Come, Come to the Animal Club

It's been so long since I've drawn anything or blogged at all due to going from working part time to working full time (well probably more than full time) hours at work. It's a shame because I have missed drawing but it's one of those situations when you've been working all day (or all week) you just want to go home, sit down and do nothing.

As you can probably gather, my artwork has taken a bit of a hit due to the extra hours but I suppose it does have some positives, I'm finally saving up a little money and as a result have been able to afford to take up driving lessons again (which I am enjoying a great deal more than when I was having them about 6 years ago). I'm also finding the time to read some more books, although I can hardly say I didn't have time to read before I just never read as much.

So, anyhow, Jen has inspired me to get back into my drawings more despite my working hours and although the drawings are fairly simple at the moment I've really enjoyed to be putting some bits and bobs into a sketchbook again.

Armadillo

Cat

Eagle

Gibbon

Vroom vroom*

JAB

*(The sound of too much clutch and gas).

Self-Portrait

I'd been wanting to do a new self portrait since re-growing my beard for the first time in an age. Here it is.

JAB

A day out at the Ferry

Drawing plans have hit a little bit of a snag due to the amount of overtime on offer at work at the moment - and I need the money so I'd be a fool to say no to any of it.

I did manage to get a good start on my project idea when I was off two weeks ago and visited my Dad for the week, I got the chance to record him and my Uncle Derek reminiscing about their Dad over a few pints at our favourite local and then spoke to my nan about my Grandad too. Sadly after returning home and working so many hours motivation levels concerning drawing and such have been at an all time low. Finally have a day off today and after a grand day enjoying the sun in Broughty Ferry with Jen I decided to finally get some of the drawings from two weeks ago online.

The ideas are there but the time doesn't seem to be just now.

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Me and Mum

Grandad

Dad, Uncle Frank and Robbie impersonating Deputy Dawg (with socks)

'Year 5' - Comic based on a book of memories my sister made whilst at primary school.

More to come soon...

JAB

J&J, Phil and I.

It's been an exciting few weeks. At the end of February Mum and I headed down to London on the Sleeper train for me to receive my Duke of Edinburgh award. Having never been on the Sleeper before I must admit it was quite an odd experience, constantly feeling I was going to fall out of bed I never really got the best sleep and then spent the whole of the next day in London with that vertigo-like sensation of feeling like I'd spent a few hours on a boat. The trouble sleeping was rectified on the return journey by consuming a few pints before boarding the train, meaning I more or less slept straight through to Dundee. Most people seem surprised when I tell them I'm only just getting my Duke of Edinburgh award now, it's mainly been down to laziness if I'm honest but it's nice to know that it wasn't just me who was lazy as two others from my school were receiving theirs at the same ceremony. I must admit, I'm not the biggest fan of the royals but it was pretty exciting to get a glimpse inside of St. James' Palace and to see Prince Phillip.

Beans

So here's my latest comic, based on a true story. I'm coming up with ideas for comics at a pretty fast rate but still want to get ahold of family photos and some interviews with the concerned to deepen the story-lines and this seems to have hit a bit a snag because of the fact that I've not seen enough of them lately to sit down and chat about these things. So hopefully it'll come to fruition when I get my week break from work in a couple of weeks and will probably head down to the Wirral for a week or so.

Last week was Jen's birthday and we spent the evening at Kokomo's. Jen was part of organizing Jumpers & Jamboree there along with Lauren and Nikki. It was a mighty enjoyable evening with much Art, Craft, Drinks, Music and Raffle prizes. Thanks guys, it surely was a great night and looking forward to your next event whenever and wherever that may be.

J&J poster

It was an extremely busy evening which made me feel a little daft for not having anything to sell, still I had a great time and I'll know to get some stuff together to sell for the next event. The photos here are taken from the Jumpers & Jamboree Flickr group which I have linked to in the previous paragraph, have a gander if you will for some more.

Busy, busy, busy

Andrew Bird (with Tree)

So it's sunday and I don't have much planned for today besides recovering from my week, this blog and maybe sorting a few bits and pieces out that need to be done. Most of all I shall be making the most of my day off and watching the football later on today. Here's hoping you all have equally exciting Sundays.

JAB

Down-Up-Down-Up-Down-Up-Down-Up.

I like suits, why can't I wear suits more often?

After what I must admit has been a crazy few weeks for numerous reasons that I won't go into here it's nice to be able to see an inspirational side to things at the end of all the madness. I've come up with a few ideas and have spent two days just sat at my desk drawing things which feels like some kind of major breakthrough. I suppose it's not really, but it's nice to feel that way.

Another drawing from Mum's Wedding photos

Resolution: Some kind of epiphany? Speaks for itself really.

I do like drawing days. Ultimate relaxation doing something you enjoy.

The comics are hopefully the start of a project that I suppose has been sort of floating around my head for a while but I've been too afraid to do comics again that I just kind of ignored it. That and the fact I've not been productive, but you know that already. There's more of them on the way over the coming weeks and months and I'll probably post some of them to my website too. Keep you all posted.

JAB

Fare thee well, January

Good day all,

Well its been all quiet on the Western Front for the past couple of weeks via blog. I've been keeping busy by sketchbooking a little, going on trips through to Edinburgh, visiting the Cinema followed by a few things that needed doing around the flat, oh and a few days in work too. The few sketchbook pages are hardly exciting so I'm not going to bother scanning them in until there's a few more to make for a substantial blog.

Finally managed to frame and put up the posters from Christmas.

Andrew Bird.

Until next time, when I'll hopefully feel the urge to write something more.

JAB

Soup and Such.

I very rarely write down the recipes for my soups. I did last week for the first time (Generally, I'll make a soup a week) but then I just ended up throwing out the recipe yesterday as I think I prefer the unknown and adventurous when it comes to soup creation. This week I decided to draw the ingredients as it seemed far more exciting than writing down a recipe, that and I really enjoyed drawing the pears last week so I fancied some more fruit and veg related observational drawing.

8 of your 5: This weeks ingredients minus the Oil, Stock and Spinach.

Yesterday was a fairly productive day food wise: shopping at our local grocer's in the morning for fresh fruit and veg, in the afternoon I made soup and pasta to see us through the next few days for lunch.

'I Never Liked You'

Today has been a little more quiet though if I'm totally honest - my first proper lie in an age saw me staying in bed until just after 11:00am (which is very unlike me), listening to more This American Life, drinking different kinds of tea, drawing and then reading 'I Never Liked You' by Chester Brown, a short but rather enjoyable read that I'd recommend to anyone into comics and such.

It'll kill me when I get a real job.

Yours Soupingly,

JAB