Hot Frog's hottest work

2012-01-30T09:21:00.000Z

2012-01-30T09:18:00.004Z

•PRODUCT LABEL

Kicked off this year by finishing off a very nice job for the guys at Chilli Design.

Don't think it would be fair to say what the exact product as yet as it will probably be rolled out during this year.

The crop shown here is about a third of the total illustration which was a slight departure in style for me in an attempt to try and capture a certain look and feel required by the client. It worked well and should be seen up and down the country on labels. POS and van livery.

So, if in a few months time you see these cows and sheep flying past you on the M1, remember you saw it here first folks.

Please click on the image too enlarge it but remember they are all strictly copyright. ©

2012-01-07T17:12:00.000Z

•HERE'S TO A WONDERFUL 2012

A new year a new picture book app!

I'm now working on a few follow up book apps. and the first in line is a series of 'first' books of Colour, Shapes, Numbers and ABC.
To host this fun series I've been working on a couple of brand new characters that we've decided to call Wiz Bods.
I say we, as they were developed during lots of play and drawing sessions with my little nephew Gian.
At the moment there are just two Wiz Bods, namely Beeble and his friend Blink.
I'm hoping that they flourish and that they feature in their very own stories in future.
My first flurry of commissioned work has arrived and needs must, so these little fellas will have to wait a while before they go 'live'.

2011-12-05T15:30:00.001Z

• MY FIRST EVER PICTURE BOOK APP!

GET IT RIGHT HERE

• MY FIRST EVER PICTURE BOOK APP!

Just finished work on the conversion of Ga Gunk to become an interactive app.

The artwork for Ga Gunk was finished a couple of years ago and has been seeking a publisher ever since. It's a very short, sweet little story that features two cute little froggies.

They fall in love one magical moonlit night under the shooting stars.

Ga Gunk is the sound that American youngsters think frogs make. I must admit that I'd never heard of it either, but it kinda makes sense once you've become accustomed to hearing it.

And boy have i become accustomed!

This adaptation took around 3 weeks of solid work with many a late hour working on it and liaising with the Interactive Touch Books team in California.

They were always available to help and explain their brilliant (but complicated at first) web.app software.

Ga Gunk is now one of the 30 or so books available in the ITB bookstore and hopefully will prove a popular little tale.

The words came from Susie Ramsey who contacted me to illustrate this tale and told me that her grandma used to sing to her when she was little.

The PB app features 13 pages with a colouring-in page, a build-your-own-froggy puzzle and a Ga gunk song and narration by Rachel Baier.

I now have two further books in development and plan to offer my app creation/conversion skills to other authors and illustrators who might not be able to tackle the online creation process.

2011-11-14T09:47:00.001Z

•JINGLE BELLS

As a freelance illustrator I'm asked to produce seasonal artwork at any time and all through the year. A santa character might be wanted for a new festive chocolate bar, or a game that has to be launched in time to appear in next year's christmas brochure.

It still amazes me when the 'real' christmas frenzy rushes around once more tho and I know it's such a tired cliche to utter this.

It makes me think about the few 'lazy' houses that you see around the neighbourhood, the ones who didn't bother to take down last year's glowing reindeer neon lights but have left them up all year, might have a point.

It hardly seems worth it, just cover the christmas tree in the lounge with a nice throw and then come December - uncover and voila! All that hassle of searching through the loft, unpacking and bauble dressing is gone.

Anyway, before I descend into a scrooge-like rant ... here's a lovely job I did for Second Nature cards. This stylish santa and reindeer will be magically chopped, trimmed, glued and cleverly re-assembled into a luxury pop-up greetings card, glitter everywhere! Pah!

As always please click on the image to supersize it but remember that it is strictly copyright. ©

2011-10-19T13:59:00.000Z

•FANTASTIC CREATURES

These strange and wonderful critters started off as fantasy drawings in my sketchbooks. I must have sketched out a dozen or so and then felt the need to bring a couple of them to life, so to speak.
I love the work of Kei Acedera and the IMAGINISM STUDIOS and I guess I had these very much in mind as I visualised them and worked them up in Photoshop.
They were produced for a project that unfortunately is still under the darkest of wraps and so more explanations cannot yet be provided.
Please feel free to click and supersize these images but be warned they are strictly under copyright. © and must not be copied.

2011-10-07T22:43:00.001Z

•FUN STICKERS

Just a quickie this post. I illustrated these four fun stickers for a children's spinning game a little while ago.

It's always more fun and more rewarding to deal with all the elements involved in a game.

Not sure if that's my control freak nature speaking up, but it helps get to grips with the whole concept and for me, always results in a more satisfactory outcome.

Please click on an image to supersize it but remember folks they are strictly copyright.©

2011-09-19T13:56:00.000Z

• FUN SANTA

• FUN SANTA
A early Christmas commission to create a fun Santa and friends for a CD cover. It was produced for Somerset Entertainment.
The job came in on the Friday and was wanted for Monday morning, a little rushed, but fun nonetheless.
Please click on the image to enlarge but remember that it is strictly copyright, as are all images on this blog. ©

2011-08-31T22:50:00.000Z

•NEW BEE GAME

•NEW BEE GAME
Children's games featuring bees are really very popular. I can testify to this because I have illustrated 3 myself and they just keep coming.
I can't yet show the full cover of this clever new version but when it's released I certainly will be able to.
I'm also in the process of trying to get an original game of my own published.
Trying to attract a game company with a new venture is almost as difficult as trying to get a picture book published!
I shall not give up on either endeavour though, so as they say, watch this space.
Please feel free to double click and enlarge this image but remember it is strictly copyright. ©

2011-08-31T22:40:00.000Z

• FURTHER VECTORS

• FURTHER VECTORS
In addition to the set of vector silhouettes that I illustrated a couple of months ago, I was asked to update another range of products.
These are just a small selection of the 'cool' boarders, skaters and trucks I came up with.
I love the simplicity of the vector line and often regret dropping Illustrator from my tool palette. These days I create all my linework in Photoshop as I find it much easier to manipulate but I appreciate that it's not a patch on 'real' Illustrator artwork. Some of it is amazing and what can be achieved by tweaking a few vertices is truly incredible.
Please feel free to double click and supersize these images but they remain strictly copyright. ©

2011-08-31T22:33:00.000Z

•TOON TV

•TOON TV
This was one of a set of colourful cards I illustrated and designed as part of a new magic trick. It is produced and published by Razamatazz Magic and has special regards to Wayne Dobson, who first invented the fun and intriguing card trick.
I've performed this trick for young relatives and with only minimal rehearsal, it went down a storm.
Please feel free to click and enlarge the image but remember that it remains strictly copyright.©

2011-07-18T22:19:00.000Z

•GAMES, GAMES AND GAMES GALORE!

More games this month, and for the last couple of months. Some of these were shown in part as i finished them, but now they are in production so I get sample copies of each.

These are from Interplay in the States and they really make an excellent job of the packaging, nice strong glossy board with colours that seem to be brighter than your average cmyk.

One of my most recent jobs was for research and pitching by a client so unfortunately will not get seen in this blog.

Please feel free to click and enlarge these images but remember that they are all strictly copyright. ©

2011-06-06T22:57:00.000Z

•Kelly's Ice Cream

•Kelly's Ice Cream
What a great job this was, photograph and illustrate some ice cream - eat some ice cream!

Photograph chocolate, eat chocolate, you get the idea.
The most fun was realising that the insides of Crunchie bars just don't give enough honeycomb texture to use in this kind of illustration, so I had to set to and made a batch of my own.
Luckily the illustration for that particular flavour variant arrived around Bonfire night so I didn't eat all that refined sugar myself, we took it to a friends fire and shared it.
My favourite flavour to illustrate and the one I'm most pleased with is the clotted cream. This was pure illustration (the blue and white pot) mixed with some 3d work (the churn) and some Photoshop brushes (the grass) blended with photography (the cream) bringing them all seamlessly together is very satisfying.
These have been under wraps for a few of months and there is still one more flavour that has not yet been released.
Please click on an image to see an enlarged version but remember that all these images are strictly copyright and must not be used in any way. ©

2011-05-20T21:51:00.000Z

•VECTOR SILHOUETTES

VECTOR SILHOUETTES

These silhouette illustration are taken from a larger set recently completed for a child based product. Although I don't work in Illustrator any longer I could create this linework in Photoshop from scanned pencil sketches. It made me really fancy doing some more of this type of work and brought to mind the brilliant silhouette work of Jan Pienkowski.

