christmas card... DECK THE HALLS FOLKS!

Well it's that time of the year once again and it almost looked like I wouldn't get my own cards done, as I like to do each year. I was stuck for an idea and almost bought a pack (!) but my natural aversion to giving card companies money at christmas or, indeed, anytime of year (well OK, charity cards excepted...) spurred me on (as did the truly exceptional hand screened card arriving in the post from my good mate Phil).
Of late I've been (more so than usual) dischuffed with how some of my illustrations have turned out so I've been reworking things a day or so later to try and 'improve things'... never seems to solve all problems, just create a new set to be dissatisfied with! It's laudable to try and improve but counter productive to go backwards instead of forwards. Easier said than done sometimes...


First card attempt was the 'yool owl' idea. There's much I like about the little fella but my contrary 'jiminey cricket illustrator on my shoulder' made me try, try again.


So it's a christmas CARD as my christmas card this year. I like the notion but I'm still (version two this one) not entirely happy with how it's turned out. That said it's the thought that counts isn't it so... MERRY XMAS & A VERY HAPPY 2011 to EVERYONE who has happened on by my blog. I really do appreciate the comments I receive and I know 2011 is going to see the blogosphere crammed full of fantastic new work for us all to rabbit about!

Speaking of rabbits...oow, weak link alert... My two good chums, the afore mentioned Phil and the previously mentioned Kev hope to be releasing our vaguely rabbit themed joint blog creation onto an unsuspecting world very soon. I won't say anymore... watch out folks!

Enjoy those mince pies everyone!!!