Wednesday 22 February 2017

Hourly Comic Day 2017 - Eighteen Hours Worth Of Comics!

Back at the start of February, I made a last minute decision to take part in Hourly Comic Day! You can see from the comics that I tussled with the idea of not doing it, but I'm really glad I went for it in the end - as, to be honest, sometimes you just need that kick to forget everything and just create.


Hourly Comic Day takes place each year on February 1st, and illustrators and comic artists worldwide create a comic for each hour of their day - yep, the reality is just as fun and exhausting as that sounds.

I documented my thoughts and activities throughout the day, culminating in 18 hours worth of comics! Click through the comic gallery above to see the full series. The hand cramp was real, but it was great to put aside a lot of the particulars and perfectionism that sometimes constrains my work, and just focus on constantly creating new comics.



I think my favourite panel has to be the RuPaul's Drag Race one, closely followed by the drawing of Andrew's Grandad (because it's hilariously accurate). Along with projects like my 'What Emmeline Wore In July/October' series, I love working on things which act as a bit of a visual diary, just, personally for me they're really nice for me to look back on and be reminded of that point in time.



I definitely tried to keep the comic relatable, I think we've all had points where we've struggled to think that we'll be able or good enough to do something - so I think it's important to document overcoming obstacles like that.


Although it was incredibly tough going, I absolutely loved taking part in Hourly Comic Day, so keep an eye out for my adventures next February 1st (and hopefully this series in print format soon!).

p.s. I recommend checking out other fantastic Hourly Comic Day series by James ChapmanKristyna Baczynskior by following #HourlyComicDay!

Thursday 2 February 2017

An Engagement Card Coincidence This Valentine's Day!



With Valentine's Day on the horizon, I thought I'd share a little story and a big coincidence!

So, you may have seen my 'A Bicycle Built For Two' card flitting around, in my range as well as part of Ohh Deer's card series, which can be found stocked in the likes of The Tate, The V&A, and Urban Outfitters! 


Last year, I heard the beautiful news that my friend Rory had just announced his engagement to a lovely lady: Leyla! I haven't met Leyla yet unfortunately, as they both live in Australia! But to my surprise, a few months later, I got a message on Twitter from Leyla with a bit of a coincidence..




It's not often that I get messages that tug the heartstrings quite like that! It's such a lovely coincidence, and it's really touching to see my work brightening smiles out in the wild (even if I do accidentally know them!). 


Cycling was an important feature of their wedding, with Leyla arriving at the wedding via bicycle to symbolise the bike rides they both do each morning - so it's no wonder the bicycle card caught her sister's eye! 


I thought with Valentine's Day coming up, it would be the perfect time to share this lovely little story with you! The 'Bicycle Built For Two' cards are available on both Ohh Deer, as well as a matte version in my Etsy store. Shop my other Valentine's Day cards.

A huge thankyou to Leyla for sharing the story with me!