Please double click an image to supersize and remember that all my images are strictly copyright. ©

2011-05-05T10:12:00.001Z

•CLOWN CHARACTER

•CLOWN CHARACTER
Yet another crazy character created for Razamatazz Magic. This colourful clown will feature in their Potty Paint machine where a blank piece of card miraculously transform firstly into a black and white image and then finally into a full coloured birthday card. Magic!
Please double click to enlarge but remember that all images are strictly copyright. ©

2011-04-20T08:46:00.000Z

•EASTER POSTERS

•EASTER POSTERS
These giant posters (the vertical one is 5 metres tall) will be seen in the shopping mall at Milton Keynes over the Easter break.
The Mac slows down a bit when processing such large images so in order to keep working efficiently I had one job ongoing on the iMac and the other on the G5 and between them they coped admirably.
I suppose there's a good argument for working in vectors on such mammoth illustrations but over the years I've moved away from Illustrator and work almost exclusively in Photoshop, Painter and Form Z.
I think it's easier to 'paint' realistic forms rather than trying to create them mathematically with blended vectors. But then you've only to see some of the best vector artists' work to realise that if you're at the top of your profession and you know what you're doing it is possible to achieve almost any effect.

2011-03-16T09:26:00.000Z

• SKETCHBOOK WORK

•SKETCHBOOK WORK

Between commissioned work I like to find time for using my sketchbook/notebooks. I've always carried one of these with me ever since leaving college and it sometimes becomes my second brain.

Ideas are jotted down and developed, stored - like in Dumbledore's pensive - and surprisingly re-discovered and used years later.

At the moment I want to draw children, and in particular one little boy. This is for a wordless Picture Book I'm working on, set in a garden.

I need to draw and draw until the shape of the limbs, the folds and bulk of the clothes and the expressions, come naturally to me.

These are some early examples from the last 2 weeks, I've a long way to go before becoming close to Shirley Hughes!

I'm in the process of creating a widget on this blog that will take viewers over to a sketchbook section on Flickr. Meanwhile should anyone be interested (or actually be reading this) here are some of my older sketchbooks

2011-02-28T10:02:00.000Z

•GAME COVER

•GAME COVER
Recently illustrated this game cover for iWin and Somerset Entertainment. It featured quite an amazing array of buildings and greenery to choose from. I've not tried the game but it sounds like an exciting twist on the Sim City type games.
Please feel free to supersize this image by clicking on it, but remember that all images are strictly copyright. ©

2011-01-31T16:12:00.000Z

•JUNGLE JAMBOREE

This fun set of magic game cards was illustrated for my favourite children's magicians - Razamatazz Magic. Check them out at www.razamatazzmagic.com they have some fantastically wonderful games and tricks and it's a veritable showcase for Hot Frog too.

Please feel free to supersize these images by clicking on them and remember that they are all strictly copyright.©

2011-01-21T09:08:00.000Z

•PUPPIES & KITTENS

•PUPPIES & KITTENS
Here's a novel take on the classic game Connect 4.
I illustrated this just before the end of the year for Interplay in America.
When I say 'illustrated', I expect many of you think this is just photography, but there's a hell of a lot of retouching goes on with a job like this.
Each of those individual tiles has to be drawn as paths so that their perfect plasticity can be achieved, as with most of the cut-out holes in the rack.
The kittens and puppies themselves needed no retouching as the artwork for these existed already from the previous iteration of the game. The are very cute I think, I wonder who did them.
I am just about to launch my portfolio on Play.com, where I should pick up more of this kind of work.
Please feel free to supersize the images by double clicking and remember that they are all strictly copyrighted.

2011-01-14T18:53:00.000Z

•YET ANOTHER FATHER CHRISTMAS

I know it's going to seem odd posting a Santa character so far into the new year, have a Happy One, by the way! But this traditional Father Christmas for a top chocolate brand, was one of the final jobs of 2010 and I've just received release for him, so here he is - minus the branding! In doing this job for Futurebrand in Milan, I learnt the charming name for him in Italian - Babbo Natale.

So far this year I've worked on a new game for young children and been practising my magic act after a fairly successful 2nd gig on NY's eve.

Please feel free to double click and enlarge the image but remember it is strictly copyright. ©

2010-11-25T09:32:00.003Z

•WALLY MEETS THE POLAR BEARS

•WALLY MEETS THE POLAR BEARS
Just finished this latest illustration for the new Wally book by Helen Bonney "Wally meets the children of the world". Wally has travelled back to Earth using his amazing PBT and meets some endangered species including these three cute bears.
These illustrations are a welcome oasis in the middle of time-tight commercial commissions.
Please click on the image to enlarge but remember they are all very strictly copyrighted. ©

2010-11-08T15:08:00.004Z

•Pirates and sea creatures

•Pirates and sea creatures
I really enjoyed this set of illustrations for games company Interplay in the states.
Individual magnetic images are applied to a large mural background for lots of creative play activity.
Here's a small selection of the individual pieces and maybe I'll post the large background images at some point too.
Please feel free to double click and enlarge these images but remember they are strictly copyright. ©

2010-09-30T08:03:00.005Z

Hot Frog @30!
www.hfg30.blogspot.com

I can hardly believe it myself but I have now been in the business of illustration for three whole decades!
To celebrate I've created a new online blogfolio to showcase some of my best efforts.
Here's the blurb I've been sending around clients etc.
2010 is the 30th anniversary of Creative Review, also of Walker Books and Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

It's also 30 years since Paul Morton created Hot Frog Graphics.

As the world lost John Lennon, the UK lost the sixpence and the first fax machines appeared in Japan, Paul started his (non-digital) illustration and design studio in the centre of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, and has never looked back.

If you've heard the name, but imagine that you're not so familiar with the artwork of Hot Frog then you might be surprised to learn that some of the best known illustrations on thousands of chocolate packs originated from this busy studio, along with countless postcards, greetings cards, advertising posters, characters, children's games and beer labels.

As a successful 'airbrush artist' in the 80's with top notch clients of the day, such as Athena, Scandecor and Verkerke, Paul says ...

"I've never given up the pencil, but making that digital switch and swapping paint for pixels was the best decision I ever made - I now move light around for a living.

These days commissions arrive from across the globe and it's always exciting to hear from new clients in Dublin or Dubai, across Europe to the USA, Australia, Turkey, Japan, Hawaii and many still back home in Yorkshire.

What is the top most frequent thing that I'm asked to illustrate?

Easy, it has to be fruit. Every supermarket carries thousands of packs featuring fruit whether it's cereals, yogurts, soft drinks, sweets, washing powder or medication, and you can bet there's orange, strawberry or blackcurrant in there for sure. I thought I'd illustrated most fruits, and yet just last month I was asked to illustrate rhubarb for the very first time, featuring on a yogurt crumble.

So if you ring and find yourself speaking to my answerphone I'm either hard at work pushing those pesky pixels around; or, because I get to sample all those cakes, cereals, chocolates and sweets, plus gallons of beer and soft drinks - (and if the weather is favourable) - I'll be out working even harder pushing mountain bike pedals, as I desperately try to burn off some of those calories!"

Paul has now showcased a broad selection of Hot Frog's most entertaining work spanning his ongoing 30 year career, with examples ranging from posters for rock bands, campaigning fund raising postcards, mini-magnetic children's books to board games, advertising campaigns and also featuring a peak into his personal collection of hundreds of sketchbooks.

You can enjoy it too at www.hfg30.blogspot.com

2010-09-24T08:36:00.001Z

•SMALL WORLD
Here's a nice job.
Take the existing logo for the 2nd World Festival of Animation, and give it some 3D 'ooomph'.
So I went to town on this little fella, Globo, and I'm very pleased with the results. Especially so, since the festival takes place in my very own Barnsley.
Now off to study the programme, 80 films in 3 weeks, it's going to be tight fitting them all in!
Please double click any image to enlarge but remember they are strictly copyright. ©

2010-09-24T08:30:00.000Z

•GAMES GALORE

Well 2 more anyhow!

