No.1 Beard Colouring Book - Out Now!!

Like beards? Like colouring in? Then look no further....this is just for you!

No.1 Beard Colouring Book

Colouring books are in vogue. Most of them are nice mindful floral patterns - which is great, but it's not for everyone. So I have created a new genre of colouring book for creative types who admire beards.

The book contains 30 quirky illustrations hand drawn in pen and ink. Inside you will find a whole range of handsome bearded men in various situations – gentlemen, heroes, villains, hipsters, animal lovers and many more! Some images are inspired by #beard photos I have seen on Instagram, or men in real life, men from film & tv and some have just come from my imagination!

 Colouring artists can relax and colour in the illustrations and even add their own line drawings to make them your own. Every image includes a different scenario and bearded character for you to colour in any way you desire. This colouring book is the perfect size for travelling and will fit effortlessly in your handbag or backpack. It is an ideal gift for beard and colouring lovers alike.

I know there is a colouring pencil shortage and I'm now part of the problem, but I'm okay with this.

The book is published with createspace and is available through www.amazon.com - globally.

14 Funny Truths About Living Alone

It's official Karentoons is part of the Buzzfeed communtiy and have made my first post. This post has 14 cartoons that show the pros and cons about living alone. Here is my favourite...

ZOMBIES:
When you hear that bump in the night - no one will tell you it wasn’t a zombie trying to get into your room and eat your brain…and if it was a zombie….no one is there to help you fight them off!

Check out the link to see the other 13 funny truths about living alone:
http://www.buzzfeed.com/dashboard/karentoons/14-truths-about-living-alone-1da37


It's my first post so give me a share, a comment and rate me if you can :)

Glasgow's New Year's Resolution

2014 was Glasgow's year as it was the year we hosted the Commonwealth Games. It was the year we realised people make Glasgow - with their hearts, heads and humour. With the world watching Scotland this year I have never been prouder to be a weegie - let's keep the pace going. Onwards and upwards! Stay Pure Dead Brilliant Glasgow.

Here is my wee tribute to my city - it is the famous duke of wellington statue wearing the traffic cone that the locals campaigned to keep firmly placed on the duke's head. #OnlyInGlasgow

Happy Hogamany, happy new year, all the best for 2015!

#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

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

Glasgow - Weegie Street / Red sandstone tenements

Glasgow is many things to many people. According to the Commonwealth Games folks it's...

 "Historic and avant-garde, quirky and elegant, rainy and heartwarming - Glasgow is a city of opposites and of inspiration, dear to anyone who's lived here and unforgettable to any visitor. It's a city where people like to dress up and have fun, to party all night, to soak up culture and to have a bit of banter with the next person in the queue. It's a city where you'll see charity-shop hipsters rub shoulders with stylish high-flyers, where indulgence can mean cocktails and designer handbags or a stroll through a Victorian park. It's a city of underground music venues and architectural jewels, of art and music festivals, of lazy Sunday morning brunches. It has a vast cultural offering and it's like no other place in the world."

To me it's home. I do lots of different illustrations and some of them have focused on Glasgow. After completing this image, I really want to pursue some more Glasgow related projects. For those of you who live in Glasgow, Weegie Street will be a bit familiar with the iconic red stone tenement, the variety of characters and also the little neds stealing pizza. I wanted to create an snap shot of a tenement, full of life and also full of detail so that you always spot something different when you look at it.

Anyway, I present...Weegie Street!

UK Coffee Week / Coffee Art Project

It is nearly the end of UK Coffee Week 23rd-29th April. As part of the Coffee Art Project I created this illustration inspired by my experiences in coffee shops. It was displayed in London as part the Coffee Art Project exhibition.

Find out more about UK Coffee Week here and fundraising efforts taking place for Water Aid here:
http://www.ukcoffeeweek.com/

illustration friday: New (year)

This week's theme is "new", so I have gone with the predictable "Happy New Year" illustration. Here is a little cartoon about the conversations we have on Hogmanay and the days that follow. It is also a warning. If someone asks you what your highlight of the year was STOP, THINK and answer CAREFULLY!

 

 

p.s. I think my highlight of the year might be a gig. Either Admiral Fallow or Mumford and Sons...or maybe it was was Hogmanay itself! Or maybe it was halloween or my birthday or visiting Rome or seeing Avenue Q or watching Kevin Bridges.......2012 was a good year when I think about it. Here's to 2013!!

p.s.p.s see more "new" illustrations at www.illustratonfriday.com

Illustration Friday : Glow

It has been far too long since I have joined in the Illustration Friday fun so I thought I would post something for the last one of 2012! This week the theme for illustration Friday is "Glow"! Here is an image from a children's book I've been working on recently. I hope you like it! To see more images on this theme go to www.illustrationfriday.com.

 

 

 

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.

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 - 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!

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.

Monsters are rubbish at hiding

When I was little I was scared of monsters in my cupboard. One day this all changed when a wise woman (a.k.a my mum) told me "Don't be so daft! Monsters are rubbish at hiding" - spread the word!