Latest doodles

Haven't posted any pictures in a while, so here's a few new ones. They're mostly character designs for a computer board game I'm currently creating on a program named 'Construct 2'. I haven't done any game creation in about 20 years (not since Amos on the Amiga 500!) so I'm having a great time learning stuff and breaking things.

I've already got the majority of the board game done, and I've only been using the program for a few weeks. If all goes well, expect to see a few comic projects converted to games at some point next year (and if any of the comic artists I've collaborated with in the past fancy getting involved, let me know).

Temple 12 Out Now! (Er, still...)

Since the deadline for the Temple Issue 13 is almost upon us (9th December, for anyone who wishes to contribute) I figured it was probably about time I put out an announcement on my blog for the previous issue being out.

So, er, yes! Temple issue 12 is still out now, still free as per usual, and available to download on the main site (www.templeapa.blogspot.com).

Here's a picture of the cover, followed by blurby wordy sorta things from Malcolm Kirk (actually, I've had to position the picture under the writing rather than above it as I'm using ipad Blogger, which is even more shite since the update)

'Have you forgotten how good it tastes? The 66 page Temple APA Issue Twelve is now available to download as part of a complete breakfast a totally free pdf file, containing contributions from the likes of Dave Hailwood, Paul Eldridge, Simon Mackie, Tony Suleri, Adam Grose and Malcolm Kirk, who also provides 100% of the recommended allowance of front cover, which you can see above these words, (unless you're standing on your head or something, in which case - what on Earth are you doing that for? Get the proper way up this instant! How can you even work a mouse like that?).'

Halloween zombies

Happy Halloween, folks.

To celebrate, here's a zombie pic of my friend Terry, and my sister Terri (no relation. Er, except to me).

It was drawn on Sketchbook Pro on the ipad, using a photo reference from the recent Hastings Zombie Walk. The first pic shows the base colours, the second has a scratch and three tone filter applied, and the third is the finished product.

Now go, drink blood and be merry, my wretched little ghouls!

Steampunk Terry (x2)

Couple of pics knocked up on Sketchbook Pro using a few photo references of Terry and Terri.

Demon Geezer

Here's another pic, knocked up with Sumo Paint, and then various filters were added to rough the image up a bit.

Yokel

Get strummin' that banjo, 'cause here's another ipad doodle. Sketched and coloured in Finggr, then a Dirt filter was added in Pixlromatic.

Watchimacallit!!!!

Right, to complete the hat trick, here's the third and final sketch of the evening. Scrawled on Finngr, tidied on Sketchbook, and filtered on Photo Fx Ultra. Not sure what it is, but its certainly not a happy bunny.

Samurai!!!!

Here's another picture that I just knocked up. The first sketch was done with Sumo Paints Oriental brush, then the picture was coloured in Sketchbook Pro, and given a Twilight filter (no effeminate vampires involved) in Photo Fx Ultra.

Trollllllll!!!!!

Just been having a bit of a play around on my ipad, and came up with a troll illustration to go with Grandpa's Teeth. The first rough sketch was drawn with a free app called Finngr, then I traced over it in Sketchbook Pro and gave it some colours. After that, I applied a filter with Photo Fx Ultra.

I'll paste more of my doodles as I gradually get the hang of this digital fingerpainting malarkey.

Respect Mah Authonomy!

Righty-ho then,

I've just joined a rather intriguing author's site run by HarperCollins (http://authonomy.com) where writers can upload their novels and get feedback from other writers (and professional editors, if the books get enough ratings to make it to the much coveted Editor's Desk).

Thanks to this, you can now read two of my novels online.

The first is Grandpa's Teeth - a children's novel which is best summed up in this strap-line:

'Pea Soup Pirates! Man-eating cows! Timmy Grimble must face these hazards and more on his voyage across the Seven Soups to reclaim his Grandpa's Teeth.'

It's only been up a few days, and has already received many favourable comments, including:

'Thank God for books like this one, and for writers who use the English language like it is music.'

and: 'This is a wonderful, delightful children's book. It has to be illustrated!!! The author, David Hailwood, writes some of the most vivid imagery I've ever read. His dialogue and his writing-style are flawless.'

so feel free to check it out yourselves at: http://www.authonomy.com/books/45390/grandpa-s-teeth/read-book/#chapter

The other book, which I've only just put up a few moments ago, is the currently unfinished Sci-Fi comedy novel 'Breaking Even' (in which a man on an overpopulated planet discovers he has a secret buried in his mind that could either save mankind, or destroy it).  It's just the first fifteen chapters, but I will write more once I've finished a few other projects.  Breaking Even can be scrutinized here:

http://www.authonomy.com/books/45452/breaking-even/read-book/#chapter

Bunk Mates The Sitcom

Right, time to start catching up with all the blog updates I've been forgetting about!

The first thing to mention is that thanks to my good friend and writing collaborator Fran Burton (Or F.J.Riley, if you prefer) I've finally got round to converting Bunk Mates into a sit-com. It actually started life as an intended sit-com many years ago, but then went the way of the comic strip (illustrated by Paul Harrison-Davies).

It was nice to get back to my Sit-com writing roots, and thanks to Fran the series has taken a slight detour from the original premise (it's now about a scientist-come-lazy bastard who's sharing a nuclear bunker with his almost ex-wife) which made it work better for screen.

The postman from the original comic strip still makes an appearance though, and it was good to weave him in there.

Anyway, here's hoping we manage to get some positive feedback from the BBC, as the last time I sent them a script they responded a few days later by putting on a documentary titled 'Death Of The Sit-com', which was a bit of an extreme reaction to my work I must admit.

Strip #4 Out Now for ipad

Issue 4 of STRIP Magazine, containing me, Stu Smith and Dave Thomson's Slayer Keith comic strip, is on sale now as a digital edition for iPad.

Fronted by a Warpaint cover by John McCrea, the digital edition features all the content of the print edition (on sale soon in all good UK comic shops), plus a couple of 'bonus items'.

Strips in the latest action-packed issue include Warpaint by Phil Hester and John McCrea, the start of a brand-new Age of Heroes story by James Hudnall, John Ridgway and The Devil's Heritage by Jerome Felix and Paul Gastine.

In Black Ops Extreme (by John Freeman and PJ Holden) the combat team head for the Middle East to sabotage an illegal nuclear bomb factory. Meanwhile, Hook Jaw continues to eat his way through greedy oil men.

The issue also contains Cosmic Patrol, Bogey-Man Bob and various articles of intrigue.

You can download the issue at the following link for £2.99:

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/strip-magazine-4/id505122871?mt=8&ls=1

Temple 10 Out Now!

Coming to you in Terrifying 2D is the latest B-Movie themed showcase of the Temple APA.

Free to download, and containing 60 pages of comic strips and pin-ups from the likes of Tony Suleri, Tim West, Greg Meldrum and Paul Eldridge, the issue is well worth a gander.

So, hop along to the Temple's new blog site and download it now:

Temple APA Blog

If you're a comic artist or writer who's interested in contributing to the next issue, then please let me or Malcolm Kirk know.

Temple APA's New Home

Happy new year, folks!

The Temple APA (a digitial showcase for comic artists and writers who're active in the UK) has a new home, and can now be located at: http://templeapa.blogspot.com

If you're an aspiring comic artist or writer who wishes to get their work seen, the deadline for contributing to the next Temple Showcase (issue 10) is January 29th. More details can be found on the blog.