A5 Pale Rider pencil sketch

I was itching to do some pencils so I've worked up three hand-drawn A5 sketches based on the rider in my new Pale Rider print. I'm going to put one in with each of the next 3 orders of the print. It's available now at my online shop.

Frog In Your Throat

I just worked on the rebrand of the Frog In Your Throat lozenge for traditional sweets co AL Simpkins.
It was alot of fun, particularly sticking a frog in a cape!

Pale Rider - Out Now!

 

 Here's my homage to the Kelham Island Brewery's flagship beer.

Available from my shop here

...or from the brewery here

Pale Rider

 

My new Steel City print kicks off today with this awesome trailer by bad4ss video man Northshot. It is soundtracked by the impressive Sheff band The Clench with a gravelly voiceover by James Bonsall.

I'll be at the Kelham Island Brewery on monday as part of their open day wih a table full of my wares. The print is available from both me and the brewery.

Check out the trailer now here.

Mistress Flames!

 

Part 4 of my 'Light vs Dark' collaberation with The Kelham Island Brewery kicks off this month with this female member of the baddies team. Mistress Flames is a strong ruby mild ale and her character is very much inspired by the villains of DC Comics. She is a fiery vamp with a jovial but evil streak. I'm really chuffed with this character design and this is my personal fave of the set (in artwork terms).

This signed print is now available from my shop.

Sheffield Star interview

I did an interview with the Sheffield Star all about my recent 'Light vs Dark' beer pump series with The Kelham Island Brewery.

Check out what was said here.

Cheers to Richard M for a lovely plug!!!

Coming soon...

One for the Goths!

My Light vs Dark set (a collaberation with the Kelham Island Brewery) continues this month with Gentleman Death. This dapper gothic gent is the leader of the baddies and is a nod to genius dastardly characters like Skeletor and General Zod, with a bit of Basil Fawlty thrown in.

I tasted the beer last week at the brewery and it's bloody lovely. It should be hitting the pumps very shortly so keep em peeled. You can buy a copy of this A4 print and see more info here.

The Great Pie & Peas Up

Here's a close-up of the one-off artwork I did for the St Lukes Hospice 'Great Pie & Peas Up' campaign. For a chance to win it check out the info about holding your own pie & peas party this month at their facebook page. A large framed version of this picture will go to the biggest fund-raiser. They are raising money for their new in-patient unit.

Light vs Dark part 2: Dunkel Devastator

My 'Light vs Dark' collaberation with the Kelham Island Brewery continues this month as this big fellas hits the pumps.  I've heard the beer itself will be on sale in the Hop in Sheffield and Magna in Rotherham. It's 5.6% wheaty attack isn't for the faint-hearted.

Once again I'll be selling signed A4 prints featuring the artwork. For more info on these click here.

'The Great Pie & Peas Up' St. Luke's Hospice fundraiser

I've donated a one-off print (as in one on the planet) to St. Luke's Hospice for their 'Great Pie & Peas Up' campaign to raise funds for their new in-patient unit. If you sign-up to this very worthy cause you'll stand a good chance of winning it. You'll also get to binge eat some pie & peas with zero guilt which is good news for fattys like me :)

Check out the article on their site here or their facebook page for more info.

Here's panel one of the picture...

Kelham Island Brewery artwork competition

COMPETITION TIME!!!

I’m giving away a complete set of my recent work for the Kelham Island Brewery in print form, including the complete ‘Light Vs Dark’ collection, the Promo poster and a print featuring the 1940s sci-fi serial pumps. All signed by me!

For details of how to enter take a look at my facebook page.

Tin Can Avenger - A4 Print

'Tin Can Avenger' is the first of six pumps in the 'Light Vs Dark' series I have recently worked on with The Kelham Island Brewery. He is in selected pubs now.

I have launched an A4 print featuring the design at my online shop. All copies will be signed by me.

For more info or to buy the pump click here.

'Light vs Dark' - An interview with 'Beer In The Evening'

 

 The 'Tin Can Avenger' beer will be launched in Febuary to kick off my 'Light vs Dark' series for the Kelham Island Brewery

Steve at 'Beer In The Evening' has done a superb write-up on the work I've been doing with Kelham which included a preview of all the pumps. Check it out HERE.

