SPLANK! 2020: Free digital Download

Hey there everyone!
I've some exciting news to share with you all..

A few weeks ago I was approached by Peter Duncan, Editor of the 2000AD fanzine SECTOR 13 and all round top gent, to contribute some material towards his special digital edition of the SPLANK! Annual!

Cover art by John Farrelly

SPLANK! originally a 44 page collection of comics celebrating 60's power comics and British humour strips, has been revived during this time of Covid 19 Lockdown where Comic Conventions and Fairs have been cancelled and a good proportion of indie comic's creator's income has been lost along with it.
It is Peter's intention, with this all digital edition of SPLANK! to showcase and promote the creators of the British indie comics scene!

In this all ages, bumper edition of the anthology you will find over 160 pages of awesome comics from a whole host of fantastic creators! Along with handy adverts and links so you can easily find more of your favourite creator's work online!


So what are you waiting for!? Go ahead and download your free copy right here!

Box of Rain Magazine website - Scroll down to "Download Links".
Get My Comics website - Scroll down to SPLANK! and click the image.

As this PDF is full to the brim of amazing content, please allow a little while for the download to complete. If you would rather just have a flick through before deciding whether to download the full file, then you can read it online for a limited time!
Read Online Here!

Art by Joseph McCafferty 

As well as an attempt to showcase and promote the wealth of talent who have contributed to this annual, Peter has also instilled a very strong message of support for the tireless efforts and astounding work of the NHS and other Key Workers during this difficult time.
On top of this Peter has set up a Just Giving page in support of NHS Charities whose staff and volunteers are caring for patients with Covid 19.

Numerous creators, who's work feature in this issue, participated in showing their appreciation for our Key Workers by contributing artwork to the cause.
If you would like to make a contribution to this very worth while cause then you can do so with this link!
SPLANK! Just Giving page

So in light of all this awesome news, you're probably wondering where I come in exactly?

Well over these past 70+ days of Lockdown I have been busy scribbling away and preparing a revival of my own...



YES! I'm really pleased to announce that PAWS FOR THAWT is BACK!!!
And is featured in this issue of SPLANK!!

Paws for Thawt was the anthropomorphic semi-autobiographical webcomic, where I cast myself, friends and family as animals, in a series of one page strips re-counting funny moments and relatable experiences I'd encountered.
Unfortunately that hiatus was longer than I ever intended due to a variety of different reasons. Despite not actually putting pencil to paper during this break, I was always noting down funny moments ever with the intention of picking Paws for Thawt up again!
I started posting one strip every week back in in June 2017 (feels like an age ago!) and for a while maintained regular posting of a strip a week alongside illustrating issues 4 and 5 of MULP, as well as working part-time. But in April 2018 I had to put Paws for Thawt on a hiatus and make work on MULP my priority while I finished the final issue.

After being put on Furlough from my part-time job, I made a decision to make the most of this time and pick up where I left off!
So when Peter asked me to contribute some material to SPLANK! I leapt at the opportunity to not only support his great effort in promoting indie comic creators and show my appreciation for the NHS and Keyworkers' efforts during this time, but to also aid in the re-launch of my lil comic!!

Paws for Thawt will be live again as of the 2nd June, and will be posting regularly again every Tuesday for as long as I can keep churning out strips! But in the mean time, check out SPLANK! to see the featured strips, two of which are completely new!

You can read all previous strips here:
https://pawsforthawt.tumblr.com/
And you can follow Paws for Thawt over on instagram @pawsforthawt
https://www.instagram.com/pawsforthawt/

Pet Portraits - Double Trouble

Good Morning Quarentiners!

The sun's come back out and it promises to be a scorcher today!
I hope you're all able to get out, find a green space, cleanse your mind, relax and enjoy! It's been a long couple of months so do what you can to help keep yourself centred during these trying times.

One of the things that's been massively helping me lately has been working on this recent Pet Portrait commission!
Yes, Lucy's pair of rescue dogs, Buddy and Charlie are back once more for a double portrait featuring the two of them together! Lucy is going to have quite the shrine to her beloved pooches, this one will be hung between the two solo portraits I completed previously (to be reminded of those, click here for Charlie, and here for Buddy) and I cannot wait to see the end framed result on her wall!

So without further ado, you know them both pretty well by now, Buddy and Charlie!

This, like the other portraits of these two, are traditional in style and coloured using colouring pencils however this one is A3 in size!

Below I've added the reference photo that I used for this piece, behind the scenes though it took many attempts for Lucy to catch them together for this photo! Well done Luce! Thanks for asking me to draw your handsome bois!

Pet Portraits - Charlie the Rescue

Hey there Quarentiners!

Hope everyone's keeping busy, keeping safe and keeping well!

I'm certainly being kept busy over here with the sudden rush of commissions!
Considering I've been on furlough from my part-time job for the duration of Lockdown, I cannot express how grateful I am to everyone who has put in a request for some of my original art!

You are actively helping me, more than ever, to survive on the day to day. Not only with the additional income, but also mentally! You guys are keeping me sane, so thank you!

Today's post will be following on from the previous one somewhat...
As well as commissioning me to draw a portrait of her dad and their new rescue dog, Charlie, as a birthday present (click here to take a look).
Lucy has also decided that Charlie needs his own solo portrait to go with the portrait I did of Buddy, her first rescue dog back in 2015! (click here to see that one)

If you follow that link to take a look at Buddy's portrait, you'll see that Lucy and I have chosen a reference photo of Charlie similar to that of Buddy in order for me to create a matching piece that will complement each other nicely when hung on Lucy's wall!

