Under wraps for the past six months, I’ve at last been given the go-ahead for revealing my involvement in a unique and exciting comic book project.  In support of various charities and vital services working tirelessly during current global health concerns, upcoming anthology Tales from the Quarantine is a 200-page comic experience not to be missed!

First announced in March 2020 as worldwide lockdown began, 400 comic book writers, artists, colourists and letterers (including over 100 Eisner, Emmy, Hugo and Ringo award winners and nominees) from 60 different countries have since come together to donate time and talent on a scale never-before-seen in comics, obliterating several world records in the process.

Created, curated and published by Frazer Brown of Red Cabin Comics, Tales from the Quarantine is a wealth of self-contained, one-page tales exploring the theme of isolation.  Readers can expect a variety of fantasy, horror, science-fiction and real-life vignettes intertwined with introspection, humour, passion and drama.

Having written and produced artwork for a tale with a twist which I’m sure readers will enjoy, I’ve been named as a Phase 1 contributor alongside household names such as Charlie Adlard (The Walking Dead), Hannah Berry (UK comics laureate), Ed Brubaker (DC, Marvel), Dan Cornwell (Rok of the Reds), PJ Holden (2000 AD), Staz Johnson (Robin, Catwoman), Alex Segura (The Black Ghost), Declan Shalvey (Thunderbolts) and Kek-W (2000 AD, Commando, The77) to name just a few.

Available for order NOW via Kickstarter pledge, please be advised Tales from the Quarantine will never be reprinted beyond the campaign!  With options for all levels of affordability and some fantastic variants and rewards, there’s no reason not to own a copy of this unique, creative reflection of an equally unique time in history!  Get your copy while you can!

Follow Red Cabin Comics on Twitter for more details, news and announcements.

Due to the spread of the infectious coronavirus disease COVID-19, all convention bookings and exhibitions by Adam Bagley Art over the next six months have been cancelled.  All being well, I will next be exhibiting in September at the International Comics Expo in Birmingham, Central England.  More details regarding Birmingham ICE 2020 coming soon.

Please note Sci-Fi Scarborough 2020 has been cancelled in its entirety.  The convention is scheduled to return on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th of April 2021 and the organisers promise it will be a show to remember.

Take care of yourselves and look after one another.

Oh, we do like to geek beside the seaside!  I’m pleased to announce Adam Bagley Art will be exhibiting recent artwork (including many illustrations not on the website) at Sci-Fi Scarborough 2020.

Taking place on Saturday 4th and Sunday 5th of April at the Scarborough Spa complex in the seaside town of Scarborough, North Yorkshire, England, the seventh annual SFS convention will be a weekend celebration of all things relating to science-fiction and geek pop culture.

A wonderful example of Grade II listed Victorian architecture, Scarborough Spa is a quarter-mile-long venue with stunning views over the South Bay and a fantastic mix of indoor and outdoor space. Over the weekend these spaces will be filled with authors, writers, comic book artists (including Gary Erskine (DC Comics, Marvel), Grant Perkins (2000 AD, Titan Comics), Graham Humphreys (specialised horror genre illustrator) and Richard Piers-Rayner (Road to Perdition) to name a few), and independent freelance artists such as I.

Well-known actors and actresses from popular film and television series such as Star Wars and Doctor Who will be making guest appearances and, for a fee, posing for photographs and signing things.  Screen-used prop displays, fan film screenings, modern and retro games consoles, and various tabletop wargames will all feature, as will cosplayers walking amongst visitors and posing for photos, quizzes, competitions, live music, presentations, awards, and much more besides.

Over the weekend, from my table in the Sun Court Suite, I will be offering a selection of quality art prints and postcards for sale and taking on private and professional commissions.  As ever, I’ll be happy to talk about current trends and the artists materials, techniques, and processes used to create my drawings.  Friendly and approachable, I especially enjoy talking with aspiring artists, wannabe comic creators, and art and design students studying visual communication subjects, so if this is you and you’re planning to visit the event, don’t be shy - come say hi!

Check out the Sci-Fi Scarborough website for more details, including tickets, directions, and nearby accommodation.

The psychedelic sound of up-and-coming British indie pop band The Good Water has of late been securing airtime on national radio stations such as BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6, receiving critical acclaim and drawing in a wide fan base.

Based in Birmingham, Central England, band members Rob Clements (guitar and lead vocals), Tom Fisher (drums and backing vocals) and Stuart Webb (keyboard and backing vocals) are admirers of 1960s and 1970s psychedelia and approached me in early 2018 in regard to creating art in this style for a future release.

Fast forward to present day and I’m pleased to finally be able to share my artwork for recently released Live Studio Session, which is well worth a listen if you like fuzz-fuelled guitar riffs, the smooth vibes from vintage organs, and hypnotic drum beats.

The chosen cover illustration is a contemporary, entirely digital creation with clear nods towards 60s and 70s psychedelia.  A limited palette of carefully selected colours and subtle layers of artificial textures are inspired by and imitate aspects of traditional hand-drawn illustration.  In contrast, well-defined waves coexist with uniform, vertical lines.