These 2 games, not yet released, were produced for Interplay in the States and should be out next year.

Here's a sneaky preview of a detail of one of them.

Enlarge any image by double clicking and remember just how strictly copyright ALL these images are. ©

2010-08-26T08:57:00.000Z

•ON THE BEACH
Life was one big beach party for a couple of weeks recently when I was asked to provide photo realistic beach signs for a marketing event at a famous shopping mall in the midlands.
It was re-stressed that the signs must be dis-stressed and very weather beaten. So I started with some reference shots of bamboo and wooden fencing in the back garden and with clever use of textures (and a few hundred layers in Photoshop) they began to take shape.
Here's a small selection. Double click the images to supersize them but please remember that they are strictly copyright.

2010-08-16T12:16:00.002Z

•FRUITY YOGHURTS

More fruit again last month-which is always welcome.

For the first time ever I was asked for Rhubarb and it was particularly pleasing to be able to use our very own luscious sticks as reference.

My wife makes the very best Rhubarb crumble in the world and these reference pieces weren't wasted after the shoot.

Please double click the images to supersize them and bear in mind that they are all strictly copyright. ©

2010-07-27T22:18:00.004Z

•MONKEY AROUND

•MONKEY AROUND
This is the first of 3 new games I've been working on for Interplay.
This was a deviation from my usual method of 'super realising' the game itself. Instead we took a more creative approach and created some fun monkey characters to populate the front of the game box.
I'm particularly pleased with the cheekiness of these little monkeys.
Other than these games I've been full-on occupied with creating Hot Frog's 30 anniversary blog as well as preparing a HFG@30 summer garden party and frog treasure hunt.
The blog is up and running and being added to weekly.
http://www.hfg30.blogspot.com
there'll be a competition announced shortly for all my clients to take part in.
Please feel free to double click and supersize these blog images but remember they are all strictly copyright. ©

2010-05-25T08:28:00.005Z

•UNDERWATER WONDERLAND

This was part of an exciting set of greetings cards that should be out later this year.
Again I'm not at liberty to give any more details but when they hit the shelves I'll certainly display the full set.
Incidentally, another reason for my lack of recent posts has been my Mac suddenly deciding it needed a new power unit and logic board.
I was prepared to wait over a weekend for the repair but it has been 3 WEEKS now, and I still haven't received it back.
Consequently I'm now enjoying a shiny new iMac, that fastest Mac on the planet at the moment.
Yes, I love it but I had a deep meaningful bond with my G5 and I want it back!
Please feel free to supersize the images in this blog by double clicking but remember that all are strictly copyright. ©

2010-05-25T08:20:00.002Z

•BEER BEER WE WANT MORE BEER!

World Cup Fever has reached Hot Frog too with these three beer labels for local breweries. Don't forget it will bring us good luck to get stocked up on these ales prior to KO on June 12th.
Wish I was on a royalty per bottle!
Please enlarge the images by double clicking but remember that they are all strictly copyright. ©

2010-05-24T09:58:00.002Z

•WALLY ON HIS TRAVELS!

As mentioned below I have just completed around 50 Wally Woppapotamus pictures for his first book. Just about all these were in pencil with one or two full colour 'specials'.
Wally is a great character to work with and I'm hoping he achieves the success he deserves for his creator, Helen Bonney.
Here he is seen being accidentally chosen as a christmas gift by a young girl in line to meet Father christmas.
Another reason for my absence from this blog for a week or two was the absence of my Mac from my desk! but more of that later (or earlier, since this blog lists chronologically)
Please feel free to supersize Wally with a double click but remember he is strictly copyright. ©

2010-05-24T09:17:00.001Z

•MEDICATION

I realise that I don't use this space as a 'proper' blog, and just as well since I've been suspiciously quiet for over a month now.
Various reasons I suppose, one of them being the intensity of work, that is, the mad panic at the end of a project to get amendments approved by delivery date.
These 3 pieces are a case in point. I illustrated, or artworked, over 50 packs of meds for Elmwood (and this was just the overspill from the ever busy Myles!)
Most of the pack wouldn't stand up to display in an illustration blog so here's just a taste of the more artistic few.
I also completed over 50 illustrations for Helen Bonney's Wally Woppapotamus book, see a single example above.
Please feel free to double click and supersize these images but remember that they are strictly copyright. ©

2010-03-16T09:55:00.004Z

•WASHING POWDERS

•WASHING POWDERS
Now these two packs, done for the same client as the 3 below, were in luscious cmyk full colour, and so I could really go to town.
From photo reference of Jasmine taken 2 years ago outside our kitchen window, lilies from Switzerland, oranges shot in our back garden (not growing I hasten to add) I pieced together and re-illustrated these still life scenes.
During the 're-building' process, and before the illustration part begins, the images look dreadful but I've learned not to panic at this stage and keep forging ahead with Count Arthur Strong, Tom Brown's Schooldays and Harry Potter for company.
Please double click these images to get a close up view but remember that all my images are strictly copyright. ©

2010-03-16T09:47:00.003Z

• WASHING LIQUIDS

• WASHING LIQUIDS
I always enjoy packaging design and illustration. It's one of the subjects I was particularly interested in at college, so to be now producing my own is very satisfying.
These 3 labels were limited by single spot colours (ie. not cmyk), so they proved a challenge.
Please double click to supersize and remember that all my images are strictly copyright. ©

2010-02-10T22:50:00.005Z

•BUG BELLY UPDATE

•BUG BELLY UPDATE
This year certainly started with an epic rush of work. I think I've already produced around 60 or 70 illustrations to date.
These range from labels for a cheese pack, beer bottles, medical packaging, washing up liquids, washing powders, pop-up greetings cards and another poster in the set for Nationwide.
I also managed to sweep aside commissioned work long enough to think about some new sketches for Bug Belly as suggested buy an interested editor.
Since I'm not at liberty to display most of the other work at this moment in time, here is one of the new sketches featuring the ever hungry Bug Belly striving to gather up a few furry, wriggling spiders.
I've also produced some new full colour illustration work for Bug Belly but I don't want to jeopardise his possible success by splashing too much of him around. It might be unlucky to do so, not that I'm superstitious, touch wood.
Please double click any image to supersize it but remember they are all strictly copyright. ©

2010-01-17T22:51:00.004Z

•OLD YEAR / NEW YEAR

•OLD YEAR / NEW YEAR
Happy New Year to all. A little late I guess, but still January!
Plenty of work was done at the end of last year including a fantastic game called Discovery Garden for Forrest Pruzan in Seattle.
It afforded me some brilliant illustrations to complete, including the box cover, sides, inner box and gameboard.
Here's a section from the incredibly detailed game board and hopefully I'll post most of the other artwork up here too.
As I type this I have various jobs stacked up in the InTray - beer labels, greetings cards, cheese labels and another game.
It's promising to be an exciting year especially since it's a 'special' year for Hot Frog. But more on that later.
Please click on the image to make it huuuuge and remember that all are strictly copyright. ©

2009-12-17T09:45:00.004Z

• WOPPAPOTAMUS GREETINGS

• WOPPAPOTAMUS GREETINGS
Wally Woppapotamus is pretty busy these days. Helen Bonney his creator keeps him hard at work meeting children all over the galaxy but she did manage to ask him to pose for this quick snap which I turned into a Christmas card for Helen.
I thought I'd share it with you and wish all my readers, clients and imaginary co-workers and colleagues, a very Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year. See you all in 2010.

2009-12-17T09:32:00.005Z

• FROGGY FEEDING FRENZY

• FROGGY FEEDING FRENZY
Here are 3 of the 5 new games recently illustrated and artworked for Interplay. The froggy feeding frenzy game is a new take on Hungry Hippos and a sheer coincidence that they chose Hot Frog for the job, well apart from the excellent reputation for professionalism and brilliant creative skills of course, : )
The great thing is I get six brand new copies of the games when they appear AND they pay me for doing it!
The 5th game which has not been cleared yet was a mammoth job and features more detail and characters than I've ever included in a game, it rivals Hotel Las Vegas (one of the very first posts on this blog) in complexity.
Hopefully early next year I'll be able to feature it here.
Also new for next year will be a Hot Frog children's book blog where I'll separate all my children's book work from the other illustration jobs that pass through this studio.
And since Hot Frog graphics will be celebrating 30 years in business in 2010 I'm planning a special anniversary blog too.
To see an enlarged image please click on it but remember that these are all strictly copyright protected.

