Mr Cowface - Gentleman Illustrator

The Big Man!

2011-01-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

I have wanted to try and get some editorial work for a while now and thought that there might be a good chance to get something in the sport section of the Gruniad on Saturdays (due to it's awkward format and revolving illustrators)...

This image is based on an article about the English football fan's obsession with 'The Big Man' and portrays Andy Carroll as some thrusting, centaur-like beast!!!

Editorial stuff...

2011-01-10T14:24:00.000-08:00

...a 'portfolio image' based on a Charlie Brooker article from August 2006 (reprinted in the Guardian on 21st August 2010):

As the World floats ever closer to a third World War, TV shows like Big Brother are essentially little more than brightly coloured, lightbulb-studded arrows, pointing away from the problem.

Happy New Year! Where did that last one go...?

2011-01-10T13:47:00.001-08:00

Greetings friend!

Well, here we are in the year of our Lord 2011 - which to be honest sounds a bit too bloody Science Fiction for my tastes (BTW where oh where do we get them all in one white LYCRA suits they said we'd all be wearing? Although I have seen something similar in Primark that might do the job but I'm just not sure if it's me...)

So, 2010 went by in a bit of a whirl what with a baby appearing and all that but I have done the odd 'ARTY ' thing - including one paid job which is nice! Of course, that was a bit of a do and I aim to explain why at some point...

Here is a piece of work completed at some point during the Summer and is the latest in a long line of 'Portfolio pieces' that never seem to get shown to anyone...

I have been planning to do a series of paintings based on a section of Bulgakov's The Master & Margarita for quite a while but I decided to try to make a start on some in pencil (with some photoshopped collage-y stuff)...

Here is an idea for a cover:

While here is one based on the section when all the corpses start to pour out of Hell's fireplace and get done up to meet old Mags at the top of the staircase:

...it really is a good book so give it a go if you get a chance!

BP portrait contd...

2010-02-15T07:03:00.001-08:00

...and here it is now - I've got a week off to work on it (but am currently procrastinating by typing this!?)...It needs to be finished for the hand-in date - around the end of March!!! So...

BP portrait...

2010-02-15T06:58:00.000-08:00

...after saying to myself for a few years that I should put something into the Portrait Gallery's BP award, I've made a start - and paid my money! - on a self-portrait-sorta-fing...here's some images of it in progress...

princes!

2010-02-15T06:34:00.000-08:00

...and this is one hand-tinkered with on photoshop - never underestimate the violent subtext of the clown with a saxophone...

prince!

2010-02-15T06:29:00.000-08:00

Hello! Here are a couple of linocuts I've done during a print workshop I'm doing on a Friday...this one being based on an erotic french postcard - not so keen on waterbased inks!

New webpage alert!

2009-11-23T05:40:00.000-08:00

Hello! I have finally got around to changing my hopelessly out-dated website - even though for now it is just a holding page (but it should give me the motivation to actually sort it for next year!)...The image here is a work in progress of the homepage - showing some wacky dialogue between myself and the menagerie around the chair...I hoped that the drawing would be a bit more related to the work I've been doing recently...if you've come here after following the link from my site please feel free to peruse the blog and it's archive...

image of a geezer slouching at a desk...

2009-11-23T05:31:00.000-08:00

This is an image I did in the summer for my friends at The Healthy Working Partnership who are working on developing a web-based tool based on healthy working (funnily enough)...They came to me for a series of drawings based around the ergonomics and set-up of a workspace...*this was rejected due to the bloke's posture being rubbish! Haha! But the style got the thumbs up...

Propstore 2009...

2009-11-23T05:14:00.000-08:00

Here is a work in progress of my upcoming christmas card design for my friends at the Propstore of London - thought a cheesy gag was more in order for this years effort...*incidentally the ripped-off Santa Claus is apparently rights free? Let's hope so eh?

Tribute to Marc Ellerby!

2009-10-28T06:49:00.000-07:00

...just thought I'd upload this wee strip that I did in tribute to Marc Ellerby's 200th 'Ellerbism' - a strip based entirely around himself...I decided to do it about myself rather than about him and his girlfriend - unlike virtually everyone else who posted!!! Am so glad he decided against putting Mr Sloane's effort on...

2009-10-23T05:17:00.000-07:00

...and finally here's a little triptych with more clowns and lovers - maybe I'll get some done as prints? Hmm...

...and so...

2009-10-23T05:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a work in progress of a series of paintings on very cheap canvases - I like them but I don't know what they're about...sexual frustration,loss of identity and dislocation I guess?

2009-10-23T05:07:00.000-07:00

...I then decided to do a series of paintings based on still images captured from anonymous couple's webcams...I did a couple then ran out of watercolour boards!!! Can you still get them?

Anyway...I s'pose I'm thinking of the fellas like Degas, Sickert and Lautrec...the dirty old keyhole snoopers...

NEW WORK!