I will be selling prints of all the pumps as they are released. More about that shortly...

 

Pearl Harbour comic-book adaption

 I've been working on an adaption of the attack on Pearl Harbour for Comics in the Classroom. They are developing an App that will help introduce young readers to big historical events and learn more about people like Rasputin, Jesse James, the Dambusters and Thomas Beckett to name but a few. They are looking mint and I was proud to take part in the new venture. Here's a shot of a Japanese Zero plane flying through the sunken battleships. More info soon...

Fright Night 2012 - original A3 sketch

I've decided to sell the pencil sketch that became the poster/ branding for this years Fright Night halloween carnival in Sheffield. Being a mainly digital artist it's very rare I sell any original hand-drawn artwork so don't delay if you want a Jim Connolly original on your wall as there's obviously just one copy. I'll throw in the limited artists edition Fright Night poster as a brucie bonus too.

The Adventures of Captain Chrimbo

Here is my Christmas pump for the Kelham Island Brewery. It features a Captain Marvel-esque Santa and all the brewery staff. It should be out there now in the usual Kelham outlets. Ta.

Coming soon... (burp)

Throughout 2013 The Kelham Island Brewery will be releasing a series of comic-book themed special beers. I worked with them to come-up with 6 characters (3 goodies vs 3 baddies) who will front each of these ass-kicking beers. There is also an xmas beer I branded due out in december and a follow-up to the Rocketmen pump awaiting take-off.

Basically there will be 8 good reasons to hit the pub coming soon...

Fright Night 2012 Print - online now

Hi folks, the Fright Night 2012 Limited Edition print I did is available online now. For more info see the link below. Ta

Fright Night 2012 Limited Edition Print

Fright Night Limited Prints - available this weekend

 

This sunday (28th Oct) I will be selling a limited edition A3 print (standard size A3 on 140gsm paper) of a reworked version of the poster designs I did for this years Fright Night carnival event in Sheffield City Centre. The prints will be £15 each and I will be there from 3:30-8:30pm inside the Winter Gardens. Please come and say hello :)

The prints aren't available online just yet.

Horror Gig

Rob Nevitt has kindly asked our band to play a special late night show to end the opening night at the Celluloid Screams horror fest, which I did the branding and poster for a few years back. We will be on after the Q&A which follows the Cobal Cut of Nightbreed sometime after midnight.

The poster is a bit of a rushed job and is meant to be Cropsey from The Burning, which is one of my personal favourite horror films.

I will also be making an appearance at Fright Night on sunday 28th signing and selling some of the posters I designed for this years Fright Night event. More about that soon...

Fright Nights Little Brother

I also did the poster for the earlier more toddler-friendly event and went for a deranged basketball playing wolf, inspired by the MJ Fox 80s classic.

Fright Night 2012

  

I've been busy doing lots of fun work since I last posted. Yellow Bus events hired me to illustrate this years Fright Night event poster which is definately one for the book of life for me. This year there will be a focus on voodoo so I took inspiration from the Bond classic 'Live and Let Die'.Thanks to April and Scott for a very fun job.

The Friends of Batman - Tramlines 2012

 

If you're short of something to do at Tramlines this saturday then do your funny bone a favour and join us!!!

I was pretty chuffed with the logo on 'The Man Of Steel City' print so decided to turn it into a t-shirt available via a creative community site called Red Rubble. I'll be uploading a few other designs too.

Buy Tee

Rose & Christopher commission

Rose Kirkland hired me to draw her fella Christopher and herself in a Dr Who, Superman and indy themed pretend comic-book cover. This was such a fun pic to work on and I loved slotting in some of the most iconic Dr Who baddies. Less well know is the bat-like Tetrap who filled an empty slot at the back and remains one of my favourite 80s monsters from the McCoy era (I still have the Dapol figure). Happy birthday to Christopher and thanks to Rose for an incredibly fun job.

Squirrel Hosting

Here's a cheeky squirrel I drew for Squirrel Hosting who will be holding a competition to name him in the near future. Nice one Jonathan!!!

