Speaking My Language.

It's been a trying time over here, having to move out of house and studio in early February and suddenly having tools, food, clothing and gear spread across two locations - briefly three - with two studio moves and a third still to come.

I don't adapt well to upheaval, and certainly am not one of these people I read about who can just pick up a sketchbook and a couple of pens and produce work gaily on the hoof. No, I'm a creature of habit and routine, and like to have everything in its place where I can see it.

So there was a real comfort in settling into this job for New Scientist magazine, which has amazing articles with bonkers titles like 'Levitating glass bead proves Einstein wrong' and 'Human Lego could build artificial organs'. This busy piece was done over the course of six days with the studio in bits, and using nothing but a list of the 6000+ languages spoken around the world, an A3 drawing book and two big packs of felt pens. Soothing and calming!

Sometimes, it's as if the Freelance Gods (they do exist) seem to know what's going on, and prescribe exactly the right medicine. Cheers Ryan and Craig at New Scientist!

The first part of the image (this is the cover):

Then the centre part is added, separated out for the interior illustration:

And here's how the cover looks:

Final cover - reversed at the last second, for greater impact!