Jennifer Jason Leigh was victim to it, Jennifer Aniston’s hair suffered it and Petre Andre will never fall foul of it.

What is it? The copy cat scoundrel. This month I’ve come across some of the most blatant rip offs of people’s ideas that I felt I had to write about it.
To those of you out there, who are cultural, creative, inspiring, the idea of ripping off the work or concept of another artist or designer (and calling it your own), not only wouldn’t occur to you, but is something that you would probably find abhorrent.

Alas, this is not the case for the dunder-heids that I’ve come across in the last month. These scumbags come across someone who has a good idea, has perhaps had some success with it and boom they they are ON IT like a tramp on chips.

Speaking as someone who is an illustrator’s widow(metaphorically speaking of course, he’s not deid!). I spend days, sometimes weeks being ignored as the Pirate, draws, and redraws, and redraws and redraws antlers or occasionally sheep skulls (don’t ask).  Although admittedly he’s not the biggest conversationalist, chit chat during these times comes to a complete standstill.

“What would you like for dinner darling?”, no response.

“Hi Dave, I thought I would come back into the living room naked except for a hairclip!” no eye movement.

“Dearest, I seem to have caught fire whilst trying to prepare you a tasty an nutrionally balanced meal, could you pass me a wet tea towel please”, nothing.

If it’s wasn’t for his wee hand skittering quickly aboot a sketchpad and the remnants of erasure particles all over the couch, I would be concerned there was no visible output.

Back to my point. To those of you out there who think that you can trace, Photoshop, WordArt, “rip stuff off from the web” think that unlicensed IStock images are your personal photo album,  we are aware of you and we think you stink. This also applies to concept grifters…..you are the lowest of the low, you are the moral equivalent of a houserobber and have as much authenticity as Jordan’s Bits.

Oooh…..that feels much better!……jacq x

Hello all and happy new year! I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and didn’t regret it too much the following day! I have a sneaky feeling that 2012 for Urban Pirate is going to be a big year. 2011 was quite amazing with our first steps into wholesaling and attending a massive number of events. But I think we can do more!

My brain is literally bursting with new designs and artwork and as a result I am going to need to create some more space. So we’ve decided to create a wee clearance sale on a few items. Once these items are gone, they will not be coming back! So be sure to pick up a bargain whilst you still can!!

You can see all the items in the sale here:  http://urbanpirate.net/shop/category/sale

Bad Pirate

So, it’s that time of year again. Time for obligatory legwarmers, big knickers(not obligatory, but heh, it’s cold out there), pate for breakfast, lunch and dinner, pine needles up yer feet, chilled prosecco on tap but best of all, searching for presents.

I LOVE presents. Don’t care what occasion it is, don’t really mind what people buy me, but I love presents,

I’m not one of those people who when asked what they want for Christmas, says, “Auch I don’t really need anything, don’t waste your money on me”. I WANT you to waste your money on me, as much of your money as you can bear to spend. At any given time during the calendar year I have a list as long as Bruce Forsyths chin with things I would like. You don’t even need to worry about choosing something; I will supply you with three different price bracketed gifts to suit your budget.

I also hate surprises so historically since we met, I have forced/tricked/manipulated the Pirate into handing my goodies over early…sometimes as much as two weeks early… Yes I know…I’m brilliant.

This year however something has changed. Being in business has hardened the Pirate. There is a new maturity, a sternness to his glare and nothing, and I mean nothing is making him hand over the gifts. He’s acting like an adult and I don’t like it.

After much nagging, persuading and shin kicking, I have managed to gleam that I have ten gifts, yes ten, but that is where the story ends. Packages have mysteriously arrived at the flat, but where they then go, I do not know. It’s driving me nuts. I don’t know what else I can do to change his mind, he laughs at my dancing, I apparently look constipated when trying to look sexy and I already feed him too much.

But, I will not give in, I will not give up. I will have those gifts before the fat guy in the red suit arrives….just you wait and see.

Merry Christmas x

Halloween has always been an interesting holiday. An excuse for people to wander around wearing what they like (or in some cases what you wear in the bedroom…..) and I have always enjoyed it. Bobbing for apples, eating jammed up toast dangling from a piece of string, toffee apples. Strangely I never really got into the “dressing up” thing until a few years ago, where I decided to got at it hard. (I worked in a night club and its always good to make an effort.) My first year I dressed up as a musketeer, which worked as I had the full tash, sole-patch curly hair that would go with it. A year later I decided to go as Thor…..so I was ahead of my time. My piece-de-resistance was last years, I decided to go scary….I couldnt be bothered with all that make up so zombies were out. I wanted something that would strike fear into the hearts of those who seen me (it was that kinda night club) there was only one character I could be, and with my stature I managed to pull it off. Michael Myres…