Richard Bell's nature sketchbook since 1998
Happy birthday to Richard, who’s so lucky to have such interesting Metro stations around him in Paris. We have to make do with Finsbury Park, Mornington Crescent and Crouch End. But Harry Hill, the I’m Sorry, I haven’t a Clue team and Edgar Wright/Simon Pegg have made the most of those three, although Crouch End was a fictional tube station, featuring in Shaun of the Dead.
Pickering, a great town for a celebration . . . particularly a rather special one.
Happy birthday to Paul (last weekend).
It’s proving to be a busy week for birthdays. A canine card for Holly.
Final line-up of SuperChickens: MoreHen, Attila the Hen, RedCap, Vorwerk, ‘EN and LegHorn. This is the rough.
It can be a hard life, being a cartoonist, sitting in the corner of the Capri brainstorming chicken superheroes for Marvel (no, not that Marvel, these are for a chicken-mad superhero fan of the same name).
So, lets get them in order this time, in the order they come in the name ‘Marvel’. First up (after RedCap the rooster, haven’t drawn him yet) is Attila the Hen. Could be related to a Marvel superhero who is handy with an axe.
Next, meet Vorwerk and E.N.
And finally LegHorn, the superchicken, and doesn’t he know it. Colour scheme taken from a Leghorn cockerel.
With a few memorable exceptions, the chickens I have known have been remarkably relaxed, contentedly clucking to themselves, but supposing chickens had another secret life and had to use their superpowers to save the planet (yes, superpowers to save the planet, not superglue).
First out of their secret high tech hideout, MoreHen, a muscle-bound hunk of a hen.
Happy birthday to our seafaring niece Karen.
I went for a pen and fingerprint technique – using a rubber stamp. Perhaps that’s why Rob looks like a startled vicar.
As is often the case I think my rough of the Karen character looks more spontaneous than the final version.
I went for a spinach-coloured apron in the final version but I think that the wine red and smoked paprika ensemble would really suit Karen.
Just a shame that we haven’t been able to bake her a Torta di Spinaci to celebrate.
After the useful French phrases for walking the dog for Michelle’s birthday, we’re going for some Parisian sophistication for Isabel’s card (Bon anniversaire for yesterday).
Card for a sound recording expert who happens to live near The Deep. Happy birthday to Richard.
And happy birthday last Friday to Michelle who is a bit of an expert at taking a dog for a walk on the other side of the Channel. Me, I had to head for Google Translate to check out these useful phrases.
Happy Birthday to Lenny earlier this week. Hope he’s worked this one out by now.