Black Friday Discounts

Hey everyone, just a mighty quick blog post to say that you can get a grand 15% discount on all shop items from now until Monday at my Etsy shop (visit my shop HERE), simply enter the code JABLACKFRI when buying to get the discount! Get those orders in before christmas!

JAB

Hellow Glasgow

Haven't had much time for drawing and such, let alone blogging since making the switch to Glasgow. Starting to settle in now and with a week off on the horizon, I should get some sketching time fitted in and hopefully maybe even a final print for the 'Humble Abodes' collection I've been working on.

Messing around with an ink and water pen that I purchased a few years back and have never actually used.

Queen's Park Chap.

Being less active art-wise, although I don't necessarily see that as a good thing, has given me a chance to enjoy some sports. Starting to get into the NHL this season (in particular the Maple Leafs), thanks to a little guidance from Ian Turner. Also went to see Queen's Park FC (our local football team on Saturday), rather looking forward to following a local team as I can't really watch Everton at the moment, except for televised matches of course. More to come in the next week or so when I'm off.

JAB

The Back of Beyond (New Print)

Finally got around to the second image for the 'Humble Abodes' idea, hopefully the third and final print is not too far away from fruition either, but we'll see. Anybody interested in this piece will be happy to know that it's now on sale in my Etsy shop, here. I have also been meaning to add some sort of a 'News' section to the front page of my website but I've been struggling to come up with a style that suits, as a result it's only changed ever so slightly, visit johnalanbirch.com.

There Would Be ONLY Chaos. (new Etsy additons)

A couple more new prints added to my Etsy shop today. Two digital giclée prints of recent works. 'Chaos Theory' - based on a quote by American author and Olympic athlete Don Kardong. Also a boat themed 'Weathervane'. Both prints were originally mixed media - indian ink, watercolour and pencil.

Happy to have made a few sales this past week. Don't forget though, there's still a few free bonus A6 prints available for those interested in buying some work so head over and see what's available - Etsy.

Chaos Theory

Weathervane

JAB

In Wild Waters (New Print)

Currently working on an idea for a set of three A4 prints, humble abodes and their surroundings. Here's the first, a small fishing boat In Wild Waters, more prints to come soon. For those who are interested, this print is currently available in my Etsy shop, here.

JAB

Etsy Shop - Now Open!

My Etsy shop is now open for business, sadly I've only been able to list three items so far as I have to go and work today so more will be added later in the day. Visit my shop here and have a look at the Screenprints available just now and remember, the first 15 orders will receive a little bonus print!

More to follow

JAB

Shop Giveaway Winners

Limited edition prints

The giveaway to celebrate the opening of my illustration shop finished this evening and winners Bryony Crane (website) and Bark Pamphlet (website) can expect a set of 5 limited edition A6 prints and a badge (shown above) in the post over the next few days. They will be the only people to own the full set of these prints; however, fear not those of you that didn't manage to win the giveaway as my Etsy shop (all going smoothly) will be open for business on Sunday evening and the first 15 orders will receive one of the above prints and a badge as a little bonus with their chosen print.

I am currently waiting on a couple more digital prints too including 'Chaos Theory' and 'Weathervane', so hopefully they'll arrive in time for the opening.

More to come.

JAB

John Alan Birch - Illustration Shop. Grand Opening Giveaway!

Hey folks,

if you've found your way to this page you've obviously heard about me opening an online shop for my work, it will be opening on the 31st of July. In celebration of such a momentous occasion I'm giving two people the chance to win a set of five limited edition prints, all you need to do is get in touch! Anyone interested in the giveaway should simply send me an e-mail at johnalanbirch [at] hotmail.com, message via twitter or comment on this blog post stating that you wish to be entered. Entrants should contact me by Wednesday the 27th of July.

After the giveaway the first fifteen orders in the shop will also receive one of the aforementioned prints as a little bonus.

A sneak preview of what's up for grabs.

My website has finally been updated and I feel it's a bit more user friendly and shows some of my better work. Judge for yourself http://www.johnalanbirch.com/.

More to come in the following weeks.

JAB

I've been enjoying scouring museums of late looking for inspiration and I've found a fair bit. I feel I'm on the cusp of a few nice ideas that I want to take further and maybe screen print or just turn into detailed Indian ink drawings.