2009-10-20T23:40:00.005Z

• PANDA POPS

• PANDA POPS

Finally I can unveil the three panda characters that I worked on earlier this year. They are still not fully 'outed' until November - to tie in with a film release, but since they now appear on the client's web site I'm happy to let them loose.
I thoroughly enjoyed working on these and they took quite a few iterations to get right and capture the essence of each product in it's new market positioning. There's Panda Pops, the youngest member. He's lively and enrgetic and already streetwise. Panda Spring is centred and contemplative whilst Panda Still is just so cool and laid back.
I like the fact that I've been successful in creating these Pandas, especially since I tried for months to get card and stationery publishers interested in Bamboo, my humorous Panda way back in the eighties.
Please feel free to supersize the trio by double clicking and remember that they are strictly copyright. ©

2009-09-14T08:23:00.008Z

•ROCK AND ROLL PIZZAS

•ROCK AND ROLL PIZZAS
Last month I completed work on these two games for Interplay in New Jersey. Immediately I wanted to fly to New York and visit Vesuvios restaurant (from the Sopranos) to take some reference photos. Seemed a bit extravagant, so I opted for creating the ambience in Form Z. I've included my 3D setting as it came rendered from Form Z, before adding a little Photoshop magic. Because it featured only ever so vaguely in the background I knew I could get away with a fairly 'wooden' table and chairs. (pun intended)
The first visual I submitted for the Pizza Pile Up was summarily rejected on the grounds that the mushrooms were too suggestive! Hence they are all facing downwards and not as excited in this final piece.
I wonder if they do liver?
Wok and Roll was much more straightforward, though I did feel a little worried that these luscious little chunks of plastic look a just too delicious and edible for small children, though an age range restriction is evident on the final box design.
Please feel free to supersize an image by double clicking on it and remember that they are all strictly copyright. ©

2009-09-08T21:29:00.004Z

•HAMSTAR

•HAMSTAR

Still waiting for the Pandas to be unveiled so meanwhile here's a chubby little character just produced for Razamatazz Magic. He'll appear in his very own Crazy Candy trick and hopefully entertain and amuse 1000's of children worldwide. To supersize the image double click on it but please bear in mind that all these images are strictly copyright. ©
ps. I've given up trying to get the text to align UNDER the images on all platforms. It seems a forlorn task so that's why I've now let the text run down the right handside.

2009-08-14T17:55:00.003Z

• LET'S GO NATIONWIDE

• LET'S GO NATIONWIDE
Well I'm still embargoed from revealing three of the nicest panda characters you're likely to meet on a soft drinks bottle!
So, here's some work that is on display right now and it's nationwide, in Nationwide!
A nice set of three posters commissioned by Sphere Design in Liverpool.
They were big, I mean really biiiiiig. At one point, mid job, and with all the layers active, the file was hogging over 3Gb of disk space. To see them at their finest then pop along to your nearest branch, otherwise you can click on the image to magnify but remember they are strictly copyright©

2009-07-07T08:28:00.003Z

• HONEY POTS

• HONEY POTS
It's been quite a while since I posted any new work up here - sorry to all my 1000's of followers for the delay.
A 2 week holiday in France and the fact that I've been working on a new set of characters for a soft drinks co for the last 4 weeks resulted in a paucity of available new work.
However, here's the cover of one of two games I completed recently for Interplay in the US. I really enjoy producing these 'facelifts' for existing and popular games and in fact there's another waiting to be finished this week, for the same company.
It's been a month for bees. I watched an excellent programme about the vanishing of bees, I managed to vanish one myself as it stung my foot when I accidentally trod on it and then friends of ours have just asked us over to see their 20,000 new bees!
More reference shots!

See ya.
Remember that you can 'supersize' any of these images by clicking on them but bear in mind that they a`re strictly copyright. ©

2009-05-20T20:24:00.006Z

• PIMP MY FLOAT!

• PIMP MY FLOAT!

Whatever floats your boat! I was asked to supe up an ordinary milk float, and turn it into the kind of milk monster that every milky dreams about. Well, that's what my milkman said, as I explained why I needed reference photographs of his vehicle.
This is another in the series that I'd previously produced the go-faster Snail and hot-rod Tortoise for.
Please double click the image to see it enlarged but remember that all these images are strictly copyright. ©

2009-05-11T11:06:00.005Z

•WALLY WOPPAPOTAMUS AND THE TREE OF SOUND

•WALLY WOPPAPOTAMUS AND THE TREE OF SOUND
I told you there's be more Wally to come and here he is proudly holding a horn from the Tree of Sound.
I'm hoping to work on more Wally images for the talented Helen Bonney, so watch this space!
At the moment I'm juggling the design of a new range of bottle beers and the first illustrations in my own picture book, more of which shortly.
Please double click any image to supersize but remember all my images are strictly copyright. ©

2009-04-23T10:51:00.006Z

• MILK SPLASHES

• MILK SPLASHES
No 'supermarket' packaging work for quite a while and then three show up at once!
Following the chocolate coated fruits I received a commission for milk splashes on cereals and then this one for a new range of flavoured milk drinks. Here are 3 of 5 milk splooshes produced for FLB in Cheletenham.
Please double click and image to supersize it and remember that they are all strictly copyright. ©

2009-03-31T22:44:00.003Z

• CHOCOHOLIC HEAVEN

• CHOCOHOLIC HEAVEN
Imagine being briefed to illustrate rich molten chocolate dripping silkily and smoothily over luscious fresh fruit. Then, dream about having blocks of the finest pure connoisseur chocolate delivered to your door for photographic research!
Well, none of this happened to me, I merely constructed these illustrations from various chocolatey sources and illustrations of fruit, and voila! you have strawberry and orange pieces covered in chocolate.
It did make me go out and buy a big bar and wolf it down,though.
Double click the pic to supersize but please remember that these images are strictly copyright©.

2009-02-25T01:15:00.005Z

• WALLY WOPPAPOTAMUS

• WALLY WOPPAPOTAMUS
Wally, as many people will already know, comes from Titan, a moon of Saturn.
I met Wally for the first time here on Earth, in Winchester last year, when we were attending the SCWBI conference. He introduced me to his creator Helen Bonney and I agreed to help bring him to life so to speak.
More notes will follow, but for now, say hello to Wally yourselves and prepare for his next visit to planet Earth - it promises to be a tumultuous one!
Please double click Wally to supersize him but remember that he's ticklish (and strictly copyright ©)

2009-02-12T17:06:00.002Z

•RACCOONS AND SPLODGINESS

•RACCOONS AND SPLODGINESS
I wonder just how many times this phrase has appeared on the www?
Do you ever do that? imagine the most bizarre sentence, crazy whilst still making sense, and then think that even though there are only 26 letters in the alphabet and billions of people on earth - that you are the only person to have ever come up with, say, "The most gregarious of all ginger Llamas are still quite insular by nature"???????
What? there is a web site dedicated to ginger llamas? I don't doubt it.
Anyways, enough of this rambling.
Here's a cute little Raccoon that will soon be helping American schoolkids with their Math. It's not easy resisting the final 's' is it?
The luscious paint and splodgy colour is for an utterly ingenious magic trick courtesy of Razamatazz.
Please double click an image to conjure up a biggie, but remember that they are ALL strictly copyright. ©.

2009-01-23T18:31:00.001Z

•FRUIT SPLASHES

•FRUIT SPLASHES
Again this was a job completed at the very end of last year. It's not that I've been sat here doing nuthin all 2009 - I'm actually onto my 5th job already, and have recently invoiced Canada, Japan and Swindon!. It's just that some of the 'new' stuff is still under wraps and I still wanted to display my best work from the end of last year.
This Fruit Splash was part of a set for an agency in Southport, SMR Creative.
Please click on the image to supersize it but remember that all these images are strictly copyright ©.

2009-01-13T11:29:00.005Z

• BRICKS

•BRICKS
Happy New year to all!
I'm just about recovered from a bout of flu, back at work but half speed at the mo. These two giant, 48 sheet posters, were commissioned at the end of 2008 by Dig For Fire, for a client of theirs with more brick varieties than is strictly healthy. So they spend their time building rainbows and maps of the UK to demonstrate the wonderful colours and textures and asked me to capture some of them in Photoshop and Form Z.
Watch out for them around the streets of Yorkshire. Click on an image to supersize it and remember that they are all strictly copyright ©.

