Tony Cliff
@tangocharlie.bsky.social
Author/illustrator: the DELILAH DIRK series, LET'S GET SLEEPY, BUBBLE.
Currently making an epic tale of 19th-century adventure, PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY, or #PDAP
🎨 tonycliff.com
⚔️ delilahdirk.com
✨ patreon.com/tonycliff
Currently making an epic tale of 19th-century adventure, PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY, or #PDAP
🎨 tonycliff.com
⚔️ delilahdirk.com
✨ patreon.com/tonycliff
Pinned
Tony Cliff
@tangocharlie.bsky.social
· Sep 27
Hello New Folks!
I made the DELILAH DIRK BOOKS (for everyone), LET'S GET SLEEPY (for kids), and illustrated BUBBLE (NOT for kids).
Currently making an ambitious, full-colour, full-throated, no-slop new GN which I am sharing online as I go.
Behold, a webbed site:
👉 www.tonycliff.com
I made the DELILAH DIRK BOOKS (for everyone), LET'S GET SLEEPY (for kids), and illustrated BUBBLE (NOT for kids).
Currently making an ambitious, full-colour, full-throated, no-slop new GN which I am sharing online as I go.
Behold, a webbed site:
👉 www.tonycliff.com
I try hard to believe “it’s a poor craftsman who blames his tools” but… maybe not.
I’ve been trying locally-available alternatives to the W&N Series 7, but even my beat-up old S7 — 100+ pages, tough cleaning regimen — still holds a better point than some of these *came with.*
I’ve been trying locally-available alternatives to the W&N Series 7, but even my beat-up old S7 — 100+ pages, tough cleaning regimen — still holds a better point than some of these *came with.*
November 13, 2025 at 6:18 PM
I try hard to believe “it’s a poor craftsman who blames his tools” but… maybe not.
I’ve been trying locally-available alternatives to the W&N Series 7, but even my beat-up old S7 — 100+ pages, tough cleaning regimen — still holds a better point than some of these *came with.*
I’ve been trying locally-available alternatives to the W&N Series 7, but even my beat-up old S7 — 100+ pages, tough cleaning regimen — still holds a better point than some of these *came with.*
Reposted by Tony Cliff
Meanwhile, in Canada: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Man who took Hamilton bus on joy ride 'did a great job' driving, left no dings, say police | CBC News
He made several stops along the way, allowing passengers to get on and off, police say. He was then arrested.
www.cbc.ca
November 13, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Meanwhile, in Canada: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Reposted by Tony Cliff
New DD4/PRACTICAL DEFENCE Production Diary up now!
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
November 8, 2025 at 8:45 PM
New DD4/PRACTICAL DEFENCE Production Diary up now!
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
New DD4/PRACTICAL DEFENCE Production Diary up now!
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
November 8, 2025 at 8:45 PM
New DD4/PRACTICAL DEFENCE Production Diary up now!
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
Including:
- the purpose of teenagers (to shake you up),
- why I'm so grateful for Patron readers (one example of many),
- the completeness of pencil drawings for Chapter Six (very),
- and THAT'S ALL! (No it's not!!)
www.patreon.com/posts/143098...
I only recently learned that when people talk about “their deck” in the context of a presentation or pitch, it actually just means “PowerPoint presentation.”
November 7, 2025 at 10:27 PM
I only recently learned that when people talk about “their deck” in the context of a presentation or pitch, it actually just means “PowerPoint presentation.”
In his newsletter this week, @austinkleon.bsky.social unintentionally captures the spirit of my current project. It’s comforting to not feel like I am alone in believing this.
austinkleon.substack.com/p/even-the-m...
austinkleon.substack.com/p/even-the-m...
October 31, 2025 at 4:14 PM
In his newsletter this week, @austinkleon.bsky.social unintentionally captures the spirit of my current project. It’s comforting to not feel like I am alone in believing this.
austinkleon.substack.com/p/even-the-m...
austinkleon.substack.com/p/even-the-m...
I laughed, I cried.
