Macmillan Prize 2011

I'm beside myself with excitement to be able to announce that I've come 2nd in this year's Macmillan Prize (that's nearly 1st you know). I feel incredibly shocked and lucky especially as I know for a fact that a good few people who are so talented it makes me physically sick also entered this year.

The exhibition runs from the 24th to the 27th of May at Foyles Gallery, 113-119 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2H 0EB.

And here's a few weasels that are almost as shocked as I am:

Pet Shop spreads

For your viewing pleasure here's a few of the finished colour spreads from this pet shop malarkey.

Pet Shop in glorious technicolor

To prove I've actually been working here's a few colour tests for some odd animals. It's early days.

 Lennon and Kennedy

Larry

The Rats

Harriette

Terry and Budget Norman

Mr. Lister

Back on the wagon.

It's time to pull myself together and start on a new project so in a desperate attempt to gain some inspiration I went to Shepreth Wildlife Park with my trusty Christina, who has the body temperature of a lizard, where we got frostbite drawing pigs and a tiny monkey tried to steal my pencils.

It was so ridiculously cold I didn't really do very much that's blog worthy but in the spirit of keeping this digital log of my tales of woe updated here's a few of the more acceptable drawings featuring a bunny, an iguana and some screechy parrots.

 And here's the tiny pencil stealing monkey:

FIN.

Yesterday was the the final day of the Children's Book Illustration MA show 2011 which marks the end of my masters and essentially the end of a era. I've had a really rather marvelous year and a bit working with some people who are so horribly talented it makes me physically sick. As I now commence life with nothing left to tempt me away from my desk, out of my pyjamas and into the outside world I can safely say I will miss it terribly.

Anyway, here's a few pictures of my display from the show and the stuffed weasels I had to learn to sew to make. Never before have I had to fashion a cuddly drill and I doubt I ever will again.

The whole class

Morris the Monster

Here's some spreads from the second book I've done for my master project. It's about a monster called Morris who is small, fluffy and pink and as a result is not scary in the slightest. Unfortunately for Morris at school today it's time for 'Show and Scare' where all the monsters in his class will have to demonstrate how scary they are. The other monsters decided to try and help Morris with his conundrum and so they spend the day trying to find out what, if anything, can Morris do that's scary. 

This is Morris, isn't he sweet: