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I paint, design, build websites and make things.
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My work related website is here, this site has returned to more of a blog – given the increasingly fragile nature of social media platforms.

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Latest posts and news…

  • The Disco Bed

    i‘d never stayed in a Travelodge before. To be honest, when I have been looking for cheap accommodation the example room photos on their website always put me off. Firstly because they aren’t necessarily the room you are booking and secondly because they look a bit, well, grim. They always reminded me of the Birmingham Etap with its wipe clean surfaces and prison like impersonality, though at least the TV in the Travelodge was in one piece… more on that later.

    Our destination of choice was an overnight stay near Hitchin, so the Travelodge Stevenage Little Wymondley Hotel was to be our destination. Worryingly it didn’t seem to show up on Google satellite view but it is in fact there, just a little further up the road than Google says. Unfortunately the Little Wymondley Travelodge also doesn’t seem to appear in any of the Travelodge offers, so no £19 a night room for us or even ten percent off the £55.70 price. I’ll admit, I’m a relative cheapskate when it comes to hotel rooms, that is, I like to pay as little as possible for the best room possible. Admittedly this had lead to two nights in The George Hamilton V Hotel in Brighton, as would later be featured on TVs top 10 worst hotels in Britain [and now called the Sandalwood I believe.] and also a night in a hotel room in Barcelona that was straight out of an 18th century slum, it may have had a lot of character but just looking at the shower made you want to take a shower. Just not in that shower.

    (more…)

  • Dirty Bristow Summer Fete

    coming soon (Saturday the 28th of August to be exact.)

    Dirty Bristow Summer Fete Poster

    Very exited to be given the opportunity to illustrate a story in the very first issue of the new, no rules, no advertising, magazine Dirty Bristow.

    I was exited to get drawing as its been a few months since I did any real ‘artwork’ and as such its great to have a deadline and something to work with. That said, due to some travel problems, remember Eyjafjallajökull?, I lost the best part of a month, that and the fact I was so out of practice combined with a struggle to get a handle on the location of the piece I was illustrating meant that despite spending a fair amount of time on my illustration I wasn’t 100% happy with it at the end. That happens sometimes and often I look back and see I was wrong and everything was just fine, so I’m doubly looking forward to seeing things in print myself. I’m also flattered to be in such good company of some of the writers and illustrators involved.

    Anyway the good news is it worked, I was so disgusted with how out of practice I’d become I’ve got several new pieces on the go, so thats a result. Heres some more info on the launch night;

    In a display of seasonal awareness to match how Bill Oddie thinks it’s time to watch spring in May, Birmingham City Centre is getting a Summer Fête at the end of August. The Edge in Digbeth will be the venue for Punch & Judy, Splat The Rat, a Tug O’ War, Teddy Bear Bungee, Guess The Weight Of The Cake, and all of the stuff you would expect at a traditional British summer fête — plus music and comedy from some exciting acts.
    It’s the launch event for new Brum-based magazine Dirty Bristow The magazine doesn’t carry adverts, in order to give full freedom to the writers and illustrators — and so each issue will hold fundraising events to offset the cost of production. Issue one is packed with literary musings, essays, fiction and art on the theme of ‘birth’, and the only way to guarantee a copy is to come to the fête.

    The mayor and vicar of the small fictional hamlet of Dirty Bristow have collected a huge variety of traditional musics, comedy, stalls and games — and have arranged for them to happen:
    on Saturday 28th August from 6pm ’til Late
    at The Edge in Digbeth
    for the tiny tiny fee of £5 — which includes a copy of Dirty Bristow issue one (magazine usually £3.50)
    So far confirmed is live music from 8-Bit Ninjas and Glatze and comedy from Tom Lennon and Harry Vale, more acts and attractions are to be announced.

    Thats just £5 for a copy of the magazine and whats looks to be a very memorable night outs entertainment, why I spent more than that for a couple of hours parking at the hospital this week and I know where I’d rather be spending my money.

  • Roadside 10-07-10

    number 14 in the series of occasional roadside photos.

    Roadside 10-07-10 @ The Dog in the Lane, Shropshire

    Fields opposite the humourosly titled ‘Dog in the Lane’ in Astley, Shropshire.

  • Webaz**t Inc.

    Webazoot, Smallbrook Queensway, Birmingham

    i was shocked and saddened to learn about the untimely death of my ex colleague, friend and fellow inker of paper mister Dave Cripps earlier this month.

    Dave was responsible for probably about 98% of the comments I’ve had on this site over the years. I first worked with Dave at a medium sized printing outfit in one of the darker edges of Birminghams Jewelry Quarter in the early 00’s. He beavered away creating quality advertisements for some of the Midlands premier autodealers and I knocked up the websites for them. I left the job there after a few years but Dave stayed and we kept loosely in touch through the Internet, and mostly, through the comment section of our respective corners of the web.

    A rare image of Dave at work captured via a Casio Wrist CamHis comments were always left under the ‘Webaz**t’ moniker. The origins of this were in it being one of the many names thought up for a new venture. I can’t remember whether it was Dave or Stewart who came up with the name now, either way it was perhaps one of the less sensible ones at the time, although we ended up with ‘Webtropolis’ which I think was my idea, so thats not saying much. Who knows, if we’d gone with Webaz**t we could be all be millionaires!

    Such as it was Webaz**t took on a life of its own, always a keyword for poor or over priced services and all that is bad in the design world. Several small projects involving Dave and the Webaz**t ‘brand’ popped up over the years, I’ve collated a few of them below so at least I’ll know where they are;

    Daves ‘quality’ Box – the recycling box from Daves desk, which we listed and sold on ebay for all of about £3.50 in 2003. We dutifully decided Dave should receive the profit from the sale, less listing fees, as he was now without a box to collect his recyclable paperwork in. I think the money was still sat on his desk when I left the company two years later.

    Cripps in Space [Flash adventure game] – Play as Daves alter ego in a badly hacked together text based adventure game, familiar to anyone with a zx spectrum in 1984.

    Webaz**t Customer Support – the desk smashing angry computer guy was and early Internet meme, we all thought it resembled Dave with his corner desk setting so…

    The Company Stapler on Daves holidays I just found this photo Dave emailed me, funnily enough I was in Barmouth last year and the Carousel Cafe still lacks a letter on its signage.

    A very OTT under construction screen in Flash.

    About Webaz**t – A page Dave put together himself which probably sums up the company ethos about the best.

    I can’t really take it in that when I make a post I won’t have a witty/random/sarcastic/funny comment appear a few days later. It was a pleasure to know Dave and I’m sure going to miss him and his thoughts.

    You can take a look at some of Daves drawings and paintings at his page on Elfwood.

    Too Old to Rock ‘n’ Roll: Too Young to Die indeed my good friend.

  • Roadside 16-05-10

    number thirteen in the series of occasional roadside photos.

    Roadside 16-05-10 National Air Traffic Services Radar at Titterstone Clee

    A photo of the National Air Traffic Services radar at Titterstone Clee, titter ye not.

    Seemed appropriate give the amount of flight grief many have had this, and last, month. More updates soon, when either the temperature reaches a more conducive to work level or else I find an air conditioned bunker to work in…