Spock

It's probably a bit late to be recording my dissatisfaction with the new Trek film, but I may have been expecting too much to begin with.

My New Website

My new website is up: http://www.wix.com/LeeIreland/Artwork

The opening for the Mill Theatre Summer Group Show was yesterday. We had a lovely time thanks to Aoife, who did a brilliant job organising it.

Bear in a hat

This is an illustration for a story I wrote myself. I do like to ink now, but when I first tried it I was trying to be all neat and precise and it wasn't really working for little ol' clumsy me, but after looking at people's work like Dave McKean and Bill Sienkiewicz, you know the greats, I realised inking didn't have to be slick to be good. This is just an initial illustration, the story's half written, so I haven't submitted it to anyone yet. I'm working on other things at the moment, but hopefully I'll get round to completing it one day.

Viking Marauders

This is another illustration from the Robin the Hoodie book. It might be my favourite. It's not often I get to draw vikings, so I decide to go with the fetching, but historically inaccurate, horns on helmets.

Robin the Hoodie

I recieved my copy of Robin the Hoodie yesterday. I'm really happy with how it came out, it's the first book where I've inked it physically. Stephen and I are moving in opposite directions, as he uses more digital media I use more physical stuff, it's how we keep the force in balance.

There was some ink splatter I wanted to use behind Crack Beard, but the printers were worried about how it would print. I mocked up a version anyway for my own sake (but it's elsewhere), it helps the smoke stand out.

Update: I just discovered the Crack Beard story was dropped. Dang! That was one of my favorite illustrations.

My New Book: Best-Loved Irish Legends

Here's a preview of my latest book, of course the writer thinks it's her book as does the editor and all the publishing house and maybe even the printer, but really it's my book. Look at it sitting there on my desk, yep, definitely my book!

Aw, I'm so happy with how this came out. Emma did a great job on production. Me kissing up? A little, but it's true all the same. She talks about it here on the O'Brien blog, what a sycophant I am, that is.

It's out on the 7th September.

Inks and New Portfolio Site

I've been doing a bit of inking and while I still love the dip pens I've had a lot of fun with the brushes. The first bear here was inked with a brush and the second one with a G nib, he's not finished yet, but it was mostly an experiment. The trees are inked with a brush pen and a nib.

I've a new site for my portfolio, which I was working on yesterday. There's still more to do apart from uploading the artwork. Having had problems with uploading websites in the past I was a bit confused about what route I should go, until Stephen suggested just making another blog, and reassured me with a "that's what most editors ask for". So I knocked this up in a day. I salute you Stephen and your clever brain.

The Fairy Tale Book

These are some of the illustrations from my most recently published book. I'm really, really happy with how these came out (of my hands, my talented, talented hands!).

I'm currently working on a book in colour for O'Brien Press, which I'm really enjoying.

Here's The Fairy Tale Book on Michael O'Mara's website.

Copyright Michael O'Mara.

My First Review

Sweet! My first review (that I know of, I'm sure someone's made their feelings about me known somewhere before). This was in BookFest for the Children's Book Festival. The review is for the book The Henny Penny Tree by Siobhán Parkinson.

ASBO Fairy Tales

At the moment I'm illustrating a book of regular fairy tales, which is a bit weird after illustrating these anarchic versions.

ASBO Fairy Tales on MOM's website.

One new book and two slightly older ones published by Michael O'Mara

I've just finished illustrating a new book for Michael O'Mara. The deadline was pretty tight, but I got it finished in time, phew.

Below are the previous books I illustrated for Michael O'Mara. The bottom two illustrations for the books were done in the style of Anne Anderson as requested.

The Nursery Rhymes Book on MOM website.

The Games Book on MOM website.

Images copyright Michael O'Mara.

The Henny Penny Tree

After working on Ice Dreams, I illustrated The Henny Penny Tree by Siobhán Parkinson for O'Brien Press.

This was a wonderfully fun story to illustrate. It's a warm quirky tale about three sisters who are given coins by their Uncle Fergus. At first Littlest doesn't know what to do with her copper coin.

Here it is on their website.

These images are copyright O'Brien Press.

Ice Dreams illustrations

These are some of the illustrations I did for the book Ice Dreams, written by Grace Wells and Published by O'Brien Press.

Grace's story is warm and witty and just fantastically written. The village of Moutsouna is in trouble after their only source of income, the ice factory, shuts down. The twins have a plan to save the community, but it will take everyone working together to pull it off.

Here it is on O'Brien's website.

These images are copyright O'Brien Press.

Line and Wash

Little Mermaid