Kelham Island Brewery Pump

I've been working with the Kelham Island Brewery on my first beer pump design. It features a bit of a nod to the retro sci/fi serial 'King of the Rocketmen'. The beer is being brewed as I write this and will hit their usual outlets on monday 7th May. It's often been my ambition to brand a beer so I'm very chuffed with this commission and glad to report that it's the start of a longer project with them!

For more info on the beer please check out the Kelham facebook page here.

'They Ate The Eggbox'

My 8th sheffield print is here! Featuring the fallen townhall extension known as the Eggbox. I have reimagined it's demolition as-if actual dinosaurs (rather than mechanical ones) were hired to take it apart.

Check out the brilliant vid (best so far I reckon!) by Northshot...

Video trailer

More info/ shop

Exposed Magazine Article

Emma Swallow of Exposed Magazine has kindly given me a plug on their online magazine about the new Man of Steel City print. Check it out at the link below for a chance to win goodies. Many thanks to Emma!

Exposed Magazine

'The Man Of Steel City' - New Print!!!

It's been way too long since I've put out a Sheffield print and the latest features a spoof of the world's greatest hero, tweaking his nickname to make him a Steel City local. He can be seen racing down the dogs, sparring with a supertram, leaping the arts tower and fighting for sheff's rich cultural history. Going 'faster than a speeding whippet!', as they say. Available as Open Edition or Premium Limited Edition art prints.

Watch the promo vid by Northshot with music from the VCs and a sultry voiceover from my band-mate James (Sean Bean couldn't make it).

View the Video

Visit my Shop

Billboard

Thanks to my pal Stevey for spotting this at Cineworld and sending me a piccy.Happy new year to everyone!

New print on it's way...

I've been a pretty busy man this year and sadly missed the boat on a christmas print release. I'm glad to report that the new sheff print is well underway and due out (touch wood) by the end of Jan 2012. I've wanted to do an unashamed superhero print since the start and decided now is the time. Merry Christmas and thanks to all those who supported me this year!!!

Sheffield College Prospectus

Earlier in the year I worked on the sheff college prospectus for the new academic year, having done it for the previous year along with some other mural work around the college. As previously it was a fun job, this time with a Heroic vibe down the 'Heroes' and 'Smallville' paths.

I've been quiet about my sheff prints since summer but the good news is that I'll be publishing the 7th print in a matter of weeks, with at least 2 more to follow in the first half of next year. I've been itching to get the set completed and on a wall and it's my current priority! More info very soon...

Beartown Wedding

Crikey I've really been neglecting my Blog this year. I've been working in-house at Matmi for a few months which was a fun gig which has kept me very busy. Another cause of my lack of free time was that I married my lovely lady Melissa after nearly 8 fun years together. We tied the knot in Melissa's home town of Congleton which has a link to bears having once sold the town bible to buy a fighting bear. We went with the bear theme and had a superb day!

Tramlines

The talented Nat Johnson kindly asked the Friends of Batman to take the stage this sunday as part of the free Tramlines festival in Sheff. We're on at 4pm-ish. It's been nearly 2 years since we gigged and we intend to have fun. Most of our songs are very rude just to warn you.

The Beat is The Law - Mixtape 1

I recently did a small job to help promote the Eve Wood documentary 'The Beat is The Law'. I worked with Rob Planisher and Ralph Razor to create a downloadable mixtape curated by the latter gent.

'The Beat is The Law' is all about Sheff's rich muscial history and the social context surrounding it.
Check out more info about the mixtape here.

Tramlines

I'm pretty chuffed to have been asked by Nat Johnson to play this years Tramlines on sunday 24th July at the Redhouse, aka the coolest gig venue in town. I'll be playing it as myself rather than as a Friends of Batman gig this time, but there will still be more FOB gigs in the future and the chaps will be joining me for a few cameos during the set. I'm on at about 4pm.

More info here.

Apocalyptic Sheffield Workshop

As part of the John Martin exhibition planned at the Millenium Gallery, Sheffield I will be leading a one-day workshop in which I'll be helping those who come to create an apocalyptic vision of Sheffield in pencil, ink or acrylics.

The workshop takes place on Sunday 17th July.

Those who sign up will also get the chance to see the superb apocalyptic visions of John Martin to get some inspiration.

Places are limited and available here.

A successful escape!