The pictures in this blog are a selection of some of the sketches from the past few weeks. Visits include Edinburgh City Art Centre, Edinburgh National Museum (for the third time this year), the World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery (the latter two are in Liverpool). Also with trips to finally see the McManus (Dundee) properly planned and a jaunt to London for a concert there's surely to be a few more sketchbook pages scrawled upon before the end of June. I've finally set myself the goal of sorting out and opening my online shop for the end of July at the latest.

Fierce Head o' Hair

Short Arse

Pagan carving on an early christian relic (I added the text though)

Hellhound

'Drink driving 'carving, early attempt at Humour

Collection of drawings from Pictish stones

Greek Lion

Greek Cockerel

Ba, the Egyptian representation of personality and Nut, Goddess of the sky

Elu Mask, Nigerian

More sketches (and hopefully more prints) to come soon.

JAB

A Sketchy Couple of Days

A few sketches I've been playing around with, trying to come up with some screenprinting ideas. Again, still putting off doing more important stuff.

Stumbled across Brook Pridemore recently, give him a listen here.

Cup of tea

More researchy drawings concerning Gods (Odin)

JAB

Gods of Ancient Rome and The Childhood Museum

Goteborg Polis Station

Not so much screen printing in the past few weeks due to lack of decent ideas, kind of wanting to do some larger pieces than the A5 ones I have been, but feel my priorities at the moment should be a website update, opening up an online shop and possibly some small simple prints for giveaways and such. Procrastination is king. I did manage the above print a couple of weeks back, based on a small Swedish Police Station we saw in a Gothenburg park last October. Simple, but I like it.

Jen and I went to the museum of childhood in Edinburgh last week which was rather fun, personal favourites had to be the first room of the tour and the stick doll from the dolls room. Some favourites are shown below. The cars in particular made me wish I was about 6 again (and from an earlier time period than the 80's). Hopefully some more museum visits to come over the next few months.

Junior smoking kit. Go on kids...smoke...

...seriously, even Mickey says it's cool

Rather awesome toy car

Doll made from branch and rag

Due to visits to museums in recent months I've been wanting to do some stuff to do with Roman/Viking/Pictish Gods, haven't had a great chance to do a huge amount of sketching around the subject but here's a starting point. Anyone with any ideas of good places to see collections of Roman/Viking/Pictish artefacts and such, aside from the National Museum in Edinburgh, any help is massively appreciated.

Janus

Gods of Ancient Rome comic (Click to enlarge)

The weather in Dundee has been pretty wild today I think perhaps I made the Gods angry (rapture anyone?). Also, today I purchased L.A. Noire and some red wine, I know what I'll be doing this evening.

JAB

About to Fall.

Nice few weeks, relatively quiet to be honest. Couple of prints done, mostly just enjoying the weather and putting off updating my webiste and opening an Etsy shop to start selling my work.

About to Fall (also on white and green paper)

Fat Cat (development from a Zine idea Jen and I had a while back).

JAB

Chaos Theory.

So there's been a few bits and pieces going on of late. I've been much more productive with drawing and printing which feels swell, but as a result I've been less active on my blog (surprise, surprise). I got myself a new phone last week so I'm finally with the times in that I own a 'smart' phone, meaning that I should be able to be a bit more active on my Twitter and Blog (once I get used to using it, that is).

I have some work for sale at long last, via Two Dolls, who recently opened up their shop in Dundee (proud to say I'm the first gentleman in their collection) so drop in and visit them if you find yourself around the Meadowside area of town. I'm starting to get a few bits and pieces of work together that I feel I can probably sell and so should hopefully open up my Etsy shop over the next few months. Watch this space.

Let's Build a Home

Chaos Theory

Self Portrait

Weathervane

London - A Weekend in 6 Soups

Prescription Sunglasses

As you can probably tell from the drawings I've rediscovered Indian ink and my fountain pen again. I really enjoy drawing with it and love the fact that I don't seem to give a sh*t about making a mess with ink spatters and smudges as I would if I were drawing with a pencil, fineline or brush pen. Marvellous.

In other news, we recently went to London (as mentioned in my previous post) and I was going to write a little more about it but I got a bit sidetracked and can't really remember what I was going to write so - The 'Chaos Theory' picture is based on a super Ice Cream van we saw by the British Museum and ' London - A Weekend in 6 Soups' came about because for some reason I became addicted to eating mostly soup whilst we were away. Damned good soup, mind.

This week I have mostly been drawing with Indian ink.

JAB