My side project Patterns for Colouring has started to feature patterns from specially invited illustrators and designers. So far Ben the Illustrator, Matt Lyon and David Lyttleton have been added to the library, with more to come. I think the concept is working really well and would like to extend the invitation to the wider creative community. If you feel you'd like to produce colouring pages for

The word is getting around about Patterns for Colouring and its getting featured on other sites like Creative Boom (pictured), Parent Dish (which is where I found the link to Marshall Alexander, below) and even Holy Moly - quite a broad audience footprint there! I've also seen it mentioned on a few parenting forums and moneysavingexpert.com. Design sites that have featured it include ColourLovers and

I've been on twitter for a while now but I've only just updated the sidebar to show the link. If you'd like to see my arts, illustration, design and general nonsense tweets go ahead and follow me...

Its update time in the land of patterns. My free CC pattern site now has over 100 high resolution images. I'm getting some great feedback from sites like Geekdad, Colourlovers, and Ideafixa who have all linked to the pattern blog recently. It would be great to spread the word even further so that children and adults can all get experimenting and learning about colour.

Introducing Rob Highton, an illustrator that I've mentioned in previous posts. He has finally put an illustration portfolio together. Now I can show you what he can do. He is a great image maker who is comfortable with Photoshop as much as he is with traditional media.

Design Week has a fascinating article about how creatives use their sketchbooks. I tend to use scraps of paper whenever the urge to doodle or think hits me. I do have sketchbooks but they tend to be where I store these odds and ends. The books do get quite padded by this extra paper. I have a more formal leather pocket sketchbook, but its just a little bit too posh and small to do any really messy

I've just uploaded the fortieth free pattern to my other blog. All of the patterns on that site are for downloading, printing out and colouring in. I'm aiming to have 100 patterns uploaded soon, I just have to get around to creating them! The patterns are mostly based on simple geometric shapes but I may branch out into more figurative areas at some point. Remember all of the patterns are protected

If you live in the UK and you love illustration then you must watch this... BBC Four - Picture Book, Now We Are Six. It has Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs and many other masters of illustrated children's books. Fantastic viewing, hurry though, its only available for 14 days.

Quentin Blake talks about his life as an illustrator to the BBC. He's currently backing an initiative to encourage young children to keep drawing and not be put off once they become aware of the world of art.

Here's a little five seconds of arty fun, Own Art. Its an Arts Council run site to promote the possibility of Joe Bloggs being able to own his/her own real art collection. This is done as a competition where you are invited to select your own collection of art and hang it in a customised (by you) room. Here's my effort - no doubt I'll win. ;-)

I've posted the twentieth free pattern design to my pattern blog. There'll be lots more to come. Get over there and download them all. Grab your pencils and crayons and get busy with your kids.

Not exactly illustration or art but impressive none the less...

As detailed in my earlier post the brewers of Becks beer held an art competition. In the above image the winners are: (left to right) Charlotte Bracegirdle, Simon Cunningham, Tom Price and Riita Ikonen. Tasty, I particularly like Riita's "Let's Stick Together" label best. The bottles are on sale from the 1 August.

Brain twisting performance art, via Neatorama.

This award looks pretty interesting - Beck's Canvas. They are giving four artists the chance to put their artwork on Beck's bottle labels in August. They've helped the careers of Damien Hirst, Tracy Emin (more's the pity) and Jake & Dinos Chapman in the past. Having your work appear on 27 million bottles of beer can't be too shabby!

The last few months have been very busy for me. Firstly I had to do a redesign of my magazine, WPT Poker. My colleagues and I have produced a more focussed product aimed at the established poker playing community. We've added far more input from professional players, giving the reader far more chance to immerse themselves in the practice and atmosphere of cardroom mentality.The look of the magazine

Get those pencils and crayons and paints and mice ready for 7 June '08. That's the day when everybody should strive to create whatever comes into their minds. The Drawing Day site lets you know how to get involved - you don't need to have your own site, you can use sites like Facebook, Myspace, Flickr or Deviant Art. So get drawing and get uploading! It's just for fun.

Here's my entry for Mailmeart's call for submissions. Get your own packages into them by 30 January - there's still time. My entry is just a quick doodle but it was fun doing something that didn't involve bezier curves. My son added a little something of his own work on the back.

Banksy is everywhere - here's how to spot the real deal courtesy of the BBC.

Then you need to visit this illustration portfolio...

Over at blog the new shelton wet/dry they've got a post of some interesting photos of junk. This junk is art. Art that's been skillfully crafted (i.e. not a work by Emin in sight). The junk has been moulded into bizarre shapes, which when lit, cast eerily familiar shapes on the background. Brilliant.