Little bits and bobs

So, ploughing my way towards the Disney deadline despite a couple of hiccups and a growing sense of anxiety, I have no other illustration to write about...have ventured nowhere except the village shop...if I were a man I'd have three days stubble and a ramshackle air about me. Actually, I think I do have the latter...

It's times like this I bless the Internet, for changing what used to be a lonely occupation into a sociable activity. Apart from my new Blogger friends, I'm a member of a few online art forums - it's the illustrator's equivalent of gathering round the water cooler. They all have their own atmospheres, rather like pubs, and there are regulars, eccentrics, new kids on the block and the ocassional trouble maker. We argue, squabble, sooth and support. You bump into the same faces on different message boards. Sometimes you meet people in the flesh, which is always a bit odd - but nice.

In one group we are doing a 'Secret Santa'. Being freelancers, none of us get an office party, but we can have our own little celebrations. We posted our names and addresses to the co-ordinator and he did a draw at home. We learned our 'giftees' last week; I am very pleased with mine. And there is also the exchange of Real Life Christmas cards - believe me, artists give the nicest cards. It's all welcome distraction from watching paint dry and letting cats out. It's Networking with a capital N and I treasure my online friends. They keep me sane.

Which reminds me, congratulations to my friend Becky, who has had her book published. Well, she did the illos for it, which in my eyes is the really important bit. Andy has finally updated his blog, poor chap has a day off and I boot him out to the woods with his sketchboard! He actually went into the Creepy Hut...*shudders*. I won't reveal what he found there...and Reg, who does the gorgeous papercuts, has sent me two more images, both so lovely I hope he won't mind me posting them here -

'Walking the Dog'

'Kings' Border