The Gigantic Beard That Was Evil - Update

 GOOOOOUUURH.

I am very busy!

I know what you're thinking. You're impressed. You're thinking, "That is so amazing. You're busy! Wow, man, I am so excited to read that. I've never met a busy person, let alone one who actually vocalises the fact that they think they are busy. You must be so terribly important and, you know, like, needed by the Universe and stuff. And yet you don't go on about it at all! Well done, Steve. Well done you. Come over here everyone! This guy says he's busy!".

A crowd will gather round, and I'll be like, no, I don't wanna talk about it, and they'll be like no go on, tell us how busy you are and I'll be like well alright just let go of my arms and head and I'll tell you.

OK. So here's what I've been up to. It goes like this:

Scritch Scritch Scritch. Scritch Scritch Scritch Scritch Scritch Scritch Scritch. Scritch Scritch Scritch. Scritch.

That is the sound of a pencil!

At one end of it is me. At the other end is my MASSIVE BOOK. Or at least a page that will subsequently feature in my Massive Book. I say massive, it actually takes about 45 minutes to read (and two years to make, it seems). It's drawn entirely in pencil, on A3 pages, with loads of dark pages and masses of hatching. Hence, it is taking a long time. Here's some early previews - more to follow in coming months:

 

I had an exciting meeting at Jonathan Cape the other day where we discussed paper stock and cover design and things and now it feels like this thing that I've been draw draw drawing for so long might actually be a tangible thing one day, and might be something I can be quite proud of. This is a nice feeling.

It is due to be published mid-2013 now, though I've got a delivery deadline of October 1st. More stuff to be posted here as I finish it.

What else have I been doing? Hum. Living in the country. Failing to DIY my house. Hanging out with my wife. Popping into London. Drinking lots of coffee. Obsessing over my comics. Looking after some chickens. Drawing stuff for Wired. Jogging round fields. Drawing covers for the Spectator. Updating my website. Going to weddings. Selling some prints. Worrying about my posture. You know - stuff.

Today's Guardian Cartoon

is thisaway...

Film Least Likely To Win The Academy Awards

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Shareable cartoon hither

I Have Opened Up A Little Shop!



I've made it easier for people to buy my prints and original artworks by setting up A Little Shop on my website. At the moment it's limited edition prints that are up there, but I shall be adding some original artworks soon as well.

If you can't see the cartoon you'd like in my Little Shop, just drop me an email as it may well be available and I just haven't put it up online yet.

Thanks to the inestimable Craig Gell for designing my Little Shop.

Time To Change Postcards

I recently had the pleasure of contributing to the Time To Change campaign, drawing cartoons to combat mental health stigma. Dare Media commissioned me to join the project and the whole thing was one of the most enjoyable commissions I've had in a while.

Dare had already scripted a few strips which needed illustrating (I think they've already appeared in papers - not sure though so I won't post em here yet), but they still needed some jokes for a series of postcards on the subject. Here's what I came up with:

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Temporary Ghost Of Christmas Future

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New Year's Eve Excuse-O-Matic 3000

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Guardian NYE cartoon 2011

Guardian Christmas Cartoon

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(Obviously these weren't the words that were published!)

Emily Charlton's DIY Christmas

This year's Prospect Christmas cartoon

Font Love

Guardian Cartoon

(I wrote and roughed this one before learning that a book had come out called 'Just My Type'. Oh well.)

A Christmas Cartoon Nicked Off Of My Brilliant Wife

Hannah thought of this one - always hard thinking of new Christmas Humour that's worth doing as it's such an over-ploughed field. So it's nice to have a brilliant and funny wife around who I can take credit off of. (She insisted not to be bylined, I should add).

See Hither