Alex (Sandy) Tomlinson
@alexillustrator.bsky.social
Reclusive Illustrator; previously - editorial (Fortean Times etc), mid career - storyboards, concept art. Now it looks like I'm working with my old film friends to make comics/OGN. Also now painting big canvases. Autistic. 🚫NoAI
Huge plump pheasant in the garden rn 👍
October 25, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Huge plump pheasant in the garden rn 👍
Posting this on all the socials to get a wider range of opinons - but then I follow the same people everywhere so you've probably already seen it. Which do you prefer, the one with post-it notes or without? (The notes are made from canvas.) The original idea included notes but then I had a wobble.
September 27, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Posting this on all the socials to get a wider range of opinons - but then I follow the same people everywhere so you've probably already seen it. Which do you prefer, the one with post-it notes or without? (The notes are made from canvas.) The original idea included notes but then I had a wobble.
Lots of crinkly bits and fjords today with tiny brushes.
September 25, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Lots of crinkly bits and fjords today with tiny brushes.
Does he regularly get horned up the ass?
September 24, 2025 at 7:15 PM
Does he regularly get horned up the ass?
A few more layers of glaze done today but that rogue highlight is really annoying me. Will kill it first thing tomorrow.
September 22, 2025 at 4:51 PM
A few more layers of glaze done today but that rogue highlight is really annoying me. Will kill it first thing tomorrow.
At the risk of sounding a bit Alanis Morissette I do find it ironic that I have to use these tiny makeup brushes to paint blemishes ONTO this chonky Otto Sump fuck.
September 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM
At the risk of sounding a bit Alanis Morissette I do find it ironic that I have to use these tiny makeup brushes to paint blemishes ONTO this chonky Otto Sump fuck.
There is no such organisation as ‘antifa’, it is simply the state of being opposed to fascism. Every allied serviceman and woman fighting fascism in WW2 was ‘antifa’. He’s calling our grandparents terrorists because he’s a fascist and surrounds himself with fascists. (see alt text)
September 18, 2025 at 9:06 AM
There is no such organisation as ‘antifa’, it is simply the state of being opposed to fascism. Every allied serviceman and woman fighting fascism in WW2 was ‘antifa’. He’s calling our grandparents terrorists because he’s a fascist and surrounds himself with fascists. (see alt text)
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve repainted the whiteboard and it’s still not right. Meanwhile the massive hand is taking as much time to paint as a second head and it currently looks like a rotten zombie hand, it looks okay IRL I think the orange underpainted head is throwing everything off.
September 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve repainted the whiteboard and it’s still not right. Meanwhile the massive hand is taking as much time to paint as a second head and it currently looks like a rotten zombie hand, it looks okay IRL I think the orange underpainted head is throwing everything off.
I spent all morning painting the ‘bobbles’ on my Bauhaus 100th anniversary t shirt. My eyes have gone funny.
September 12, 2025 at 1:14 PM
I spent all morning painting the ‘bobbles’ on my Bauhaus 100th anniversary t shirt. My eyes have gone funny.
Is it possible to have an 8 hour panic attack? The usual 'remedy' isn't working.
September 10, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Is it possible to have an 8 hour panic attack? The usual 'remedy' isn't working.
The transfer of the whiteboard drawing turned out to be not as bad this morning as it looked last night (at one point it was leaking a bright bubblegum pink goo out the sides.) Today it’s more of a dirty ginger (I haven’t been called that for a long time) and most of it made it onto the canvas. 👍
September 6, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The transfer of the whiteboard drawing turned out to be not as bad this morning as it looked last night (at one point it was leaking a bright bubblegum pink goo out the sides.) Today it’s more of a dirty ginger (I haven’t been called that for a long time) and most of it made it onto the canvas. 👍
So this is the finished underpainting composition (lots of whiteboards photographed and composited together) that will be transferred onto a 14 x 18” canvas and (hopefully) become the background/underpainting for an acrylic painting ‘self portrait - with encouraging comments from my teachers.’
September 3, 2025 at 1:51 PM
So this is the finished underpainting composition (lots of whiteboards photographed and composited together) that will be transferred onto a 14 x 18” canvas and (hopefully) become the background/underpainting for an acrylic painting ‘self portrait - with encouraging comments from my teachers.’
Finished the sketch today, now I just have to somehow do it all over again on a dry wipe board so it can be the background/underpainting. Yes, I have once again overcomplicated this project needlessly.
August 30, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Finished the sketch today, now I just have to somehow do it all over again on a dry wipe board so it can be the background/underpainting. Yes, I have once again overcomplicated this project needlessly.
