Crumbs: Dog Division Lineup (Better!)

Final Show Visit

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Mondays, ew.

Although my Monday has been pretty spiffy so far. Ruari and I headed out for business lunch and then we went home for business coffee and now we're writing up business things. BUSINESS.

Later on, we're planning on seeing the Newcastle College Animation Final Show to see how the second and final years have been doing. It'll also be good to possibly catch up with former classmates and teachers. Feel free to say hi if you'll be there! Especially if you're a studio doing some networking. You should especially say hi.

Pft yeah, I probably won't get too far on that one. I don't have any work hanging up this year. That and it would be crappy to the students showing their work. I like to think I'm not THAT crappy. Either way, I'm really excited to see what work is being shown this year. I might write up about the show on Wednesday while sharing my own work.

'Til then, here are some Crumbs concepts.

Crumbs: The Dog Division

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I mentioned in the last entry that I had updated the group picture of the main characters of the Dog Division stories. I absolutely despised the last picture and wanted to work on it for a long time. After finally tweaking Snaps' design, I went into making the lineup that much less of an eyesore.

I'm very happy with the result.

"Oh hey Rocky, look what I just stepped in!"
"It's not really your fault, Snaps. She's such a shortarse, no one possibly could have seen her. *snerk*"
"*sniffsniff* I dunno, she smells a little...
"You're both ungrateful shits and I hate you."

I really like how it sums up their group dynamic. They both really do have a high respect for Tita (the pug) as she was the one to see potential in them and help them achieve their goals, with Snaps becoming a therapy dog and Rocky a guide dog for the blind. However, they're all smarmy buggers who constantly take the piss out of each other and Tita seems to be the brunt of the jokes in this instance.

I had the 'Lightpaws' logo sprayed on the wall behind them because in the story, it's also used to suggest the dogs assisting the pigeons. I deliberately made the logo vague enough for this to be possible.

Underneath is a texture test of the characters together, to see if it worked with the rest of the dogs as it did with Snaps. Personally I think it does.

"Am I really that wrinkly?"
"Yes. And short."
"And smelly."
"Bite me."

Much better interaction and just more awesome designs for the characters in general. I'm still experimenting with Rocky's colours as he's a bit tougher to shade than the other two. Which is funny, considering that I have my own chocolate labrador Frodo who I've been using as a reference. Either way, brown is tough to shade and show light without it looking dirty. If that makes sense.

Ah well, more tweaking to go!

I've got more Crumbs concepts to share on Wednesday but I'm not sure what those will be. Probably pigeons. And obviously a summary of Final Show. Guess we'll see in a couple of days.

Ciao~

Hashtag Swag Stag

Schedule Update

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I'm thinking from now on, I'll share something on my blog on a Monday/Wednesday/Friday basis. Kind of like the upload schedule I have planned for Crumbs. I seem to really like working to such a schedule. At least I'm finally getting around to sharing stuff.

Once I have a bigger Crumbs buffer, I'll put that on the Mon/Wed/Fri upload and share blog updates on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Hopefully that'll be happening within the next few months.

Until then, lets get cracking with what we got here.

Swag Stag

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I'm something of a private person when it comes to talking about myself and relationships and the like. However, I'm approaching the second month anniversary of seeing this lovely fellow (It's pronounced 'Rory' to those who have been wondering/asking; it's the Irish spelling) and one way I like to show affection, other than sweetly insulting them, is drawing them pretty pictures for no raisin.

Ruari has a particular fondness for stags (kind of like my pug love: he's got them on pictures, shirts, socks and everything, jeeze what a dork) and aviator sunglasses so naturally I decided to run with these interests and create a little something for him to appreciate.

I think I got a bit carried away.

I want this for a poster. Or a shirt design. Or a beer label. Or a decal for a van.
I want this for an EVERYTHING.

Now, I'm normally not one to be all like 'Daaaamn hombre look at this thing I drewed" but DAAAAMN HOMBRES LOOK AT THIS THING I DREWED

It's probably got a number of faults with it which I'll eventually see after a few months but for the time being, I'm actually really happy with it. Considering it's an animal I haven't really drawn before, it's came out pretty nifty. I have no idea why I decided to go with all the dark and fire and stuff. It was just going that way. And it really makes the stag and glasses stand out, what with them being really super important and all.

