February

February feels like it's been stressful, but on the whole I think it's been good. In visual diary terms it's been quite satisfying, although I am questioning whether I'm actually getting any better at drawing things, or whether I'm just being quite 'comfortable' about the whole thing and not really challenging myself (which was the original point)...

Anyway. It's as much about documenting my life for my own satisfaction as it is about my growth as an illustrator, so at least I'm succeeding at one aim.

Every so often, our work photographer takes my photo. This is an ongoing ritual, as despite him being a very good photographer, I basically hate a lot of things about my face (or at least the way it presents itself in photos), so he's never managed to get a shot I'm actually really happy with going on the website or being used on my business cards. (Although if you want to see one from a few years ago that I did agree to use, plus an interview of me talking about me, go here…)

Weather, eh? I actually drew this before it all properly kicked off too.

SO MUCH not into this.

So I have IBS. On the spectrum of 'things that can go wrong with your digestive system', it's fairly minor, but some days it's still a MISERY. Also I wish it was more societally acceptable to talk about pooing, because my life would sometimes be a LOT easier if it was ok to just say "I'm going to go home now because I need a poo"

Bought myself some snow boots which is probably ridiculous overkill as I live in Brighton and it's almost certainly not going to snow any time soon but it's good to be prepared right? Plus cosy feet are the best feet.

Fortunately it's never this much mouldy tupperware in one go. But still.

On a similar note to what I was saying before, I worry that sometimes I procrastinate genuinely fun creative tasks in favour of more boring but more predictable tasks that I know I can already do and am good at. It's a problem. Must try harder.

The final stages of organising a holiday to the Peak District for me and 7 friends. I feel like I was mostly spectacularly efficient, but I wonder if I sometimes create unnecessary work for myself, simply because I love doing certain kinds of admin/advance planning.

Bake club will be the death of me.

Thought I'd done relatively well this year at not having my usual annual norovirus freak out, but it turns out a colleague being off sick with a stomach bug two days before my week long holiday was enough to push me over the edge into obsessive hand washing and avoiding all finger foods. (Fortunately I got over it much quicker and more thoroughly than I have done in previous years)

While I managed to thankfully NOT get a tummy bug before holidays, I did successfully manage to pick up a horrible cold which left me with an incredibly annoying hacking cough for the entire week away. BOOO!

Other than my cold though, the holiday was lovely. Plenty of walks and boardgames and lovely friend catch-ups. I'm glad I didn't play this particular board game (Archipelago) though, as I don't think I have enough space in my brain to contain even half the rule book. It went on till AFTER MIDNIGHT and I drew this slightly poor picture not long before then.

We stayed in this lovely cottage, which comes very highly recommended. The layout inside was just awesome. I took some spare time to try and test my perspective drawing skills, and did better than I often do, which was nice.

Well, this 'comic' (not actually funny, just stuff that happened) is fairly self-explanatory I guess. A brief moment of boredom before a walk. (Click to view bigger)

I walked from Whaley Bridge to New Mills on Wednesday, which was so lovely I did it again on Thursday. I had to wait a while for the train on the way back so I drew New Mills Newtown station, again, to try and test my perspective drawing skills (this one was harder as I had nothing to lean on!). I finished it off once I was on the train and the ticket conductor walked past and said it was 'right good'.

Back along the canal. I'm not sure if I'd actually enjoy a canal boating holiday (I'm slightly unsettled by not being on dry land) but I'd sort of like to try it. Canal boats looks great.

Another quick perspective drawing test before heading home. The lovely kitchen table where big long breakfasts and cosy dinners were shared all week.

Here's a picture of us all (except Sarah, who took it), in front of a MASSIVE AMAZING DAM.