Numberblocks woz 'ere

I once read this quote by an author:

when you write your fantasy epic, stumble upon some attractive plotline and pursue it you almost inevitably find a little engraved stone. ‘J. R. R. Tolkien was here first’

~Chris Walley

As an illustrator of children's maths books, I can sympathize with this sentiment, though my plaque would read 'Numberblocks was here first'. 

We could give 1 a single eye? Numberblocks did that first.

We could give 2 glasses? Numberblocks did that first.

4 could involve square shapes? They did that first. 5's motif could be a star? They did that. 7 could reflect a rainbow in some way? They did that too. 8 could be based on either an octopus or a spider? They did BOTH (that's just greedy!) 

I can't possibly avoid everything they've done!

A.I. Psalm

I'm terrible at remembering to post art-related stuff here - I tend to do it on Facebook but I should do both.

I've been playing about with A.I. (don't worry, I'm not going to start using it to draw my pictures!)

 

Anyway, amongst the weird hands, inexplicable outfits, and mutant books, I got this picture:

 

(The prompt I gave it was: Children Sunday School Bible church. Style: cyberpunk)

 

Not only has it got no big errors, but it also made me think of a line from a Psalm. So I made a poster.

 

 

If you want a high-res version it's in my shop (for free) here.

Bad tidying advice

Often articles about tidying say things like ' if you haven't opened a box in a year, just chuck it - you obviously don't need it."

These articles are obviously written by naturally tidy people.

I've just come across a basket - from before lockdown - filled with varying things: old receipts and Sunday school pictures, which could easily be chucked; coloured paper, leftover craft materials and various folders, which were worth keeping but I wouldn't have missed...

...and my employment contract. 

Glad I didn't just chuck the whole lot!