IF :: Slither'cise

Lila discovers not to do her slither exercises on the rug on her newly polished floor again.

For Illustration Friday's topic slither

On-line Privacy

Alvin starts to worry about his identity's exposure within the social networks.

With thanks to profimagazin for the stylized social network logos

IF :: escaping the Early Bird

For Illutration Friday's topic early

If :: Subterranean

A wrong turn at the carrot patch and wilber finds himself in an angry bullant nest.

For IllustrationFriday 's topic subterranean

IF :: Brave Enough

Alvin worries he will not be brave enough to tell the truth.

For illustration Friday's topic brave

On :: life's awkward moments

Alvin no longer fears those awkward
"Mine is bigger than yours"
moments at the Camera Club

On :: Network Intelligence

The Maths is simple

Twitter + Celebrities = Dumb Net
Buzz + Geeks = Smart Net

IF :: only we all had proper gates

For Illustration Friday's topic propagate

Whats this Buzz about

Google have just announced Google Buzz which is built into gmail. I'm not going to go into all the technical stuff, Gina Tripani of Smarterware & TWIG fame, does a much better job of explaining it, and a good run down of how to do everything in google buzz (including turning it off).

What it offers me, as a cartoon character, might be a better way to put my cartoons out there, in the social media clouds. In the short term I will post my TwitPIC quickies on Buzz as well, but expect to see different stuff via Buzz soon. One problems is I don't have any followers there yet, no problem, you should be able to figure out my new gmail name, alvin.people at gmail dot com you can even send me an email there if you like. Imagine that, a cartoon character with his own email name.

Well it also gives me yet another button to push.

IF :: Muddy

Lila's Fashion Rule #17 Don't wear stilettos to a picnic on a rainy day

For IllustrationFriday's   topic Muddy

IF :: in the Wilderness

Lila begins to worry about the wisdom of her Weekend Walk on the Wild Side Adventure.

For Illustration Fridays Topic Wilderness

IF :: breakfast was just a croc

For Illustration Friday's Topic Hatch

IF :: red tape

Oh what a tangled web we weave ...
Lila discovers the complex bureaucracy associated with claiming liposuction on medicare.

For Illustration Friday 's topic entangled

On early arrival of summer

If :: blur

Alvin's plan to avoid further housework begins well.

For Illustration friday's topic blur

if :: skinny

For illustration friday's topic skinny

15 seconds of (Twitter) Fame

Alvin is not ready for all the hits from his 15 seconds of twitter fame.

• Andy Warhol noted everyone has 15 minutes of fame
• In the future, everyone will be famous for fifteen people
• Alvin notices anyone can get 15 seconds of fame on twitter

IF :: Frozen

Alvin understands he has been late home for diner, one too many times this week.

For IllustrationFriday's topic frozen

ON Christmas shopping

Having found the last Nexido 2000X in stock, Alvin realizes he still has to make to the checkout.

Yes folks the christmas stuff is out in the shops already!

IF :: flying

Alvin knows that it is just a dream, but he still is really pleased he can fly

For illustration Friday's topic flying 

IF :: Girl Germs

[Flashback] After being caught by Laura in a playground kiss chassy game, Alvin experiences his first infection of girl germs.

For illusytration Fridays topic germs

Espresso comes to the coffee wildness

Meg gets to server her cafe's first every short black,

but is still unable to understand what it is?

IF :: always welcome

Aunty Vi's welcome is a little bit too exuberant (as usual)

For Illustration Friday 's topic welcome

IF:: a little strong

Alvin confidently cuts the cheese knowing it will be all his.

For Illustration Friday's Topic strong

IF :: Over Magnified

Alvin is puzzled by the ants sudden apparent look of terror?





For Illustration Friday's topic Magnify

IF :: Caution

Too Late, Alvin realises what he has just done!

for Illustration Friday's topic Caution

IF :: Wrapped

Alvin is pleased with his first attempt at self gift-wrapping.

For illustration friday's topic wrapped

On Jon Faine's Conspiracy Theory

This was originally meant to be uploaded to twitpics, but I could not log in? (Not another DoS I hope?)

Just a comments on Jon Faine's conspiracy theory (I thought you didn't entertain them Jon) about the Twitter DoS, Denial of Service Attack, being commercial interests trying to exploit and commercialise the net!!

The best comment on the Twitter DoS attack comes from Sighmon

IF about to modify

Lila discovers it is difficult to modify her beauty regime!

For illustration Friday

IF dancing

Just one step too many

For Illustration Friday's topic tango

IF in a shaky situation

Suddenly, it dawns that more than one Alvin is required to change the light bulb

For Illustration Friday's topic shaky

IF :: Impossibility

Alvin can barely believe his eyes

For Illustration Friday's topic Impossibility

IF :: Fleeting

For Illustration friday's topic fleeting

IF :: blessed with inner poise

Sometimes Lila wishes her inner poise was not just in her dreams.

For Illustraion Friday's Topic Poise

On Extreme Energy Saving

Alvin starts to believe every hour should be earth hour

In memory of the innocents

It is not the time yet to open the book of blame and recrimination,

it is still a time of grief and mourning and practical help for the victims,

those who lost loved ones and houses in the bushfire tragedies in Victoria's Blackest Saturday.

For illustration friday's topic instinct

IF counting the heat

The heatwave conditions in Southern Australia

are turning Alvin into a thermopile

For Illustration Friday's topic counting

IF :: Pale

For Illustration Friday's topic Pale

2009 already

Alvin & Lila wish all their friends a most happy and prosperous New Year.

IF :: the word were candle-stine

For Illustration Friday's topic clandestine

On post-christmas sales

IF :: you hear voices

For illustration Friday's topic voices

Lila and Alvin have decided to be responsible, in the light of the world finacial crisis and global warming and stay home, not holiday in Europe, (ok that's how Alvin described it to Lila), so they are getting a lesson in the little known stress of babysitting other people's pets.

The making of packed properly

My technique to make these cartoon has changed enough, since I last let you into my secrets, that I should just review the changes. First and most importantly I tend to created the specific figures, and other objects, as hand drawn sketches to suit each cartoon. (Rather than trying to use a library of shapes). I still might drawn different figures and things seperately. I then "ink in" with any felt pen I can find, colour doesn't really matter as i just digitise this in black and white. Next I use Corel Trace to convert the shapes into vector drawn shapes and then corel draw to manipulate those shapes... for example, colouring rescalling rotationg and adding the "standard layout". Generally I can get from pencil concept to final drawing on the blog in half an hour or less. Just a longish coffee break!

If you haven't noticed I am also doing some "quickie" cartoons in a simple layout for twitter pics (look down on the left hand column). These cartoons are meant to be mostly for my twitter friends, supposed to be highly relevant and I keep them very simple so the time from concept to upload is 15 minutes or less (ie a true coffee break creation) and explainable in 140 charcaters of text (or less)

IF :: packed properly

For Illustration Friday 's topic packed

IF clique-y

for Illustration friday's topic clique

IF we all had island dreams

For Illustration Friday's topic island

With a little bit of inspiration from Paul Gaugain

IF living in clutter

For illustration friday 's topic clutter