NEW BLOG LOCATION!!!

My blog and news feed have moved! I've gone for a bit of a change and you'll now find all my news and latest illustration via my tumblr blog….

http://simonbrader.tumblr.com

(Blogspot… we'll always have the memories x)

Hipster Beard

Type Experiment. Hipster beard.

I had one but I shaved it off and now I wish I hadn't...

The Journal - 'Energy Act'

My latest illustration for The Journal. 

A new energy act looks set to raise costs that could ultimately fall to the rental market as owners ensure their properties reach the new ratings.

Sun Block

A little Friday afternoon illustration that I've just completed, I'll be looking at getting this available as a print in the very near future.

Vive Le Tour.

My exclusive Giclee print to celebrate the greatest race in the world. 

The Tour De France has just crowned it's 100th winner and to mark the occasion I've designed 'Vive Le Tour.'

'A captivating image that marks each tour winner's place in history. From Maurice Garin in 1903 to 2013's Chris Froome. This repeat pattern illustration creates a peleton of winners that combine to represent the truly fascinating fabric of the Tour!'

Printed on demand + signed and numbered by myself.

Print Dimensions - 30" x 20"

Gallery quality archival Giclee print on heavyweight (310gsm) Hahnemuhle German Etching paper which provides an unrivalled silky smooth fine textured surface.

Available to purchase HERE

The Journal - 'Risk Pooling'

A really enjoyable commission this to work on as I love illustrating the sea. All about insurance risk pooling that I'll admit before reading the copy I had little idea of what it was - one of the perks of being an illustrator is learning/researching things from the articles you work on.

It's always great too being given the freedom to break out of the square, even just a small amount really connects image and text together as a whole layout.

Hell No.

This started out as just your standard everyday type experiment but I really quite like it it so thought it deserves a post.

There's no real rhyme or reason behind it as it's born out of a random sketchbook doodle, so just for the hell of it you could say...

Sharp Tongue.

And now for something a little different...

I started this a illustration a while ago to enter in some competition or other but life and commissions got in the way and it didn't get finished. Well I spotted it the other day and thought it'd be fun to finish off and viola! 

People with with sharp tongues and all that.

Love Bike.

Here we are on the eve of the 100th Tour de France and I thought what better time unveil the repeat pattern that I've had in the pipeline for a while.

I've got big plans for my Love Bike repeat so keep an eye out for possible products and print variations as I explore it further!

Go Froome and Cav!

MacFormat Magazine - 'You TV'

Double Page illustration for MacFormat Magazine.
Feature covers broadcasting your own shows on the web, learn how to do so and do it well!

Weathering The Storm

Clever management means it is possible to shelter the financial storm.

HR Magazine - 'Flexible Benefits'

Full page illustration for HR Magazine on the topic of flexible benefits. 

Apparently employees are missing out on them through due a overly complicated and slightly under promoted setup. 

Luis Suarez aka Pacman

A little illustration for 'Bite-gate'.
As a Liverpool fan myself I was disappointed. Luis Suarez must get bored without a controversy surrounding him that or he wanted a longer summer holiday - well with a 10 game ban he's got it.

Octo

More Octo development work for your eyes only!

FS Magazine - 'Sowing The Seed'

Recently I've been working on integrating text to my illustration a little more as in todays industry it's always good to have as many strings to your bow as possible and I was able to put this into action for the recent commission for Financial Solutions Magazine above.

An interesting image to work on, the winding roots are very tentacle like around the 'the seed' text! It's always fun to be able to break out the grid as well, adding that extra integration between illustration and text.

Octo Returns

He's back and this time he's out of the sea...

Continued personal work of our eight tentacled friend.

London Tower Bridge

Personal piece of one of the many great landmarks London has to offer.

Spanning the equally iconic river Thames - Tower Bridge we salute you!

PrintWeek Environment Report 2013

Cover illustration for PrintWeek's Environment Report 2013.

A really nice job to get commissioned for, this cover is all about the print industry learning and expanding environmental ideas/practices used in other industries.

