Greybeard verse 6

This is an illustration for verse 6 of The Adventures of Captain Greybeard, an epic poem I wrote years ago and am slooowly illustrating. It's pretty challenging maintaining consistency in the character's looks and I'm quite a perfectionist about it, which doesn't make things go any faster. In this scene the flea, fly and moth have escaped from the Regal, Greybeard's ship. I wanted to do a quiet, hopeful scene to break up the monotony of terror and despondency. 

More Greybeard!

These are my two latest illustrations for The Epic Adventures of Captain Greybeard, a 14 verse illustrated poem which I wrote some years ago and an sloooowly illustrating, got 9 verses to go. At the moment I'm really enjoying working on it, I just want to draw and draw and draw all day!!

Here's this one's verse, extra points for spotting the flea in the drawing!

"Well I've lived a good life", the moth reflected,

Said he to the flea "I'll keep you protected,

From that vile bully, the Captain Greybeard".

Just then on the horizon the Regal appeared.

"You're tiny" said the moth, "In the figurehead's eyes

There's a wee cranny, you'd just fit inside".

I'll tell him you went the same way as the fly,

And keep him distracted as you slip on by.

But if you survive promise me you'll transpose

A veracious account of this voyages woes".

Now before Greybeard sees you get under this cloth".

The flea whispered thanks to the big hearted moth.

Near to the ship Greybeard called "Ahoy there!

Ye thought ye all could just disappear?

"Heavens no!" cried the moth, "we just went on a trip,

We had every intention to come back to the ship".

"Get aboard" snarled Greybeard, "or I’ll give you the whip!"

From the sketchbook

These are for my long slumbering Greybeard project, it's an epic poem about a spider who is the captain of a ship and his gullible crew of moths, fleas and flies.

From the garden.

This is my cat Shorty, she was a stray who turned up last October. Her talent is sleeping in ridiculously cute positions, showing off her fluffy tum. These were pencil sketches which I filled in with ink and touches of gouache. When she closes her eyes she is almost entirely monochrome, just little touches of pink on her nose and paws, it lends itself to ink very nicely.

Fly on decks

Here's a wee sketch for a project I'm working on. Its an epic poem about a spider captain and his crew of flies, fleas and moths.