I'm happy to report that my stash of 'Escape' is now sold out! If anyone still wants one then West-End Picture Framing (on Sharrowvale Rd), The Old Sweetshop and APG may have a couple left.

I've started planning the next Sheff print which I'm hoping to launch on the Tramlines weekend in July if all goes well. More info coming soon...

Davey Jones's Kitchen

My old pal Dave Jones kindly sent me this pic of some of my prints on his kitchen wall. Dave has bought the whole set so far so hats off to Dave and his fine lady Helen!!! I'm tempted to share a cr4p gag about Lincoln cathedral that me, Dave and his bro Tom have been repeating since we were teens but I'll spare you all...

Attack on Steel City

My new Sheff-themed print is out now! It's a bookend to the 'Terror at Tinsley Towers' print in that the UFOs return to finish the job. The main focus is local football rivalry, which I've tackled in the style of a Godzilla-esque monster battle. Also, the seeds of doom have been laid at the Winter Gardens and the Surrey St Policebox has suddenly become activated!!!

Check out the ace trailer by Kieran Collins of Northshot: kieran@northshot.co.uk
Music by the Ape Drape Escape


View Trailer

Buy print

Coming soon...

My first print for 2011 is shaping up nicely and due out in a few weeks time. Once again this will be strictly limited to 100 copies only so keep 'em peeled!!! More info soon...

Toast Magazine interview

A kind fella I know called Hal Walker was good enough to interview me for Toast Magazine about the 'Steel City Heroes' series of prints I've been doing. The mag is available around the mean streets of Sheff or should be online soon-ish I'd imagine at their site.

Massive thanks to Hal and the other Toastmasters!!!

Mrs Cavazza

2010 came to a fun conclusion with this commissioned piece for my friend Tom. It features Tom's wife and was inspired by the italian comic-book character Dylan Dog, particularly issue 1 which is seen below. The italian title at the bottom says 'Dawn of the Dead Students' I believe. Cheers to Tom for throwing me a cool job!!!

Sharkman character concept

My writer friend Marcus commissioned me to whip up some designs for a potential sharkman monster for a project he's been working on. I must admit this was some of the most fun I've had since I first picked up a pencil as a kid. The style is more realistic than my comic-book stuff (drawn in pencil with photoshop colours) and I was looking back at some Ralph McQuarrie Cantina scene concepts when I tackled it.

BBC Radio Sheffield interview

Stephanie at BBC Radio Sheffield was good enough to set me up with an interview with Howard Pressman yesterday afternoon to promote my new Sheff print 'Escape From The Moor'. I'm not the world's greatest public speaker but had a good time and was pleased that Howard seemed genuinely into my stuff. Stephanie also updated a previous article she wrote when I put out Steel Finger which can be found below. Big thanks to Steph for all her help and Howard for a fun interview!!!

Listen to the show (I'm on from about 1:10.45)

Read Stephanie's article

The article in pictures

Escape From The Moor

Here's a brand new print about Sheffield, more specifically the mid-regeneration shopping area known as 'the Moor'. My (mild) exaggeration of it's current state sees it become a wasteland of post-apocalyptic poundshops over-run with unruly OAPs (with a cult 80s film twist).

Limited Edition of 100 copies only
A3 quality digital print on 280 gsm
All signed and numbered.
When they are gone, they are gone...

I've wheeled in the big guns to promote it in the form of Kieran Collins who has made me the superb trailer below. Drop him a line if you want his vid skills to enhance your own work! The great soundtrack is by Pygmy Globetrotters who are available to play weddings and riots (preferably riots). Cheers lads!

Watch the trailer

Buy the print

News

Hi there,
well the bad news is that the 6 print series with Archipelago has come to an early end. The good news however is that 'Escape From the Moor' is at the printers now and will be available online by the weekend. More details and trailer (woohoo) to come but for now here's a sneaky peak...

Sheffield Prints BACK IN STOCK!!!

Digital versions of my 4 Sheffield prints are back in the shop now at a tenner each unframed. Booya!

My shop

Sheffield College Murals

Recently I was working on some murals to brighten up the walls of Sheffield College's shiney new City Campus on Granville Road.

I did a window image...



An image for the main reception...




...and an image to brighten up the atrium wall.




Cheers to my old pal James for putting a good word in!!!