The 50th Little Portrait set is here!

My apologies for the delay, but better late than never...

Way back in 2012 when I started this little project, I was inspired by Christopher Nolan’s Batman films, so it seemed only fitting to cap 50 sets off with a tribute to Tim Burton’s pair of Batmans.

I was just the right age for these when they came out and was understandably Batmad about them. Returns was not only my first 12 certificate film (my parents snuck me into the cinema when I was only 11 and I thought it was the coolest thing they’d ever done) but it’s still my favourite Batflick (narrowly inching out The Dark Knight). I love everything about Burton’s twisted take on the Caped Crusader and it paved the way for my other favourite interpretation - the 90s Animated Series. Danny Elfman’s theme still sends shivers up my spine today.

I’m very excited to announce that I’ve illustrated my first jigsaw! The wonderful folks at Ridley’s Games invited me to illustrate the Christmas Movies entry in their Bucket List Puzzle series and here it is in all its 1000 piece glory. In this jigsaw there’s 50 classic, alternative and sometimes niche festive films to spot and add to your watchlist this coming Winter.

This one owned the latter half of my 2025 but was lots of fun to do. Em and I are massive jigsaw fans (as you will know if you ever set foot in our garage) and so this was a proper, well, bucket list assignment. I’ve tried to make the kind of jigsaw I would want to build (packed with little details) and so I hope other puzzlers will like it too.

The puzzle can be picked up online direct from Ridley’s, as well as Amazon and wherever else you may buy jigsaws. I’ve also been told there may be a John Lewis version coming to shops soon, which is rather exciting.

Perversely, I've dropped the 51st Little Portrait set before I released the 50th, but I couldn't resist paying tribute to my (and everyone else's) favourite TV show of the year. Yes Widow’s Bay is amazing, yes Patricia is an icon for our age, and yes it blends genuine scares with on-point deadpan comedy (in a way I haven't seen since An American Werewolf In London). All that is true, but the main reason I adore this show is that I'm married to a horror-avoider and this is the first time in our 21 years together that we've been able to bond over something scary. That genuinely means so much to me and I'm gutted the first season is over - roll on the next.

Don't worry, the 50th Little Portrait set is coming soon and I guarantee it will be a massive letdown after this much build-up!

UPDATE

I’ve had a lovely response to the set on Instagram, including a nice comment from Tim Baltz AKA William The Clown Killer Ghost...



...and a Story mention from Richard Warren himself Hamish Linklater...

Last Thursday I was part of a group art show in Plymouth by Eek! Film Club, showcasing my Texas Chain Saw Massacre poster alongside other amazing artwork promoting their screenings across last year.  I couldn’t make it to the event, unfortunately, but it looked great and I hope all the artists sold some work.  A massive thank you to Kev Saunders of Stay Weird Surf for providing photos for me to use.

Artwork commissioned to promote this year’s Tyneside Cinema Halloween All-Nighter.  Each represents five themed films appearing on one of their screens on the night - “Monster Mash” (cult classic monster movies) on the left and “Good For Her” (horror with a female perspective or feminist angle) on the right.

It was truly an honour to be asked to do this commission - when I first moved to Newcastle at the turn of the millennium the Tyneside was a home away from home (away from home) for a little film student awakened to indie and arthouse cinema.  The Halloween All-Nighter has been a yearly event for a while now and I’ve long wanted to get involved.  And besides all that, who doesn’t enjoy drawing a load of vampires, zombies, werewolves and Goldie Hawns?

Prints and t-shirts of these designs are available for pre-order from their shop.