• The final part of my Dragon trilogy , Dragon Red, came out on Wednesday – 1st March 2017 – St David’s Day.

    The day before I went to make a video about Dinas Emrys, which is a hill in north wales near Beddgellert which is renowned as Merlin’s Castle and where the Red Dragon of Wales is reputed to be imprisoned and where Merlin’s Gold is waiting to be claimed by a fatherless child!

    Dinas Emrys is where the trilogy begins and ends. When I was planning and writing there books, I gained such a visual impression from my researches, that I decided not to visit until I’d finished the series. This week was my first chance… but it was pouring with rain.

    I’ll be going there again. on the Eve of May Day to film again. more successful this time I hope. Look out for the next dinars embryos video soon!

    You can get the books at Amazon here in the UK

    Or you can get signed copies – with a free poster from me here

    Learn marabout Dinas Emrys at wikipedia

    And here is some tourist information.

    Ang here is the Google satellite view

  • Huion asked me to review the Giano or WH1409 Wireless Graphics Tablet. Just in time as my old Wacom intros was falling apart! I’ve not been paid to make this video, but I do get a small commission if you buy from my Amazon links – but you pay no extra. This helps me to make more videos!

    I’d often thought about buying a Huion Tablet, but the battery pen always put me off. I’d always thought it would be heavy… but Huzzah! It’s not! Actually I’d say it is lighter and more comfortable – the Wacom pen is pretty clunky.

    The tablet is wireless. There is an 8gb usb disk/stick hidden underneath, which doubles as the wireless dongle. It also has all the driver files and extra manuals saved onto it, so you are ready to load the drivers and get to work.

    You charge up the pen and the tablet with usb cables and the tablet can also work independently as a usb tablet. The wireless charge gives you about 40 hours of work time on one charge.

    There are assignable keys, but I never use them, as I’m so used the keyboard short cuts. I think most graphic artists are like that.

    I never use a mouse. I did a massive animation project once that nearly gave me RSI, I’ve only ever used a tablet and pen since and can work comfortably all day.

    If you get mouse strain in your hand, GET A TABLET BEFORE YOU DAMAGE YOuR HANDS!

    I’m very happy to recommend this, the build quality is great and it is sooooo much cheaper that the wacom equivalents – across the whole range too.

    <iframe style=”width:120px;height:240px;” marginwidth=”0″ marginheight=”0″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″ src=”//ws-eu.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=GB&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=shoorayner&marketplace=amazon&region=GB&placement=B01CY1W7IU&asins=B01CY1W7IU&linkId=390e3e98be7dc6feb9d606a5cb50f76c&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true”></iframe><iframe style=”width:120px;height:240px;” marginwidth=”0″ marginheight=”0″ scrolling=”no” frameborder=”0″ src=”//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=wwwshoorayner-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B01CYCOYSU&asins=B01CYCOYSU&linkId=3afb3d460d5613c34b7956d470fad72a&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true”></iframe>

  • Learn how to draw a swallow in flight and then paint it in watercolour

    I saw my first swallow yesterday, which does not make a summer, but it’s always a great and cheering site to see them back for the summer.

    I’m also drawing illustrations for a new book written by Michael Morpurgo at the moment. It’s a series called Mudpuddle Farm, and there are swallows in the story, which I have been drawing this week. See more here 

    Also if you want to draw clouds, try this video

    Here is a great video about swallows
    and a brilliant bbc video of Swallows Drinking While Flying – Slow Mo!