Initial versions of this visual concept incorporated a full psychedelic background, but this was deemed too distracting, drawing attention away from the central focal point.  Two examples are provided below for readers to make their own critical comparisons.

Early feedback from The Good Water regarding the final version has been entirely positive, with many comments on social media reportedly directing praise solely towards my artwork, indicating the creative decisions made have succeeded in achieving the desired result.

You can download Live Studio Session and the band's other releases on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon.  The fee for this commission is to be donated by The Good Water to Wythall Animal Rescue on behalf of Adam Bagley Art.

I am delighted to announce on the 1st and 2nd of June Adam Bagley Art will be exhibiting at the UK's newest and most vibrant comic art festival, Comics Salopia.

Taking place across the beautiful town of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, England, this celebration of the sequential art medium promises fun, inclusive, and inspiring events for the whole family to enjoy.   During this weekend of live art events, visitors can also enjoy film screenings, Jedi fight training, a small press comics market, an interactive Judge Dredd event, live music, a cosplay competition, and even a zombie walk!

Some of the biggest names in comic art will be attending venues such as the grounds of Shrewsbury's Castle, Dana Prison, Shrewsbury University, and the town's Museum and Art Gallery (which, amongst other things, will be hosting an exhibition by local artist Charlie Adlard of The Walking Dead fame).  It's worth noting The Beano comic, which is seldom seen at comic art festivals and conventions, will also be in attendance.

If you plan to visit the event, don't be shy - stop by and say hello!  During both days I will be exhibiting a wide variety of artwork inside my very own cell at Dana Prison, alongside some of the artists and writers for 2000 AD comic.  I'll be on hand to talk about current trends and the artists materials, techniques, and processes I use when creating my illustrations.  Signed prints will be available for purchase and, of course, I'll be happy to discuss private and professional commissions.

Check out the Comics Salopia website for more details.  I hope to see you there!

Started in 2016 by illustrator Jake Parker, Inktober is an annual drawing challenge which involves creating an ink drawing every day during the month of October.

Working to an official prompt list, many participants see the challenge as an opportunity to test out several types of ink, brushes, and pens, experiment with different markmaking techniques, and have lots of fun stretching their imagination.  Using the #Inktober hashtag, completed drawings are then shared online.  Inktober is certainly a commitment, but if drawing each day just isn’t possible, illustrators can decide to post every other day, once a week, or whenever is feasible.

2018 saw me taking part in the Inktober challenge for the first time, and I managed to produce an illustration every day for 18 days before professional commitments took priority.  I found Twitter especially great for sharing my illustrations and getting feedback, and I was pleasantly surprised when Luke Skywalker and Yoda themselves, Mark Hamill and Frank Oz, liked and commented on my drawings based on movies Star Wars V: The Empire Strikes Back and The Dark Crystal.

I've since added some of my artwork for Inktober 2018 to my website's gallery and all of my submissions can be viewed on social media, some of the ideas for which I'm planning to develop further.

It doesn't matter how skilled you are, if you like drawing I recommend giving Inktober a try.  It's a great way to give your artistic abilities a good workout and get your style of work seen.  It's also interesting to see what other artists come up with and learn of the techniques they use and how they apply them.

Just as the domain name suggests, my name is Adam Bagley and I'm an artist.

Based in the once-heavily-industrialised Black Country area of the West Midlands, Central England (thought by some to have been the inspiration for Mordor in J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings), I've been active as a professional illustrator since leaving school in 1993, thanks largely to a now obsolete on-the-job Government initiative known as the Youth Training Scheme (YTS).  Controversial and often criticised both politically and socially for being prone to exploitation, the scheme nonetheless provided me with a platform from which to launch my career and I've been producing artwork for many well-known corporate organisations and private clients ever since.

Freelance work I've produced over the years includes illustrations for logos, point of sale marketing, merchandising, promotional campaigns, entertainment media, print media, character design, concept design, storyboards and bespoke private commissions including murals, portraits, and caricatures.

Though unnecessary for a career as an illustrator, I have a degree with honours in visual communication, specialising in illustration.  I've also many years' experience in graphic design, photography, printing, cardboard engineering, signwriting and much more besides, so achieving the qualification as a mature student was, for me, about realising a long-standing personal goal instead of career opportunities or advancement.

As far back as I can remember, I've loved freehand markmaking and drawing and was enthralled by science-fiction and fantasy art from a very young age.  Artists whose work I admire include Jim Burns, Simon Bisley, Ron Embleton, and Brian Froud.  British comics and graphic novels have also been an important part of my life, with The Beano and 2000 AD firm favourites to this day.

I have passion for creativity which feels as fresh and unique to me today as it did when I first put crayon to card.  Combined with hard work and determination, I feel fortunate to have established a career out of what I love doing most.

As with my art, I aim to be an open and honest blogger, providing overview on some of my works-in-progress (if permissible), focus on tools, materials, techniques and processes used, and musings on industry-related trends and developments.  Blog content will be aimed towards admirers of my work, wannabe and fellow illustrators, potential clients such as art directors, editors, writers, marketing executives and creative agency representatives, and all else in-between.

Friendly and approachable, I welcome your comments and questions either here or via my website's contact form.