Ride Clean

 Unless your head's been in the sand for the past weeks you'll have heard that Lance Armstrong has finally come 'clean' (ironic) and admitted to the world that he took performance enhancing drugs and illegal blood transfusions.

 Like a lot of people I watched the Oprah interview where he told the world he cheated to win all 7 of his Tour De France titles.

 Within the slightly tame last ditch attempt to control the media explosion surrounding him he was asked about Betsy Andreu. This is the women that told the world years ago that she saw him admit to drug taking to a doctor. Good old Lance then went on to destroy her reputation with lawsuits and vulgar insults. But even with all his effort put into trying to look apologetic and humble he still came out with this nugget...

ARMSTRONG: And I -- I think she'd be OK with me saying this, but I'm going to take the liberty to say it. And I said, "Listen. I called you crazy. I called you a bitch. I called you all these things, but I never called you fat."  

It pretty much confirmed to me what a jerk/bully he really must be. Here's hoping the current generation of Cyclists are clean. 

Limited addition prints will be available so stay tuned and here's to riding clean!

Apex Magazine - Slippery Slope

So you may have have heard recently in the news that American Airlines have had a bit of trouble with cabin seats collapsing whist in use! Well APEX magazine wanted to me to create the illustration for this 4 page feature based on the issue. The brief was to create a tabloid feel and the as you can see the pages came together really well. The limited palette and strong lighting were a interesting constraint to work within.

The background paper and overlay texture were created by myself.

The two spot illustrations were a little break from the norm - Having to tackle the job of representing the faulty part from working drawings and make them dynamic images. 

PC Pro Magazine - Security Suites

 

Security issues, especially those of a online variety seem to be a popular topic for me at the minute. 

Just before Xmas I was commissioned by PC Pro to create this double page spread for the opening of their Internet Security Suite review. The new Windows software is apparently a little draughty and a better options are available... 

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas everyone! I'm beginning to feel rather festive right now having put the finishing touches to this illustration! It has been used as one side of my Christmas promo card that could possibly be winging it's way to your post boxes as I type!

The other side is adorned with the rather wintery illustration I did a little while ago of the view from my Hackney flat.

What no post card arrived in the post? Bah Humbug! Well worry not Xmas can be saved by sending me a quick email with your address! - simon@simonbrader.co.uk

Radio Times - 'The Storm'

It's that wonderful time of the year again... Christmas Radio Times issue! A sign that the festivities are officially on us long before a certain cola manufacturer rolled out their lorry! This year they've gone all out and illustrated every Radio Choice page so lot's of great work adorn those pages and nestled within is my image above.

'The Storm' is a radio play that recounts a man's attempts to record the sounds of a storm on a deserted Scottish island. Whilst doing this he picks up a woman's cries intrigued he sets out to investigate further...

Fire and Water

I've been a little quiet over the past couple of weeks due to doing my civic duty as a Juror at the Old Bailey! A really interesting experience although slightly stressful at times... 

But coming back to the business of illustration, I've just finished working on this image which is a foray into the world of concept art and developing a specific environment. 

APEX Magazine - Online Fraud!

In the November issue of APEX Magazine you will find this set of illustrations that I recently finished based on the slightly scary topic of online fraud. But worry not as the airlines are fighting the good fight and doing all they can to ensure the safety of our (and their) money... Phew!

America Decides

Polling time. A nation decides.

Hot off the press, just finished this illustration as voting begins!

A Winter Walk

I've lived in Hackney for quite a long time now and quite frankly there's not many places I'd rather be. In that time I've lazed in the sun in the parks, swam in the lido, drank in the pubs and even watched riots to Olympic flames from my window. 

This is an illustration of one of those memorable moments, blizzard like conditions hit as I waited to celebrate Christmas with friends and this valiant fellow trudged through the rarely deserted streets.

Limited addition prints will be available so stay tuned for further info.

Radio Times - 'Rheingold'

I love working with the Radio Times, always seem to get a meaty brief to get stuck into and this one was no exception. 

'Rheingold' is a Wagner opera about a ring forged from magical gold. A epic tale of Love Vs Power entails as fate and curses ensnare it's central characters.