Yuri's night stand-in

Next Tuesday is the 50th Anniversary of Yuri Gagarin's history first flight into space. There will be events across the world to celebrate this, more details on the Yuri's night website. Here in the highlands we are celebrating in Nairn, with the Highland-Russian connections charity hosting an event, starting at 12noon to let off some special rockets and in the evening having a talk & film... details here.

I'll be helping out on the day and for the event we created this stand-in that I painted, You might not be able to get into space... but you can at least pretend!

meanwhile, the courses I've been teaching with the West Highland College are in their final stages, I've got a whole host more comic pages to draw. Planning for the 'Slaughtermans Creed' book launch are well underway, with signings across the country & our team presence at Bristol Comic Expo in May, I'll also be joining a panel on the Sunday of the event to talk about the project. Also on Saturday at Bristol I'll be joining a discussion panel about Women political comics/cartoons. I haven't done a great deal of political art work ( yet! ) but do so politics and do comics so I guess that counts- plus there are subtle undertones in my work...but that is another story.

and news of the portrait award painting ? well there were 2300 entries and 55 selected, mine was Not one of them which is really disappointing, but in light of those numbers I'm not too crushed, I can see plenty problems myself with the painting... must do better next time ! onwards and upwards.

More 'Impressions'

Kirkton Wood

Winter Wind on Lochcarron

Russian Forest

Heres three painting I did on My painting Course today. We are still working on Opaque, impressionistic use of acrylics. good fun to just play , loosen up & paint again as it seems a while since I've had a chance. These are around A3. The class was cancelled last week with the snow, the small church hall we use has also not had any water for three weeks, so its hard keeping brushes and palettes clean with just a bucket full of water!
( all for sale, if you are local, I'll deliver in time for Christmas ! )

quick round up

Latest pictures- drawings on the move & wee tiny paintings when I get a minute.

Started teaching the SVQ course 'painting media and techniques' last week, loads of research and prep work required But I'm confident in these students, there will be some great work by the end of the ten weeks.

Doing a talk in Nairn tonight about my Russian trip, rather nervous & have spent days trying to sort a slide show out! Its been in some of the advertising papers I believe. like here.

Also an Interview with me up today on the Sci-Fi Now Blog. Rant-tastic !

And have booked transport for Leeds Thought Bubble Festival of sequential art, where I'll be doing a workshop on 'Eco Mini-comics' on the Sunday- and catching up with the great & the good the rest of the weekend!

a few more pages to go with 'Slaughtermans Creed' colouring and another colouring job about to start.

Also a couple of exhibitions in November... GO GO GO !

'Assimilating'

'Assimilating'. 50 x 38cm acrylic, ink & watercolour on paper.

Finished at last. This was drawn in the days immediately after Russia when I got the being home blues. some themes that have been around for years, just buried of late. Its all coming out now, more paintings on the go.

Snow Crows.

you follow my 'pic of the day' photo blog, you may recognise these Crows which were sheltering from the blowy snow in the trees in our garden last week. mixed media on paper.29cm x 21cm