2008-12-22T23:57:00.002Z

•SEASON'S GREETINGS

•SEASON'S GREETINGS
A late rush on Christmas images - particularly "e" cards for various companies, kept me busy right up until last week.
Here's an adapted design I did for for a major insurance company.
From Hot Frog Graphics, me and my invisible friend (I'd go mad without him) wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
See you in 2009.

2008-12-06T12:05:00.002Z

• MMMMMY MAGNUM OPUS

• MMMMMY MAGNUM OPUS
Actually it's not a Magnum, it's a leading supermarkets own version of the cult classic. It tasted just as good tho, as I had to, just had to, eat 3 or 4 of them after photographing the product, as they dripped dollops of creamy ice cream and dribbled smooth milk chocolate. Read this in the voice of Nigella Lawson and you get the picture.
Not done one of these for a while so it was good to get back into some photo-realism.
Have you ever realised that, close up, there's no difference between the texture of ice cream and mashed potato!
Please double click to get an even more enticing view of the product but remember that an ounce past the lips is an inch on the hips - and it's copyright. ©

2008-12-01T09:22:00.002Z

• BEERS AND BEES

• BEERS AND BEES
Another busy couple of months and a diverse range of work.
Some of the images that never made it onto blog fame featured a frog for a website in Hawaii, a bottle label design for a new range of beers, a children's game featuring turtle shells and a little polar bear character for a Croatian food company.
Here are some of the designs and illustrations that I would like to show you.
The three beer clips have been updated for Wentworth Brewery, and all being well, ie if they can stretch to the costs, these will be manufactured in acrylics and plastics to resemble metal and glass in full 3D. They should look fantastic.

The second posting is another little bee character, this time for a publisher in the States. It was intended for a set of math book covers but it came in second place to a much simpler, vector-style illustration. But I still like it and I'm sure we'll see more of it later.
Remember to double click an image to supersize it. All images are strictly copyright ©.

2008-11-15T12:17:00.002Z

• ANIMAL SONGS CD COVER

• ANIMAL SONGS CD COVER

Once upon a time there was a purplish Hippo, a cheeky Monkey and a fine looking Zebra. They lived happily in the greenest, deepest, jungly part of the jungle. One day when they just happened to be passing through a clearing together - flash! Up popped a photographer who snapped their insanely smiley picture and then sold it on as reference to an illustrator thousands of miles away.
This follows the Car Ride Fun children's cd that I illustrated last year for Somerset Ent. in the States/Canada.
Not much else to say about this except it was fun to do, and 'more please'.
Please click on an image to enlarge it but remember that all images are strictly copyright and all my pixels are homing pixels and they can send an algorithm back to my Mac if they have been reproduced illegally! ©

2008-10-28T23:44:00.003Z

• MUSICAL MELODY MAKER

• MUSICAL MELODY MAKER
These are a fun set of musical characters produced for an exciting children's game designed by Round Peg Ltd.
Jolly drums, trumpets, violins etc dance and jive to the beat, on the cover of a game box for Tomy.
Makes a change from animal characters but as you'll soon see my next job flew me straight back into the jungle.
Please click on any of these images to supersize them and remember that they are all strictly copyright ©.

2008-10-01T16:33:00.003Z

• GO FASTER SNAIL

• GO FASTER SNAIL
Hot off the Hot Frog press come these two photo/illustrations for a client in the midlands.
Obviously I was hoping for another frog to illustrate - I think I've turned out around 30 different ones so far - but nevertheless, really enjoyed working on these two hardbacked critters. Thanks for the great brief Marcello!
Click on them to supersize the images and please remember that they are strictly © copyright.

2008-10-01T16:21:00.006Z

• MAGIC SWEET FACTORY

• MAGIC SWEET FACTORY

I'm pleased to be able to post this wonderful job for Razamatazz Magic.
And it really works! I must have used magic pixels because as soon as I'd finished the artwork I was covered in barley sugars, fruit chews, chocolate eclairs etc etc.
I bet it goes down great in their act!
Please click on the image to magnify it - and if you wish for your favourite sweet at the same time, you never your luck!
Please remember that all images are © copyright.

2008-09-16T11:30:00.002Z

• BOTTLE LABEL

•BOTTLE LABEL

It's going to look like HFG has been closed for part of the summer. I say that because there's a scarcity of new images I can post at the momente. That's down to HFG being closed whilst I went on holiday - BUT this was only for one week's surfing in Newquay. The rest of the time I've been beavering away on a fantastic new project that, unfortunately once again, I cannot reveal right at this moment in time.
Until the wraps come off that, I can upload this new beer bottle label for a Small Theatre in Sheffield, and that's about it really. I did do some sketching on holiday but that served really to assuage my guilt at not doing any 'proper' drawing, and is not worth putting up here. There are some exciting new illustrations for the Razamatazz Magic Co. and they will follow shortly. Byeeeee.

2008-08-13T09:46:00.007Z

*THE SNOW IS FALLING

*THE SNOW IS FALLING
... CUE SHAKIN' STEVENS ...

>Hey, don't you be thinking I'm a fan, It's just that these lyrics were jingling around my head as I worked on this brilliant job for Razamatazz Magic last month.
Following on from their Rabbit Rampage come this very christmassy Santa' Surprise.
I'm particularly pleased with the Polar Bear and Santa characters.
Now that I've got fur texture cracked (ever since the Airwick bunny) I can sketch out these fluffy furry creatures with confidence.
Please double click any image to supersize it and remember that all images are strictly copyright. ©

2008-07-24T09:16:00.002Z

• GA GUNK
A froggy love story

• GA GUNK
A froggy love story
Regular readers of this blog (sic) will know that my abiding passion is for children's picture books.
I've worked on quite a few educational type illustrated books and last year produced the phenomenal five hundred plus pictures for the mini-magnetic ABC, Colours etc books, for Soft Play.
With this new board book, written by Susie Ramsey, it's the nearest yet to achieving my goal of my very own picture book.

Ga Gunk tells the simple story of how two little frogs meet by accident then fall in love one moonlit night.
I wanted a more painterly feel to the pictures and hopefully achieved this with some interesting painted textures applied in photoshop.
I have included the initial sketches with some of the finished illustrations as I've long thought about having some of my sketchbooks on display too.
Keep your webbed fingers crossed that this little book will soon find a publisher in the States.
Please double click on any frog to supersize but remember that all images are strictly copyright ©. Have I mentioned that before!

2008-06-23T08:50:00.005Z

• HORRIBLE ABC

• HORRIBLE ABC
Regular readers of my blog (sic!) will already know that my abiding passion is children's picture books. I've had a couple of story ideas going around publishers with no luck to date, and, despite me being able to claim that I illustrated 52 picture books last year alone, I still feel unfulfilled in this field. However, I have just finished a short picture book for a writer in the States - Susie Ramsey. Susie approached me with an idea for a board book featuring two frogs who fall in love one moonlit night. As you can imagine dear reader, I was hooked from the start.
During the illustration of those froggy pictures Susie also asked me to squeeze in illustrations for another book project which revolved around revolting dishes, again, it appealed to my tastes, so here are a few details of some of those pictures.
The final title has not yet been resolved.
In my next posting I'm planning to include some of he froggy images so watch this space!

2008-06-23T08:42:00.005Z

• TONY TIGER

• TONY TIGER
Another totally enjoyable commission, this time from Navy Blue up in Edinburgh.
Tony needed a pack for his new cereal bars which will only be on sale in duty free outlets.
So I can now add his portrait to my list of celebrity characters I've worked withh.
Please double click an image to supersize it, but remember that all images are strictly copyright. ©

2008-06-02T08:11:00.006Z

• POP-UP PIRATES

• POP-UP PIRATES
I'm not sure if these little pirates have been anywhere near the Caribbean, but they were certainly fun to illustrate.
The electronic version was particularly wacky though that was probably due to it being a Japanese prototype that I received to photograph! The screaming instructions were hilarious.
Please double click any pic to supersize and remember that these images are strictly copyright. ©.