I remember having one of these arguments with a relative, about the value of Wikipedia. They decried it, identified it as a threat. I was ambivalent-but-in-favour. Now, though? Haa ha ha ha ha wooo ugh
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
I remember having one of these arguments with a relative, about the value of Wikipedia. They decried it, identified it as a threat. I was ambivalent-but-in-favour. Now, though? Haa ha ha ha ha wooo ugh
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
Hi, It’s Me, Wikipedia, and I Am Ready for Your Apology
“Wikipedia, the constantly changing knowledge base created by a global free-for-all of anonymous users, now stands as the leading force for the dum...
www.mcsweeneys.net
October 31, 2025 at 1:51 AM
I laughed, I cried.
I remember having one of these arguments with a relative, about the value of Wikipedia. They decried it, identified it as a threat. I was ambivalent-but-in-favour. Now, though? Haa ha ha ha ha wooo ugh
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
I remember having one of these arguments with a relative, about the value of Wikipedia. They decried it, identified it as a threat. I was ambivalent-but-in-favour. Now, though? Haa ha ha ha ha wooo ugh
www.mcsweeneys.net/articles/hi-...
It blows my mind, the fact that the current discourse and hype around "AI" exists alongside the continued practice of sending emails with a footer that says, "PLEASE CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE PRINTING THIS EMAIL"
October 30, 2025 at 7:37 PM
It blows my mind, the fact that the current discourse and hype around "AI" exists alongside the continued practice of sending emails with a footer that says, "PLEASE CONSIDER THE ENVIRONMENT BEFORE PRINTING THIS EMAIL"
Seeing a new bsky app icon made me realize I forgot to turn off Automatic Updates for the App Store on this phone, something I recommend if you don’t want to be one of those people posting, “aww they ruined the thing I liked.”
(bsky ruined the reply button, somehow.)
(bsky ruined the reply button, somehow.)
October 28, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Seeing a new bsky app icon made me realize I forgot to turn off Automatic Updates for the App Store on this phone, something I recommend if you don’t want to be one of those people posting, “aww they ruined the thing I liked.”
(bsky ruined the reply button, somehow.)
(bsky ruined the reply button, somehow.)
New PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY / “DD4” Production Diary up now! Drawings, drawings, drawings!!!
⚔️ 🏴☠️ www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
⚔️ 🏴☠️ www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
… oh, and also, lots of nice pencil drawings from the current Chapter-in-Progress.
October 25, 2025 at 7:00 PM
New PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY / “DD4” Production Diary up now! Drawings, drawings, drawings!!!
⚔️ 🏴☠️ www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
⚔️ 🏴☠️ www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
A new PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY Production Diary is up, touching on:
- who has the best Hallowe'en costume ideas,
- staying vigilant against the same stupid compositional mistakes,
- and why are those big glue bottles ganging up on the little one?
✂️👉 www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
- who has the best Hallowe'en costume ideas,
- staying vigilant against the same stupid compositional mistakes,
- and why are those big glue bottles ganging up on the little one?
✂️👉 www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
October 24, 2025 at 10:48 PM
A new PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY Production Diary is up, touching on:
- who has the best Hallowe'en costume ideas,
- staying vigilant against the same stupid compositional mistakes,
- and why are those big glue bottles ganging up on the little one?
✂️👉 www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
- who has the best Hallowe'en costume ideas,
- staying vigilant against the same stupid compositional mistakes,
- and why are those big glue bottles ganging up on the little one?
✂️👉 www.patreon.com/posts/141988...
Is there a reason a book designer would specifically choose NOT to use ligatures? It was an option. This font (“Archetype”) has them.
(A ligature is a special character designed to make - for example - the lowercase letters “f” and “i” look nicer when they’re next to each other.)
(A ligature is a special character designed to make - for example - the lowercase letters “f” and “i” look nicer when they’re next to each other.)
October 18, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Is there a reason a book designer would specifically choose NOT to use ligatures? It was an option. This font (“Archetype”) has them.
(A ligature is a special character designed to make - for example - the lowercase letters “f” and “i” look nicer when they’re next to each other.)
(A ligature is a special character designed to make - for example - the lowercase letters “f” and “i” look nicer when they’re next to each other.)