So yeah, a little something different than usual that I've wanted to share for the past week now. Also with Ruari's beer magazine work being published and going for sale, I figured now would be as good a time to share as any. If you're into beers beyond the stuff they have in the taps at the pub, you should check out Craft Beer: 100 Best Breweries cos it's got some interesting dranks in there. I've even been slowly expanding my beer palette recently, which I suppose is what happens when you start dating a professional pisshead beer reviewer.

He should totally review that coconut beer next. I forget what it's called but it's hella rad.

... *ahem* YES so, I drew a swag and Ruari got published. Media Power Couple.

Sharing cheesy couple photo cos it's my blog and I do what I want.
Even if I do look like a gurning horse.

Next week, it'll be back to Crumbs concepts. I have a group shot of the Dog Division that I'm very keen to share.

Until then, enjoy the weekend!

Crumbs: Snaps Character Design Revamp

I had a feeling I wouldn't have time to work on a blog entry yesterday, hence why I hedged and said 'or later in the week'. I promise I'm not slipping back into unproductivity the shadows. Too many cobwebs there.

So! I'm only showing little titbits of work so that I actually have something to show on a regular basis. A sort of blog buffer, if you will. If only I could work on the comic in a similar fashion.

Page 15 IS being worked on though! Perhaps I will show a WIP of the page sometime soon...?

For now however, I'm sharing a little character redesign and shading experiment. Snaps, my Irish Setter/Golden Retriever mix has gone through a few tweaks and prods. She is now a therapy dog reformed from being a bit of a terror in her younger days. As well as that, I've redesigned her appearance cos... well, her last one was a bit pants.

I was never happy with that picture and only really shared it so that I could say "Hey look, I am working on stuff! I promise!" (Only to disappear for two months. Time management was always a bugger for me.) but I hated pretty much everything about the character designs. They just weren't... THEM. I have done a new picture of the group of dogs which I will show another time.

The one most in need of an improved look (in my opinion anyway) was Snaps. And here she is now.

Ahh, much better. In my opinion.

And now the bandana actually has a purpose, where it portrays the 'Wingview Softpaws' logo, the group of therapy and help dogs that Snaps is associated with. Below, I've done a small collection of the logos I considered, as well as a comparison of the texture/non textured look for the canine characters. I've decided to keep it that way as it really makes the character designs pop that bit more.
You'll need to click on the image to really see the textures, most likely. Its subtle from a distance but I swear it's there.

Using the same picture cos TIME MANAGEMENT shut up

A lot of what I have to show right now is concept based but I'm trying to get into the habit of sharing WIPs as I enjoy seeing them from other artists. I just feel that my sketches look crap before they're finished (and sometimes after, HEY-YOOO) but thats one of my many insecurities with my work I need to overcome.

I'm thinking I'll have time to write up an entry tomorrow and if so, I'll possibly be sharing something not pigeon OR dog based! Leaping out of the comfort zone on that one. Ahh, experimenting.

Stay hip and happenin', peeps!

Sorries, Berties And Sciences

First things first: I'M SO SORRY

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Do forgive me while I nonchalantly bat the cobwebs away. Yikes.

So yeah, I didn't mean to disappear for two months there, jeeeeze. That was a big fail on my part. Things got a bit hectic in my work area so I've been moving things around and donating/throwing things out for weeks and I kind of underestimated how much of a monumental task that would be. The house isn't even THAT BIG, but it's like when you eat a big plateful of something and you're getting more and more full but there isn't even a slight dent in the food.

Except it's a house.

Anyway yeah, I'm so sorry about that. After weeks of getting bugger all done, I finally set up a small work area in the living room and it's actually proving to be much more productive than I thought it would be. The past week, I've gotten quite a large number of concepts done for Crumbs. I'm thinking I'll start sharing them from tomorrow or at the very latest, sometime this week. So I'll finally have work to share on here! About diddly-darn time, right?

OK, lets get onto some topics!

Bertie Blue Update

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To everyone who has bought a copy (or more!) of Bravest Pigeon, thank you so much! I absolutely appreciate it and with your interest and support, we can continue to create more stories and sell more books!

