when plumbers turn to piracy

You know how you just cannot switch off until you've got an idea out 'on paper'. Plumber pirates fly the "jolly spanner". Right, I can go to sleep now.

Tap Spanner Smile

I was doing a little bit of plumbing of late and had the need to buy a tap spanner... he's quite a cheery chap, I shall call him Sammy :)

For anyone keeping track (& thanks if you are) Bleriot (and the blog) has had to take a back seat over the last few weeks. I'm off on holiday for a week but I will return refreshed and ready to crack on with the myriad projects cluttering up my head. For anyone who checks out the blog and for those kind enough to comment, many, many thanks. I've been a lax blogger of late but I really appreciate your taking an interest. I will have new stuff to humbly present very soon!

Bleriot sketchbook (and IKB)

To prove that I'm still in the land of the living...has it been that long since I posted, what have I been doing!... here's a sketch smorgasbord of bits and pieces for my planned Bleriot illustrations.

To digress, smorgasbord is a great word don't you agree...? Without sounding weird (too late you say), I've only just this minute noticed that you can get "gas board" (albeit without the "a") from it. Is that why it appeals I wonder? Ahem, sorry, back to the topic.

Most of the sketches should be self explanatory... assorted spectators (French and British) to watch the flight. The guy with the money bags is Lord Northcliffe, the owner of the Daily Mail newspaper, who stumped up prize money of £1000 for the record breaking flight. I'm finding that there really is something quite satisfying about drawing people in Edwardian (& Victorian) attire, I can see why Edward Gorey's clock stopped around 1900! To go that bit further back in history, for some reason as yet not totally clear to me, Isambard Kingdom Brunel has snuck into my sketchbook ("snuck", there is another great word...). I've always found I.K.B an inspirational and fascinating character. It might well be something to do with Bob Godfrey's terrific (and BAFTA & Oscar winning) animated short "Great" which (as I dimly recall) told of his life and achievements in a manic music hall style. I remember seeing it in a technology class at school, but sadly I haven't heard of it since and it doesn't seem to be on DVD. If anyone knows where to get hold of it I'd love to hear from you! It looks like IKB is another character to go onto my to do idea pile! More Bleriot soon. Bonne nuit mes amis.

CONGRATULATIONS Phil & Tam!

My good friend Phil is tying the knot this coming weekend. Here's a scan of my congrats card (they don't really have hands like that :) See you Saturday folks!

astronaut dental floss

After sleeping on things I couldn't resist adding the lost astronaut to yesterdays IF. Is that 'enough' or too much now...? Perhaps he will get sucked up like spaghetti...?

IF "enough" or "the moon who'd had quite enough"

I've been watching the truly excellent "From the earth to the moon" mini series for the past week and it looks as though it has played some part in my interpretation of this weeks illustration friday topic. You could also say it's a "full moon"... Houston we really do have a problem!

PS. Many many thanks for all the kind comments on the Bleriot fog post (and, it goes without saying, all the other generously given comments for this blog...you know who you are people, ta one and all, it's very much appreciated!). I'm really glad Monsieur Bleriot struck a chord with so many people and it has spurred me on...He may get to England after all!

Bleriot fog

It occurred to me that I could kill two birds with one stone... submit something foggier (not froggier) for this weeks IF while also continuing with my ongoing Louis Bleriot channel crossing project previously on mattdawsonblog. I liked the idea of using a photo I took of the wing from the actual Bleriot XI that crossed the English channel for texture on the illustrated plane (see boring photo). Nobody else would notice, but I know it's there :) When Bleriot made his historic flight he did in fact get lost in fog/cloud and ended up following ships to find blighty, hence the foggy scribbles obscuring his view.

IF "fRoggy"

You say potato I say potarto, you say foggy I mumble froggy...What's a letter R between friends...?

I'd like to thank...& might I recommend

My humble thanks and best wishes go out to Krisztina Maros over at sketchpause blog for nominating me as one of her 7 for the "Brillante Weblog Premio-2008". Check out her warm and wonderful watercolours without delay! You took 2 of my 7 choices Krisztina, I'm honoured to be included in such a list! Many, many thanks to you!

The rules of accepting are as follows:
1) Put the logo on your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs.
4) Add links to those blogs on yours.
5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.

Well here goes. The list of my much frequented blogs is very long and I hate to risk offending anyone by not giving them a much deserved mention. Get on with it you say.... here's 7 who will hopefully amuse, and inspire you, they do for me. In no particular order:
Kevin Levell, Lee Cosgrove, The Muk Blog, Louise Bagnall, Patrick Gannon, Zara Picken, grain edit

Add them to your bookmarks ASAP

Web karma, isn't it a wonderful thing folks! Give it time and every blog will get it's 5 minutes :)

IF"sour"

This weeks Illustration Friday was a good excuse for just playing around with shapes, colours and texture. No very deep interpretation or wordplay I'm afraid, just having fun and working up a few ideas as quickly as possible. The sallow chap with the puckered pus was my first thought and I'm satisfied with him as an interpretation for the topic. I don't know if a theme is establishing itself with these but if you take the 'baby' and the 'worry' from previous IF posts and mix them up a bit you pretty much get this 'sour'...hhmmmm... can a worried baby be sour sometimes...?