The Mighty Pencil - “A collection of contemporary illustration talent from around the globe” featuring "Sea Monkeys" by Cool Surface

Here’s an image I've been waiting ages to show you all; a while ago the enigmatic illustration guru/organisation/oracle known only as The Mighty Pencil (@TheMightyPencil on Twitter) asked me to be in their first publication dedicated to championing quality illustrative talent across the UK and beyond . The book is “A collection of contemporary illustration talent from around the globe” and features a plethora of amazingly talented illustrators, such as Steven Bonner, Ben The Illustrator, Bex Glover, Stephen Chan, Julian James and many more, so I'm honoured to be involved.

The book is an industry only publication, so if you’re in a position to commission illustration, if you’re an art director, art buyer, magazine editor etc, then send an email to The Mighty Pencil and request a free copy! Copies are 68pp A5, full colour, printed by RipeDigital.Note: Please don't email if you aren't in a position to commission artists and you just want a freebie.

Have fun,
David
twitter.com/DavidCousens

Battle Books: Arnhem is available now!

You can now buy: Arnhem, part of the Battle Books range from Franklin Watts/Hachette Publishing's Edge imprint. I've just recived my copy and it looks rather nice if I do say so myself.  When I first received the commission I was concerned I was going to be asked to tone down the violence and make a sanitised version (as often happens in publishing), but thanks to the excellent senior editor Adrian Cole I was allowed to put in plenty of gore, blood and severed limbs. Drawing this book and it's sister title Iwo Jima was a real treat for my inner 14 year old.

We've provided the art for 2 books in the Battlebooks series, and the other 2 books have been illustrated by good friend of Cool Surface Ollie Cuthbertson go check out his blog to see more art from his Hastings book.

Buy Arnhem from Amazon.co.uk for the bargain price of £5.39 delivered now:

Have fun,

David

Preview Art for Battle Books: Arnhem by Gary Smailes & David Cousens from Franklin Watts/Hachette

Happy New Year! 

Here is our first official art preview of the upcoming book: Arnhem, part of the Battle Books range from Franklin Watts/Hachette Publishing's Edge imprint.

It's written by the excellent Gary Smailes and illustrated 100% by some handsome chap named David Cousens and will be released very soon.

We'll be posting some more preview art soon and will let you know as soon as the book is released.

Have fun,

David

twitter.com/DavidCousens

"Propaganda" - Digital PaintingTutorial for Digital Arts Magazine

In the November 2010 issue of Digital Arts  magazine (out now in the UK) you can find our digital painting tutorial inspired by early 20th Century Chinese Propaganda posters with a theme of "Inspiration". 

One detail we didn't have the space to explain in the magazine was what the Chinese text says, which is a loosely translated quote from Jack London: "You can’t wait for inspiration, you have to go after it with a club"

Have fun,

David

twitter.com/DavidCousens