Hopefully we'll have printed copies of 'Bertie Blue in Paris' out very soon for you lovely folk to enjoy! In the meantime, now that I got my work setup all ready, I'll start focusing largely on the next Bertie Blue story, 'Bertie Blue and the White Rum Sauce'! 

Here's a quick little WIP. Not much to show at the moment but a little teaser for one of my favourite illustrations in the book hopefully. Assuming the author likes it, anywho!

Looking up at the stars, wishing the scarf he was wearing didn't look so much
like a neck brace.

I Contribute To Science!

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Sort of. Either way, kind of stepped out of my comfort zone on this one.

My friend Ellen Murphy (got it memorised? She'll be famous someday, probably!) will be graduating from university soon and for her dissertation, she was writing about... parasites, I think? I'm not a sciencetist. Anyway, she was looking for a diagram outlining a particular sequence of juvenile flukes invading the liver of animals and what happens to them but she wasn't able to find anything describing what she wanted. 

Lucky for her, she had a super willing artist pal able to help! Unfortunately for her, her super willing artist pal knows hee-haw about science and basically needed her hand held throughout the entirety of the diagram's development. But we finally got there and here is the finished result!

If any smart types are reading, hopefully you know what's going on in this sequence cos I still don't have a clue. And I drew the darn thing.

No, seriously, what is going on.

This was actually the first time I'd worked on a science diagram since GCSE BTEC Science and I gotta say, it was pretty fun! I wasn't the smartest in that lesson but I always enjoyed making diagrams and so on. I wonder if I should add 'diagram illustrator' to my list of arty-farty skills...

And Finally...

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So! There's a summary of what's been going on so far. However, there won't be a two month long silence this time! Tomorrow, or later this week, I'll start sharing the latest Crumbs concepts I've been developing for the past fortnight. I'm feeling really good about finally getting various characters and concepts down on (virtual) paper. I've been pretty productive for a gal who still hasn't changed out of her pyjamas. Ah, the joys of self employment.

Stay tuned for more pigeon and/or dog concepts this week, aw yis.

Bertie Blue books ON SALE NOW!

I assure you, this is NOT an April Fools day joke. I'm too busy for them shenanigans nowadays. Also, I'm boring.

Pigeon mask not included.

Bertie Blue: Bravest Pigeon is now available to buy! And you can also pre-order Bertie Blue in Paris!

We're also going to have links to the books in the new 'Shop' tab right up there so you can keep on buying them! Currently fifteen copies of book one have been sold but there's still thirty five to go! And if those run out, we'll certainly order more!

One quick thing, however! This is important if you want to order the books for schools.

We know there are a number of people who quite enjoy these books and would love to get them into their schools. Well, you'll be pleased to know that there is a special school edition with a full activity CD plus a follow up workbook, all of which can be ordered via the Newcastle Music Service website (www.newcastlemusic.org.uk/site/contact-us), or you can contact Clare Gill at clare.gill@newcastle.gov.uk.

I won't be handling those book sales myself so please direct any queries you have to either of those links.

And now, without further adieu, the first two stories from The Adventures of Bertie Blue, available to order (book one) and pre-order (book two)!

Bertie Blue: Bravest Pigeon

Picture Book Only £5.99 GBP Picture Book with Audio CD £9.99 GBP

Bertie Blue In Paris

Picture Book Only £5.99 GBP Picture Book with Audio CD £9.99 GBP

Remember that p&p for the books is £2.00.

And if you need any persuasion to pre-order the Paris book, you'll get to see gems like these!

My two personal favourites. They actually took me the longest.

And also there's lobster which is really ace, you don't wanna miss out on that.*

Also, the Paris audio CD is just as atmospheric as Bravest Pigeon's as the characters ponder over war and what is it good for. Absolutely nothing say it again

I just want to take the opportunity to thank everyone who has bought a book so far and who has shared their kind support throughout this project. We have a lot more ideas that we want to being to the table and I'm so glad people are interested in seeing more. 

If you have any questions relating to the public versions of the books, please don't hesitate to send them to bertieblueinfo@gmail.com.

Thank you so much everyone! Stick around for more, there's a lot to see with this bird yet!

*The lobster is not real.

Coming Next Tuesday

Accepting Orders.

