Dec

HI-EX AFTERMATH --PART ONE

Hello all, i'm back from my little trip to Inverness, and what a trip it was. Once i got there i was sorry to hear that because of heavy snowfall, some guests couldn't make the weekend. I feared that the weather would also mean the weekend would be a slow one, with small attendance. Thankfully, that wasn't the case. I has kept busy all weekend, as were all the other artists, as much as i could tell.

Afraid i didn't take many photos, but i robbed these two from the Forbidden Planet Blog




















The very talented Dave Kendall and myself sketching for fans
(well, Dave's sketching. I'm taking a picture of a sketch i just drew)

Funny story to go with that pic. When i took the photo of my sketch i accidently knocked something off the table. "Oh no" i thought, " i hope i didn't drop my new digital camera!" Never fear dear reader, cuz it turned out i knocked my open bottle of India Ink straight on to my lap!!! Thank god i was wearing black trouseres is all i can say!

Was kept busy sketching for most of saturday. Sunday too. I was asked to cover for some of the guests who didn't make it, so i rather hillariously was on the 'Script Writing Workshop' and 'Brits in the USA' panels. I also was part of the 'Pitching to Comics/Portfolio Review'. Most of the panels i was on were with 2000AD writer Al Ewing, who had me in stitches all weekend. What a funny man.


















Myself fith fellow indie folk Paul Scott and Graeme Neil Reid at the Indie Comics panel

The one panel i did that i was originally supposed to do in the first place was the 'Indie Comics' panel, where my fellow panelists and i discussed the pros and cons of getting involved in the scene of independent comics. To be fair, without meaning to, i think we gave the indie scene a negative slant, just by describing how hard it can be, but i think we pulled it together with a positive outlook in the end. I definately made it clear that without being involved in indie comics, i would not be where i am today.

I must say that with all the panels i was on, i developed a taste for it. I certainly got into the habit of cracking jokes/smart comments on stage and making fun of the audience, so hopefully people found my presence on the panels entertaining, rather than irritating. I'm pretty sure i mentioned Bob Byrne in every panel, and tried to make myself seem cooler by telling people i knew him. I may have pretended to be him, once or twice.....

The other panels were quite fun. With the Writing Panel, i managed to let aspiring writers know what they could do to make an artist-friendly script. I got to see some grat talent with the Portfolio Reviews, and vented some steam at the Brits in the USA panel, while also maintaining i was neither British or American.

I popped in to see the Charity Auction at one stage, where there were some great pieces going ridiculously cheap. I put in a bid for this Trevor Hairsine piece....























......and won! Won't say what i got it for, but i can honestly say it was a steal. In fact, i could have gotten it cheaper, but i raised my bid just to make sure that i got it, and no one else.

I took a couple of photos of sketches i did, i'll post them soon, along with more info on my Hi-Ex experience.

Later,


Dec.