Merry Christmas everyone!

Molotov Jukebox gig poster - selling well down at Art Schism.... head down and bag one before they run out!

If you're in Brighton during December come and check out Art Schism - it's a brilliant new pop-up shop/gallery that I'm involved in.  There are about 20 local artists involved, showing a wonderful range of prints, paintings, sculpture, crafts, cards and plenty more besides.  We've also got live in-store screenprinting, with each of us providing a single-colour image that will be put onto t-shirts, bags and the like as well as all kinds of pretty paper - this is what mine looks like.  We're open every day until Christmas between 10 and 7 so pop along for some great presents, a look at some awesome new art or just a cup of tea and a chat.  Check the Facebook and Twitter pages for more info.  87 Gloucester Road, Brighton, BN1 4AP.

Here are a few of my drawings from the recent Brighton Illustrators Group life drawing session, courtesy of Jake and the team from the mighty Draw.  Really enjoyable (and popular!) session this one, with themed poses and readings from Mervyn Peake's Gormenghast - the perfect way to wind down at the end of a busy day.  I really do find life drawing immensely calming and therapeutic - everyone should do it!

Basically, ribbon gymnastics is damn cool.  A little rough drawing here - going to explore this a bit more I reckon.  It was great watching this during the Olympics as my computer was being a little jerky and the shapes that the ribbons made would freeze and linger for a split second longer and therefore made a stronger visual impression.

Some more new work freshly added to my website if you fancy a look: http://edtucker.biz...

Bonjourno.... I've got a rather nice new web store.  You can go there and buy nice limited edition fine art prints such as this one.  Check it out here: http://edtuckerillustration.bigcartel.com/

And a couple more.

A couple of snaps from the lovely Cotswolds....

Some things I made for fun and presents - wee prints to commemorate the births of some good friends' babies.

Another work in progress (I expect, but then again perhaps not...).  An anti-Armada fire beacon.

A few recent life drawings.

Another new illustration here - the final version just has a white background so I thought I'd post an alternative version up here, just for a laugh.  For non-tennis folk, this is the great Andy Roddick, who has just retired from the professional game.

Good grief, another post.  I was thinking of doing more to this but I rather like the simplicity so I expect it'll stay as it is.  Opinions more than welcome...  I discovered this lovely house whilst tearing around the Deer's Leap mountain bike trails near East Grinstead t'other weekend and getting a little lost - never intended as such but this wee picture's currently serving as a nice little reminder of the (occasional) joys of losing one's way.

I have some more posts fresh up over at Lost At E Minor if you fancy a wee gander.  And would also very much recommend the cracking new albums by Meshuggah, Killerwatts and Logic Bomb.

More drawings then...

Been a while since I posted anything here - lots of new work's been going up on my website but I'm trying to get back into the swing of posting other stuff up here - sketchbook things, personal work and experiments, drawings, work in progress and so on.  So here's a portrait of the legendary Zimbabwean musician Thomas Mapfumo.  It's a preliminary drawing for a self-initiated project about Zimbabwean music that I'm starting at the moment; I've loved Zimbabwean music for a very long time (mainly Jit and Sungura styles) but I'm into it more than ever right now - discovered some old gems recently, it's been going down very well in my DJ sets and the country as a whole is not in a good state these days and as such it's perceived in a particularly negative light (a Google Images search of the name for some research is a depressing case in point).  So I'm going to redress that in whatever small way I can, and celebrate an aspect of the country's culture that has brought me immense joy.  Plus it's a good excuse to draw another map (finalising a nice map commission as we speak...).  And some guitars.  Hurrah.

Aside from Mr.Mapfumo I would also recommend listening to the amazing Oliver Mtukudzi (who turns sixty this month), Four Brothers, Nyami Nyami Sounds, James Chimombe and John Chibadura.

Thought I'd post a 'work in progress' for a change.... time for another promotional extravaganza, and I thought I'd create a new bespoke image for my postcards that can incorporate the all-important details and make the whole thing seem fun, upbeat and exciting.  Hopefully any art director will be powerless to resist calling a number that's played out of a trombone.  Still a bit of tweakery to be done, and some more paint and nice shapes and wotnot, but ready for the printers next week, hurrah.

And if you're Brighton-bound this weekend, it's the last chance to visit some open houses!  Once again I'm exhibiting in the ever-excellent Claremont and will be there on both days so come and say hi if you're about.  Details here, and Open House Festival details here.  Have a great weekend whatever you get up to.

A couple more life drawings from last week's Draw session at the Old Market.

Here are a few drawings from the opening party of the new Draw Brighton life drawing sessions at the lovely Old Market in Hove. It was a great night all round, bumping into all kinds of folk, enjoying a beer (and some bonus nibbles) and coming away with a good haul of drawings. I went again last night and am clearly going to become a regular at this excellent session (it's conveniently right on my doorstep) - thanks to Jake and Hester and all the models.

Been a bit quiet on here lately, but been good and busy - lots of new illustration work has been freshly posted up on my site. I've also been doing more work for the excellent Standard 8, as well as recording a batch of new dub tunes that will be out in the coming months. I've just written some more posts for Lost at E Minor too so have a look at some of the things I've been enjoying over there if you fancy.