Accepting Pre-Orders.

Accepting pre-orders for intense audio CDs for both stories that sound like this remarkable piece of vocal and musical art right here.

From Tuesday next week, I will begin accepting orders and pre-orders for both printed Bertie books and the CD audio books. Orders will mainly be done through Paypal but if you're *ahem* lucky enough to know me in person, you can always pay up front. Although I may still demand the postage and packaging price. I am a starving artist after all. £2 for an autograph? Oh go on, be a love.

So far, there are only 50 copies of the first book so be sure to grab 'em while they're hot! Books will not actually be hot, that would be dangerous, impractical and just downright silly.

Here's a quick breakdown of the prices!

Picture Book Price: £5.99

Picture Book with Audio CD: £9.99

P&P: £2.00

I can't supply the PayPal address currently as I will not be online for the next week. I am taking a week off to visit family in Scotland and while I'm able to communicate my email if need be, I'd rather be at home to start trading so I can really hit the ground running with the book orders. Although I might be minus a few copies of the book after my visit as there has been some interest on that end. So it might be nearer 40 copies left if I were to guess. Hotcakes, man. HOT. CAKES.

The hottest cakes.

Bertie Blue is happening, my lovelies. Just one more week.

One Week: Bertie Blue 'Bravest Pigeon' Copies and 'Paris' Pre-Orders

That's right folks, you heard it here first! We've finally got all the printing issues sorted for Bravest Pigeon and I am now able to start taking orders for the printed copies!

Now with added quote review from the famous
Amazon Reviewer... whoever that is.

Obligatory pigeon mask selfie with proof copy.

Not only that, but we also have audio books available, where a CD with full music and sound effects accompanies Bertie's adventures.

The price of the book alone is £5.99 and copies with the audio CD is £9.99. Postage and Packaging is £2.00.

If you need a little reminder of how the audio books will sound, the Bertie Blue trailer will give you an idea. I definitely recommend them, they add a lot of atmosphere and emotion to the stories.

But that's not all.

We are also now taking pre-orders for Bertie's next adventure, Bertie Blue in Paris! Prices are the same as above.

I'm not the bragging type but I'm happy with a lot of the work I did in here. This time I had to work to stay close to the source material in terms of famous Paris buildings and so on. But it came out looking all the better for it, I reckon. Certainly helped me focus on my backgrounds a lot more.

I'd share a few of my illustrations on here but then I'd be depriving you from hours of fun flicking through the book. So yeah, if you want to see them in their full glory, you should totally pre-order. Yep.

We also now have an official email address for Bertie Blue orders and information! Go on over to Bertieblueinfo@gmail.com and we'll be able to directly answer any questions you have about the books. This will also be our Paypal account for you to send your orders to.

On a slightly related note, I've ordered a lot of flyers in order to promote the books. They look a little something like this.

Once I have more illustrations ready for the rest of the books in Series One, I'm thinking of making a poster similar to the front of the flyer. Sound groovy? Let me know if that would interest any of you lovely people.

Anyway, I've already had a few lovely souls volunteer to hand out the flyers and I'm going around asking about to see if anyone else would be so kind. Let me know if you'd like to get your hands on some flyers and I'd be more than happy to hand some your way. I'm gonna ask Steve if I can slip one in with every book sent out.

So! To recap:

~Books: £5.99
~Books with Audio CD: £9.99
~Postage and Packaging: £2.00
~Bertie Blue in Paris available to Pre-Order NOW (prices are the same)
~Bertieblueinfo@gmail.com is for paypal orders and any questions you may have.


I'm very excited that I can finally share this with you guys! It's been a few months of getting everything sorted but now that we appear to have found a working system, we can really hit the ground running with the third book. Yep, there are many more in the series to come! I'll start working on it after the weekend though; still need to tie up a couple loose ends with these two first.

I'll say this about it though: the Geordies might like it.

I'll leave this entry with a huge thanks to everyone who has supported the series so far and to those who will continue to do so by buying the books. You're making a little freelancer very VERY happy.

Oh, one more thing, you might have noticed that paypal 'donate' button at the top there. Yeah, THAT is just if you want to throw a little something my way personally, not where to go to pay for the books. You all probably already knew that but better safe than sorry.