2008-05-06T22:19:00.004Z

•QUACKSHOTS

•QUACKSHOTS
More games designs produced in collaboration with Round Peg who seem to come up with some excellent concepts which I thoroughly enjoy bringing to fruition. That's my second reference to fruit so I wouldn't blame you for thinking that there's some big fruity themed game coming up next - but there isn't, so don't know why I mentioned it really!
The visualiser that Round Peg employ, his name is Andy, is the best I've ever worked with. His marker visuals almost leap of the page and make my job of realising the illustration all that much easier.
Please click on an image to supersize it but remember that all images are strictly copyright. Did I say that before? ©.

2008-05-06T18:22:00.003Z

• TUMBLIN' MONKEYS

• TUMBLIN' MONKEYS
At last I can display some of the children's board games that I was working on towards the end of last year.
This first one was particularly tricky with monkeys cascading inside and outside the translucent plastic tree whilst skewers wizzed in front of, and behind them. Consequently the illustration ran to well over 100 layers in Photoshop.
The artwork for this game was developed from an original concept and design from Tomy's long-standing packaging
specialists Round Peg based in Leicester.
It's been a very fruitful partnership as you will see in future posts.
Please click on an image to supersize it but remember that all images are strictly copyright and monitored. ©.

2008-04-22T13:11:00.006Z

•MAGIC CHARACTERS

•MAGIC CHARACTERS
here's a bunch of new faces that you might see a lot more of in future.
They form part of a set of magic cards for a very successful magic company called Razamatazz.
Now my little friends can be treated to something better than 'the coin out of the ear' trick at future parties.
These images are strictly copyright © and can be enlarged by double clicking on them.

2008-04-22T13:08:00.001Z

•LOVE HEARTS

•LOVE HEARTS
With the strains of the classic Scott McKenzie ringing in my ears I created a new series of mobile wallpaper downloads. Psychedelia never goes out of fashion!

2008-03-12T00:50:00.003Z

• REJUVINATED RETRIEVER

• REJUVINATED RETRIEVER
Again another nice job to work on. Give an old dog a new life with either ArthriAid, or even easier using Photoshop.
Please click on the image to supersize and remember that all images are strictly copyright. © : )

2008-02-26T12:40:00.004Z

• DIAGNOSTIC HEALTH KITS

DIAGNOSTIC HEALTH KITS
These are details from illustrations for a series of diagnostic health kits for a major supermarket.
I have been extraordinarily busy recently so there will be lots more work up here very soon. Watch this (cyber) space!
Not much else to say really, so please double click an image to supersize it but remember that they are strictly copyrighted. ©

2008-02-11T19:02:00.002Z

•AIRWICK BUNNIES

•AIRWICK BUNNIES
Little bunnies now added (May '08)
The two game boxes completed since I returned to the studio this year are still embargoed until they have featured in the various toy fairs. It's a bit annoying not being able to post my latest work but as soon as I can show them off I will certainly be doing so.
Similarly with this recent job for Airwick - although I'm not going to show the full illustration (which included 20 little bunnies too), I don't see anything wrong with posting this close up of mummy rabbit.
I'm very pleased with this as it's one of my first serious attmpts at using custom brushes in Photoshop.
I know I could have modelled the whole creature in Cinema 4D (if I possessed such skills) but I feel I've come close to that kind of finish just withinin Photoshop.
Click on the large image to get an even larger view and remember that these are all strictly copyrighted. ©

2008-01-08T09:42:00.001Z

• BOB THE BUILDER and ...

• BOB THE BUILDER
Guess who I bumped into just before christmas?
No, go on, just a guess.
It's just a bit of fun really, just make a guess.

I was in B&Q, trying to find a roll of duct tape for under a tenner, when right there, rummaging through the reduced section, was none other than the great man himself - Bob the Builder!
Amazing I know, he looked a lot smaller in real life and I summoned up the courage to say hello. I told him that I liked his work and he was a really nice bloke. Down to earth and everything. Told me he was looking for a late pressie for Wendy, and then interestingly proceeded to list all the tools he'd bought her previously.
Then he mentioned all the tools he was using at the moment, demonstrating by showing me his impressive tool belt, and then moved onto his own tool wish list, this included the latest Japanese pull saw and a new sander from Germany that reduced clogging and incorporated revolutionary dust proofing filters.
To be honest he became a bit of a bore and I wished him a merry christmas as he was reaching for a new straight air drill with remote keyless chuck.
I hope Wendy likes it!
So, my final three jobs of 2007 were a homage to Bob for Egmont Publishers.
A children's car-journey-cd of singalong ditties for an American publisher, and a brand new children's game box cover which unfortunately is still under wraps until the spring.
Co-incidentally my first two jobs for this new year are also children's games, so more of these later.
All the best for 2008.

2007-12-18T00:45:00.000Z

• CHRISTMAS MONTAGE

• CHRISTMAS MONTAGE
I thought this would be a fitting image to display over the holiday period.
I was commissioned to produce a montage with over 2 dozen 'hidden' christmas songs and carols.
It's curently 'live' online at a top insurer's website but I'd better not reveal the name since there's a competition involved.
Maybe after the winners have claimed their prizes I'll be able to show it in full.
Also hidden in the picture are my good friends Dave and Julie and starring Koray on the drums!
Thanks to Zeppellina for the comments on a previous post - hey, someone out there does read this!
Please click on Elvis to supersize the image but remember that it is strictly copyright. ©
Here's hoping for a great christmas, (slim chance for Peace on Earth - but one may as well wish for it) - and a wonderful 2008. : )

2007-12-04T12:48:00.000Z

• FROG TENNIS

• FROG TENNIS
This was a great job. Imagine how chuffed I was to be asked to do the artwork for a game involving frogs! Even though the poor little croaker is being batted across a pond, it's still good fun, and the sounds are hilarious.
I'm particularly pleased with the art for the pond mat. As ever it was all brought together using Form Z and Photoshop.
Please click on an image to see the giant version and remember that they are all strictly copyright.

2007-11-19T10:36:00.000Z

• TRIFLE

• TRIFLE
Maybe I should have a studio rename.
I was thinking FAT PIG GRAPHICS. I know it doesn't sound as sexy as Hot Frog, but I think it might just reflect how I've conducted myself recently. This is sounding like a confession, but I guess that's the tradition of the real blogger, get it all out in the open.
My name is Paul Morton I recently ate three trifles, a whole madeira cake, a bowl of custard with jam and topped the whole lot off with a dollop of whipped cream.
Not my normal breakfast, but consumed in the duty of illustrating this trifle for a popular supermarket chain.
The product samples I received looked about as appetising as roadkill, so I set about constructing the 'perfect' trifle, or rather a seductive looking trifle that would make it disappear from the shelves but ultimately disappoint the shopper as soon as they took it out of my wonderful wrapper and discovered the truth!
Please click on the custard to supersize it but remember that trifle cannot really be eaten as part of a calorie controlled diet. Oh yes, and it's copyright. : )

2007-10-31T12:55:00.000Z

• GAMEBOARD

• GAMEBOARD
My first posting on this blog was the artwork for the boxed game Hotel Las Vegas. Since then I have illustrated somewhere around eight or nine games and I thoroughly enjoy each one. I can show you details from this current job, but the whole image and package is still under wraps, so no more details at this time.
Created using a devilish blend of form Z 3d work with photoshop magic and some photo textures thrown in for good measure.
Feel free to click on an image to supersize it, but remember that they are all strictly copyright ©.

2007-10-03T20:57:00.000Z

• FOUR LITTLE GHOSTS

• FOUR LITTLE GHOSTS
Only three shown here and they are from a game that sounds incredibly similar to Frustration.
I guess it's still under wraps so no more detail than that at the moment.
Right now I am working on another game, which involves the artwork for the game board which I'm enjoying.
As soon as that is signed off i'll post it up here.
Meanwhile, feel free to click on an image to supersize it and remember just how copywrit they all are!!

2007-09-06T08:40:00.000Z

• STRAWBERRY PIXELS

• STRAWBERRY PIXELS
I have this theory, well a fascination really. Imagine a computer, Mac of course, that could calculate every possible permutation of pixel arrangements on its screen. Every possible placement of its millions of colours would be calculated and presented in a vast slideshow.
THAT IS A LOT OF SCREENS I know, I did ask my mathematically gifted brother to work it out but there wasn't enough space on the calculator. However it IS a finite number and one day I guess it could be achieved.