I Laughed Out Loud.
some guy just left the airport bathroom urinals chuckling and saying "that went well" to himself. what is his story
October 17, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I Laughed Out Loud.
On our way out the door to school,
Kiddo: “Before we even go I need to say goodbye to our beloved pumpkins”
Kiddo: <kisses pumpkins goodbye>
Kiddo: “Before we even go I need to say goodbye to our beloved pumpkins”
Kiddo: <kisses pumpkins goodbye>
October 15, 2025 at 5:00 AM
On our way out the door to school,
Kiddo: “Before we even go I need to say goodbye to our beloved pumpkins”
Kiddo: <kisses pumpkins goodbye>
Kiddo: “Before we even go I need to say goodbye to our beloved pumpkins”
Kiddo: <kisses pumpkins goodbye>
Why can’t anything just be simple
October 14, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Why can’t anything just be simple
Reposted by Tony Cliff
Spooky bird stories. Last year's Halloween comic.
October 14, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Spooky bird stories. Last year's Halloween comic.
Reposted by Tony Cliff
They look very cute side by side.
October 11, 2025 at 9:43 PM
They look very cute side by side.
Reposted by Tony Cliff
It's time for an update to the DD4 / PDAP Production Diary,
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
October 10, 2025 at 7:34 PM
It's time for an update to the DD4 / PDAP Production Diary,
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
It's time for an update to the DD4 / PDAP Production Diary,
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
October 10, 2025 at 7:34 PM
It's time for an update to the DD4 / PDAP Production Diary,
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
looking at pencil drawings for Chapter Six, with eyes that haunt me (with their being hard to get right), difficult hand poses, and problems with perspective.
✏️ 👉 www.patreon.com/posts/rough-...
Reposted by Tony Cliff
I have letter to the editor this week in our local paper.
Our community is, once again, facing a developer who wants to turn public, protected coastal land into a golf course. We've been here before. This time, it's shadier. And God knows it was shady last time. www.invernessoran.ca/top-story/co...
Our community is, once again, facing a developer who wants to turn public, protected coastal land into a golf course. We've been here before. This time, it's shadier. And God knows it was shady last time. www.invernessoran.ca/top-story/co...
October 8, 2025 at 1:13 PM
I have letter to the editor this week in our local paper.
Our community is, once again, facing a developer who wants to turn public, protected coastal land into a golf course. We've been here before. This time, it's shadier. And God knows it was shady last time. www.invernessoran.ca/top-story/co...
Our community is, once again, facing a developer who wants to turn public, protected coastal land into a golf course. We've been here before. This time, it's shadier. And God knows it was shady last time. www.invernessoran.ca/top-story/co...
While scooping coffee beans, one fell, and I worried it would land on our coffee-bean coloured floor (frustrating). But it fell straight into the coffee grinder instead (convenient)!
Anyway we have to look for good omens wherever they present themselves, is all I’m saying.
Anyway we have to look for good omens wherever they present themselves, is all I’m saying.
October 6, 2025 at 4:13 PM
While scooping coffee beans, one fell, and I worried it would land on our coffee-bean coloured floor (frustrating). But it fell straight into the coffee grinder instead (convenient)!
Anyway we have to look for good omens wherever they present themselves, is all I’m saying.
Anyway we have to look for good omens wherever they present themselves, is all I’m saying.
I rarely go to thrift stores and I never flip through the vinyl records.
But I was there today and I found an old copy of an album I set out only HOPING I MIGHT find at the actual record store,
and now I’ll be chasing this high for the rest of my life, I guess
🤷♂️
But I was there today and I found an old copy of an album I set out only HOPING I MIGHT find at the actual record store,
and now I’ll be chasing this high for the rest of my life, I guess
🤷♂️
October 5, 2025 at 12:36 AM
I rarely go to thrift stores and I never flip through the vinyl records.
But I was there today and I found an old copy of an album I set out only HOPING I MIGHT find at the actual record store,
and now I’ll be chasing this high for the rest of my life, I guess
🤷♂️
But I was there today and I found an old copy of an album I set out only HOPING I MIGHT find at the actual record store,
and now I’ll be chasing this high for the rest of my life, I guess
🤷♂️