On Amazon again!

Well last night I went to see Paul Merton introduce the original and best The 39 Steps on the big screen at the Barbican.  Glorious and an original print from the National Film Archive.  I remembered it being funny and a bit saucy! so with a bit of audience participation – a little too much from the grey army trio in front of me – it made for an even more entertaining experience.  Some fascinating insights into the film from ‘our Paul’ afterwards such as how the ***spoiler alert*** final scene in the Palladium when Robert Donat shouts out to the Memory Man ‘what are the 39 steps?!’ was done: apparently RD was appearing through a hole cut out of a large sheet of glass onto which a photograph of the Palladium crowd from the stage is projected, because they didn’t have the money to do it.  Which is why it looks so weird.  Love it!

Anyway a brief Q&A after with some frantic arm-waving from me before the end of the session, as I was in the back row and Mr M couldn’t see me, allowed me to get a question in about H’s storyboards, so after that I was like an excited child for the rest of the evening!

Off to the studio….

It’s been a couple of weeks of culture.  Oranges and Sunshine, Source Code, and Cave of Forgotten Dreams last night – which was quite spectacular.  Had a little difficulty given the 3D sports style glasses over the 2D D&A milkbottles look but I quickly forgot given the nature of the images and incredible story of being in and experiencing the cave.  I think not only the most beautiful and fresh drawings, but also the idea that there are footprints and claw marks of long-extinct cave bears perfectly preserved in an organic time capsule, alongside all kinds of thousands of year old wonders, will really stay with me.

On a more prosaic level, to join in the Wittertainment debate I actually liked the 3D, there were a lot of moments where I realised I was sitting with my mouth open in disbelief, which must have looked attractive if anyone noticed.  BUT can they not do something about The Colour?  It reminded me of all the photographs my mum and dad have of the family from the late 70s and early 80s, which were processed by Trueprint and have now faded to a weird washed out tint.   Still seems odd.

Well today I went to the London Book Fair for as long as I could stand the migraine-inducing fluorescent light – I have established I don’t like Earls Court (the venue not the place, but that can always change).  However I did have a better time with the seminars, Anthony Browne vs Lauren Child, graphic novel renaissance and a smattering of Axel Scheffler and Julia Donaldson.  By that time I needed to get some fresh air.  Best thing to come out of it was finding out about this publisher, Nobrow Press who appear to make the most beautiful books, all sorts, and apparently really funny cushions.

That’s probably too much for one post so I’ll have to come back another night.

Well indeed, after all the festivities and sickness I have finally been struck with some desire to get stuck in again, plus the need to with a couple of jobs underway.  Post-Calor Gas incompetence, I have a heated studio again so can go back to wearing normal amounts of clothing and put away the hot water bottle.  This is how it roughly looks now (before the mice attacked and the houseplants got cold :():

Currently working on some wedding invitations for the end of the month, and another book cover.

Trying to get into InDesign a bit belatedly and lay out the book cover within that, rather than in Illustrator – might look a little more professional.  A great tip for layout from this guy, especially for a muppet like me: Books Covered by Tobias.  Not sure who Tobias is but I think he looks very helpful.

Those nice tax people have finally sent me a letter to say I am self-employed, how kind but a little late for Christmas n’est pas?

Ok hopefully some produce coming here again soon….well at least further adventures in baking and at film quiz at a MINIMUM.