Well, within all the gobbledegook of abstract shapes and colours there is bound to be perfectly formed and recognisable images. If every possible permutation CAN be shown then there will be mugshots of every person on the planet, as well as every person who has ever lived, or for that matter, who will ever live.
Think about it for a while, and you'll realise that there'll be a pics of say, Shakespeare, dressed in blue, holding every species of flower against backdrops of every picture postcard location on earth, then he'll be joined by Nelson Mandela and Wayne Rooney!!
It's mind boggling (isn't it Julie) but just about imaginable.
If it was controllable and searchable - Google would orchestrate here - it would mean that whenever someone telephones me and asks for a plastic Santa skiing on ice cream, or a logo sculpted from granite for example, it would already have been completed, with hundreds of variations, and the final image would be sat waiting in a folder on the desktop, for me to deliver the perfect illustration.
So when a client ring me to say that unfortunately they had paid for a high res photograph of a strawberry which turned out to be the wrong variety (it should have been Jubileee), then I needn't spend two or three days re-illustrating it, I could simply pull out half a dozen different varieties and say, there you, take your pick!
I wonder if I'd be able to afford the software!
The original shot is at the top, then underneath is my reworking of the photograph, turning it into the more heart-shaped Jubilee varietal.

Please double click the Stawberries to supersize them and remember they are strictly copyright©.

2007-08-23T16:59:00.000Z

• MOBILE WALLPAPER DOWNLOADS

• MOBILE WALLPAPER DOWNLOADS

Imagine reading this just ten yesrs ago. You'd have people thinking along the lines of door to door decorating deliveries!
Things have quietened off a little here at Hot Frog towers.
All those juicy jobs I had to turn down over the crazy summer are now just distant possibilities.
This has given me time to catch up on some self promotion, some serious planning for my next picture book idea and to add to my collection of graphics that can be downloaded to your mobile (mainly in the States).
I probably have something like 60 designs flitting around in the aether (shows my age), and each time that one lands on the pink, sparkly mobile screen of some celeb obsessed teenage girl in Massachusetts, it registers a cent or two into my coffers. I like the idea of the pixels leaving my computer and beaming down, Star Trek like, to some other place on the planet.

Here you see eight graphics featuring cosmic chickens, cosmic chimps and rainbow giraffes.
I'd like to see one on the new Apple iPhones, that would be something.
Please click on an image to supersize it and remember that all images are strictly copyright :© )

2007-08-03T17:21:00.000Z

• VELVET SAFARI

• VELVET SAFARI
Quick job this. Turned round in under a week, but nonetheless enjoyable.
Sometimes a urgent deadline helps concentrate the effort but other times it can spoil a job as you just have to 'go for it' first time and hope that you've ht the mark.
Without the product shots and text in place you're not going to have a clue what this is for.
Well, it's for velvet toilet tissues and continues their recent marketing campaigns using children in typically adult roles.
Please remember that all images are strictly copyright © but you may click on the image to enlarge it.
Go on, no harm done.
Actually I'm going to leave this text running along side the image (in Safari) on this post, to see if it looks perfect in Windows - there's some mysterious formatting issue here that I cannot understand.

2007-07-23T08:20:00.000Z

• FURTHER PICTURE BOOKS

• FURTHER PICTURE BOOKS
Shapes and Colours are two more of the mini titles to be published as magnet books by Softplay Inc.
Like the ABC set the mini book blocks can be snapped together edge to edge to spell out words.
Very soon I'll bring you the numbers set too, which were fun to do as they are all animals.
Please click on any image to supersize it and remember that all images are xtrictly copyright ©.

2007-07-05T13:35:00.001Z

• MINI PICTURE BOOKS - ABC

• MINI PICTURE BOOKS - ABC

For the last few months I've been working on a mammoth set of mini picture books.
OK, I acknowledge that four pages plus one cover doesn't sound a heap of work. But considering there are 52 books in total, I can assure you that it took a supreme effort of concentration, skill, ingenuity and many hours in front of the screen to deliver them on time.
This is going to sound like a Bafta awards winner's speech, but there are a number of people that I just couldn't have done it without!
If it hadn't been for Stephen Fry's wonderful reading of Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix, unabridged on CD, and the astounding Philip Pullman's trilogy - His dark materials, read by the author, I could not have sat at the Mac for up to 16 hours per day.
Not forgetting Hancock on Radio 7, along with Sherlock Holmes, Old Harry's game and Eddie Izzard, they all, unknowingly, helped me through.
© These images are strictly copyrighted to the publisher. To view a larger version simply click on an image.

2007-06-21T15:41:00.000Z

• ICE CREAM MOUNTAIN

• ICE CREAM MOUNTAIN
Commissioned by Storm Brands in Elland, this illustration of an ice cream fudge topping sauce was a great little job to do.
It followed the months I spent on the ABC books and was a satisfying relief to be able to wrap a job up in a couple of days.
Didn't get any samples of this one though!
Please click on an image to supersize it and remember that those copyright police will be out looking for you if the rights are infringed.
Incidentally, if you're wondering why there are some big spaces before the text starts (after the pictures) - it must be some kind of browser anomaly. In Safari, where I create the blog, the text follows immediately after the images, but I notiiced that this is not always the case on other browsers. I don't know enough html to correct this, sorry.

2007-06-06T23:54:00.000Z

•CHAMELEON CHARACTER

• CHAMELEON CHARACTER

Following hot on the buttons of the telephone character comes this colourful chameleon.
Actually I've been working on and off with this job since March - never had such a generous span of time in which to develop and complete an illustration.
He will appear on a selection of drinks cartons across the west coast of America. As soon as the packs hit the shelves I'll try and get hold of a copy so that I can display the full effect.
Meanwhile I am almost through the full set of 260 pages and covers for those mini picture books. A mammoth job and the reason that I was totally absent in May.
But then there's probably no-one out there reading this anyway, is there? Thought not.
Please feel free to supersize an image by clicking on it and rememebr that they are all strictly copyright ©.

2007-06-06T23:46:00.001Z

•TELEPHONE CHARACTER

•TELEPHONE CHARACTER

At last I can post some new work up here.
It's been frustrating to say the least having to wait for embargoes to clear on recent jobs.
But here at last is a little character I created for Asdas new mobile telephone services.
He didn't have a name at the time of delivery but my pet name for him was talkie.
Created with the help of Form Z of course and then finessed in Photoshop.
Click on an image to supersize it but please remember that all images are strictly copyright ©.

2007-04-20T17:20:00.000Z

• 'BALLOON ANIMAL' CONDOMS

• 'BALLOON ANIMAL' CONDOMS
I know I've been absent for a while, and this is purely down to pressure of commissioned work coming in.
This, of course, is a good thing, so long as it doesn't interfere with the mountain biking!
It also means I will have loads of new work to post up here as soon as it is complete.
I am currently illustrating 52 small picture books, yes, that is 52 books!
Now each book has just four pages but that is still a heck of a lot of pixels to create.
As soon as these are ready you will see the best of them here.
And as soon as the previously mentioned work is free from embargo I will also be able to show you that too.
Waiting in the sidelines are a mobile phone character for a leading supermarket. A set of newly designed chocolates for a major confectionary brand, and some science book covers for the U.S. market.
Meanwhile, here are a couple of fun illustrations for a recent job to illustrate condom packs.
Featherweight being depicted by a butterfly and I forget what the elephant represented!!
Please click on an image to supersize but remember that I'll be watching if you try and infringe copyright.

2007-02-20T09:39:00.000Z

FOREVER LADYBIRDS

FRIENDS REVISITED
If you have ever logged onto my main website >hotfroggraphics.com< you might well have seen these little guys in the character section of my portfolio.
They were originally created for Asda's range of children's seed packs, commissioned by Elmwood.
I always felt that they had more potential as I really liked the results, and I feel that these are one of my strongest sets of illustrations to date, and judging by the enquiries and new commissions I receive, others share these views too.
I have started work developing them into a range of greetings cards and mini posters but the images you see here have been re-sized and adapted for a range of children's bedroom furniture.
They are BIG files, actual size high res illustrations for wardrobe doors and cabinets etc. They are going to make a wonderful set and you can see others in the range at >http://www.foreverfurniture.co.uk/acatalog/Junior_Designs.html<
where you can also catch my other set, Dolphins.
To supersize an image simply click on it and remember that all images are strictly copyright.

