Illustration Friday 122107 : Horizon

Just playing around, as I have neither the time nor inspiration to do more this week.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Illustration Friday 110207 : Hats

Young man with hat...

Illustration Friday 101207 : Extremes

Elliot's response to cold callers (like his taste in textiles) tended toward the extreme...

Illustration Friday 100507 : Open

Have just been listening to a guest on Radio 4's Women's Hour exhorting us all to wash less in order to save water...

Illustration Friday 083107 : Alphabet

A contemporary alphabet: C is for crumpled coke can with crisps at the curbside

Have been away from IF for too long a time...

Illustration Friday 062907 : Twist

Having grown up near the shore, I do miss being able to beachcomb. (The weather here in England has been absolutely appalling this summer and, in any case, the nearest beach is more likely to turn up beer cans and condoms than shells...)

Illustration Friday 050407 : Neighbor

Neighbor... from hell. Here in the UK, we have something called an ASBO, the intent of which is to protect the community from the anti-social behavior of an increasing contingent of lunkheads, in part by 'naming and shaming' them. Most often, said lunkheads are male, 14-25 year old NEETs and/or Chavs, who, rather than being shamed, 'wear' their ASBOs as a badge of honor.

I hasten to add that I've never had a neighbor quite this bad, though a couple have come close on memorable occasions.

Speaking of occasions, this post marks my one-year anniversary as an IF contributor!

Illustration Friday 042707 : Remember

Only time for something quick, but timely, this week. The shadier corners of my garden are full of forget-me-nots and bluebells right now, two of my three favorite flowers. Still have a couple of months until the daisies put in an appearance though...

Illustration Friday 042007 : Polar

These boots were made for waiting... Someone must have cold tootsies.

Illustration Friday 040607 : Green

It's been a grueling couple of weeks, and I probably should have spent the time doing other things, but green is my favorite color and playing with Illustrator is absorbing and relaxing and has taken my mind off of less pleasant stuff, so...

This is an 1890-ish ink bottle produced for the Larkin Ink Company of Buffalo, New York that I picked up in an Aladdin's cave of an antique shop along Seneca Lake owned by a friend of a friend. Have to get back there sometime to add a few new bottles to my collection...

Illustration Friday 033007 : Snap

When I was just starting school, a suburban Long Island childhood was defined by a handful of specific toys: a hula hoop, a little red wagon, Silly Putty and pop-beads. I remember having a couple of long strands that were constantly being "re-styled", noisily. And, minus the crackle, one person's pop is another's snap...

Illustration Friday 030907 : Wired

This is a small section of a large illustration (below) I've been working on this week for 'Hazards in the Home', an RLO intended for students at a local FE college. Fitting everything required into 700 x 560 px has been a helluva challenge! (Maybe you can spot the eight hazards without animation and hot spots to help you!)

Illustration Friday 030207 : Hide

Agatha always said that her time in the Territorial Army had taught her a thing or two about effective camouflage.

This reminds me of our house when we moved in umpteen years ago - decked head to toe in Laura Ashley floral. Initially, money was a bit tight, so it took a very long time to get rid of it all...

Illustration Friday 021607 : Gravity

Derek and Trev spent many happy hours discussing the specific gravity of their favourite brew.

(With apologies to any CAMRA members out there...)

Illustration Friday 012607 : Red

No hidden meanings, just something most of us see every week... (Does anyone know why blogger's compression adds artifacts to blocks of solid color? Any way of avoiding it?)

Illustration Friday 011907 : Superhero

Look, behind that desk - it's an ex-librarian - it's a media developer - it's... DIGITAL DIVA! Able to negotiate new software in a single bound! Faster than a speeding laser printer!

Actually, my estimation of my own abilities isn't that obnoxiously high, but this is an idea that I would have had to flesh out for a class assignment if I'd carried on with my course last year. ("Place yourself as a superhero within a 3D environment.") No regrets that I didn't finish the course (Foundation degree in Multimedia), as I've learned far more in my job than I did in class.

Anyway, the source for this illustration is one of the few photos taken of me that I actually like. (It was taken 15 years ago, but hey, who's counting?)

Illustration Friday 011207 : 80s

My mother, the octogenarian. (Please do click on the above image to see it at a larger size, and without the jpeg artifacts...)

Illustration Friday 0105007 : Buzz

Even though it doesn't feel like winter (yet?), the days of blue skies and buzzing bees seem a very long way off.