My new book

I have been very quiet here on my blog.  The main reason is I have been busy working on illustration a book for Ghostly Publishing (http://ghostlypublishing.co.uk/).  Written by Leyland Perree and a illustrated by me.

It is avaliable for pre-order on Amazon (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Reef-Race-Leyland-Perree/dp/0957243464/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1340455600&sr=8-1)

Although this is not my first book I have illustrated it is the first one for a publisher.  I am finding it hard going as I am used to drawing for myself, but I know this is the nature of the beast and I think I am begining to get the hang of it.

My drawing style is quite laboured as I use 5 different pens and sort of draw the same image 5 times but it is my style now and I can't draw as fast as I used to.  Also my colouring (digitally) has become a bit more laboured as I now use shading.  Although my drawing style has become more labour intensive I think it has brought my style to a new level.  Something to be proud of.

Just to show you what I mean, this was drawn for a devinat art group challenge.  To draw in this case Sponge Bob Square pants in the artists own style.  I really enjoyed doing this and I am pleased with the outcome.

Now I am turning my hobby into a job I must not loose my love of drawing.  So I will be trying to work on the Great Reef Race and drawing for myself on occasions too.

Starting to get busy now.

Just to keep evertbody informed on what I have been upto (sorry I have not been doing blogs as often as I have been hoping).  I have had a commission to draw some sample cartoons which will possibly go into a national magazine so fingers are crossed there.

I have been asked to contribute drawings which can been seen on http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3231559199617&l=c834ae0e49 - this is a project to recreate 'Alice in Wonderland' but without any words.  This project is done in many different styles and it is cool that my art is in it.

I have managed to sell my first ACEO on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160757888920?ssPageName=STRK:MESOX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1559.l2649.  ACEO's are very small peices of art.  This has given me a confidence to create some more and possibly sell some prints on ebay too.

I have also just been contacted by an author to collaborate with him on a book.  This should prove interesting.

I am also working on producing my 'Bizimals' into a calander and some of my puns and funny drawing into greeting cards which I am hoping again to sell.

Onto the gallery, I have done lots including colouring some of my older work....

I have created a new cartoon character named 'Met-Al' originally he was intended to replace Magnus the Battle Hamster on Winning is For Losers page on Deviant Art http://winningisforlosers.deviantart.com/ but I enjoyed the character so much I have turned him into a strip cartoon which I am hoping to produce once a week (I am behind already).

I have been continuing my 'Bizimal series'

And many other cartoons images....

I have a few fore images but I will save them for the next blog

What now?

I have finally taken the plunge and applied to several illustration agents.  It has been a long time coming.  Now that I have settled on a style, created lots of new images and updated my website http://www.stuartmcghee.com/ I had no excuse.  I feared rejection but as everybody tells me, including my lovely girlfriend, you need to apply to get rejected.  So now we will wait and see.

This has also given me the confidence to finally get some promotional postcards made, which I will do the next payday which I belive is the 28th.  Now I have written it in my blog I can not make any more excuses as to why I am not sending my stuff out there.

The strange thing is my mood has risen right after sending the e-mails, maybe I should learn something from this

I have also been drawing...drawing a lot here is some of the work...

These are both reworks of previous drawings

I have also completed my first Magnus the Battle Hamster cartoon and coloured it too

And I have coloured in the Jaws cartoon too

You may also noticed I have got rid of my water-mark as i felt it took away from the image.  I have replaced it with a stylised copyright in the bottom.  If I find people have been taking my images and using them I could sue them as I have records of when I created them all over the internet.  I also looked at other illustrators and they are doing something similar.

Two blogs in one week

Wow, two blogs in one week good to see that I still have the drawing bug.

I have been working on possible portfolio draws.  Some of which are new (based on nursery rhymes)

Little Jack Horner (top) and Little Bo Peerp (bottom)

I have also reworked some of my old images into the new style

The bottom two (Owraffe and Snabbit) are a series I called Bizimals in which I merge two creatures into one.

I have also managed to colour two other images from the last blog

I have also managed to write in my Deviant Art Journal too http://wolfgangmustdie.deviantart.com/journal/Got-the-Bug-Back-284260947

Been Busy

I have got really busy colouring previous pictures...

 As you can see I am becoming more confident with my graphics tablet.

I have also been competing and contributing to 'Winning is for Losers' on Deviant Art (http://winningisforlosers.deviantart.com/).  Unfortunatly my character Magnus the Battle Hamster (the round Hamster pictured above) went out in the first round but I have continued to contribute art for them, here is round 1 (Hunter vs Mr Moustache)

Here is round 2 (Stan vs. Dajil)

This is round 3 (Yuki vs. Robby the Robot)

This is fun and a good exercise as to draw other peoples charcters into your style can be a challenge.

I have also created a valentines day card (in my own special way).

I have also entered another Deviant Art competition this one is to design a cute monster t-shirt.

I am very pleased with the outcome and I have had around 200 views in the first day.  Nice exposure.

I have also done several pictures to which I am to colour in...

As you can see I have a lot of work ahead of me :-)