2009-10-23T05:01:00.001-07:00

I have been a bit dejected of late and am disgusted at my lack of artistic updates!!! I have been keeping a bit busy, however, and this was the start of a series of weird things with clowns...

This one is a sketch based on a couple of old life drawings that have been knocking about for a few years - I thought it might make a nice print? I quite like the idea of nude clowns...I don't know why...?

FHM-age

2008-11-07T07:29:00.001-08:00

...plus my X-Rated job for FHM magazine continues to keep me in Monster Munch - this one's from the latest issue - I think it's called the butterfly? Although I could be wrong...I gave her a nice Winehouse style-y beehive...

Oaklands college poster...

2008-11-07T07:21:00.001-08:00

...here's one of a proposed series of posters for the Additional Learning Support department of Oaklands college bigging up dyslexia...I also did the logo!!! Oh yes...

Healthy Working Partnership contd...

2008-11-07T06:52:00.000-08:00

...here's some sketches for the 'Healthy Working' folk...These were worked up into 4 ft free standing figures used to provide a barrier for the stand...

...and here is a design for a promotional postcard - sheets of cothes were given away alongside this and a female version...like them things you used to get in the 70s!

going all corporate...

2008-11-07T06:43:00.001-08:00

Hello! I have been busy of late doing a bit of 'identity' work...Here was the holding page for a start-up company specialising in occupational health! Just an excuse to play with fuzzy-felt really...

...as well as doing all their stationary, I also designed the stand for a trade exhibition (which won them the accolade of 'best small stand in show'!!!)...

dead painters

2008-07-17T06:03:00.001-07:00

This is something I've been working on for the last few days - hopefully I'll be using them on a poster for Oaklands college...or maybe just get some beer mats printed and finally open that shop section on me website??? Christ knows....

FHM-age!

2008-07-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

...hello friends! This was a rough - rejected - for a piece on male stripping which appeared in FHM a couple of issues ago...thought I'd try to sneak something in under the radar with a different style - but the art director didn't like it...

...so I used my 'joy of sex' style for it instead...(BTW the luxurient hair was based on a male model from a seventies catalogue!)

"Eat your heart out Mr Crosby!"

2008-03-21T13:04:00.001-07:00

...and another!!! "...why can't we go on as three" indeed!!!

LINO-tastic!!!

2008-03-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

...further to this idea of trying to 'sell something', I am after making a few lino prints while the college is empty for the Easter break...so, armed with me trusty felt-tips I raided my stash of seventies erotica and bombed out a few colour testers in photoshop...here's one...

Drawing class!!!

2008-03-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

PLUS! Here is a sneaky peek at something I made in Michael Wright's drawing class the other week...we were advised to ignore the models permanent and try to form the clay without touching it too much...I made a painting from this stuff - I may even try to flog it in a church sale in Kimpton???

...Tosh Lyons?

2008-03-21T12:49:00.001-07:00

...here is another one from the 'Sexual Bushcraft' column...There was some talk that I'd managed to tempt Tosh Lyons out of the Sunhill cemetary to pose for this one but it's not him...

Good Friday!

2008-03-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

Greetings friends!!! As me compooter is all fully 'wirelessed up' I thought I'd spend a bit of time catching up with me blog...as mainly there is nuffink on telly!!! Here is a pic from FHM - dig them hands!!! It's in CMYK mode which is why she's got the funked up sussie belt...

...from the archive...

2008-01-17T09:23:00.000-08:00

...and here's a painting I did back in 2006 upon return to sunny WGC...purists please note the dome inspired by the disused loctite site and the tell-tale green of the Shredded Wheat factory...

FHM contd...

2008-01-17T09:17:00.001-08:00

Happy new year!!! And all that...here's another image for the FHM gig (January's ish?) - did a couple of 'hands tying knots' for this 'un (??!!) as well as the S&M-ish one above...Also managed to squeeze some cash out of the buggers too...which is nice eh?

'tis the season etcetera etcetera

2007-12-17T04:23:00.000-08:00

...here is a drawing done for an 'e-card' that I've just finished and sent off to some very lucky recipients...yes, it is a bit of a Haddon Sundblom rip-off (or homage as us plagierists like to say)...but with a cow-mask...and an IKEA hand puppet called 'Sammy'!!!

2007-11-15T04:39:00.000-08:00

Just done this for my dear friends at The Propstore of London...it's for their Christmas card...see???

2007-11-15T04:31:00.000-08:00

Remembrance day...image for promotional calender... based on that uncomfortable feeling of having an army veteran pin a poppy to your chest in the beautiful Arndale Centre, Luton...

FHM job!!!

2007-11-01T09:28:00.001-07:00

PLUS!!! I got a job from FHM magazine after I sent a copy of my dirty book 'The Joy of Cowface' to the AD...this should be in December's issue which is out very soon!!! There's two more...and I got the gig this month too...WAHOO!!! I ain't got paid yet tho..???

