Twitter Ye Not - Princess Elizabeth & the ATS '45

Twitter Ye Not - Princess Elizabeth & the ATS '45

A regular piece for the Daily Mail Weekend magazine about how figures in history might have twittered or tweeted or whatever, had they the chance, inclination and technology.

On the 3rd March 1945, Princess Elizabeth (now Queen Elizabeth II) joined the women's Auxiliary Territorial Service as a driver and machanic. Here, we imagine the Twitter reaction to a most royal recruitment.

On the one side the young princess in her ATS uniform, with the land vehicle she drove behind her. Across from her is Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, now the Duke of Edinburgh. Despite being born at Mon Repos on the greek isle of Corfu and being part of that country's monarchy Phil the Greek is not ethnically Hellenic but an anglo-german like his wife to be.

Behind him on the ground is Prince Philip's mother, who was a Battenberg (later the less teutonic-sounding Mountbattens).

After these pretty botched portraits I've definitely put paid to my chances of a knighthood...

Museum Journal - Part 21

Museum Journal - Part 21

Part 21 of the Director of the National Museum of Britsh History's Diary, for regular client Museum Journal (MJ).

This month our man describes the exhibition "A Short History of Execution in One Hundred Objects" in Syria, which showed, from Tudor instruments of torture to laser-targeted missiles in Afghanistan, how British technology has always led the way!

As always with MJ the final print size is minute (3 or 4 cm across tops) so its crucial to keep the design very simple and the detail to a minimum.

Notebook No. 143 (frontispiece)

Notebook No. 143 (frontispiece)

I work prolifically in notebooks. Possibly too much so, as not enough escapes its cardboard walls, not as much as I would like sometimes.

But then in many ways my notebooks can be quite prosaic - shopping and to-do lists, recaps and repetition, scribbles for diy projects, you name it, it goes in there. Not the sort of stuff anyone wants to see, not the sort of thing i'm keen to share.

I began numbering my sketchbooks back in Art School in Dublin, and generally they take between 2 and 3 months to fill. So here I am, not far off one score years, and fourteenty-three books, later.

The flowers are symbols of February. The Primrose (first flower) representing Eternal Love, and the scented Violet, representing faithfulness. Both flowers have hearts within them - the former in its petals, the latter in its leaves.

Plus, of course, a self-portrait with dip-pen, in silhouette.

Circle of Fire

Circle of Fire

A quick sketch based upon words from the Kate Bush song Lily, about psychic protection. I feel I need some right now, hehe...

The cardinal points with the Archangels that guard them, with their symbols and the colours associated with each of the four messangers.

Raphael, Archangel of Healing, Gabriel, Archangel of Revelation, Michael, Archangel of Judgement, Urial, Archangel of Fire, Light and Peace.

Biro Sketches - 16th February 2012, cont.

Biro Sketches - 16th February 2012, cont.

Some more scribbles from my 142nd Notebook (started on the 2nd November 2011, and finished this morning. Quite slow for me that).

A few of the Usual (and a few of the Unsual) motifs that clutter my Brain - union suits, logs, babies, legs, pipes and high-waisted trousers!

Biro sketches, coloured up in PS.

Biro Sketches - 16th February 2012

Biro Sketches - 16th February 2012

Some more scribbles from my 142nd Notebook (started on the 2nd November 2011, and finished this morning. Quite slow for me that).

A few of the Usual (and a few of the Unsual) motifs that clutter my Brain - mythological giants, owls, mandrakes, Mr Punchinello, sailors, pipes and ships.

Love is a Battlefield

Love is a Battlefield

A quick biro scribble in honour of Saint Valentinus and his attendent putti.

Here two sentiments on the Struggle of Love from two of History's great philosophers - Ovid (Love is a Form of Military Service) and Pat Benatar (Love is a Battlefield) - two great minds, one single vision.

HVD!