Happy New Year 2016

Happy new year 2016, and welcome to what will be the seventh year of this blog. Facebook has reliably informed me that I joined three years ago today:

Back in April 2010 I quit Facebook, but I rejoined on January 1, 2013 and I don't have to tell you why I did it. So there y'go, punters. Three years of other people's cats, generic inspirational quotes over images of sunsets, and political humour that isn't funny.

The Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam

This is an illustration inspired by The Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam, a book of 11th Century poetry from Persia which you should read if you get the chance. Most printings include a series of colour illustrations, much more detailed than my simple watercolour.

Ancient Writings

Ahoy there, matey! Today Rob Scholten and I met up after nearly one and a half years. He's been living in Thailand, you see. On a trip around St. Kilda, I found this old book in a bookshop called Nefertiti. It's a Latin religious text printed in 1733, and published only once. The bookshop owner was only able to locate one other copy in the whole world.

What made this book intriguing was that on the endpaper was half a page of handwriting in that was done in the 18th century – well, it mentions "January 1766", at least. How's your Latin?

I Know My First Name Is Sweden

A proud bearded Viking-helmeted Swede, seen at the Scandinavian Christmas Bazaar at the weekend.

I'm On The Shelf

Ahoy, lubbers! 'Tis my very own book, Airbury Academy Volume I, on the shelf at All Star Comics.

If you wanna check 'em out they're at 53 Queen Street in the city most people refer to as 'Melbourne'. If you see my book buy it. Go on, do.