2007-01-24T17:39:00.000Z

•OZZIE BEER FESTIVAL

•OZZIE BEER FESTIVAL
Again, been busy for the brewery. This time two fun beer clips for an Australian Beer Festival in York.
These were two from a set of four that I particularly enjoyed producing, especially the ROO.
This took around six hours to conceive, then carefully montage and illustrate the image from various photo reference sources.
Please click on an image to supersize it but remember that all are strictly copyright©.

2007-01-12T16:48:00.000Z

• WINTER WARMERS

• WINTER WARMERS

I don't think I've ever told you about a very special client of mine.
In addition to illustrating yummy chocolate and ice creams I also have the privelege to work for a brewery!
As designer I handle the corporate image for Wentworth Brewery and I also design, illustrate and produce the pump clips and bottle labels for all the brews.
Yes, what a wonderful job though I don't get to sample ALL the brews!
Since my last three illustration jobs are embargoed until much later this year (and one science book cover until 2008!!) I thought I would whet your thirst with a couple of recent pump clips for Wentworth.
These are just two of over one hundred clips, shown here on one of the seasonal promotion posters.
I have been intendiong to create a new blog purely for some of these award winning clips and labels but thought you might like to take a sneak preview right away.
Please click on the image to supersize it but remember that these deisgns are strictly copyright ©.

2007-01-02T17:20:00.000Z

• SCHOOL BOOKS USA

• SCHOOL BOOKS USA

Whilst still waiting to show you the 'perfect job' I completed just before the year end ... here are a couple of spreads from educational books for the US market.
These two spreads are from six commissioned by various design companies for use in educational publications.
Although I'm not allowed to reveal the titles and the curriculae that they will be serving I can tell you that they ranged from mathematic books to science and technology.
Rather than being stuffy and boring the art directors' had a field day and asked for a whole variety of weird and fun things to illustrate.
These are less demanding than the 'super realistic' product illustrations that I'm asked to do and they allow some exploration and experimentation in Photoshop.
The two spreads illustrated here were commissioned for Harcourt Publishers who own the copyright.

2006-12-12T15:31:00.000Z

*MORE FRUIT

*MORE FRUIT

Well, believe it or not, there was more fruit illustrations coming my way.
These are very recent pieces as the job I started at the beginning of December, and which I'd really like to show you, is still being completed. More of that in a future blog, suffice to say it is a perfect job for me, so no prizes for guessing the subject matter!
I've also been working on various books for publishers in America and Canada but I've a feeling that they will be embargoed for a while, so I cannot post them up just yet.
So back to the fruit, they are drinks labels yet again and were followed by another set but I think I'll make these the last fruit I dispalay for a while - I think you can appreciate that Hot Frog can 'do' fruit without more evidence.
After all, blogs get accused of being boring so I don't want to lose my viewers interest.
Please click on an image to supersize and remember that all images are strictly copyright ©.

2006-11-27T19:15:00.000Z

•PREDATOR SAW

•PREDATOR SAW
Der de!
Der de!
de de de de de de de

hope I've summoned up the jaws music as this is what the image is supposed to convey.
Commissioned by Dig for Fire in sheffield - (they do seem to get some very interesting accounts and always conceive some arresting images).

The saw was photographed and Photoshopped to enhance the look and then 'all' I needed was some convincing woodgrain, in the correct pattern of course!
I must have looked around half a dozen likely places - diy superstores, timber yards, furniture shops etc but in the end I created the texture from scratch in Photoshop and then judiciously blended one or two reference shots over the background.
Typically about a week later I found the perfect woodgrain on a cafe table at Chatsworth but the job was already done.
Please click on the image to supersize it but remember that all images are strictly copyright ©.

2006-11-16T20:35:00.000Z

• MAKING A SPLASH

• MAKING A SPLASH
This was another drinks label for an empire expanding supermarket.
It required the fizz, splash and tinkle of ice cubes dropping into fizzy pop, not Roller Cola, mind you!
As ever it took Photoshop and Form Z to help out with the artwork.
Please click on an image to supersize and remember that all images are strictly © copyright.

2006-11-03T10:51:00.000Z

>>FRUIT SQUASH

>>FRUIT SQUASH
If you see the two earlier posts you'll read about the cornucopia of fruit jobs that arrived throughout Autumn.
This set is probably my favourite. Here are five of eight fruit squash illustrations for Somerfield.
Created by peeling, pipping, photography, pixel pushing and Photoshop.

2006-11-03T10:35:00.000Z

•MORE FRUIT

•MORE FRUIT
The pumpkin job was a nice one to illustrate. I didn't have reference of pumpkins in stock so had to make do with the very small ones that were only just appearing in the supermarkets (this was early September) but with a bit of jiggery pokery in Photoshop it was soon 'blended' with a full size one from Flickr. Form z provided the yoghurt coating around the seeds!
Incidentally just after I completed this my Mac decided that it would show me just how infallible OS X really was and the finder freaked out on me. Having tried a repair using TechTools I ended up with a totally dead Mac that had to be rushed to the genius's or is it genii, at the Apple store in Meadowhall.
I hadn't backed up for a week!!!! but the good news was that I didn't lose any files, the bad news (other than lugging the G5 around Meadowhell, sic) was that I was left with over 35,000 files listed by number and file type only. It has taken me three weeks to sort through them.
I have now returned to a very stringent backup regime!
Click on any image to supersize and please remember that they are strictly copyright.

2006-11-03T10:23:00.000Z

• FRUIT FRUIT FRUIT

•Autumn certainly brought fruitfullness to Hot Frog Graphics! I couldn't posssibly eat my way out of all the piles of reference as there was so much. I've often thought that I could probably make a living out of just illustrating fruit alone, and when you think about it fruit does play a significant role in our daily lives.
It started with these flavoured waters for Somerfield, commssioned by Watt Gilchrist. Then there followed yoghurt coated seeds for Stream foods - a strange combination of sunflower and pumpkin seeds.
Then I was so busy throughout September and October on fruit crush drinks and then fruit squash drinks that I didn't even get time to post the work on this blog.
So there follows about five weeks of work in the next few images.
One day I'll have to list all the jobs 'that got away' too.
Click on any image to supersize it and please remember that all these images are strictly copyright.

2006-09-21T20:47:00.000Z

>>WIGGLE GIGGLE

>>WIGGLE GIGGLE
This was a pure pleasure to work on, even the extra amends that took a while to get done.
Since I'm so interested in children's picture books, to then be asked to re-design the cover of a favourite game was just a great job.
It's good that clients are still using illustration for these kind of products rather than going for manipulated photography.
Wiggle was created in Form Z and then brought into Photoshop for texturing and further 'refining'.
Please click on the image to supersize it and bear in mind that all images on this blog are strictly copyright ©

2006-08-16T21:59:00.000Z

>> UNCLE BEN'S CAMPAIGN

>> UNCLE BEN'S CAMPAIGN
A large format poster illustration in the style of 'Madagascar' the movie.
It required dense, rich jungle foliage with multi coloured exotic plants and flowers.
It was a pleasure to work on despite it running way over budget with the hours spent creating 3D foliage in Form Z and then re-illustrating it in Photoshop. I managed to squeeze two frogs in there!
Please click on an image to supersize it and remember that they are all strictly copyright ©.

2006-08-03T00:07:00.000Z

•GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE COVER

GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE COVER
I almost forgot to include this one!
I produced it a couple of months ago for the cover of Sony's The Gramaphone magazine.
I was asked to turn a colour photograph of the modern composer John Williams into a traditional and old fashioned, marble bust and add him alongside two of the musical giants from history.
This provided a challenge, which I usually respond to.
First of all I desaturated the colour photograph and then began cutting, cropping and blending chunks of the image to give me a more straight-on view.
I then sourced various marble busts, took reference photographs and began carefully to capture textures and highlight information from these photographs and use them judiciously to alter the original photograph.
Then all that remained was to create a few bases in Form Z and add names below the set of three composers.
Click on an image to supersize.
Images strictly copyright ©.