One of a few pictures I made in a hurry to illustrate parts of the history of the Trojan war. I don't think I like this painting much. It's so very stiff. And Aegisthus' legs are definitely odd, I can't tell why. But there's something about Clytemnestra's face, a feeling I was trying to imagine and catch, that almost came right. And Cassandra's shade in the doorway is OK too. I think I have learned some lessons. Number one: never get cocky about watercolours.

Here's sketches of Ullyses' old nurse being surprised. Sadly she did not come out at all as nice in the eventual drawing...

tomatoman in...

Another workshop comic from the August re-run:

Moscow menagerie

I went to Russia! May I bore you with some photographs? I did think I was collecting lions - but it turns out any number of other creatures crept in. The cat is a rather fluffy and endearing Behemoth, drawn in the stairwell up to the flat where Bulgakov lived.

Apparently this scene is not one of decapitation as cure for toothache. They are characters from the Russian story of the little ball of dough, which pretty much matches the Gingerbread Man. Naughty baked goods get their come-uppance the world over i guess.

Of course there were other things to photograph around and about that city. I'll perhaps post them on Flickr when I have time. And of course there's plenty to tell - though I doubt I could do the place justice. Maybe when those elusive spare minutes occur I'll give it a go.

Comical

A few of the front covers of comics the kids made by the end of the week's workshops I ran at the end of July. Sorry the quality is rather poor.. Come Friday, they'd produced a good few truly epic and hilarious stories to surprise and no doubt delight their lucky reading public.