News!!!

2007-11-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Hey! So look who I saw at the Affordable Art Fair the other week...BTW his organ seemed to shrink from fright...(picture courtesy of Miss Gemma Partridge)

2007-11-01T09:21:00.000-07:00

...okay, this is the one I did right at the end painting over all the dark ones...I love Amy w!!!

Catch-up with Cowface

2007-11-01T09:15:00.001-07:00

Hello!!! Here's a pic I did recently of Amy Winehouse and her no-good geezer...it was based on a newspaper article and I did about ten versions of it, trying to make it more dark as it went on...This is the second one...

I like to read mine in my 'office'!

2007-09-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Hello friend!!!

...for those in the know, my zine based on the hippy bible 'The Joy of Sex' is done, printed and dispatched!

...certified as being a 'great read' - mostly by me - you'll be able to get hold of one soon, when I get me shop sorted out...with PAYPAL and all that shit!!!

Regards,

Mr Cowface.

...bigger bottom!

2007-09-13T04:33:00.001-07:00

...hopefully you can click on this one to enlarge it...???

Missed deadline!

2007-09-13T04:08:00.001-07:00

Hello friend!

...here is a little thing I did for a recent competition...it's a bit cramped but it doesn't matter as I missed the deadline due to my printer going haywire!!! So no-one can judge me or my work ethic!!! WAHOO!

*note the slightly differing styles between the top and bottom halves...*

New zine...coming soon!!!

2007-08-10T08:41:00.001-07:00

Hello! I am still wondering who you are..??? Anyway, I am currently trying to sort out a new zine - yes, it is unashamedly based on the joy of sex - in time for a friend's art fair in a couple of weeks time! Oh yes...the badges are in the post too! A rather nifty set of 4 plus the image above...You never know...this may lead to the grand opening of my on-line 'shop' at long last???

TTFN!

2007-08-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

...and, finally, here's one of a series of Authors I've been doing...don't know why, or who possibly wants to buy them..??? RIP Mr Vonnegut...so it goes...

2007-08-02T08:23:00.000-07:00

...here's a sneaky look at a series of images I've been doing for a promotional calender...This is May's...and features a very Pagan Luton Town Centre...

2007-08-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

Okay...so, as I've just put a link from my site to here bigging up all the 'new stuff' I've been doing I s'pose I'd better upload some of it...? Just in case someone ever sees it and offers me paid work!!!

The picture above is a character called Unca Scud that I've been meaning to turn into a strip for about three years now...God! I'm a quick mover....Anyway...this is him...Stay tuned for some of his 'adventures' soon...

...I'll put another couple of posts on too...Aintchoo lucky???? Eh???

2007-07-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

...yep-yep-yep!!! Had a few issues with the first one...I am beginning to realise that I need to embrace things that I sometimes see as a weakness...Love that TV!!!

2007-07-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hello!!! Here is the final thrilling instalment of that comic thing...was it worth the wait??? In the words of that bloke off Big Brother "YOU DECIDE!!!"

...I'll give you a clue...probably not.

2007-07-13T04:09:00.000-07:00

...okay...next two pages...

...only one left...Can you take the suspense???

2007-07-13T03:15:00.000-07:00

Here's the first of a 4 pager that I'm doing for EYESORE #3 - if it ever comes out!!!

As it's going to be black & white I thought I'd put up the colour version on here...For some reason the second page's colour was all fucked up?? I'll stick that up later...I bet you can't wait???

Hopefully I can start doing this sort of thing a bit more regularly...??? Then someone will see it and give me a job!!!! Ho-Ho!

IF: CAMOUFLAGE

2007-06-28T09:09:00.000-07:00

...better late than never - here is my tenuous addition to this week's illustration friday topic...a tiger in disguise...wearing a tiger mask! What a day!

IF: suit

2007-06-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

IF: your paradise

2007-06-08T03:03:00.000-07:00

...paradise? A stripey donkey, a lad in a cow face and the bracing chill of an Exmouth Bank Holiday...Bliss!!!

IF:CARS

2007-05-29T03:31:00.001-07:00

Cars!!! I'm not very good at drawing cars so this weeks topic was a good'un for me...Out came the trusty '50s Ads' book and inspiration struck while flicking through the glossy images of idealistic consumer-led America...I'd picture the tag line as something along the lines of..."Take them all with you with a Ford Edsel..."

New Postcard???

2007-05-22T02:31:00.000-07:00

...here's a picture I'm messing about with to try to get some work...Might have to stretch him out a bit...? I've got a watercolour version on me website but I thought it'd be good to try and make it a bit more in keeping with some of the stuff I'm trying to do at the moment...

IF: SIGNS (Burning Bush)

2007-05-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

Hello! I've just been 'turned on' to the wonderful illustration friday...Here's my take on this weeks topic, "Signs". See? Wouldn't it be nice...? Feel free to leave some scathing critiques...