• ONE THAT GOT AWAY •

• ONE THAT GOT AWAY •

Sometimes, for one reason or another, the illustration work I produce never finds it's way into print.

Schedules change, other ideas are brought to bear on a project and the emphasis shifts. Such changes occurred on my 3rd job for Harvester restaurants. I'd designed and illustrated the children's menu pages before and was getting stuck into this fun underwater scene depicting Harvey snorkelling.

Actually I'd just about finished the whole job when it was decided by the client that they really needed a sight seeing, travelling Harvey showing him on a tourist map of the UK.

So getting paid twice is obviously a great outcome, but it still feels like a lot of effort wasted and a great pity that this treasure chest crossword puzzle and the colouring in fish and seahorse game have not yet been seen by any eager kids.

Can YOU spot the one crab different from all the others?

The new job was also fun to do but this time had to be raced through to try and meet the sinking deadline. I'll post that outcome shortly.

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

• PET SHOP MAGNETIC SET •

• PET SHOP MAGNETIC SET •

I've been a bit remiss in posting new work here of late, partly due to a couple of long winded projects and partly due to having most of August off!

However, I can post these three details from one of those projects - a new Imaginetics set for Interplay. This was another fun filled and busy scene where children can play and stock a pet shop with all their favourite pets. Parrots, puppies, kittens, hamsters, bunnies, frogs and more.

Please click on an image to enlarge it but remember these are all strictly copyright. ©

•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. ©

•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. ©

• 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.