This traditional styled portrait is A4 in size and done using colouring pencils.

Do you have a special furry friend that deserves a portrait like this? Drop me a message and we'll get it done!

Stephen and Charlie - Pen and Ink portrait

Hey there Quarentiners!

How's everyone holding up?
I can't believe it's been around month since I last posted on here and we're still on Lockdown, where did April go!?
Despite finding it hard to keep track of time, I've continued to try and regularly work on something special for you all (when my studio space isn't hosting web meetings for my partner who's working from home!)
I hope to be able to reveal more about that very soon!

For now though I'm able to share with you the first in a series of commissions featuring just the best boi!
Lucy commissioned this piece as a birthday present to her Dad, but she got too excited and gave it to him early! So here we have Stephen with rescue dog, Charlie!

Happy birthday for the 17th Stephen! I hope you like the portrait!
This commission is A4 in size and done using pen and ink with a black and white ink wash.

If you know someone who would love a portrait like this with their furry friend then please get in touch!

Themed Portraits - Iron Man and Sleeping Beauty

Hey Everyone!

I hope that all of you are keeping yourselves safe and sane during this unprecedented time!
While the country is on lockdown, I plan to use my new found spare time to pick up an old project I regretfully put aside for longer than I anticipated.
Hopefully I can keep myself motivated throughout this madness to come out with something exciting to show you on the other side! *fingers crossed!*

For now though I've something very special to share with you!

Even through all this doom and gloom, we must remember that the world ticks on and there is still love and joy to be found every day! So, today I'd like to wish two people a very Happy Birthday!
Twins, Klay and Imogen are 4 today!!

Here they are as their favourite Disney and Marvel characters; Iron Man and Sleeping Beauty commissioned by Nanny Pen!

Though I imagine you two aren't spending your birthdays how you had planned, I hope that you both have an amazing day doing all the things you love at home with Mum and Dad!



This commission is A4 in size and coloured using Copic Markers.

Do you know a small person who would love to see themselves as their favourite character like these two!? Just drop me a message to make it happen!

Cheesy Love - Valentine's Themed portrait

Morning Everyone!

I mentioned previously that I had a few commissions waiting to be shared, well now that the day of romance has been and gone, I can finally post this Valentine's pic full of puns!

These two anthropomorphised characters featured on this blog for a Valentine's illustration last year! (see it here) Now a year later, Giraffe and Otter make another appearance sharing another of their favourite pursuits; Cheese and Wine!

The brief included the use of the phrase "I Camembert to Brie without you" while the characters are covered in cheese fondue!
No, I don't think it can get any Feta than this!
Its a Gouda thing they asked someone who loves cheese puns to make this Grate work of art!
Emmental ya, these two were made for each other!
(okay that's enough..)

Happy Valentines you crazy pair!!

This commission is A5 in size and coloured using Copic Markers!


Do you have an animal character you'd like to see re-created in an illustration like this, then get in touch!!

Troobs round-up / Child's Play Commission

Hey Everyone!

So when I last posted we were in the run up to True Believers Comic Festival!
That event has been and gone, but it certainly left a fab impression on my first time in attendance and kicked the convention season off with a bang! I had an absolute blast!

There was much well wishing and well deserved praise thrown around on social media in the wake of the convention but I just want to re-iterate what was said back then once more on the blog;

Shout outs to my table partners, Gavin Mitchell and Emily Owen with their comics from Happy Clam. And the great folks from Proud Lion Comics. You were the best company!
Check out Happy Clam's store here: https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/WeAreHappyClam
and Proud Lion Comic's website here: https://www.proudlioncomics.com/

Huge props to Stuart Mulrain for putting on an excellent show! I'll definitely be making efforts to come back next year! You can keep up to date with news on the next True Believer's event, as well as learn more about Stuart's comics and podcasts over on the website: http://oktruebelievers.com/

And to everyone else who tabled, whether I got to catch up with you properly or not, it was great to be in the same room as so many talented and friendly folk! Big love to my ever growing comics family.

Lastly but not leastly, massive thank yous to everyone who stopped by my table on the day!

From those who just started their MULP adventure, to those picking up the next instalment. And the crazy wonderful people who splurged out and bought all 5 issues in one go! You are all awesome, I hope you all enjoy reading our mousey tale! 

Not to mention everyone who picked up some original art! It was my first time selling con sketches and you all made it SO worthwhile! You'll find a card with my deets in each envelope so hopefully you're reading this!

Now, on with the scheduled programming!

I've had a wide variety of commission requests recently, once of which I'm pleased to be able to share with you today!
This is another commissions inspired by the collection of Horror themed drawings I did for the Inktober drawing challenge last year, but Lara decided she wanted to see her favourite character from Horror depicted in the same style!

So I give you Chucky, from Child's Play!

This commission measures 20cm x 20cm squared and is coloured using Copic Markers and whiteout for highlights.

If you want to check out the my Inktober attempt that inspired this commission then hop on over to my Instagram feed: https://www.instagram.com/saradunkerton/?hl=en
Or my Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SaraDunkertonArt/