LIFE.

So... since leaving university I have, pottered about drawing silly characters with animalistic features and getting good at photoshop colouring without a tablet. NICE. I've also been helping out at SEVERAL Historic houses (which is a sneaky way of getting inside for free to drawdrawdraw).

Somehow I've worked up the ranks, and am now employed by the National Trust! I work at William Morris's exquisite 'palace of art', the Red House in Bexleyheath. So when I'm not tending to a pesky til, cleaning a 150 year old windowsil, or making tea... I am drawing <3. Currently I'm designing an activity for kids, we're going to make Medieval Morris design inspired Easter cards!


These are just some roughs I worked out, I'm using a combination of... rubber stamps, lino stamps, foam stamps, stencils, and little pre-made vinettes. I want the kids to also design their own illuminated letters if I can, 'cause thats always fun.

Oh sigh, I love my job, how did I end up here.

Carla still sketches? Why yes, yes she does

I work at a whole load of historic houses, I'd be a FOOL not to whip the sketchbook out here and there.

Cursed, cursed, cursed

I suppose I should explain... Fabien is not a fox, he's under a CURSE.

His story begins during the French Revolution, the Reign of Terror to be exact... where he was promised riches, fame, and glory... for one small act of betrayal. Turns out, it was a big act, turns out the tribunals were very unforgiving... turns out his entire FAMILY lost their heads, all because one little boy told a very big lie.

Anyway, he's 400 years old, and a living embodiment of a 'bad omen', so having him around is going to make your life HELL. He can walk through mirrors, which he does for fun, his breath is FREEZING cold, and he loooves eating coals. What he doesn't like is Salt. You put that anywhere on his dirty grey skin, and it will fizz and melt like a snail on a bad day. He's also not very fond of circles, and bells, see where I'm going with this?

Being a symbol of bad luck, he's in touch with everything... unlucky, and storms are one of his faaaavourite things. That tail is staticly charged, and it doesn't feel pleasent.

As for why the curse bestowed him with some... foxy atttributes, that's all down to a little ditty by Aesop.

"The fox who longed for grapes, beholds with pain
The tempting clusters were too high to gain;
Grieved in his heart he forced a careless smile,
And cried ,‘They’re sharp and hardly worth my while."

The one who cursed him, we don't know who that was exactly since they were in disguise.... he found it ever so funny.

What else? Oh yes, Fabien is a very, very talented magician... and of course, he has something of an unfair advantage. He doesn't perform much anymore, given certain ah... accidents, when he was on stage, but he still has his old playing cards.

You might find him sitting in the shadows of old Paris café's, his features half masked in a cloud of cloven smoke, or prowling past windows on moonless nights. He smells of storms.

Troubles

fox

Really need to get my stuff together

Suddenly, properly motivated again. Need to update everything, need to life draw, need to find work, AAAAAAAAARGH.

Fabien

He is all I seem to be able to draw lately. MY BAD.

But he is filled with secrets, and sometimes his arms bend back.