WIP. Was supposed to be a quick value study for the self portrait but got lost in the playlist and everything went a bit *Chuck Close.
*Yeah right. I should be so lucky
*Yeah right. I should be so lucky
August 29, 2025 at 5:02 PM
WIP. Was supposed to be a quick value study for the self portrait but got lost in the playlist and everything went a bit *Chuck Close.
*Yeah right. I should be so lucky
*Yeah right. I should be so lucky
Same with Darkseid. I thought it was like Heid!
August 24, 2025 at 7:43 PM
Same with Darkseid. I thought it was like Heid!
Finished and ready to varnish. I took my old 80D outside to get some more accurate colour shots (see how blue the t-shirt looks in comparison on the iphone photo of my Dad at the end) but a big gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew everything over. He seems happy with it. 👍
August 21, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Finished and ready to varnish. I took my old 80D outside to get some more accurate colour shots (see how blue the t-shirt looks in comparison on the iphone photo of my Dad at the end) but a big gust of wind came out of nowhere and blew everything over. He seems happy with it. 👍
Easiest way to paint edges of a canvas? Put a couple of screws into your easel to hang the canvas off of then mini foam roller down each edge flipping it anti clockwise. “Bish! Bash! Bosh!” As the toshers on our site always used to say.
August 19, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Easiest way to paint edges of a canvas? Put a couple of screws into your easel to hang the canvas off of then mini foam roller down each edge flipping it anti clockwise. “Bish! Bash! Bosh!” As the toshers on our site always used to say.
I think he’s done. Everyone says it looks just like him so that’s ok. Will probably just paint the edges black, initial the front and photograph it properly before varnishing. Found a black float frame behind a desk that’ll fit so that’s him sorted.
Dad: Mountain Man. Acrylic on canvas. 30 x 40cm.
Dad: Mountain Man. Acrylic on canvas. 30 x 40cm.
August 17, 2025 at 7:55 PM
I think he’s done. Everyone says it looks just like him so that’s ok. Will probably just paint the edges black, initial the front and photograph it properly before varnishing. Found a black float frame behind a desk that’ll fit so that’s him sorted.
Dad: Mountain Man. Acrylic on canvas. 30 x 40cm.
Dad: Mountain Man. Acrylic on canvas. 30 x 40cm.
I love apartment branding, gives everything a Mega-city one vibe.
"Max Jaffa Block forever....."
"Zap those darn Fred Gee blockers."
"Max Jaffa Block forever....."
"Zap those darn Fred Gee blockers."
August 16, 2025 at 10:51 AM
I love apartment branding, gives everything a Mega-city one vibe.
"Max Jaffa Block forever....."
"Zap those darn Fred Gee blockers."
"Max Jaffa Block forever....."
"Zap those darn Fred Gee blockers."
Portraits always feel like a tug of war in paint. One minute you’re looking at someone so familiar you’re worried you might’ve been talking to them for the last hour then a couple of brushstrokes later you’ve lost them and you’re looking at a complete stranger. Quit while ahead today, back tomorrow.
August 11, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Portraits always feel like a tug of war in paint. One minute you’re looking at someone so familiar you’re worried you might’ve been talking to them for the last hour then a couple of brushstrokes later you’ve lost them and you’re looking at a complete stranger. Quit while ahead today, back tomorrow.
If you see this, post a bad woman you love.
August 11, 2025 at 7:43 AM
If you see this, post a bad woman you love.
That’s enough for today. Just started coughing and realised I’ve been absently chewing/smoking a short flat number 1 brush for the last 3 hours and now whatever it’s painted/varnished with is no longer on the handle and more than likely in my tum. 😬
August 10, 2025 at 3:38 PM
That’s enough for today. Just started coughing and realised I’ve been absently chewing/smoking a short flat number 1 brush for the last 3 hours and now whatever it’s painted/varnished with is no longer on the handle and more than likely in my tum. 😬
Making progress on the portrait (My Dad:Mountain Man. 30x40cm acrylic on canvas). Also included a pic of my genius invention for supporting the canvas so I can draw on it without stretching or creating dents in it.
August 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Making progress on the portrait (My Dad:Mountain Man. 30x40cm acrylic on canvas). Also included a pic of my genius invention for supporting the canvas so I can draw on it without stretching or creating dents in it.
Spent the day doing tests of various combinations of clear gesso/crayons/acrylics/fixative/varnish like some sort of scientist. This sort of scientist.
August 9, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Spent the day doing tests of various combinations of clear gesso/crayons/acrylics/fixative/varnish like some sort of scientist. This sort of scientist.
Happy Yorkshire Day!
August 1, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Happy Yorkshire Day!