and there will be unicorns

Merry Boxing Day, to all who, like myself, are still working. I salute you comrade. Wear your pallid, midwinter complexion and accompanying under-eye swelling with pride.

It’s been a crazy busy end to the year and I shall soon be updating the site with some choice graphical produce for the likes of Droga5 and Saatchi & Saatchi amongst others . For now, here’s a christmas stocking.

A little editorial in this week’s Guardian’s independent bookshops supplement. All about a science fiction bookshop in Edinburgh. I’m no expert, but as far as I’m aware there are only two visual memes within the context of ’science fiction’ and I will pipp for ‘camp-50’s/60’s’ over ‘The Matrix’ any day.

My new promos arrived this week, in readyness to be sent out to everybody that’s anybody whether they like it or not. Should you be lucky enough to receive one without even asking, then congratulations, you’ve made it. If not, then keep reaching for the stars and please contact AgencyRush or myself directly if you’d like one.

A hugely generous amount of coverage in this month’s Digital Arts magazine. The issue is all about colour, hence the inclusion of half my portfolio in the headline feature ( I’ve never used a pastel shade in my life and nor do i intend to! ), alongside such talent as La Boca and Alice Stevenson amongst others. Thanks to Eva Peaty for the exposure.

As no one ever noticed or referred to it anyway, I felt the time had come to gracefully retire/ euthanize the ‘and’ of ,’…and there will be unicorns’, along with its three, even more overlooked friends ,’.. &.’. There’s no place for confusing grammar or punctuation in branding, just ask Prince. Its departure thus rendered my logo obsolete, and so, after six months of consultation with a series of brand alchemists and consultancies, I took the controversial decision to totally future proof my brand and go full balls-to-the-wall uppercase with the logotype. Re-brand done.

One month in to 2011 and I’ve already managed to tick off some big ticks on this year’s tick list…. go snowboarding, get engaged to my girlfriend, get swine flu and get an agent. Swine flu was a late comer to the list, but it seemed everyone’s doing it these days and it coincided nicely with getting engaged and snowboarding. Kelly came down with it the day I proposed, which was also the first day of our snowboarding trip. I followed shortly after.

With those three points out the way I then secured myself world-wide representation courtesy of the good folk of AgencyRush, who will be handling all illustration briefs for me from now on. So now we’re  recovered, the celebrations can finally begin. Here’s to you 2011, you shit!

I hereby declare this blog open…. again. Although it has always technically been open, it has now been stagnant for 8 months, gathering several inches or internet dust (which mainly manifests itself as spam comments advertising registery cleaners and cock pills). Not anymore! hear me roar Tim Berners-Lee! Starting with this bombshell! – ‘…And there will be unicorns’ is currently undergoing a slight overhaul… of sorts.

I am in the process of setting up another site to house my general portfolio, leaving ‘and there will be unicorns’ more streamlined, coherant and ultimately a truer expression of my illustrative style of choice. A few examples of which can be seen below. So if all goes to plan, there’ll be plenty of exciting projects and applications involving said style over the coming year and beyond.

I am lucky enough to be included in the upcoming Freakshow Exhibition, curated by my clever and pro-active friends, Mister MegaMunden and Mister Johnny McCulloch. The exhibition features such big name talent as Luke Insect, Shan Jiang, Yuko Michishita, Steve Wilson and Matt Taylor amongst many other talented peoples. The private view is next friday 30th April 7-9pm.

The Exhibition will run every saturday throughout May between 10am and 5.30pm.

For those who have not yet heard of Glug, it’s the craze that’s sweeping the nation, like hula-hooping and binge-drinking. Glug is a place where creative types get drunk in a room together, whilst a selected few industry figureheads create a veneer of purpose through some most excellent show and tells.  The night has spread to Brighton from London, and the next one takes place next friday at New hero – where I will be creating a piece of proper art with old fashioned pencils and paints throughout the evening. Find out more here.

I’m gracing the cover of this month’s Digital Arts. My first magazine cover. This most be how Cheryl Cole feels.