Windermere Reflections illustrations

Cartoons are very popular with kids so it is not surprising I get asked to do a lot of illustrations and workshops for children. Sometimes these have a serious purpose, despite the fun approach.

One such project was with Windermere Reflections, the environmental charity based in Cumbria. They wanted to develop a series of characters to help explain how to protect the lake and environs around Windermere, England's biggest lake. Using an innovative approach, they had a competition to design the characters. I helped picked the winning entries from schools all over South Lakeland. I then went into the schools to run workshops in which we developed the characters further.

These characters have now appeared in booklets, slide shows and as Scratch animations which the children can animate for themselves.

This week I finished the most recent part of the project, illustrating a set of stories which will be shown in schools as slide presentations. Here are a few examples.

Lauren and Einstein, her teddy bear. Note the umbrella - it enables time travel, thereby trumping both Gene Kelly and Doctor Who.

 Lauren encounters Dermot the Destroyer - environmentally horrible dishwasher tablets.

Muddy Merv is a fantastic hit with the kids, possibly due to his resemblance to something unsavoury.

This is what th Windermere Reflections campaign is trying to prevent

And here's the result after all their hard work!

P.S. Windermere Reflections are responsible for this infuriatingly catchy song and video. Watch out for some of the cartoon characters in the video.

The Olympic Torch arrives

Excitement grips the Lake District as the Olympic Torch relay reaches the area. It's arrival in Windermere is a considerable bonus in a week when the Westmorland Gazette newspaper stories offer little else for a cartoonist to get to grips with. 

The Torch's arrival also added considerably to the atmosphere. I sat drawing the cartoon at the garden table, surrounded by trees. The sound of birds filled the air and in the distance, came the exotic thrum of the taiko drummers rehearsing in Bowness.

I had a number of stories thrust in my direction by my esteemed editor (see here for an explanation of the entire process). However it had to be The Torch.

Here are the sketches I presented. Which did my steamed editor pick? Was it the right one? (Clue: Yes.)

To find out, gather up your Lucozade Energy Drink With Excess Sugar and run over to my website.

Incidentally, if you think this week's cartoons are scruffier than usual (how rude), bear in mind the following: 

I usually have from 2.00 to 5.00 pm to do the cartoon, including all ideas, artwork, staring into space etc. This week, due to Unforeseen Stories in the Bagging Area, I didn't get to find out what was in the paper until 3.20. That always make for an exciting week. Can I lie down now?

Icon

It is always a worrying sign when a building is described as 'iconic'. That usually means the architect is in show-off mode and to hell with the surrounding environment.

So this week's front page story for The Westmorland Gazette was of considerable interest. The Low Wood Hotel wishes to build an iconic conference centre, right on the shores of Lake Windermere. Not just any old iconic, but green and iconic.

Here are the cynical sketches I submitted to my esteemed editor. Which one graces the front page of the newspaper? Click here to find out.