Rocket Man

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has a big smile but those eyes.... like little coals.... a quick caricature of the man.

More teapots

This teapot probably dates from around 1790 and is definitely pre-1820 as there are no hallmarks of any sort on the structure (hallmarks were introduced in 1820!). It was most probably manufactured at one of the famous Derby factories and these pots were highly successful due to the spacious accommodation, large tea capacity, along with excellent construction, insulation and durability.
You will notice the large window next to the spout which many people thought was introduced so that the occupants could look through while the tea was being dispensed but of course this is quite incorrect. The window was infact impossible to view through from within as this was the tea compartment! It was intended for viewing from the outside so that the viewer could determine the tea level within the pot - an early example of a level guage in these structures.

Sketchbook sharing..

I've been fairly busy recently with live events and studio work etc and so I thought I'd put up a few pages from a sketchbook. The first image is a quick sketch of the view from my bed - this is how I started the day or did I end the day by drawing it......erm....



The next image is just a page a general doodling:

Theatre Poster

This is a recent threatre poster I was asked to design for the Alan Ayckbourn play, Table Manners, a play from the Norman Conquest trilogy.

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Tudor Teapot

This is a very rare teapot - it's rarity is not due to the lack of numbers produced (in fact over 1,000 of these were produced over a three year period) but to it's longevity. They were manufactured in Derby by Hardwrights & Co who were at the peak of production in the 1850's and were considered groundbreaking in their designs. The Tudor Teapot was the first to introduce chimneys (the heat from which helped retain the temperature of the tea and those living within) and, of course, as the name suggests, they were constructed using timber and thus adding to the general insulation. Please note the distictive 'ball and claw' feet.

There was, however, a serious design fault where the timbers would untlimately suffer from wet rot and the handle would fall away from the main building. This would result in the structure crashing to the ground and thus crushing (and usually killing) the occupants. The manufacturers eventuallty ceased manufacturing the product - a very early case of Health & Safety amongst these factories.

Non-selling cartoons

As a cartoonist you never know whether a cartoon is going to sell or not. Sometimes you think that at least you'd be able to get it into a cartoon exhibition or something but the cartoon I drew a few years back never saw the light of day. So below is the little beggar for you to see.....

Now that I'm back

I've been away for a few days taking a well deserved break from work and spent a few days at a brilliant B&B down in Kent called The Linen Shed - take a look at this reveiw:
http://www.wealdentimes.co.uk/house/wt90_house_of_linen.asp
Anyway, since I've obviously not been doing much work I thought I'd share some previously drawn images with you. The first is a simple set of drawings from my sketchbook:


Not sure what I was trying to do but it just shows the doodling stuff I trun out these days.....
The image below is one I produced as a wedding present for a happy couple - I hope they liked it!