#100happydays

I've signed up to the 100 happy days challenge - I'm 6 days in and so far so good. I'm also challenging myself to do a quick sketch each day to and posting it on my tumblr blog

Here is a wee preview of the sort of thing I'm posting. Join the revolution and sign up or follow me

KBx

Happy New Year / Reflect

The end of 2013 looms and it is a time to reflect...or if you are me it is a time to draw and then draw some more. I've been playing about with watercolour for a change. All the best for 2014 - hope you have really worthwhile new year's resolutions like these guys!

Tis the season to ROCK

I'm really getting into the festive spirit now! I watched It's A Wonderful Life for the FIRST time today. Where has the Christmas film been all my life??? I've also been doodling and this little fella sprang to mind so I thought I would share.
Anyway - tis the season to rock, despite ACDC not reaching Christmas number 1 in the charts.

KBx

Vintage Karentoons - Great Ormond Street Hospital

I have just discovered, thanks to mumtoons, that a tile I designed in Primary School is still on display in Great Ormond Street Hospital in the hydrotherapy unit. 

The competition was to design a tile for to decorate the hospital with the theme "kids in space".
I was judged a winner by my childhood hero Neil Buchanan. At the time he was of course famous for his children's TV show "Art Attack" which I adored so you can imagine how exciting this was. Back then I wanted to be him when I grew up. I suppose in some respects I am - but without my own successful TV show.

It really has made my day knowing that is still on display in the children's hospital after all these years. I hope it still makes some little faces smile.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN / Illustration Friday : Haunt

Halloween is my favourite time of year and to mark the occasion I have produced a new illustration. For Halloween I like to go all out with my costume. This year I dressed up as Spaceman from KISS and it was awesome. Not everyone likes to dress up, some people just like to do the BEAR minimum. Here is a simple dress up idea for grizzly and panda bears using only underwear and socks! Top last minute costume idea.....if you are a bear that is...not sure if it will be as effective for humans....

Illustration Friday : Identical

It has been FAR too long since I have submitted an illustration for Illustration Friday. I've been busy prancing about Rome, watching the Olympics and complaining about the lack of sunshine in Glasgow! The theme this week was identical. I toyed with the idea of doing Jedward (no, I really did), but then thought two of them is enough in this world. It would be unfair to unleash a second set on the world so I went for this....self explanatory I hope.

Tip Tap Flat : A View of Glasgow - Book OUT NOW

The rumours are true - I have been published in a book and I am chuffed to bits!

The book is called Tip Tap Flat: A View of Glasgow and has been published by Freight.

Last year, when I was studying comic illustration at Glasgow School of Art, Louise Welsh asked for submissions for a book about the city of Glasgow. She was looking for poems, short stories and illustrations. As a lover of Glasgow AND an illustrator - I jumped at the chance. My contribution to the book is a 3 page comic about the Duke of Wellington. This statue has become the most recognised landmark in Glasgow since it was "coned". Everytime I walk past the statue sporting a traffic cone for a hat it makes me laugh. I can't help but wonder how did someone get that all the way up there?!

Here is what the book looks like....


And here is what my 3 page comic looks like...

I'm really proud to be a part of this unique depiction of Glasgow. The book really is worth picking up if you have lived in, worked in or visited Glasgow. If you want to buy the book it is availabe from Amazon, Waterstones and various other outlets. (I'm on page 82 if you do)

For more of my work please go to www.karentoons.co.uk

Illustration Friday - SPACE

This week's illustration friday theme is....SPACE! So I went all intergalactic! This illustration was actually a submission for a brilliant mentoring scheme run by Picture Hooks. As expected the standard of entries was incredibly high. I wasn't selected, but today I got incredible feedback from the board of professional judges. I've never felt more motivated!

Hope you like my pic - love to hear your thoughts as always. If you want to see more entries for other artists jump to the illustration friday site.

Illustration Friday - Secret

It's no secret that there's a monster sleeping under her bed. As I have explained before in my blog - monsters are rubbish at hiding.

This was an idea I had a while ago, but revamped for the Illustration Friday theme of "secret". You can check out lots of talented interpretations from other illustrators here.

Illustration Friday: Faded / Diamond Jubilee

The celebration of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee kicks off this weekend in the UK. To mark the occasion (when in Rome etc) I have illustrated what I imagine the royal corgis to be getting up to during the celebrations!

Rather than the traditional Union Jack colours, I have chosen to use faded colours on the flag. I hope this allows the flag to act as a background and to draw attention to the corgi.

I've rushed this a bit, but I'm happy with it. I've always wanted an excuse to draw Dame Edna type glasses!!

Happy Diamond Jubilee to those of you celebrating and to rest enjoy the extra day off.