#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

Merry Christmas - I hope you have been good this year

I can hardly believe it is Christmas again already. I feel that I have just got over Halloween. Anyway to mark the occasion and get into the holiday spirit here is a festive karentoon!

I hope you all behaved and Santa gives you what you really want this Christmas...or I hope you had lots of fun being naughty! I'm sure it was worth it!

Merry Christmas!
Kx

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 : Imagination

This week's Illustration Friday theme is "imagination". When it comes to imagination you can't beat the imagination of a little girl (or her cat) when something goes bump in the night....

"What was that noise?!"

Check out www.illustrationfriday.com for more artwork depicting this theme.

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.

Illustration Friday: Return

Return Home Kiss

This illustration was inspired by the iconic photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstaedt of V-J Day in Times Square (August 14, 1945) which featured in Life Magazine. Apparently the sailor celebrated the news by running down the street grabbing and kissing every girl in sight! Hello Sailor! This is one of my favourite photographs as it captured the moment beautifully. I have played with the pose to make it look a little less spontaneous, but to keep the romance.

Illustration Friday - Shades / Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all mothers who love ALL their children equally no matter what - especially my own fantastic mum!!

This image was partly inspired by this week's Illustration Friday theme of shades which I took to mean sun-shades (do people still call them that??)

Illustration Friday - Capable

This week's theme is capable and who is more capable than the tortoise who defeated a hare in a race?* I was recently asked to illustrate some of the children's stories for the Kids Out World Stories project. It is a brilliant project and I have literally just finished these. I was so chuffed that it fitted in with the IF theme.

You can view it with the story here...http://www.worldstories.org.uk/stories/story/58-the-hare-and-the-tortoise

*Answer: No one!

Happy Valentine's Day - Illustration Friday - Popular

"Someone's popular today..."

and no doubt

"Someone's jealous today..."

Illustration Friday: Suspense

The Illustration Friday theme this week is SUSPENSE so I thought I'd do part of a story to leave you in SUSPENSE. Quite blatantly this story was inspired by Goldilocks/The Three Bears*. I couldn't quite remember the tale so had to look it up. Apparently the original story was about an ugly old woman, but was changed years later to a pretty girl with silver locks. These locks were later changed to golden and most recently changed to blue (by me!). Wikipedia what would I do without you!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Three_Bears

*not to mention a simply brilliant bear pun

Illustration Friday : Grounded

I've been a bit stretched for time this week so sadly rushed this one a bit. Hope it looks okay and keeps in the theme of "Grounded". It's true what they say "When the cat's away...". Being grounded isn't fun...unless you're like me and love to spend hours doodling on your own with a pen and paper.

Illustration Friday : Messenger

This is not my address (I wish it was though!). If you do want to reach me probably best to leave a comment or try my twitter account @_karenbradley

Meet Ruby and Tiger

Here are pages 1-5 from the children's picture book I designed for my course at Glasgow School of Art. (Pages 3 and 4 are a double page for those of you counting.)

Balanced Diet

Life is far too short to count the calories. If you do you will only find out there are more calories in a banana than a kitkat (allegedly). Fad diets are pointless - "everything in moderation" is my motto.